Bike:  1981 Suzuki RGB500MK6

Location:  Camano Island, Washington

If you’re into motorcycles, it doesn’t get much more serious than this!  According to the seller, this bike was purchased new from Heron Suzuki in 1981 and run at Daytona & other U.S. National events.  It’d be nice to know more details but, I’m sure you can contact the seller and he could speak of this bike’s history for sometime.  This bike has just been fully restored using all OEM parts and comes with an extensive spares package.  This bike has been restored to Heron Suzuki GP colors and looks fantastic.

This bike looks ready to go and hopefully the spares package can make it feasible (22 pistons included!) to run the bike at an event or two through out the year.  Unfortunately, I do not know the market on these big Suzuki’s but, the asking price of $50,000USD doesn’t sound completely unrealistic based on condition but, I’m sure the history will play into it’s value depending on who has ridden it.  If you can provide any insight into historic values of the RG/RGB series, we’d love to hear from you!  See the RGB500 that Doug posted previously that had a $60k B.I.N. here.  See the seller’s TZ250A on eBay here, too.  See this RG500 on eBay .

AG

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UPDATE:  This bike is now listed on Ebay and can be seen here.

The hell with projects around the house.  This is the sort of project any of us can appreciate.  The basics are all there:  a RG500, some updated suspension components and a title (back taxes though, hmmm little worriesome).   The seller is asking $6500 and sounds firm.

From the ad:

INSTANT EQUITY if you’ve got cash right now!
Few bikes will increase in value as time goes by… this is one of them. I will be kicking myself in five years when I see what they’re selling for, but I want to move back to the Islands and I’ll need to sell a toy to make it happen. Please bear in mind I’m not NEEDING to sell this and it will take $6500 to make the move, so there is no room for negotiation or talk of trades. If you know what this bike is, then you alrady know what the asking price usually is. At the price I’m asking, you will double your money if you can finish this project or make a 30% profit just by finding the right buyer and passing it along. Take advantage of my lack of motivation and fulfill this bike’s full potential.

The expensive / hard part is already done:

-The frame has a clear (back tax owed) Hawaii title. It’s unmodified so the bike can be restored to original. Ezpezie on ebay has NOS.
-The motor has less than 1500 miles on a full Rick Lance build with Tommy Crawford pipes. Legendary, scary fast(112 RWHP), no expense spared.
-The front end is brand new race takeoff 2004 GSX-R 1000. Light years ahead of original!
-The rear suspension has Fox shock, underbraced swing arm and custom widened/offset rear wheel. Very well sorted; once again by Rick Lance.
-Batt box and oil tank relocate, brand new pod filters, GP shift, new tires… The list goes on and on.

What remains to be done is:

-Mount and paint RGV250 race glass and Ducati 748 tail
-Modify seat for tail section
-Replace eBay wobbler front wheel (’09 GSX-R will match look of Katana rear wheel and will fit ’04 rotors with 5mm spacers and longer bolts for calipers)
-Misc. details like a fancy digital dash, better looking reasets, aftermarket non-leaking fuel check valves, aftermarket shim fix for clutch drag when cold.

The bike is ridden around the block monthly when Washington weather permits and is a dream while moving and draws a crowd when sitting still.

Check it out on Craigslist Seattle.

IK

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It might be in pieces but this is the Holy Grail for RG500 lovers.  If I remember correctly not more than 150 of these were ever built.  Normally I wouldn’t consider listing a bike in pieces but these only come along so often.   If you think about it;  it might be a blessing in disguise that it is in pieces if someone here in the States was thinking about buying it: wink, wink, nudge, nudge. 

Spec wise these are regular RG500′s but done with the Skoal Bandits replica scheme.  You may remember Skoal sponsored Suzuki’s Team Heron GP team when they tried racing that RG500 with the wild carbon fiber frame.  The key to spotting a true Skoal RG500 and not a respray seems to be  that ugly green seat.  One thing that still is not clear to me is if these bikes came from Japan this way or if they were a special run done by Suzuki Great Britain.  After spending hours on the RGV250 forum I’ve found Suzuki GB would, from time to time, make special editions.

Have a look:

From the auction:

 

Regrettably I’m selling my Skoal Bandit rg500  

It is a genuine Skoal Bandit i have been to the local dealer who sold it in 1986 and said it was the only one he sold.

These are mega rare now with only a few being painted this scheme by the importers from new.

It has the painters’ initials and serial number etched on the back of each panel.                                                                                                                         

I brought it a few years ago with the intention of putting it back on the road having been off the road since 1995 but i got to face the fact I will never do it and I would rather It get sold than sit and rot in my workshop.                                                                                                                                               

Both cranks have been rebuilt by Stan Stephens and are still wrapped.                                                        

The tank is rusty but comes with a spare that is better but not perfect.                                             

Barrels were stored in damp shed so needs boring.                                                              

  It is all in boxes and I cannot guarantee it is all there but I honestly believe it to be 99% complete I cannot find the kickstart lever.                                                                                    

The belly pan has had its day.                                                                                                           

The bike will need to be picked up from the Isle of Wight.                                                                          

 I have not got a V5 but its on DVLA register so no probs to get one.                                                         

I have put a sensible reserve on because I know what a good rg is worth now and I need the money to fund a more realistic project

Now obviously if you’ve read the text and looked at the pictures you know this is a project.  It may be a great opportunity as well.  Almost any bike this age should be gone through so half the work may have been done for you.  With a project like this where the bike is in boxes you also have to be prepared for missing parts.  You know it will happen.   So warm up the fingers for some internet parts searches.  As I eluded to earlier, a bike in boxes is very easy to import: it is just parts.  Put your thinking caps on!   The seller states he has set a reasonable reserve so it may be a chance to own the rarest of RG’s.  If you are up for the project you can bid .

