# Honda RS500 / RS500R (1983–1988)

- Source: https://racingcarnetwork.com/wiki/honda-rs500-gp/
- Publisher: Racing Car Network (racingcarnetwork.com), the race car marketplace
- Type: bike · Brand: Honda
- Discipline: bikes, historic-racing
- Series: classic-gp
- Era: 1980s
- Last updated: 2026-11-06

The Honda RS500 is the customer version of the NS500, the 112-degree V3 two-stroke that won Honda its first 500cc world title in 1983. HRC sold a few dozen to importers and privateers from 1983 to 1988. Today it is a rare, high-value classic GP machine for demonstration laps and collections.

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Engine | 498.6 cc water-cooled two-stroke V3, cylinders at 112 degrees, piston reed-valve induction, 62.6 x 54.0 mm bore and stroke [1] |
| Power | approx. 120 hp at 11,500 rpm (about 5 hp below the works NS500) [0]; sellers quote 125 bhp at 11,500 rpm [12] |
| Weight | 125 kg dry, against 108 kg for the works NS500 [0] |
| Carburettors | 34 mm as standard; 38 mm units were a common upgrade [0] |
| Frame | aluminium box-section frame to 1985; aluminium beam frame from 1986 [0] |
| Exhaust | three expansion chambers; ATAC exhaust valves on the two upper cylinders from 1986 [0] |
| Brakes Wheels | Nissin calipers and Comstar wheels as standard; 16-inch front wheel [0][18][19] |
| Years | released by HRC in January 1983; last version was the 1988 RS500 W [3][14] |
| Class | 500cc Grand Prix (privateer) |
| Built | no official figure; about 25 bikes went to non-factory riders in 1984–1988 [5] |

## History

Honda returned to Grand Prix racing with the four-stroke NR500, which never won a race. For 1982 HRC built a lighter two-stroke, the NS500, with three cylinders instead of the four used by Yamaha and Suzuki [10]. Freddie Spencer won the 1983 500cc title on it. The NS500 gained Nikasil-plated cylinders in mid-1982 after chrome bores kept seizing, and ATAC exhaust valves in 1983 [2].

A production version was planned from the start of the NS500 project [3]. HRC released the RS500R in January 1983 and privateers took it up worldwide. About two thirds of 500cc entrants in those years were privateers [3]. The RS500 kept the NS500 layout but lacked the works exhaust system [4]. It used aluminium engine cases instead of magnesium, and alloy composite wheels instead of carbon-fibre ones. The result was about 120 hp and 125 kg dry, roughly 5 hp down and 17 kg up on the works bike [0]. A Dutch account puts the price at around 100,000 guilders per bike in 1983 [5].

Few were built. RM Sotheby's describes a handful sold to privateers in 1984 [6]. The Classic GP Assen organisers say about 25 bikes reached non-factory riders between 1984 and 1988, among them Wayne Gardner and Raymond Roche [5]. Changes came each year. Cylindrical silencers replaced the oval type in 1985. In 1986 came an aluminium beam frame plus ATAC on the two upper cylinders [0]. The last factory version was the 1988 RS500 W with a perimeter frame [14].

Privateers also built their own chassis. German tuner Juchem made two perimeter frames for the Hein Gericke team in 1987 [15]. One 1984 bike now carries a Bakker frame, bigger wheels and upside-down forks [6]. In 1990 Verona Racing Products in Italy built three VRP-RS500s around factory engines. They had a hand-made twin-spar frame, 38 mm Dell'Orto carburettors and about 130 bhp [10]. Honda's own 500cc effort moved to the NSR500 V4 in 1984. The RS500 was then obsolete at the front, but it kept privateers in the points to the end of the decade [10][0].

## Palmarès

Wayne Gardner won the 1984 British 500cc championship on a Honda Britain RS500. He then scored points in all five GPs he entered that year, with third in Sweden and seventh overall [16]. Raymond Roche finished third in the 1984 world rankings on an RS500 [17]. Jack Middelburg took sixth at the 1983 Dutch TT on the Dutch Racing Team bike [5]. Manfred Fischer won the 1987 500cc European Championship on a Juchem-framed RS500 [15]. Andrew Johnson won the 500cc GP race at Bathurst in 1983 on the model's Australian debut. He cut the class lap record by 4.79 seconds [0]. Simon Buckmaster's second place in the wet 1989 Italian GP is the model's best world championship race result [0].

## What to check before you buy

Read the frame and engine numbers and compare them with the claimed year: Frame numbers seen: RS500RF 5104 and 5105 on 1985 bikes, RS500RF-8107 on a 1988 bike. A 1985 bike carried engine RS500RE 4103, so engines moved between seasons. Establish whose frame it is: Honda box-section (to 1985), Honda beam (1986-on), Juchem, Bakker and VRP frames all exist. Price and originality differ a lot. Match the livery to documents, not the other way round: Restorations in Honda Britain, NW200 or Rothmans colours are common. Ask for period photos, entry lists or team letters that name the frame number. Confirm the engine is complete and runs: One auction bike was missing its balance shaft. Ask for a video of a cold start and a compression check on all three cylinders. Inspect cylinders, plating and ATAC parts: Original ATAC barrels have cracked; replacement Hummel barrels exist. Nikasil bores need checking for scoring after any seizure. List the non-standard parts: 38 mm carburettors, ISR brake calipers, bigger wheels and USD forks were period upgrades. They affect originality and parade eligibility. Ask for the maintenance log and hours since crank and piston work: A recent crankshaft is worth money on this engine. Without a log, budget for a full strip before running it hard. Expect bill-of-sale paperwork only: These bikes are unregistered race machines. RM Sotheby's and Iconic both sold them on a bill of sale with no registration or papers.

