If Ralph Spencer?s Suzuki T500 could talk it would have some epic tales to tell. From its life before Ralph when it was run into the ground and left for dead in an old barn, to its days as an AHRMA Formula 500 racer and finally how it returned to the road as a bonified cafe racer. It?s the kind of life story you?d expect to see on the silver screen, but instead, you?ll have to settle for reading about it here.

By day Ralph is a project engineer working in the defence sector but he devotes his spare time to his love of Suzuki two strokes. Back in 2003, Ralph decided to take the leap from regular road rider to track racer, prompting the purchase of basket case T500 for a measly $300. After tearing the bike down all that could be salvaged was the frame, swingarm, throttle and engine, minus its cases which disintegrated during the disassembly. Not one to be beaten easily Ralph soldiered on for six more months until the T500 was ready to race, and race it did! Together Ralph and his T500 competed in the AHRMA national racing circuit for no less than 8 long years, clocking up countless miles on the track. CONTINUE READING »

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