Suzuki's 500cc racer, the RGV-500 (XR79), was ridden by Kevin Schwantz, who won the world championship in 1993 at the Road Race World Championship, the pinnacle of motorcycle road racing. The engine is a two-stroke V-4 cylinder with a displacement of 499.5cc. It has an aluminium twin spar frame, and was equipped with 16.5-inch wheels front and rear. It was entrusted to Kevin Schwantz and Alex Barros for the season. Schwantz won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix; after that, he continued to drive consistently, winning the Grand Prix in Spain, Austria, and the Netherlands, finishing second in Japan, Germany, and San Marino. Amazingly, he won the Riders Champion for the 1993 season.