Rob Bron

Rob Bron was in 1971 the first Dutchman to gain a podium place in the 500cc class, during the TT in Assen he finished as second behind Giacomo Agostini. He would finish third in the World Championship that year behind Agostini and New Zealander Keith Turner. Agostini was the only one in those days who raced with factory material (MV Agusta). The others, including Bron, raced on  production racers. He was racing a Suzuki TR500 under the flag of Dutch Suzuki importer Nimag. Bron is since 1971 the best-classed Dutch racer in the 500cc class. Wil Hartog, Boet van Dulmen and "Jumping" Jack Middelburg did not equal this.
He is still the holder of the maximum speed record at Daytona, in 1978 he topped a lap at 342 kph. He ended his career in 1985. From that time he started a motorcycle shop and racing service. His nickname was "Rough Robbie".
Rob Bron died in 2009 at the age of 64.
For more pics see
Rob Bron

Suzuki RG500 prototype, the G-54

Barry Sheene behind the first RG500 that was made the G-54, this bike was the precursor of  the XR14. The bike wil be rebuild at Motorcycle Live which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC 17-25 November.
For more information see 
Suzuki to rebuild first RG500

Pernod 250 - 1985

This bike’s frame was designed in 1985 by the Frenchman Alain Chevallier, at that time famous for his revolutionary bikes. Only one example produced! The frame was built with a steel frame (25 CD4 S) and titan. The engine is a rare bi-cylinder 250 cc with rotary distribution and magnesium carter, developed by the French engineer Jean Bidalot. This Pernod Chevallier participated at the 1985 season with Jean François Baldé. It was restored in 2007 and participated at the Varano Motor Show in Italy in June 2007, as in former times, driven by Jean François Baldé personally.
For more pics see
Pernod 250 - 1985

This bike was sold by
Classic Motorbike Collection   

Ciba Geigy Suzuki V4

In 1986 the Suzuki factory stopped racing with the square four bikes and made a V4, the XR71. Team Heron was commissioned to make a frame. Nigel leaper was asked to built a new carbon fibre composite chassis for the XR71 engine, but it was never tested. The project was stillborn - even though comparison with the Suzuki alloy factory frame, by then standard for GP racers, showed that the carbon fibre frame was 1.3 kg lighter, as well as substantially stiffer. The weight with all the magnesium inserts was 8.3 kg, with a carbon composite swing arm - on a Heron design for the first time - scaling a further 6 kg. Though one of the 3 chassis found its way to Japan, the word came down from high, thanks but no thanks.
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Ciba Geigy V4

Suzuki RGB500 MK9 X3

A 1984 Suzuki RGB500 MK9 Factory/Production prototype designated "X3". One of only five Factory prototypes produced in this last year of RGB500 production and developement. (Just 25 production Mk9's made in the same year.) It has a fully rebuilt MK9 engine with many new parts. Specific X3 marked, magnesium Mikuni carbs. An oversized Factory radiator. A "one-off" Factory fuel tank. Electronically powered tacho. 17" Campag front wheel, 18" rear wheel. New Avon tyres. Fully overhauled original front calipers and new discs. Has an aluminium Factory frame (number X3-RGB500), swingarm and yokes.
There were 3 base models of Suzuki RG500 production bikes through the years. The MK1 till 6 based on the XR14, the RGB500 MK7 and 8 based on the XR22 and the last versions the MK9 and 10 based on the XR45, equipped with exhaust valves and alloy frames.
In 1985 Suzuki opted to stop producing complete RGB500's, instead supplying Padgett's of Batley with up rated, magnesium cased, stepped RGB500 engines and their associated power valves and expansion chambers. Padgett's would then supply complete machines using a steel frame built by Harris Performance and based on the Suzuki Mk7/8 frame. A total of twelve engines were supplied to the Yorkshire based company with machines being built between 1985 and 1988.
One of the last bikes an MK14 was ridden by Darren Dixon, a Padgett's sponsored rider to victory in the 1988 British F1 Championship.
Not only Harris made frames for the RGB500 engine also Spondon, VRP and Nico Bakker did, they even made Delta Box frames in the last years.
For more pics see 
Suzuki RGB500 MK9 X3

