Please note: This bike is a part of the Northern California Superbike Collection. The anonymous owner is well-known and a long-term friend of both Iconic and Bike-urious. All proceeds will go towards a foundation he and his wife run to further research for sustainable agricultural and agroforestry systems worldwide.
Click here for an VINData Motorcycle History Report on this 1986 Suzuki RG500 Lance Gamma .
Derived straight from Suzuki’s half-liter RG Gamma XR45 factory Grand Prix racer, the RG500 was a road-legal replica racer produced between 1985 and 1987. From the mid-‘70s to the mid-‘80s, Suzuki was a dominant force in premier class competition. Barry Sheene achieved back-to-back 500cc championship titles in ’76 and ’77 before the Gallina Suzuki team repeated the feat half-a-decade-later with riders Marco Lucchinelli and Franco Uncini in ’81 and ’82. Suzuki also won seven consecutive 500cc Class Constructors’ titles around this same time.
To capitalize on the brand’s reputation for building high-performance race bikes, Suzuki decided to develop a slightly-tamed production version of its competition square-four machine. 7,340 examples were produced in the first year of production (1985), with another 1,412 in 1986 and a final 532 specimens in 1987, making for a total of just 9,284. Due to emissions regulations (among other reasons), Suzuki never officially sold the RG500 Gamma in America, though it was offered in Canada so a few grey market examples have found their way across the border.
Classic Motorbikes described the Gamma’s place among its competitors by stating, “Place the RD500, NS400 and RG500 Gamma side-by-side and you would have three of the top manufacturers attempts at producing a replica of their respective GP racers, however, with all but one of those machines, all you purchased was a mere shadow of the original design. That is not to say the others were rubbish, far from it in fact, but the RG was definitely nearer the mark, and actually far closer to the race machine than you might ever imagine. The Suzuki is almost an exact replica of the race machine.”
Manufactured in October 1985 this example is VIN: JS1HM31A6G2100788. Best of all, this bike has a clean California title.
The odometer shows 26,407 KM which is 16,408 miles.
Maintenance:
In preparation for the listing, the seller had us perform a safety inspection, we replaced the battery, installed clutch lever hardware, performed a coolant flush/fill, changed the 2T oil and filter, performed a hydro flush/fill, cleaned/synced all 4 carbs, performed chain maintenance, drained the old fuel and cleaned the inside of the tank, we replaced the petcock gasket, cleaned and adjusted the oil pump, installed a Lance Gamma air filter, spark plugs, and replaced rear taillight bulbs. Our service department notes the following on their condition report:
Gas Tank Internal Condition: Ok, cleaned
Transmission Oil Level: Ok
Transmission Oil Quality: New
2T Oil Level: Ok, 1/3 Full
Coolant Level: Ok
Coolant Quality: New
Front Hydraulic Fluid Level: Ok
Front Hydraulic Fluid Quality: New, <1.5% Moisture
Rear Hydraulic Fluid Level: Ok
Rear Hydraulic Fluid Quality: New, <1.5% Moisture
Clutch Hydraulic Fluid Level: N/A,
Cable Clutch Hydraulic Fluid Quality: N/A Final
Drive Condition: Ok, serviced
Headlight High Beam: Ok
Headlight Low Beam: Ok
Passing Light: N/A Parking Light: Ok
Turn Signals: Ok Tail Light: Ok
Brake Light (Front Switch): Ok
Brake Light (Rear Switch): Ok
Plate Light: Ok Horn: NO HORN INSTALLED
Kill Switch: Ok
Brake Pad % Remaining Front: 60%
Brake Pad % Remaining Rear: 95%
Forks: Ok Shock/s: Ok
Tire Date Code Front: 27/02
Tire Date Code Rear: 34/02 Tire %
Remaining Front: 80% Tire %
Remaining Rear: 70%
Tire Press. Front: 32 PSI
Tire Press. Rear: 36 PSI
Battery Standing Voltage: 12.68V
Charging Voltage @ 4k RPM: 14.2V
Running Condition: Ok, runs on bench
Test Ride Completed: Ok
Test Ride Distance: 3 Km, unit operates as designed
Tires Installed:
Front: 110/70-17
Rear: 150/70-17
Notes: *JAPANESE IMPORT* Aftermarket Parts Installed:
-Bike uses a unique battery,
-Battery relocated upfront of gas tank -> PS-1250 12V 5.0Ah General Purpose VRLA Battery
-17×3.00 Suzuki Replacement Wheels
-17X3.50 Suzuki Replacement Wheels
-Tokico front brake calipers
-Aftermarket exhaust pipes
-Lance gamma air-filter kits
-Anti dive replacement block off plates
-2 Stroke oil tank/Battery relocated
-Auxiliary petcocks
-Braided brake lines
-Aftermarket shock(Fox)
-Black windscreen installed
-Cosmetic Imperfections
-Scratches on RH fairings
-Few chips on LH fairing
RECOMMENDED REPAIRS
•Tires
Modifications:
Lance gamma air-filter kits, anti dive replacement block off plates, and 2 Stroke oil tank/Battery relocated (not pictured.)
17×3.00 Suzuki replacement wheels.
Tokico front brake calipers.
Aftermarket exhaust pipes.
Auxiliary petcocks.
Steel braided brake lines.
Fox shock.
Smoked windscreen.
Inside of the tank:
It is riding on Michelin Pilot Road tires which have aged out with date codes of 2702 and 3402.
The sale includes one key, stock exhaust, OEM rear seat, stock reservoir, OEM wheels, stock sprockets, shock adjusters, suspension link, OEM battery box, stock shock, OEM air filter housing, OEM oil reservoir, and stock brake lines and calipers.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
Currently located at our facility in Panorama City, California, this Suzuki is offered on a clean California title with registration that will cost $155 to bring current through July 2026.
Have any RG500 Gamma stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
