View Full Version : Suzuki Quadzilla LT500
JConner
11-13-2002, 10:18 PM
Well a few years ago I got a Polaris Sportsman 500. It is a great ATV and I would never give it up but I have gotten alot of new friends since then. They ride Banshees, Raptors, 400EX's, ect. and the Sportsman 500 really does not have a hope in keeping up with them. I would like to come out with something that would blow them all away and the "Quadzilla" sounds like the bike for me. I would rather not buy one already put togeather since I would like to fix it up so it is right for me, so I would buy a frame, motor, ect. and put it togeather(I also enjoy fixing ATV's so it would not be a problem). The things that I would like to know are:
1) Would I be able to kill the other people :devil ? We don't ride on trails it is open fields and power line right aways.
2) How much HP does it have and how easy would it be to get around 60-70 out of it?
3) Do you know of any good sites that sell aftermaket products(Air filters, exhaust, plastic, ect.) for the LT500? If so could you please post them.
4) Do you know of any sites that sell produts that are needed to put a LT500 togeather?
5) Since it is a 2-stroke how often would I have to rebuild the motor?
Thanks you for all of your help.
Jon
I heard that they aren't very reliable but very FAST. I know you get top out at 80-85mph on it and i think the stock hp is around 50hp but not sure (correct me if i'm wrong). Put a few engine mods on it and pipe etc etc etc and you will have no problem blowing the other quads away. I very good place to fine parts are www.atvsalvage.com but i am not sure if they have lt500 stuff. And eBay has many items for them too. If you are looking for pics go to www.google.com and click images and search for the zilla. Rebuilds are often needed after 50-100 miles i think but again i am a 4 stroke mechanic and not a 2. Hope i helped alittle.
AndrewRRR
11-14-2002, 01:15 PM
The LT500 is a big, heavy machine. Most engine builders do not like the motor, they have had crank problems in the earlier years. The fastest 500s i see are ones with motor swaps in them, usually street bike or snowmobile engines. Thats where all that space in the frame is an advantage.
One of my riding buddies just sold a LT500 with a very ported motor, coolhead, FMF pipe, etc. It was pretty fast, but not in the same ballpark with his banshee (lightly built) or my 250r. He has another LT500 rolling chassis he's currently prepping for a kawasaki 750cc motor.
They can be fast, but the easier (and cheaper) route to beating you friends would be a modded 250R or banshee.
On the other hand, it is cool to see LT500s out riding. You don't get to see them that often.
WyoDuner
11-14-2002, 03:27 PM
LT500s are a can of worms. When they are set up and running right they are a powerful and torquey quad.
Unfortuantely.... You need a PhD in Quadzilla if you want to stand half a chance of getting a good used one. Some of the more common problems are earlier models blowing head gaskets all the time because of not enought cylinder/head bolts and the crank problems where the journal the crank rides in gets worn, sucks air goes leand and burns a hole in the piston or seizes it up.
There are more issues.... One, is that they are simply wide and not woods friendly because of that.
If you get a later model that has the crank area redone and is in good shape you MIGHT get lucky and have a reliable machine.
My suggestion, get a Banshee with the basic bolt-ons and you will be fast and reliable. A Raptor is not bad either but the Banshee will always be the king of speed.
JConner
11-14-2002, 03:56 PM
I understand that 2-strokes are not reliable. I raced dirtbikes for years and have spent many hours working on 2-stroke motors. I also want something that nobody eles has and I don't want something that some little rich kid can go out and buy with his daddy's money. I was also thinking of putting a diff. motor in it since I have read about problems with the motor, maybe a CR500. If I don't build the Quadzilla then I will fix up a 400ex, XR650 :macho . After I have it for a year or so I will end up selling it or tradeing it in for a 4-stroke but for a little while I would like to be "king of the hill".
AndrewRRR
11-14-2002, 04:10 PM
The general consensus from people who have done dirt bike motor swaps into quads is: Dont Do It!
No counterbalancer+ 4 wheeler= numb arms, rattled teeth, and cracked frames, even with rubber mounts.
You are better off going with a big bore quad motor, or if weight isn't a concern and you are good at fabrication, do a street bike, snowmobile, or (if you are really adventurous) PWC motor.
