I have always been a die-hard Suzuki fan since my first bike - a Suzuki TS-50 at ag 11 in 1972... I was the right age at the right time... my then-girlfriend and I both graduated college in 1986 in Southern California... for our mutual celebration, I planned a road trip to Vancouver Canada, who were hosting the Worlds Fair that year. Of course I knew full well that Suzuki RG500s were sold in Canada (we couldn't get them in the USA!), so of course I made a special trip to a Suzuki dealership where they had ONE and I could see one and sit on an RG500 in the flesh (no test rides were availble). Fast forward 5 years and I am now a seasoned Mechanical Engineer with a home purchase already under my belt, and a decent salary, and an RG500 pops up for sale in my own city (San Diego) with a covetted CA license plate!!! My fingers were trembling and I couldn't dial the number fast enough. In 1991 the Gamma found a new home in my garage and has been there ever since! It is a magical machine in every way a 2-stroke lover could imagine. It began an almost obsession with all things Suzuki RG... A few years later, I found and bought a 1986 RG250 (parallel twin)... another wonderful machine that I think is quite undervalued - buy one if you can find one! A few years later, an RG50 (I didn't even know these existed!) and a 1st gen RG125 followed me home... a few years after that, and RG150 and an RG200 joined my growing herd. Finally I decided that any self-respecting RG collector ought to have an RGV, so I found not one but two: a 1st gen JV-21 and a 2nd gen VJ22. The RG500 is so incredible that it inspired my collection of *8* Suzuki RG's, and I love to ride, smell, and look at all of them! Cheers!!!

I was in the workshop of a London Suzuki dealership when these came out and the boss used to race one. Of course he had to have one as a ‘demonstrator’. He got me to PDI it and gave me the afternoon to set it up as precisely as I could. He then said, take it for the weekend and put some miles on it. My parents lived on the south coast and I was due to go down and see them. Not going over about 8000 revs, I set the best time ever down to Bognor, with a horrendous hangover!

I still own my RG500. Love the way it surges forward when it hits the powerband. Street stroker madness is a hard drug to give up.

After placing second in our local clubman’s 1984 senior production race series on my GSX1100EZ, I traded it on an 1985 RG500. I struggled to feel confident on it for 12 months on the standard rubber, but when I changed to hand picked, non-standard-sized (mismatched) Metzler tyres this thing showed why it was basically Barry Sheen’s 1975 XR14 race bike! I removed the lower (belly) fairing brackets to allow the belly to move when it started scraping on the road. This thing cornered Hard, popped Power Wheelies out of corners and stopped on a Dime. Without doubt the most inspiring, and wicked machine I have ever owned. Phil Read, 67yrs, Auckland, NZ.

I've never ridden a RG 500 but I've been on the back of a mates ,jeez, what a bike, I was scared shit less. Only a 2 stroke gives you the real feeling of riding a bike.

A rotary valve two stroke engine normally refers to its method of induction e.g. piston port, reed valve or rotary valve. Not the method used to control exhaust port timing.

I miss the smell of two stroke in the morning. The RG is still an amazing bike

I also own one since 1987 and I won't give it up anymore!!!

I'm an old school biker. My first bike was an '78 RD400 with a screwed up auto oiler. Of course I disabled it and carried around 2-stroke oil and just remember the mixture ratio. There is nothing like a 2-stroke power band out there. Nothing. Now that I'm not young and dumb but old and dumb, still remember those days. God bless you all and keep the rubber side down. Ride on brothers.

Great video. I owned a lot of 2 strokes including the later RGV 250. I did however have a test ride on the RG500 for about an hour and was blown away, such a rush that I still remember today.

I loved mine in the black, white and red color scheme. Easy to keep tuned if you knew two stroke motors. Unfrikenbelievable bike to ride fast.

I've got a (nearly) 100% original RG500. Certainly gets a lot of attention when I ride it. The local Suzuki dealership loves it when I bring it in. It's my dream bike and I plan on keeping it. I would love to add an original 1985 GSX-R750 to sit next to it.

My dream bike as a kid. There was a Stan Stephens tuned one in Armstrong Racing's window in Newcastle. Full Skoal Bandits racing livery and green split rim wheels. Ah man, this takes me back.

