Performance Bikes — March 2018

MARCH 2018|PERFORMANCEBIKES.CO.UK 65

The YZR500 ran a variety of fairings with altered scoops
throughout the years and Niall’s bike actually had a 1990
fairing where his team-mates had 1991 fairings. I altered
my fairing to help it feed the RD carbs, so aesthetically it’s
not 100% correct, not that you would know. When I took
it to the TT it was on a trailer in the ferry and some bloke
came over and said to me ‘I have been looking at your
bike for 10 minutes trying to work out if it’s a replica or
the real thing. I’ve got Jean Philippe Ruggia’s actual 1991
YZR500 and it took me that long to tell the difference!’ To
be honest, that comment blew me away...”
With final touches that included the TZR250’s tank’s
volume being increased as the airbox indent was no
longer needed (the VFR400 looks closer to the YZR500,
but it’s a Honda unit so was ruled out) and the RD500 fuel
tap’s flow volume increased to feed the tuned motor, the
bike was off to paint. A beautiful 1991 Sonauto paint
scheme later (with its decals airbrushed on, not stickers),
and the pink wheel lines, and three years after starting
the project, Jerry’s YZR500 replica was ready to go.
Having spent the last few years enjoying the bike,
including trackdays and a lap of the TT course, Jerry is
getting itchy fingers when it comes to starting his next
creation, and he is even considering letting it go.
“I’d love to build another YZR500 replica using the
knowledge I’ve gained from this one,” says Jerry. “There
are a few things I’d change to make it better and I’ve been
looking out for an RD motor, but the prices are ridiculous.
I have no idea what the bike is worth, but if I got the right
offer I’d sell it without hesitation. For me the fun is in the
build and I’d love to start a new project.” That has to be
the first time PB has ever spoken to a project builder who
is happy to let his creation go. It’s such a beautifully built
homage to the golden era of two-stroke racing, we
wouldn’t let it out of our sight.

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MULTI BIKE MODIFIED

SPORTS CUSTOM

CLASSIC SCOOTER

“ON THE ROAD my YZR500 replica is

bloody awful as it’s a race bike with

race geometry and fairly firm race

suspension,” says Jerry. “It’s not

aggressive at all in terms of power

delivery; RD500 engines aren’t peaky

due to the powervalve, even tuned

ones like mine. In some ways I miss the

fact it’s not peaky, but it is nicer to ride

because of this characteristic.

“The V4 has bags of drive and as

long as you are over 6000rpm it’s very

smooth and tractable. On track the

handling is fantastic, more than a

match for anything else out there, and

it’s a touch slower than a supersport

600 as it is heavier than I was hoping to

make it. I’d love to get Niall Mackenzie

out on it to see how he reckons it

stacks up against the real thing...”

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO RIDE