This is an exceptionally rare 1985 Suzuki RM500F, the final year of Suzuki’s open-class RM500.
The 1985 RM500F was not sold in the United States and was distributed in very limited numbers in other markets. Total 1985 production is believed to have been approximately 350 motorcycles worldwide. Canada reportedly received one RM500F per Suzuki dealer, or roughly 50 motorcycles. Australia is reported to have received only six, with additional small numbers distributed to other countries. Personally I’ve never seen a true 500F offered for sale. This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
This particular RM500F carries a very early serial number ending in 00016, indicating No. 16 in the production sequence. A clear photograph of the frame stamping is included with the listing.
I purchased this motorcycle in June 2017. I made a 1,900-mile round trip drive from Central Michigan to the North Dakota/Canadian border, where I met the previous owner on the Canadian side at the visitors center and took possession of the bike.
After bringing it home, I spent approximately two years completing a thorough frame-up, race restoration. The bike was completely disassembled down to the bare frame, with every nut, bolt and component cleaned, restored or replaced as needed.
My intention was never to build a museum piece. The motorcycle was restored and refurbished to be a race-ready, fully functional vintage motocross bike while maintaining the appearance and character of the original 1985 RM500F. I wanted a bike that presented extremely well but could still be ridden and enjoyed as Suzuki intended.
The frame was professionally powder coated in a color very closely matching Suzuki’s original Champion Blue. An original OEM RM500 kickstand is shown alongside the powder coated frame in one of the photos for direct color comparison, showing how closely the powder coat matches the original finish.. As shown in the photos, the lower frame rails are in excellent condition with no dents or damage.
The engine was professionally refinished by an automotive body shop using a near-perfect color match to the silver/gray engine finish used on the 1985 Suzuki RM models.
The top end was bored 0.75 mm over standard. Current compression is approximately 120–125 psi, as shown in the compression-test photo. The engine starts, runs and performs very well. Bike is still fitted with the OEM Mikuni flat-slide carburetor with no conventional idle-speed adjustment and is jetted very well. (I prefer to run the jetting slightly rich for added lubrication and engine longevity.) The engine runs clean and strong, pulls hard, and returns very smoothly through the RPM range when the throttle is closed, with virtually no popping or irregular running.
The bike is fitted with new-old-stock (NOS) plastics as well as NOS lower fork protectors. I installed a NOS 80/81 Suzuki front fender, which I preferred over the original duck-bill design. The correct NOS 1985 RM500F front fender is available with the sale and shows minor wear from racing. The bike has its original Takasago gold rims, which are in good condition, and is fitted with fresh tires.
The bike has OEM exhaust pipe and silencer. Both are in exceptional condition for their age, with no dents in the pipe or silencer as seen in the photo’s.
I could not find a suitable reproduction seat cover for this bike so I sourced a custom period Hi-Flight safety seat from the era. The seat is in excellent condition and complements the bike’s period-correct appearance.
The suspension was freshened up using Race Tech components and set up for a 210 lb rider. The rear shock was revalved using Race Tech Gold Valve components and shim setup. The front forks were upgraded with Race Tech Gold Valve Cartridge Emulators. The suspension feels awesome.
The bikes got genuine OEM Suzuki handlebars and kill switch which are extremely difficult to find today. The handlebars have some minor tweaking but present well and were retained because of their rarity and period-correct appearance.
Following the restoration, the RM500F was used primarily as a spare bike for vintage motocross. It was raced twice during the 2020 season and has otherwise seen only limited recreational riding. One of the accompanying photos shows me racing this bike in late 2020. I estimate the engine has approximately four hours of total running time since the restoration. The bikes been stored in my heated basement for the last 4 years.
This motorcycle was restored to be ridden, not simply displayed. It should therefore not be considered a flawless museum restoration. It has seen limited track and recreational use since completion and shows minor evidence of that use. At the same time, considerable effort was put into sourcing and retaining difficult-to-find OEM and period-correct components and preserving the character of this exceptionally rare final-year RM500.