My mate had one of these back in the 80s and i had the pleasure to ride it a few times, all i can say it had blistering performance in my mind still remembers how it performed!

I owned two of these thoroughbreds, alas they were very attractive to thieves as well so I lost my first one, I wish I kept my second one! The world will never see bikes like this again.

I have had a number of bikes over the years but without doubt the best bike I ever owned was my RG 500 Suzuki. It stood out from the crowd even tho it was a relatively small bike. I really regretted parting with that bike, biggest mistake I made but finances weren’t good back then so didn’t have much choice.

7:42 yes!!!! exactly this color it was my Gamma. To see now.......................maybe i would like to cry ..................:) absolutely fantastic bike. Simply my bike for 20 years. i was lucky to be owner of such a king of bike

Had one in Washington State in the early 90's sold it to Seattle cycle center tech with a grenaded transmission. Would love to see it again. Had a couple 400's I brought in from Japan but the 500 is the only bike I regret selling.

I had a RD350 and was living in Jasper Alberta when these were released, I walked to work usually in the mountain town and noticed a beautiful bike in the fenced impound yard of the local tow outfit in the morning, after I finished that day I walked over and it was a blue and white RG500 that had front end damage with the forks folded into the cowl and the tow operator took great pleasure pointing out 2 dimples in the face of the gas tank, never new what happened to it but looked repairable

I had 2 new RG 500 and 2 used ones. the first new one only gad 150 km when a car hit me. so I got from the insurance a brand new one. never had any problems. only thing was that the rpm limiter ( the igniton is withdrawn at about 9300 rpm ) and then you think the engine is running against rubber. nothing goes anymore. at that time I was looking for other ignition box where you could adjust the limiter, but nothing found. 😒today there are a lot of ignition boxes on the market and it would be fun to test such. but now I´m 69 and I think to dangerous to ride such a bike at the limit. but I remember very well this great bike 😃👍

It is by far the best two stroke ever. If made today just imagine what it would be like with fuel injection etc.

Had a 3 cylinder gt380 love the sound of 3 cylinders on Tikover a magic sound Suzuki triples great bikes👏

Quite enjoyed your video, and it's obvious you are a fan of the RG. A couple of significant technical corrections: The crankshafts are not counter-rotating, and also, the rotary valves are rotary disc inlet valves. Your graphic incorrectly describes an exhaust trapping valve. Still, great video overall and will share with my mates. 👍🏻

I've had in my time a lot of motorcycles, and quite a few two strokes, including 1987 Suzuki RG 500, there is a couple that when I sold them I regretted it soon after, one being the absolute fantastic Suzuki RG 500, what a bike, it spent most of the time on its back wheel, ha ha, I should have never sold it, nowadays I can't afford one, the prices are stupid, any where between £15,000 to 30,000 mad, but if I had the chance I'd have one again, best two stroke ever made, well done Suzuki.

Great little watch, well done 👍🏼I was just that bit to young for the RG500 but at 18, 1991, i bought an RG125FN and i still have one today, although not the same one.

Back in the day we used to ride these bikes wearing T-shirts & jeans…they were hilarious. Rocket ships 😂

Great video paying tribute to the most desirable 2 stroke street bike ever made👍🏼

What a bike ... such a shame no longer produced.

Taught neighbor's son to ride at age 7 he learned early. He managed to buy one of these at age 17 .....Glad to say he lived to talk about owning this monster of a Bike ......His early respect for Bikes was key .

1973 Kawasaki 750 2 stroke was the absolute widow maker none better.

Wow! If we were allowed two-Strokes today, THIS is what they would be like? The Suzuki RG500 ! I had an H1-B Kawasaki 500 ..

I own an rg500 had it for 12 years it's a lot of fun

I was lucky enough to own an RG500 back in the 80's it was a great road bike...But not my favourite. That accolade goes to the TZR 250. It was nowhere near as powerful as the 500, but the chassis and brakes were so much better than the Suzuki's, and with only a 250 engine, this meant you could ride it at almost ten tenths everywhere there was an open stretch of road, compared to my earlier 250/350 LC's and Power valves the chassis and brakes were an absolute revelation. I'd never felt anything like it before...or since (actually). In the dry on a country road it was literally foot peg to foot peg in a blink of the eye. Great memories!