I wouldn't go so far to say 2 stroked are not reliable. Mine is very modified and has never left me stranded (except when I ran out of gas that one time!). You just need to take care of them and know what you are doing.
If you want something unique, a LT500 is definately that. You could also try some hybrids (triples or twins in blasters, street bike motor swap into LT250 or 500, Rotax in a banshee or 250R, etc.). I have seen LT250Rs with LT500 motors, but then you don't get away from the problem with the 500 motor.
it would be bad ***** is you built or bought a frame like the 400ex or z or r frame, then moddify it a little and put a honda cbr900 motor or a yami yzf1000 crotch rocket motor, or just buy an old honda 4 cyl magna motorcyle and stuff that motor in, then you will kill any raptor or shee, the possibilities are endless:D ;)
a zilla stock, is very fast, so, get the latest model one, 90 i belive is the last year, it had an extra headstud, and they remodded the crank, and it is sorta reliable, lol
Rip_Tear
11-14-2002, 09:00 PM
Good luck! Those LT500's are monsters...
Sportrax10
11-15-2002, 04:44 PM
get the zilla:macho keep its normal engine but get real good with it and know everything u can kno about it......... they sound sooooooo cool!:blah
stupid driver
11-15-2002, 07:43 PM
a stock trx90 shud be able to blow ur friends all away. those things are monsters:blah
what about honda's xr50 birtbike, those things are beasts, i hear you can go 0-60 in about 9 seconds when you have a somewhat quick truck towing it on a trailer;)
KP's lil'300
11-17-2002, 10:54 AM
A stock LT500 is very fast. Much faster in the dunes than my Raptor. Some were capable of 90 MPH in the Late 1980's. The reliability is a concern, but today, there are fixes for the common problems. One general consensus is that the 500's are similar to a very heavy 250R with longer a arms, swingarm, and axle. The shocks are excellent, the frames are tough and the machines are easy to ride, for a two stroke. They generally have the two stroke response, without the peaky power. You can lug a 500 around, but they can be somewhat finickey when they are in too tall a gear.
Here are some links to my Favorite 500 Sites.
http://www.off-road.com/dunes/suzukitech/hotsetups.html
http://www.off-road.com/atv/qra/intro.html
http://www.off-road.com/dunes/suzukitech/tips.html
All of these are very helpful, and the middle one is a step by step total rebuild of a Quadzilla, while the others are good tips, and techinal info.
Kaysen
joeroadking
11-17-2002, 05:36 PM
I had one they are fast as S@#% on a fire road I can remember sliding thru turns at what felt like 75-80 mph some of my best memorys .It was to big for woods riding and is a bomb waiting to explode. but for the few days when it was running right , I would just pull up next to my friend running wide open on his 350x and just wave good bye It was a lot of fun in the sand too, had they perfected it it would have been quite a bike.
4punksdad
11-18-2002, 07:14 PM
quite an impressive list of formerly owned rides there joeroadking
Ride400
11-18-2002, 07:24 PM
to whoever said the shocks were excellent, LTs had horrible front shocks, but then again not many quads have great front suspension.
Dale512
11-18-2002, 09:54 PM
How about a Lengthened, Widened, Suspended Mojave Chassis with a Ninja 500 Twin Engine in it? They make at least 60HP & rev to over 11,000rpm. It is also a reliable & easy to ride engine.
4punksdad
11-19-2002, 06:18 AM
Originally posted by Ride400
to whoever said the shocks were excellent, LTs had horrible front shocks, but then again not many quads have great front suspension.
I tend to disagree with that comment........Mine has stock shocks & handles & jumps as well as any stock machine I have ever ridden.
Guy400
11-19-2002, 06:42 AM
Originally posted by Ride400
to whoever said the shocks were excellent, LTs had horrible front shocks, but then again not many quads have great front suspension. Showa built the shocks for the LT's, the same company that did the 400EX's shocks. In fact, the LT's stock shocks have preload and rebound adjustability for the fronts and are fully adjustable on the rear. Given mid-80's technology that's pretty good.
