1982 Suzuki RGB500 MK7 Racing Motorcycle

• Purported to be Bob Heath's 1986 Isle of Man Senior TT Machine
• Offered with Bob Heath fairing, tail unit, and signed front mudguard
• Fantastic spares package including: Astralite wheels, front and rear brake callipers, spare plugs, gaskets, and a temperature gauge

Bob Heath was a prolific Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix Classic competitor, entering no fewer than 72 races between 1967 and 1999. Nowadays his name is synonymous with visors for motorcycle helmets. Bob had begun his racing career aboard a privately entered BSA Lightning Clubman, and his successes on that machine led to his employers, BSA, offering him a place in the works team for 1969. He also moved from the assembly line to the competition shop, preparing the works bikes until 1972 when the factory closed. The American company Bell Helmets had given the BSA riders free helmets, and it was the difficulty in obtaining spare visors that prompted Bob to start making his own. His fellow competitors were soon enquiring about replacement visors, and the level of demand encouraged Bob to go into serious production, starting in the lock-up garage of his flat in Birmingham. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Suzuki RGB500 offered here is purported to be the one Bob Heath rode to 18th place in the 1986 Isle of Man Senior TT. According to Bob: "The detached fairing, seat and front mudguard are definitely mine as last used in 1986. I guess if that (the machine offered here) is the same Mk7 race bike that the seat/fairing/mudguard came off it has a good chance of being my ex bike. I see the Goodridge brake hoses are fitted with the red alloy banjos and unions, which is something l specified with Goodridge - most were blue."

Our vendor purchased the Suzuki from Racing & Investment Motorcycles in May 2021 when it was described as follows: "This beautifully prepared Suzuki, engine rebuilt, cranks, new pistons, etc, rear shock and forks rebuilt." There is also email correspondence from the seller: "I know this bike very well as I sold to a friend who rebuilt the engine to use in the TT parade 2019. The engine it had the cranks rebuilt by Clive Padgett. It had new pistons, wheel bearings etc, he just wanted to tick a box and spent £5,000 preparing it for me, it's a superb machine... including Bob Heath's original fairing from 1983."

Included in the sale is a race-used, Bob Heath fairing, tail unit, Bob Heath-signed front mudguard, spare Astralite wheels, front and rear brake callipers, spare plugs, gaskets, and a temperature gauge. Following a period of inactivity, the machine will require recommissioning to a greater or lesser extent and is therefore sold strictly as viewed.
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