World's greatest bikes #8: Suzuki RG500 XR14

In 1974, Suzuki unveiled a bike that would go on to change the face of 500cc GP racing – the RG500 XR14.

Although its first season didn’t give too much of a hint about what was to come, mainly as it was still very much in the fledgling stages, by the time the 1975 season started Suzuki were ready to fight and in 1976 it was almost unbeatable.

But far from limiting the XR14 to factory racers, Suzuki built it as an over-thecounter racer that anyone could buy and be in with a chance of GP glory (assuming they had the talent).

During the early 1970s the 500GP championship was shifting towards two-stroke power and Suzuki saw this as their cue to go racing in the premier class.

Traditionally a two-stroke brand (they didn’t build their first big-capacity four-stroke until the 1976 GS750), the change in engines played to their strengths.

But Suzuki’s small size saw them dedicate remarkably scant resources to their new 500 project and in 1973 only four members of staff – two for the engine and two for the chassis – were charged with creating the XR14.

And it had to be ready to race in the 1974 season…