Superkarts

Dea superkart engine
Seen at the Gamma Racing Days 2018 at the TT circuit Assen. As a two stroke fan the superkarts are amazing! Take a look at the pictures of the engines, great two stroke technology with more horsepower than the last 250 GP bikes.
For more pics see
Superkarts 
Want to know how they sound see
VM250   
And race
Superkart Assen

Riemanoc

Riemanoc Suzuki TR500
This time I made a photoset of some very rare race bikes, made in Holland. These bikes were designed by Frans van Manen, Ton Riemersma the man who also was the sponsor of Wil Hartog was the financer of this project. These bikes all had an alloy monocoque frame, the name is a combination of Riemersma and monocoque.
For more pics see 
Riemanoc

Bikers Classics 2018

Suzuki RGB500 MK9 X3 factory prototype seen at the Bikers Classics 2018, Francorchamps Belgium.
For more pics see
Bikers Classics 2018

Seeley Crescent 500

This time some pics of a very rare bike, the Seeley Crescent 500. This bike uses the same speedboat engine as Rudi Kurth did in his sidecar. The engine a 500 two stroke triple was very fast but not so reliable.
For more pics see 
Seeley Crescent 500

Hamove races 2018

Suzuki RG500 special, seen at the Hamove races in Hengelo Gelderland, The Netherlands may 2018.
For more pics see
Hamove races 2018

Ocelot Suzuki GT750

Gene Davis and Larrie Schneider ran Ocelot Racing, Inc, of Madison, Wisconsin. In addition to producing the Ocelot chassis, Ocelot engineering modified over 130 Suzuki GT-750 engines over a time frame covering from the early 70s to the mid 80's. These Ocelot/Suzuki engines ruled DSR for many years, until the more powerful Kohler (140HP) came on the scene. Several DSR National Championships were won with Ocelot Suzuki engines. Note that the Ocelot made even more power than the factory TR750 due to larger carburetors and a full 750cc displacement compared to the TR's carburetor size, limited by Grand Prix rules, and 739cc displacement. Note that with the horsepower listed below, Ocelot engines put out 2.5 HP/cubic inch or 150 HP/liter in the mid 70s! Ocelot made two basic race engine types: A 750cc "regional" engine good for 110-115 HP. A 1978 pricing sheet from Ocelot shows the "Introductory" 750cc engine at $2,463 Their killer 850cc 130HP "national" engine. The same 1978 pricing sheet from Ocelot shows the "National" 850cc engine at $3,545. Modifications: Ocelot engines included these changes: a modified TR-750 porting (similar to the Suzuki GP bike racing version) a "squish" head offering a small combustion chamber. un-tilted the outboard spark plugs. initially used the German Krober ignition type, then later change to the Lucas RITA LR105 (Racing Ignition Transistor Amplifier).
For more pics see
Ocelot Suzuki 
Some vids of the car
Ocelot Suzuki 1
Ocelot Suzuki 2

F1 RDRG500

This time some pics of rather special contraption a Suzuki Mark 7 RG500 chassis with an RD500 engine, it was built for the F1 race class of the TT of Man in 1987. Raced by Mike Buoys, it completed 2 laps at 110 mph and retired due to a fuel leak. After that it was sold to Chris Faulkner and due to a broken wrist he did not ride the machine. Then it was sold by Steve Griffiths as a project to a collector and was restored by Nigel Everett. The machine is a Suzuki RG500 Mark 7 chassis, Suzuki radiator, magnesium throttle, long range replica alloy tank and fibreglass seat, Suzuki discs, top and bottom yokes, forks, temperature and rev counter, White Power rear unit and Campagnolo wheels. The engine comes from a Yamaha RD500, with Mikuni carbs and Gibson pipes.
For more pics see 
F1 RDRG500

