2019 SWM RS 500 R
FIRST REVIEW
P96
name of an Italian motorcycle manu-
facturer that made dirt and trials bikes
in the 1970s and early '80s before
closing up shop in 1984. Macchi took
just the SWM name, went through the
lengthy homologation process, and
here we are.
The 2019 SWM RS 500 R is essen-
tially the same bike as the last pure-
bred big-bore fuel-injected Husqvarna
(pre-BMW) that rolled out of the Varese
factory in 2010—the TE510. However,
the RS 500 R features some differenc-
es, most notably suspension. The RS
500 R is fitted with updated and fully
SWM picked up
where the last
pre-BMW Italian
Husqvarna left
off. The RS 500 R
is essentially an
updated TE510
from 2010.
