METAL
Suzuki’s seminal RG500 racer will always be remembered for four riders’ world 500cc Grand Prix titles – Barry Sheene’s wins in 1976 and 1977, Marco Lucchinelli’s in 1981 and fellow Italian Franco Uncini’s in 1982.
But the square-four two-stroke was more than that; importantly to Suzuki, the RG also notched up a staggering seven consecutive constructors’ world championships from 1976 to 1982 and in 1976 RGs took 11 of the top 12 placings in that year’s championship.
This is what sets it apart from other iconic race machinery – it was affordable for privateers while giving superb performance. Made available from 1976 to join the factory versions, the over-thecounter RG was so competitive it gave a real chance of success to talented racers around the globe. If you had the ability and a good team behind you, the Suzuki was the bike to have. Not only did it win many prestigious worldwide races and British championships and TT races (Mike Hailwood won his last TT on one in 1979), but it was also even good enough to allow privateers to win GPs.
Beautifully book-ending the RG’s story, Barry Sheene notched up his last big bike victory on an RG, 10 years after trying one for the very first time…
The RG500 is one of the most successful 500GP racing bikes ever built. At the height of its Grand Prix dominance in the mid-1970s, it virtually filled entire grids, because if you didn’t
