Redding On Schwantz’s ’94 Suzuki RGV500 at Spa

Scott Redding managed to get a ride at Spa Francorchamps aboard the Suzuki RGV500 that Kevin Schwantz campaigned in the 1994 500cc World Championship.

Scott rode the Suzuki RGV500 during the traditional 500GP parade at the annual Bikers’ Classic event at Spa, alongside some of bike racing’s greatest champions, including Giacomo Agostini, Phil Read, Wayne Gardner and Christian Sarron.

“Lining up on the grid with all these champions around me, it felt like I was actually taking part in a 500GP race,” declared Scott. “Sat there on the bike in front of a huge crowd, surrounded by the likes of Wayne Gardner, Christian Sarron and Didier De Radigues, I got a real good feeling for what it must have been like for Kevin Schwantz when he lined up to race this bike back in ’94. It was an incredible feeling.”

What was supposed to be a parade lap soon turned into a full on race which could only be expected when you put racers together and it was flat out for 10 laps. Scott pushed past Sarron, Gardner and Didier De Radigues, eventually finished a close second behind Steve Plater, who was riding the ex- Kenny Roberts Suzuki RGV500 XR88 on which ‘King Kenny’ won four races and finished second in the 1999 500GP World Championship.

“I got a good start to lead through Eau Rouge, but this was my first time on the track on two wheels, on a bike I only slung a leg over ten minutes beforehand. The rest of the guys rode yesterday, so they had a bit of an advantage in the opening laps, but it didn’t take me long to get a feel for the bike and to figure out the lines. I managed to push my way back up into to second and then had a great battle with Steve Plater over the last few laps.”

The 1994 Suzuki RGV 500 XR84 was lent to Scott by Steve Wheatman and the bike is reguarly run at events by Steve’s own Team Classic Suzuki. At only 135kg and producing around 195BHP from it’s 70° V-Four, 498cc two-stroke engine, this fiesty rocket will get you to 320km/h with the right gearing and Scott made it look like an easy ride which it certainly is not for us mere mortals!

These 500cc 2 stokers are utterly different to the four-stroke, 600cc machines that Scott campaigns in the Moto2 World Championship and, judging from the list of injuries Schwantz sustained during his career, a lot less forgiving too. Did you see the un-rideables?

“The bike was absolutely amazing. Okay, the brakes weren’t great, but we were expecting that. The handling was incredible because the bike is so light; it was really easy to change direction. It accelerated hard too, with the front coming up in every gear. I didn’t need a rev counter; I just changed up whenever I felt the front wheel was high enough! There was a lot of power, but it was pretty controllable, nothing like the razor sharp powerband I was expecting. It was absolutely mega to ride!”

With no engine braking from the two-stroke motor, Scott kept it straight going into the corners as his usual ‘backing it in’ style just is not possible but he did manage his other party piece which is getting his elbows down.

“I was knee down and I could see I was quite close with the elbow, so I just leant it over a bit more and down it went. I don’t think they did that in 500GP back in 1994, but then the tyres we were using today offer a lot more grip than those Kevin Schwantz had to contend with when he raced the bike.”

This was the very bike that Kevin Schwantz enjoyed his last World Championship success, winning the 1994 British Grand Prix at Donington Park, inncidently the place where Scott took his first win in 2008.

By throwing his leg over and riding this Suzuki RGV500 at Spa, Scott is part of an elite club that has experienced both four-stroke and two-stroke Grand Prix race bikes, having tested Ducati’s Desmosedici MotoGP bike at Mugello in 2012.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to Steve Wheatman for letting me loose on his rather expensive bike, and also to Olivier Aerts for organising the ride today. It was great fun and I hope I’ll get the chance to repeat the experience in the not too distant future,” concluded Scott.

Its back to work for Scott as he is off to the Sachsenring, to defend his Moto2 World Championship lead in the German Grand Prix this coming weekend. Thanks to Scott Redding for the info and the photos.

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