1987 Suzuki RG 500, 498cc. Registration number C540 XHN. Fra...

Hammer

£9,000

1987 Suzuki RG 500, 498cc. Registration number C540 XHN. Frame number HM31A 101962. Engine number M301-102697.
Derived from Suzuki’s 500cc RG Gamma XR45 factory Grand Prix racer, the Suzuki RG500 was a road-legal replica racer produced between 1985 and 1987.
Barry Sheene achieved back-to-back 500cc championship titles in 1976 and 1977 before the Gallina Suzuki team repeated the feat five years later with riders Marco Lucchinelli and Franco Uncini in 1981 and 1982.
To capitalize on their reputation Suzuki decided to develop a production version of its competition square-four machine based on the XR45’s race-bred 130 hp unit.
The engine produced 95 hp at 9,500rpm and 53ft-lbs of torque at 8,000rpm. Weighing in at just 340lbs dry, the RG500 offered a top speed of over 130mph and could achieve quarter-mile runs in 11-seconds. The engine had rotary valves and twin-cranks, it featured Mikuni 28mm flat-side carbs, an exhaust utilizing SAEC (Suzuki Automatic Exhaust Control), a six-speed cassette-style gearbox and thermostatically controlled liquid-cooling.
XHN was first registered on the 15th of March 1986 and by April 1988 it was with its second owner, Richard Ellis of Castleford, he sold it to our vendor in 2000. At this time the mileage was 42,346 and the bike was put into dry storage. It has remained there until being brought to the saleroom.
Sold with the V5C, old V5 and one key. We have not tried to start it and recommissioning will be required to get this iconic machine on the road again.