Great video - thank you for posting!

Thankyou!

I had a RZ250 as a first bike, it just made travelling fun and it could just squeak past the magic 160klh speed barrier, and at the end you always smelled like Motul Two stroke smoke! and a fantastic two stroke beat just on idle.

The smells of the two stroke is matched by nothing else in the motoring world. I remember it well when I was attending GP motor races in the early 80's as a young man.

Back in mid 1980's I had the Black/red RG500, no idea how I survived lol, my brother had the RZ (Australia) 500, the RG was more powerful , lighter and better handling. My mate also had a Blue/White RG500, however his second gear kept dropping back to neutral under hard acceleration. which was pretty much always......

I owned the yamm'r rz 500. not the rd. loved it. but wanted the rg when it came out the following year. dealer only got one for the year. no special ordering back then. rg 500 was a beaut. I raced one in Winnipeg, MB with my rz in 1986. off the lights, low end, he pulled away everytime. rz too heavy and the rg had 4 horsepower more. top end I would pull away. the rz wasn't nothing to sneeze at. With all the aftermarket goodies, it would have been possible to bump horsepower up over 110. which was a lot back then. drop 1 tooth on the front sprocket, change the pipes, jets, different airbox, more carbon fiber, change the rims, tank, shocks. Definitely could have made the rz a contender by shedding 70lbs.

The last motorbike I ever owned, it was a surprisingly tractable motor, with strong mid-range, the main limitation was the 2 upper pipes severely restricted rear tire width

This is my favorite bike. The Hongkong movie 'A moment of romance' made this bike more famous. It's sad that we have no chance to enjoy that kind of bike nowdays.

Birdy num num, I love it!

lets bring back those square 4 engines again as 4 strokes!

Loved my RG500Gamma 🙂

Hundreds of them still running in Japan, they also held a monthly owners meeting. I only saw on Facebook through groups and the pictures the owners are posting.

I nearly boughtbthe rd 500 back 1989 had the Bad boy RD 350 LC ,MYBHONDA MIX 125 LC STAN STEPHENS TUNED RAN A 95 MPH FOR A RESTRICTED 12BHP MICRON PIPES AND ALL THE MODS 1984 TO EARLY 1900 2 STROKES WERE THE THING MISS THEM BIG TIME !GATE13SW6CREW cfc

Great video Brother ! that bike sounds so fkn cool 2 strokes are were its at they've always been fast as Hell !

You had to grind the welds back on the inside of the flange at the top of the exhaust. Then you got full factory power. The welds were a bit lumpy.

A "square 4" engine. 2x250 twins lashed together until 15mpg or destruction😊

My first bike in 1986.Wonderfull.

I rode one once - a test ride - at only about 30,000 km the engine was worn out. They didn't last. Everything was worn out - even the shock absorbers. My H2 750 Kawasaki with chambers was noticeably more powerful. At the time to rebuild the engine etc on the RG500 was super expensive and complicated so I didn't buy it. I'm sure they were great with a fresh engine.

I have always wanted one of these since they were new. We never got them in the USA, unfortunately. I seen one from Canada once.

Dont forget the Maico 700 and the MMX 500 👍

Just brought a rg150 38bhp out of 150cc i love two strokes👍🇳🇿

Imagine this engine in off-road motorcycle or ATV. That would be amazing engine swap. And big thumbs up to this video 🤙

I've had one since it was new. I'll never sell it.

Thank you.

One guy in our bike club had this machine. It could overtake anything, except for a petrol station!😅

The RG500 in skoal bandit colours was the best bike, colour scheme ever made, I remember seeing new ones for sale in 1985, and couldn't afford one, OK the gpz900r was faster, but the skoal bandit RG was the best, it was a mad hatters bike!

7:15 the frame tubes are rectangular in section, not square.

