The Lost R1? Yamaha R1-Z 250

Where have these darn things been hiding?   What a solid looking bike: a two stroke twin wrapped in an eye pleasing package.  Simple yet sexy.  The RZ-1 is another in a line of Japanese domestic bikes that never saw the light of day on foreign shores.  That is kind of hard to imagine with the cult following the RZ350 has.  These were produced in 1991 and 1992 (I think) but would look  right at home in a dealership  in 2012.  Update the headlight, forks and swing arm and you are in business Yamaha.

This particular bike is located in the UK and has underwent a complete rebuild with custom paint.  There isn’t much to say, it just looks good.

From what I gather, the R1-Z uses the early  TZR parallel twin engine.  Being a domestic market bike they have the usual 45hp restriction.  I’m sure it could be unplugged with a little work.  Maybe without a fairing for protection you’d be happy with the 45hp.

To cut costs sometimes they’d go single disc upfront on these sort of models; not so with the R1-Z.

Come on Yamaha, work some overtime on direct injection and you are in business with this bike.  With the popularity of naked bikes and the built in RZ350 crowd I bet you couldn’t keep them in the showroom.

Damn, I like this bike!  Check this one out with a TZR swing arm and upside down forks.

Since you can’t count on Yamaha,  you might just have to snap this one up at auction.

Here is a Japanese test of a modded and standard R1-Z

Ian

Location: Bellflower, California

Mileage: 8,789

Price: Auction, $5,500 BIN

I love bikes that come with race livery like this ’02 GSX-R 600 in limited edition Movistar Telefonica graphics. Granted, the bike is no different mechanically than a stock ’02 GSX-R 600, unlike some custom fairing, limited edition bikes that come with upgraded performance parts. But a stock ’02 is going to give you plenty of fun in itself. The killer graphics will help everyone else notice you’re having a good time.

Everyone here probably knows that the fairing is designed after an RGV500 ridden by Kenny Roberts. Clearly a much different bike than a GSX-R 600, but a cool tribute anyway.

Here’s more photos-

From the seller-

Super clean Suzuki Gsx-r 600, limited edition Movistar Telefonica. Under 9000 miles, runs and looks great. Stored inside garage. Custom FMF pipe, new tires, maintiance done regularly. One small dent on top of gas tank with little scratch. Also one small scratch behinde back seat. Comes with rear seat attachment. Feel free to ask questions!

This bike looks basically stock except for the exhaust and frame sliders. Those aren’t huge issues, but for pure collectors, originality is always key. Mileage isn’t an issue and the seller describes that the bike has been stored inside and has had regular maintenance. The seller also mentions two cosmetic issues that seem small but you may want close up photos.

It’s hard to say how collectible this bike will become. The $5,500 BIN price sounds a little high, but you may be able to get it for less. And if you want a cool bike that isn’t hugely expensive and may be a collector down the road, this could be your bike. If you agree, check the auction and place your bid.

-RN

Up for sale here we have an awesome Honda NSR250SP Rothmans Replica. The seller claims this bike to be the most ultimate and trick NSR in the world, and until shown otherwise, I would tend to agree with him. When these MC28’s came out in 1994, the Rothmans replicas were limited to about 1,500 units and featured all of the goodies Honda had to offer including the refined and dialed-in PGM4 technology.

The particular bike up for sale here has been well cared for and pampered since its current owner purchased it in 1995. Sure it isn’t stock, but considering the high quality of parts it has and the seemingly endless amount of spare parts and extras, it sure looks to be the ultimate NSR250.

Everything on this bike looks to have been upgraded to the highest quality parts possible. The bike features (but is not limited to) custom Honda RS250 front suspension, titanium-pistoned Brembo calipers, and stainless/titanium exhaust canisters and silencers. The list goes on and on, so please check out the full description and seller’s ad here! A ton of extras, spares, fairings, and even some old school Japanese bikes mags are included with the purchase.

The bike has an asking price of $15,500, and before you say that a 250 smoker isn’t worth it, think about how much work has gone into this beauty. It is true that you never get money out of what you put into a bike/car with regards to modifications. But considering that way more than $15k has gone into buying the bike and building it to what you see today, I would consider this a screaming deal for anyone who loves two-strokes and wants a fully built and meticulously maintained machine. Check out the sellers for sale ad here and have it shipped to you today!

