1986 Suzuki RG500 Walter Wolf Motorcycle

Description

Suzuki's history can be traced back to manufacturing silk looms back in 1909 but it wasn't until the 1930s that the company began experimenting with internal combustion engines.  The early post-war period saw Suzuki producing heaters and farm machinery but the small two-stroke engine resurfaced in 1952 and was initially sold in the form of the “Power Free” motorized bicycle.  In 1954 Suzuki began making their own motorcycles, beginning with a 90cc two-stroke Colleda, notable as one of the first to have oil injection to save the rider from having to mix the oil and petrol manually.  Over the next three decades Suzuki established itself as one of the major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers, whilst diversifying into everything from small cars to outboard motors.  The RG500, also known as the Gamma, was a short-lived sport bike derived from the two-stroke factory Grand Prix bikes raced by Italian world champion Franco Uncini in 1984.  Produced by Suzuki in 1985-1987 (alongside a smaller RG400 version built for the domestic market), the RG500 was a low-volume model that sold in limited numbers, with only 7,340 made in 1985, 1,412 in 1986 and just 532 in 1987 for total production of 9,284 units.  Displacing 498cc and cranking out an impressive 95 horsepower, the liquid-cooled square four engine used rotary valves and a twin crank, housed in an alloy box-section frame and mated to a six-speed gearbox.  The front suspension used Suzuki’s patented Posi Damp system and Full Floater rear set-up.  Launched at the IFMA Motor Show held in Cologne, West Germany in 1984, the RG500 was the closest thing you could buy to a real GP bike at the time.  In 1986 Suzuki added the limited-edition Walter Wolf Special version of the RG500, celebrating the model’s success in the Canadian National Pro & Amateur 600 Production Championship (Wolf being the principal sponsor).  Aside from the unique graphics, the Walter Wolf Special featured different instruments, key, red wheels and a special seat.  Just 99 were built for the Canadian market, along with a handful destined for other countries.  A real collector’s item, the Walter Wolf Special RG500 is a rare bike and very few exist in Australia, making this the perfect choice for the discerning Japanese bike enthusiast.