## Did you know

- Wayne Gardner gave part of his 1984 Honda Britain salary back in exchange for the loan of an RS500 [16].
- The Dutch federation budgeted 200,000 guilders for two RS500s in 1983. Both went to Jack Middelburg, which caused a public row with Boet van Dulmen [5].
- On its Australian debut at Bathurst in 1983, Andrew Johnson cut the 500cc class lap record by 4.79 seconds on an RS500 [0].

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between an NS500 and an RS500?** The NS500 is the works bike HRC raced in 1982–1984. The RS500 is the customer version sold from January 1983. It shares the V3 layout but uses aluminium cases, composite wheels and a plainer exhaust. It makes about 120 hp and weighs 125 kg dry, against 108 kg for the works bike [0][3][4].

**How many Honda RS500s were built?** Honda has published no figure. RM Sotheby's speaks of a handful sold in 1984. The Classic GP Assen organisers say about 25 bikes went to non-factory riders between 1984 and 1988. Treat any seller claim of an exact total with caution [5][6].

**Which year is the best to own?** Early box-frame bikes (1983–1985) are the closest to Spencer's title-winning NS500 in looks. The 1986–1988 beam-frame bikes have ATAC and handle better, but original ATAC cylinders have cracked. Prices have been highest for documented beam-frame bikes with race history [0][8].

**Can I race it, or only parade it?** Most owners run demonstration laps: Classic GP Assen and the Goodwood Festival of Speed have both hosted RS500s. No current race-series eligibility was confirmed for this card. Ask the organiser before entering a competitive classic GP race [5][20].

**What does it cost to keep one running?** No owner-reported figures were found. The engine is a short-life GP two-stroke: HRC's own customer-racer schedules call for pistons every 500 km and a crank every 2,000 km. Spares are scarce, so budget for a specialist and for pattern cylinders if the ATAC barrels fail [22][0].

**Is it hard to ride?** Yes at low speed. A track test reported rough clutch work to get off the line and very tall gearing. It also found sharp steering and a sudden powerband on a bike of just over 250 lb. Riders with modern four-stroke habits should expect a learning curve [19].

## Sources

- Honda RS500 (Phil Aynsley) — https://mcnews.com.au/?p=410758
- NS500: Technical Data — https://global.honda/en/RACERS/NS500_02/01.html
- NS500: ATAC, Nikasil cylinders, frame — https://global.honda/en/RACERS/NS500_02/02.html
- NS500: privateers and the RS500R — https://global.honda/en/RACERS/NS500_02/03.html
- Honda NS500 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_NS500
- 1983 Honda RS 500: Jumping Jack's last dance — https://classicgp-assen.com/news/motorcycles/1983-honda-rs-500-jumping-jacks-last-dance
- 1984 Honda RS 500R, Hershey 2012, lot 233 — https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/hf12/lots/r511-1984-honda-rs-500r
- 1984 Honda RS500 R GP, Las Vegas, lot 433 — https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/lv12/lots/r342-1984-honda-rs500-r-gp/
- Bonhams|Cars Spring Stafford Motorcycle Sale achieves GBP 3 million — https://motorsportsnewswire.com/2024/04/24/bonhamscars-spring-stafford-motorcycle-sale-achieves-3-million-with-an-industry-leading-95-sell-through-rate/
- Bonhams Autumn Stafford sale recap — https://raresportbikesforsale.com/bonhams-autumn-stafford-sale-recap
- 1990 VRP Honda RS500 sells at Bonhams Stafford — https://www.morebikes.co.uk/?p=41143
- The Iconic Spring Sale at Shuttleworth, 4 May 2025, catalogue lots 416-417 — https://iconicauctioneers.auctioneersvault.com/catalogues/the_iconic_spring_sale_at_shuttleworth_2025/39/
- 1984 Honda RS 500R for sale — https://www.georgebeale.co.uk/motorcycle-sales-item-8
- 1985 Honda RS 500 R, Honda Britain, Roger Marshall — https://www.georgebeale.co.uk/motorcycle-sales-item-3
- Honda RS 500 W 1988 (sold) — https://www.classic-motorbikes.com/?p=9195
- Honda RS 500 1987, Juchem perimeter frame — https://www.classic-motorbikes.com/en/honda-rs-500-1987-2/
- Wayne Gardner (profile) — https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1986/8/1/wayne-gardner
- From NS to NSR — https://www.morebikes.co.uk/?p=264407
- All the highlights from the H&H Classics auction — https://www.visordown.com/news/harley-davidsons-and-honda-race-bikes-star-hh-classics
- Honda RS500R Track Test — https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/honda-rs500r-track-test-284.html
- File:Freddie Spencer's Honda RS500 (14593902993).jpg — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Freddie_Spencer%27s_Honda_RS500_(14593902993).jpg
- Deal o' Day: Honda RS500 (Bonhams lot 279, Stafford) — https://www.motorcycle.com/2017/10/10/motorcycle-news/deal-o-day-honda-rs500/
- HRC Setting Data and Maintenance Information, RS125R/RS250R — https://www.sp125racing.com/rs125r--rs250r-notes-on-engine-maintenance.html
- racingcarnetwork.com search for RS500 — https://www.racingcarnetwork.com/?s=RS500

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