-JS

She’s Italian, Exotic And Single: 1991 Gilera Saturno Bialbero

Boy, this is a a bike I didn’t expect to do a post on twice.  The first Saturno Bialbera I posted was located in PA; unfortunately for us in the New World this bike is located in the Netherlands.  You can’t be an isolationist though if you yearn for one of these as less than 1100 Saturno Bilbero’s were produced and most of them were exported to Japan.

The bike came about  from a direct collaboration between Gilera and its’ Japanese importer.  I think they got it right but maybe were too early to cash in on the retro craze.  It’s a damn good looking little bike with a nice mix of modern and retro design.  I’m not sure I’d hold out hope for a 2.0 version either as Gilera only produces scooters now.  Yawn.

It must have been hiding in a collection as it only has 11 miles.  The seller states he would be willing to assist with worldwide shipping if you are tempted.

You might remember Marco Simmoncelli raced a Gilera badged  Aprilia  in the GP’s.  It appears the small number that were imported into the UK sold for approxiametley 5000 British Pounds.  That was more than the average 600 of the day.

I wonder how a nice looking and smartly priced single would sell in the United States right now.  We don’t have a good track record of buying them.  The engine is a spin off of Gilera’s Dakota engine, which from what little I can find, is nice solid engine.

Brush up on your Dutch and place a bid here.

This isn’t the bike for sale but at least you get a little sound of the engine.  I want to know where this shop is in Japan.  The poster has quite a few videos of exotic bikes that come and stop by.

Ian

Early RGV For The Taking:  1990 Suzuki RGV250 VJ21

Pay attention if you are in the market for an early model RGV as this auction is for keeps.  Yep, no reserve for this 1990 VJ21.  They may not have the lust factor of a VJ23 but they are easily just as rare.  I know we all want the latest and greatest but a nicely tuned VJ21 will easily run with any other grey market 250.  I’ve seen/read about a couple of highly tuned 21′s in the UK that have no problem on the track either.

Let’s get the negatives out of the way since this auction will have a winner.  There is no title and it has been resprayed.  Titles can be had but respray’s always make me wonder.  Was it an artistic decision or a decision based on need?

The bike is in need of a thorough cleaning and inspection but I’m liking the general condition of things.  To bad we can’t see under the bodywork.   Can you believe these bikes are 22 years old now?  I’d be willing to bet some rubber bits,  cables etc.  are past their prime.

It does have a set of after market chambers chambers on it.  They went for the VJ22 look with both exiting on the right side.  You might notice “JMCA” on the cans.  I used to think that was a brand  but it is actually a Japanese  regulatory group.  Sugaya did make a set that exited like this on the right side but their cans usually are attached by springs.  They did  make “street” versions that had slip on cans for the the VJ22 and VJ23 though.

What else could be more fun than stripping an RGV down in your garage this February?

From the seller:

1990 Suzuki RGV 250 VJ21 with 9000 kilometers ( 6000 miles ) Bikes condition is above average and it is complete , original ( except for the exhaust , carbs and front fender ) and very clean.. Transmission and clutch work great and bike operates at the correct temperature. All fluids changed and oil injection is in tact and operational. Original body work in great condition – at some point along the way it received a respray but done well.. Bike starts easy ,idles well but has a flat spot at mid rpm — Cleaned and adjusted carbs – seemed to help – They are 34 mm and need some fine tuning ( I will leave that to the more experienced) Power valves clean and fully operational .Front and rear calipers are in great condition and I believe the pipe is aftermarket  .. No reserve.. Can provide video of the bike starting and running upon request.. Sold with Bill of sale only — sorry no title

I’m guessing this was a domestic market RGV since the seller says the 34mm carbs were not original.  Domestic market bikes got chocked with the 32mm units.  It’s nice that the oil injection hasn’t been removed as that is a pain to reverse.

You can always spot a VJ21 from a mile away with those mirrors.  Uh oh, one is broken.  That isn’t bad luck is it?  I’m just trying to scare you away because I’d like to snap it up.

Click here for the auction.

Ian

Location: Dover, Delaware

Mileage: 17,863

Price: Auction

Here we have another nice bike from our friends at Speedwerks. And the sale would help someone who’s dealing with some serious health issues and the bills that go with them.

