- Bonhams to auction Barry Sheene’s factory Suzuki RG500 XR14 from 1977 on April 26
- Expected price: 160,000 to 200,000 GBP (approximately 185,000 to 231,000 EUR / 214,000 to 268,000 USD)
- The motorcycle has not been seen publicly for nearly 40 years
There are racing motorcycles, and then there are motorcycles that have made sporting history. The Suzuki RG500 XR14 with frame number 1201 undoubtedly belongs in the latter category. On April 26, it will go under the hammer at Bonhams during the International Classic MotorCycle Show at the Staffordshire Showground. It marks the first time in nearly four decades that this motorcycle has appeared in public.
From the Workshop to the World Stage: Barry Sheene and the RG500
In the mid-1970s, Barry Sheene was far more than just a Grand Prix rider. In Britain, he enjoyed a level of fame comparable only to that of Formula 1 driver James Hunt. That Sheene was even able to compete for world titles was anything but a given. Before the 1976 season, Suzuki had withdrawn its factory team from the Grand Prix championship. To keep the racing operation going, the British Suzuki importer stepped in and continued running the team under the Texaco Heron banner.
Sheene repaid that trust in spectacular fashion. In 1976, he won five races and clinched the title in the 500cc class ahead of schedule. A year later, he went one better: six victories from eleven races and a 27-point lead over Yamaha rider Steve Baker were enough to successfully defend the title. Sheene also recorded a second and a sixth-place finish and was named MCN Man of the Year.
Frame 1201: The Motorcycle of the Decisive Race
According to Bonhams, the machine now heading to auction is one of only two factory bikes Sheene used during the 1977 season. Frame number 1201 and engine number RR 1202 RG500 identify it as a 1977 build. Crucially, this is the very motorcycle Sheene rode across the finish line in the final race of the season, thereby sealing his second and last 500cc world championship title. The sister machine remains in the possession of the Sheene family.
The RG500 XR14 still wears the iconic red, white and yellow Suzuki livery along with Sheene’s unmistakable yellow-and-black number seven. Typical of racing machines from that era, the gear lever is on the right foot. The machine features four exhaust outlets and twin brake discs at the front.
Nearly 40 Years in Hiding
After Sheene’s active career, the machine passed into the ownership of Peter Agg, the man who, as British Suzuki importer, was instrumental in keeping Suzuki’s Grand Prix presence alive. In 1987, the motorcycle changed hands to its current owner, where it has remained ever since without ever being publicly displayed.
Ben Walker, International Department Director of Bonhams Collectors’ Motorcycles, described it as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for collectors at the highest level.” He called it “a truly exceptional chance to acquire a fully documented factory Suzuki RG500 XR14.” Walker also emphasized: “Machines of this caliber and significance rarely come to market, let alone one that belonged to the unforgettable Barry Sheene.”
The RG500 XR14 is being offered without a reserve price. The estimate stands at 160,000 to 200,000 GBP (approximately 185,000 to 231,000 EUR / 214,000 to 268,000 USD). Besides Sheene’s Suzuki, the auction comprises more than 100 additional lots, including a road-legal Honda RC213V-S as a MotoGP replica and a 1965 MV Agusta 500 Grand Prix reportedly ridden by Mike Hailwood or Giacomo Agostini. Also part of the offering is the extensive Rex Judd Collection.
50 Years After the First Title: Goodwood Celebrates Barry Sheene
The year 2026 also marks the 50th anniversary of Sheene’s first world championship triumph in 1976. To mark the occasion, three events are planned as part of the major Goodwood motorsport festivals. The proceedings kick off at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting on April 18 and 19, where up to 30 500cc Grand Prix machines from Sheene’s career are set to take to the track.
At the Festival of Speed from July 9 to 12, ten Grand Prix motorcycles from his career will tackle the legendary hillclimb course. The finale comes at the Revival Weekend from September 18 to 20, when Sheene’s championship-winning Suzukis will take to the Goodwood Motor Circuit ahead of the races for the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy.
