Suzuki RG500 Blue

The RG500 name is probably one of the most famous on the race circuits, made famous above all by Barry Sheene, who rode his famous No. 7 to world championships. Suzuki introduced a road version of this model, which in 1984 was naturally called the RG500 Gamma. It had the same layout as its famous racing predecessors, with a square-four liquid-cooled disc-valve engine delivering an incredible 95 hp at 9,500 rpm. That gave the 156 kg machine the best power-to-weight ratio ever seen on a road-going sports bike. The chassis was an advanced aluminium box-section design and gave breathtaking agility. Japan had a 400cc version to suit its licensing laws; it was not exported, but because a blind eye was sometimes turned, a few are still ridden on European roads. The biggest problem with this model was getting the carburettor settings right, and the inability of many dealers to do so led to a not entirely unfair reputation for fragility and poor reliability. Get the set-up right, though, and you will not find a more exciting ride!