300exryder
11-19-2002, 07:23 AM
my friend recently purchased an 86 lt250r and cant get it running. he had it running and then stripped it to paint the frame, now it is all back together but there is no spark. (we dont have a manual) we are pretty sure that it is the coil because we arent too sure where the wires go; which ones get grounded, which one gets hooked up to what and so on. i was wondering if you have a wiring diagram and/or a picture of the coil and where the wires go. thanks in advance,
alex
Juggalo
11-19-2002, 04:55 PM
Originally posted by Dale512
How about a Lengthened, Widened, Suspended Mojave Chassis with a Ninja 500 Twin Engine in it? They make at least 60HP & rev to over 11,000rpm. It is also a reliable & easy to ride engine.
i had a friend who was makin one of those. but he scrapped that project. now hes making a zx900 powered tecate.
Tecate250
11-19-2002, 08:16 PM
MMM Tecate's
4punksdad
11-20-2002, 12:05 AM
Originally posted by 300exryder
my friend recently purchased an 86 lt250r and cant get it running. he had it running and then stripped it to paint the frame, now it is all back together but there is no spark. (we dont have a manual) we are pretty sure that it is the coil because we arent too sure where the wires go; which ones get grounded, which one gets hooked up to what and so on. i was wondering if you have a wiring diagram and/or a picture of the coil and where the wires go. thanks in advance,
alex
I have an extra manual. send me 10.00 and its yours.
bradley300
11-20-2002, 11:07 AM
ooo. thats what you need if you want to be different, a tecate. fast as ***** and the green ones are by far the best looking bikes ever made. dont trust a picture though. see one in person and you will know what i mean. i would love to have one.
Originally posted by bradley300
ooo. thats what you need if you want to be different, a tecate. fast as ***** and the green ones are by far the best looking bikes ever made. dont trust a picture though. see one in person and you will know what i mean. i would love to have one.
ditto
Juggalo
11-20-2002, 05:41 PM
heres my friends kx525 powered tecate...it was the sweetest quad ever but he sold it now :(
Ride400
11-20-2002, 05:59 PM
nice tecate
Tecate250
11-20-2002, 06:24 PM
Yeah well.
What can we Tecate owners say.
SEE YOU AT THE FINISH LINE.
Jk
Mt teacte 4 was running poorly and beat a 400ex hands down.
And it was also my first time (1) on a 2 stroke and (2) racing.
hey 4punks, that's a sweet lookin jump, looks really fun and simple, did u build it urself or wat, is it in ur backyard or at a common riding area.................i'm trying to get my bike sold cuz there is a bike i am eyeballing on the internet, i just saw the add, looks sweet, check it out http://adcache.cycletrader.com/5/4/4/37020844.htm , i want it before anybody else takes it, but my bike isn't getting any calls??????? y not!!!!!!! it's clean for it's year and runs great!!!!!
i forgot to ask, wat gear do u hit that jump in, it looks like a high 3rd or a mid 4th
lt500rbigbore
10-26-2008, 08:56 PM
I have a 1990 Quadzilla, wish it was stock because it scares the **** out of me me, bored 140 over,ported and polished,shaved head, fmf fatty -power core 2 silencer, Hoosier Dirt track tires, vForce reeds, Boondocker NOS kit with regulater 50hp shot of nos absolutley a stupid bike very hard to trail with but when i hit the roads im gone
Frame: Prowler Orange
Plastics: Black racing cut
Rims,Swingarm,Upper A arms,Bumpers: Polished
atvmxr
10-28-2008, 09:08 PM
old thread!! well I guess the NOS takes it to another level, but if you want a fast and very very reliable zilla, send me a PM.
we found people with a PhD in Zilla as was stated in this thread earlier :)
lt500rbigbore
10-29-2008, 05:33 PM
you have any pics of your zilla?
atvmxr
10-30-2008, 12:21 PM
zilla is getting a rebuild, but here is a few pics of the hybrid
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k244/atvmxr/cutjumpfar.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k244/atvmxr/HRD%20540R%20hybrid/Hybridpic001-1.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k244/atvmxr/HRD%20540R%20hybrid/Hybridpic002-1.jpg
LT500 is still a monster in torque, Counter balanced, and produce some outrageous power, many good builders out there, now you want seat of your pants excitement, put that LT500 in a 250 hybrid frame!
Sites for more info :
http://www.quadracerhq.com/forum/forum.php
http://s7.zetaboards.com/ATV_HQ/index/
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