Skoal Bandit RG500 Ready for Rebuild In UK

Skoal Bandit RG500 Ready for Rebuild In UK

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