Ex-Barry Sheene, Bob Smith
1979 Dunstall Suzuki GS1000 Formula 1 Racing Motorcycle
Frame no. GS1000-521087
Engine no. GS1000-130636 Yoshimura engine no. 13
• The only Japanese four-stroke raced by Barry Sheene
• Professionally restored to its current condition in the mid-1990s
• Displayed in the Lakeland Museum for many years
Following a request from Suzuki GB sales Director, Maurice Knight, the machine offered here was assigned to Barry Sheene for him to ride at the August Bank Holiday meeting at Oulton Park in 1979. UK importer Heron Suzuki was interested in promoting production-based racing and had asked Paul Dunstall to enter Yoshimura-prepared factory GS1000s in TT Formula 1 events in 1979. Barry Sheene was the Texaco-sponsored Heron Suzuki team's No. 1 rider in Grands Prix and his dislike of racing heavyweight four-strokes was well known, once referring to them as 'muck spreaders'. Before the race Sheene asked works mechanic Martyn Ogbourne to do a safety check and a rider fitting check on the unfamiliar machine. The seat had to be raised by some 2" to get Barry comfortable, a legacy of the leg injuries he had sustained at Daytona.
His dislike of four-strokes notwithstanding, Sheene acquitted himself with distinction in his one-off ride at Oulton Park, finishing a close 2nd to Honda-mounted Ron Haslam with Honda-mounted Mick Grant 3rd. Indeed, the Suzuki star might have won had he not been balked by a back-marker on the final lap. Sheene and Haslam shared the fastest lap at 100.00mph. This Dunstall Suzuki is believed to be the only Japanese four-stroke Barry ever raced.
For its first foray into Formula 1 racing, Suzuki adopted a relatively cautious approach to tuning the GS1000 roadster. Machines would be sent from Japan to Yoshimura in California where the engines received special cams, larger inlet valves, high-compression slipper pistons, self-generating ignition, close-ratio gears and a stronger clutch basket, the crankshaft, con-rods and bottom end being left stock. Retaining the standard 28mm carburettors (a Formula 1 requirement), the Yoshi-tuned GS produced around 114bhp with a wide spread of useable power. This particular engine was engraved 'No.13' by Yoshimura at the time of tuning. Changes to the stock chassis included a shorter Peckett & McNab swinging arm; RG500 fork yokes; Campagnolo alloy wheels; and AP Lockheed disc brakes.
The Dunstall Suzuki team's regular riders were Steve Machin and Bob Smith, but Sheene's 2nd place at Oulton would be its best result in 1979. Ron Haslam took the championship for Honda that year and for the following season Suzuki responded with a proper factory racer: the XR69.
There is a documented chain of ownership since this machine was sold by the Dunstall Suzuki team, one notable owner being George Beale, who restored the bike in the mid-1990s to its current condition. It later spent many years on display in the Lakeland Museum. The current owners have had the machine on display at Oliver's Mount, and were invited by Classic Team Suzuki to display it in their hall of fame at Donington Park in 2017, the vendor advises this is where it was checked over and verbally authenticated by Martyn Ogbourne. There is also an email on file from Martyn Ogbourne to Tim Davies (Suzuki GB), perusal recommended. The Dunstall Suzuki has also featured in a seven-page article in the July 2019 edition of Classic Bike magazine.