Yamaha OW60 square four

The only surviving example outside the factory of Yamaha’s ultra-rare rotary-valve square-four.
This 500cc OW60 is the GP racer that was owned by French Yamaha importer Sonauto and on which Marc Fontan placed tenth in the 1982 World Championship standings.
Despite Yamaha being massively outnumbered by strong Suzuki opposition, he finished in the top ten in eight GP races and also rewarded Sonauto with the French National Championship. Only eight examples of the Yamaha OW60 were ever built and they were to all intents and purposes an outright copy of the rival Suzuki RG500 which, with its rotary valve induction, had outclassed Roberts’ 1980 World Championship-winning piston-port OW48R for speed.
Kenny only rode the OW60 square four in one Grand Prix, using it to win the opening round of the 1982 season in Argentina. After that he concentrated on developing the OW61 vee-four – not an easy task as it turned out, as he never won another GP that year.
The Yamaha OW60 square-four did, however, have its moments in the sun. In 1982, Crosby won the prestigious Imola 200 and was runner-up in the World Championship. Then in both 1983 and 1984, Kenny Roberts won the equally-important Daytona 200 (in 1983 and 184) on the OW69, a bored and stroked 695cc version of the OW60 that produced 175bhp!
In fact, all things considered, the Yamaha OW square four was a bike that could have been a World Champion but which was never given a fair chance in the hands of the top rider of the day.
For more pics see
Yamaha OW60

RG, RD, RGV and YZR500 specials

One of the best places to find pics and get inspiration on two stroke 500 specials and 500 GP replica's is this topic on the Daidegas forum.
Le 500 2T speciale e replica

RG500 and RG400 production numbers

Model Location Qty Yr MFG Dates
RG500G exported 7340 86 4/85 - 3/86
RG500G exported 606 87 4/86 - 3/87
RG500CH exported 806 87 4/86 - 3/87
RG500G Japan 22 88 4/87 - 3/88
RG500CH exported 510 88 4/87 - 3/88
Total 9284

RG400 Japan 5002 86 4/85 - 3/86
RG400 Japan 2-UK 863 87 4/86 - 3/87
RG400H Japan 348 88 4/87 - 3/88
Total 6213

RG500G UK 902
RG500CH UK 240
RG400 UK 2
Total 1144

Frame numbers
RG500EWC - HM31A-100001~
RG500EW-W (Walter Wolf type 1) - HM31A-102691~
RG500EW-2W (Walter Wolf type 2) - HM31A-105061~
RG500CH - HM31A-105405~
RG500G (E34) - HM31B-100001~
RG500CH (E34) - HM31B-101646~
RG400EW - HK31A-100001~
RG400EW-2/2C - HK31A-106287~

Here is the information on RG500's sold in Canada:
870 RG500G's were sold by Suzuki Canada
The first VIN was 0G2100012, the last was 9G2100882
There were 99 Walter Wolf models imported and sold
The first VIN was 0G2100883 and the last one was 2G2100982

Here are the country/model codes:
00 Japan ("Home" or "domestic" market)
02 United Kingdom
03 United States
04 France
17 Zweden
18 Switzerland
21 Belgium
22 Germany
24 Australia and New Zealand
25 The Netherlands
28 Canada
33 California

34 Italy

37 Brazil

39 Austria

53 Spain

For a complete list of Suzuki country codes see

Suzuki Motorcycle Country Codes Identification

VIN codes on all motor vehicles sold in North America may be deciphered as follows using this RG500 VIN code as an example: JS1HM31A2G2100951: 
JS1HM31A2G2100951 = JS1 HM31A 2 G 2 100951

JS1 : Japan Suzuki

HM31A: vehicle type

2: check digit

G: model year F=85,G=86,H=87,J=88 

2: plant code

100951: ID number

Earlier numbers, like 001 through 005 or so are usually destroyed, as they are "Production Prototypes"

Fior Suzuki RG500

Thought I knew all the RG500 racers until I stumbled upon some pics of a very special one made by Claude Fior. It has the Hossack front fork, a trade mark of many Fior bikes.
For more pics see 
Fior RG500

Red Bull Yamaha YZR500

King of slide, Gary McCoy on the Yamaha YZR500.
For more pics see 
Red Bull Yamaha YZR500