Had 2 simply the best only the cheesebox let it down ❤

I bought my first race bike a 1986 YAMAHA FZ 750 it was so awsum after i learned how to ride it...i asked my friend how he could part with it standing in his work shop he said because i ve have this....an he showed us 1986 RG 500 gamma i said Oh....it was really nice...but i had no clue

Thanks 🎉

Best riding thrill ever a two stroke

Walter Wolf livery for the win.

Imagine they had the rubber they have now..they might have called them ridable

The H2 with denco performance package would take it well over 100 hp.

Those were called coffins in my country 😂

I had one. Awesome bike but horrible for the street. It was the answer to the question no one was asking. Leave in the garage as a time capsule

Bimota vdue 500 is best 2stroke Bike ever build

I mean to be fair those 8hp over the competition have little to do with the lack of a balancing shaft. My reasoning being that these bikes could have made so much more power even at the time, if suzuki just decided to give the bike more power. A 125 single cylinder could be built to close to 40 hp already in the 70s, so easily so that most mx guys would run an engine like that. If you just take those engine metrics and turn it into a 4 cylinder you get easily more than 160hp, because there is an additional power bonus in engines when increasing the piston number. As far as I know works bikes had already cracked the 200hp number a while before these bikes hit the road. So it's really more an accessibility and riders safety concern. I think the fact of the matter is that neither honda, suzuki nor yamaha wanted to kill their customers and reap the bad press. So they just made the bikes fast enough to scare the shit out of even advanced amateurs and left it at that.

This engine design should have been further adapted.

Never rode one , but apparently it was a bit of a tw*t to ride as the power band was very narrow and to use it properly ylu had to change up at EXACTLY the right time or it would avya . 👍👊🇬🇧🏍️

I had both RD and RG but preferred to Yam, partly due to thr RG gearbox being made of butter

Rz 350 was rhe best but i loved my gamma

I had one wish I had it now 😢😢

Back in the day I had the 350cc RD it did 123-mph. I did have a go on a brand new RD 500 and yer it shore did go . I only see one RG 500 not shore if Suzuki made less than Yamaha . I don’t know why they don’t make them now because i would buy the RD-500.

Where can I get one? I'm in NYC

I sold my rg500 two years ago

The Yamaha TZ 700 the first example of the TZ750 (2 TZ350 top ends) was the greatest...

Had the 250 gamma

@4.30 what are you talking about?? The disc valve is on the crank!!!

Nah mate , the RZ500 won most of the production races in the 1980’s like the Castrol 6 Hour , the gamma never had a look in.

Av a model of one them but it's à race bike

TZ750 Yamaha for me!!

Rd500 naaaa❌ Rg500 yes ✅

Were they ever sold in north america.

All from technology stolen from MZ. Check out the story of Ernst Degner.

For a day-to-day 2-stroke, I disagree. The Yamaha RZ350 is a better real-world machine, and I like Gammas.

I wasnt a unsual engine at all ! They had been racing the sq4 for yrs and aerial made a sq4 decades previous

Excellent video, dont forget the RG 250 gamma which was the first to have alloy chassis in this format. Can remember back in the day these bikes had about 1 year window and the FZ750 and grxr 750 just swept them way . Honda ns 400 is the best made but silly not a 500cc, may be one eye on home market. 350 ypvs is best bang for buck two stroke get good power and some many parts for them. With 500s if you up the power then brakes and chassis not up to it. Odd that all the big bike two strokes had small tyres sizes.

Goid bike but not best a 500 4cyl 2 stroke with less than 100 hp, I think not

sadly the 750s were more popular at mid 80s. rg 500 came at the wrong time. if it was a couple of years earlier it could dominate. if it came later it could benefit from the late 80s design and technology which more or less it stands until today if you dont count euro 5 and electronics. bimota vdue is the best 500 example but only with carbs, injection ruined that bike

It is funny what people understand by review a bike. In your case you show some commercial clips and record some topics. How about moving out and ride the bikes before even upload any clips about motor cycles ? At least rent the once for one day if cannot afford to buy....

I disagree. Nice bike, but not the best 2 stroke and not a replica of the race bike.

no .. the tz750 is king

Then you weren’t riding it right… 😉

Your explanation of the rotary valve is total nonsense.

A square 4 wasn't unique in the motorcycle world.

They were shit the frame was like riding a five railed gate