Barry Sheene’s 1977 World Championship-winning works Suzuki RG500 is to go on public display for the first time in nearly 40 years and will then be offered at auction without reserve at the International Classic MotorCycle Show, sponsored by Carole Nash, at Staffordshire County Showground on 25–26 April 2026.
The machine, frame number RG500-1201, is one of just two works XR14 Suzuki’s on which Britain’s last 500cc World Champion contested the entire 1977 season. It was the bike Sheene was riding when the title was clinched, and the machine on which he took pole at Silverstone that year. The other 1977 works machine remains with the Sheene family. This example has been privately owned overseas since 1987 and has not been seen publicly until now.
Estimated at £160,000–£200,000 and offered without reserve, it goes under the hammer on 26 April as part of the Bonhams Spring Stafford Sale.
Ben Walker, International Department Director at Bonhams Collectors’ Motorcycles, said: “The sale of Barry Sheene’s 1977 World Championship-winning works Suzuki RG500 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Bikes with this heritage calibre rarely come to market, let alone one belonging to the late, great Barry Sheene.”
A second headline lot adds further weight to the auction. A 1965 MV Agusta 500cc works Grand Prix machine, ridden by both Mike Hailwood and Giacomo Agostini, carries an estimate of £160,000–£220,000. A documented works example associated with both riders is exceptionally rare.
Both machines form part of The Connoisseurs Collection, Part II and will be on display throughout the show weekend before going under the hammer.
The Bonhams auction spans more than 250 lots across both days, from pre-war veterans to modern classics, with the majority offered without reserve. The sale begins on 25 April at 2.30pm and continues on 26 April from 11.30am.
The International Classic MotorCycle Show is open 9am–5pm both days. Advance tickets are available at classicbikeshows.com/stafforda, saving over 21% on the gate price.