Here are few links to photos of the Team Heron GP Bike. Here, here and here.

IK

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AG

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This is a non-running project bike. New top end, new fork seals, new steering head bearings. I have stock and after-market exhaust pipe and a few other parts to go with bike, but otherwise what is shown in photo is it.

The asking price on this RGV is $1,500.  This is a good price for someone who knows how to finish this bike and is looking to track it or knows how to get a title as it probably doesn’t currently have one.  These are great little two strokes making 58hp while only weighing in at 284lbs.  If you’ve got some time, have a look at this RGV on Craigslist here.

AG

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Making its’ second appearance on RSBFS is this heavily modified RG500.  I’m sure most visitors to RSBFS know all about RG500′s so I’m not going to delve into their history.  Instead  this bike brings up a subject I’ve always wondered about with rare bikes.  What is more appealing to a buyer of a  rare bike:  a stock bike or or a bike  modified with quality components (mileage being the same on both bikes)?  This bike has been pretty heavily breathed on engine wise and the chassis has also been brought closer to modern specs.  Lately it seems clean/low mileage/titled RG’s have been selling in the low teens.  The seller has listed this RG with a $13,000 Buy It Now price (Down $1000 from the previous listing).  What do you guys think, is that price in the ball park?

From the Ebay listing:

In 2005 before moving to the USA, the engine was given to BDK race engineering, who completely rebuilt the engine (Replacing all crankshaft bearings and seals), bored it to 570cc and performed a stage 3 tune. A Nova gearbox was fitted to cope with the extra power, the carbs where offset bored to 31.5mm and Mark Dent’s ITG air filters where fitted. The motorcycle was then assembled in Austin and put on the AF1 dyno in New Braunsfel where it recorded 108hp (A week later without any mods, it recorded 126hp on a dynojet 250!! AF1 dyno is known to under read..). The bike is extremely fast.

The frame is a standard RG500 frame but with a complete RGV250 front end fitted, the forks where modified (new springs and damper units) by Maxton Race engineering in the UK to correct for the weight difference of an RG500 compared to an RGV250, BDK also custom made a rear shock for the bike which raised the rear by about 15mm to speed up steering. The rear wheel is a 4.5” CMA and matches the front wheel very closely. The bike handles beautifully. The rear swing arm is a standard RG 500 swing arm which has been braced for extra rigidity, the rear axle was also changed to increase rigidity (it is now a hollow 1” axle instead of the very weak ½” standard axle).

The motorbike is running a set of Mark Dent exhausts which where coated by HPC (High Performance Coatings) in the USA. The battery has been relocated to the steering headstock to get more weight over the front wheel.  The fairing is a modified RGV250 fairing, the gas tank is a standard RG500 gas tank, and the rear bodywork is a copied/modified RG500 bodywork. The motorbike is running the standard 2 stroke oil pump, (no premix) which has proved very reliable and is far less hassle when out riding.

My opinion in general is that when you modify a bike you need to it for yourself and not expect to retrieve that money upon selling.  I go on the assumption that not everyone likes the same modifications.  Can you argue though, this owner has done all the hard to work to modernize the RG and has it ready to ride?  I know those Mark Dent pipes weren’t cheap, that is for sure!  If this RG is for you get . 

IK

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The RG500 line was only produced for four years and is one of, if not, the ultimate incarnations of a road going two-stroke.  This bike features a 495cc water cooled, rotary disc-valve, two-stroke power plant fitted to a race-replica aluminum frame with the top of the line suspension for the period.  Some owners do complain about the 16in front wheel and notchy gearbox but, I’m sure no one would turn down an opportunity to ride one of the ultimate stink wheels.  And if you’re wondering: Yes, it would be OK to sell your son/daughters Civic and make them ride the bus, they can always sit in the garage and stare at the RG with you.  See this gorgeous looking bike on Craigslist here.

AG

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There are quite a few 2-stroke fans on RSBFS and although I am not too familiar with these machines, I do have an appreciation for them. The parallel-engined Suzuki RG250 is quite special in that it was the first mass-produced motorcycle with an aluminum frame and aerodynamic fairing. 1987 was the last production year for the RG250, later replaced by the RGV250 with a V twin. To learn more about the RG250, click HERE.

And here’s a :

With 49 hp (this is the Canadian version) on tap, the RG250 won’t win any drag races, but with only 287 lbs (dry) to push around, the weight to horsepower ratio ain’t too shabby even by modern standards and should make one serious fun machine.

Although I didn’t grow up around these smoke machines, 2-strokes remind me of the era when life was a bit more simple and racing was about pure rider talent and cojones – the likes of King Kenny, Barry Sheene, Mick Grant, and Agostini (I may have missed a few, but please spare me).

In any case, this sounds like a Suzuki that I wouldn’t mind having a go on!

phil

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AG

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