Description
Click here for an VINData Motorcycle History Report on this 1986 Suzuki RG500 Gamma. Additional photos are available here for your perusal.
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 of 1985, this example is VIN: JS1HM31AXG2100762, Engine #: M301-105068. The seller inherited from his uncle who passed away, because of that the history is not well-known.
The odometer shows 18,605 kilometers (11,560 miles).
Maintenance:
In preparation for the listing, the seller had us clean and sync the carbs. Our shop provided the following condition report:
Gas Tank Internal Condition: OK
Engine Oil Level: LITTLE HIGH
Engine Oil Quality: UNKNOWN
2TOil Level: OK
Coolant Level: NOT SHOWING
Coolant Quality: UNKNOWN
Front Hydraulic Fluid Quality: FAIL +3% MOISTURE
Rear Hydraulic Fluid Quality: FAIL +3% MOISTURE
Clutch Hydraulic Fluid Quality: CABLE
Final Drive Condition: NEEDS SERVICE
Head light High Beam: OK
Head light Low Beam: OK
Passing Light: OK
Parking Light: OK
Turn Signals: OK
Tail Light: OK
Brake Light (Front Switch): FAIL
Brake Light (Front Switch): OK
Plate Light: FAIL
Horn: OK
Kill Switch: OK
Brake Pad % Remaining Front: 80%
Brake Pad % Remaining Rear: 90%
Forks: OK
Shock/s: OK
Tire Date Code Front: 0704
Tire Date Code Rear: 2401
Tire % Remaining Front: 75%
Tire % Remaining Rear: 90%
Tire Press. Front: 33
Tire Press. Rear: 36
Battery Standing Voltage: 13.15
Charging Voltage @ 4kRPM:
Running Condition: OK
Test Ride Completed: NO
Notes:
NISSIN FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS
WAVEROTORS (FRONT)
17″ FRONT WHEEL
3.5″ REAR WHEEL
PODFILTERS
NO AIR BOX
STAINLESS STEEL PIPES
BRAIDED FRONT BRAKE LINES
Recommended Work:
PROBABLY NEW POD FILTERS
GEARBOX OIL CHANGE (AGE UNKNOWN)
COOLANT CHANGE (LOW AND AGE UNKNOWN)
TIRES (VERY OLD)
CHAIN SERVICE
BRAKE FLUIDS FLUSHED
REPAIR LIC PLATE LIGHT
REPAIR FRONT BRAKE SWITCH
NEEDS NEW SHIFTER TIP RUBBER
DETAIL BIKE
Modifications:
Aftermarket stainless steel exhaust (we believe it is a Jim Lomas unit but are not certain).
Nissin front calipers, braided front brake lines, wave rotors, 17″ front wheel, 17x 3.5″ rear wheel.
Pod filters and an airbox delete.
Aftermarket grips.
Inside of the tank:
It is riding on Michelin Pilot Sport tires. Tire Date Code Front: 0704 Tire Date Code Rear: 2401
The sale includes one key, extra bodywork, exhausts, wheel, and various parts.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
A friend of the previous owner states that the bike has gone down before, we see evidence of that and it appears that the tail section (and possibly other bodywork pieces) has been repainted.
Currently located in Santa Monica, California, this Suzuki is offered on a clean California title. The sticker on the license plate is outdated but per the California DMV this was last registered up through May 2, 2024 and it would cost $152 to make the registration current through May 2025.
Have any RG500 Gamma stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