The 851 is one of the best looking bikes Ducati has ever built. And we certainly agree the white frame takes that cool factor up another notch. The ’91 saw updates with Showa front forks and Ohlins rear shock. These upgrades went along with the twin-cylinder, liquid cooled motor and famous desmodromic valve actuation. Bottom line, this is one sexy bike.

Photos-

And from the seller-

This is a very nice example of an early Ducati Superbike. 1991 model just brought to us by a long time racer/customer/friend.

This bike has never been raced or to a track day, Street ridden only.

History,, he is reported to be the second owner and purchased the bike in early 2003. At that time the bike was registered and titled with 15,752 miles, The bike received an extensive service at Fast By Feracci, including a 916 kit,head work(belts etc),power commander and exhaust system. We saw him last for service and new Pirelli’s in late 04. Tire’s are in good nick as pictured.  Stock pipes are included with sale. He put a couple thousand miles on it street riding only, shortly after,, he was diagnosed with brain cancer.

The bike was kept in climate controlled storage and shows no signs of rust or oxidation. the photos with the body off are as we received it.

The assembled pics are after a quick clean up and safety inspection. He’s not dead (-: (I know your wondering) but he is unable to ride/balance.

He also needed the money for enormous medical bill’s.(apparently chemotherapy is a non-deductible option for BCBS,unless you wanna live) So the money is going to a good cause, helping keep the top of Rob’s head and the roof of his mouth in place.

The bike is ready to ride and needs nothing, *except a new windscreen*,,he lost his balance pushing it up into the truck. We are sourcing a replacement windscreen and it will be included in the sale. The bike is for sale on the showroom here and locally so we reserve the right to terminate the auction any time.Inspections in person are welcome 10-7 mon-sat by appt. 

No buy it now! No Reserve! email any offers to steve at speedwerks dot com.   High Resolution images are avail. copy,paste and GO! picasaweb.google.com/116165546705552642509/Ducati851

This is a pretty rare model and in fantastic condition for it’s age. It’s ready to ride or show off in your home/office.

Personally I think all old white framed Duc’s are cool. Kinda factory racebikeish. 

Shipping is your responsibility but we use Keyboard carriers with great results,fee’s are on their site but figure $400-600 depending where you are, we are east coast 19904. They ship door to door with no prep or crate required. We can crate it for an additional charge if you choose another carrier. Reasonably distance deliver is available for .50 cents per mile plus tolls/service charge. In one the enclosed climate controled Speedwerks Molester vans pictured. Molester not included but they do have candy in the console if you want a snack…….Good Luck! and keep an eye on our auctions for a kick ass Kenny Roberts RZ350 all original coming up soon.

As described by the seller, the bike seems to be in good shape and ready to ride except for the mentioned windscreen. The seller is going to take care of that, so not a big worry. Mileage isn’t bad, especially considering the age. Also, it should be noted, this is being sold for someone who certainly has fell on some difficult times. So you actually have a chance to buy a beautiful bike and help out someone who needs it.

So if you’ve been looking, here’s a chance for a great bike and a chance to do some good. Win/win in my book. So go check this auction out!

-RN

For Sale: 1984 Yamaha RZ350 Kenny Roberts Edition

Located in North Carolina sits this beautiful survivor: a 1984 Yamaha RZ350 in the “King” Kenny Roberts colors of yellow and black. These RZs were the last factory two strokes to make it into the United States, and not many survive in decent condition. Because these bikes in stock form could not quite keep up with the 550cc four strokes of the era, the RZ did not sell well. Those that did were either raced, or thrashed and ratted out.

The most popular modification to “wake up” the performance of an RZ is the use of aftermarket expansion chambers. The stock pipes were heavy, restrictive units that contained catalytic converts in their centers – ditching these results in a healthy weight loss and healthy boost in power. Thus while collectors might seek a perfect bike with the original pipes, enthusiasts will want a slightly modified mount such as this. The difference in performance can be substantial.

From the seller:
Here is your chance to own a great classic bike. This is a 1984 Yamaha RZ350 Kenny Roberts edition in competition yellow. It has a 347cc, 2-stroke, liquid cooled YPVS twin engine and a 6 speed manual transmission. The bikes dry weight is 331 pounds and has a 5.3 gallon fuel tank. I bought this bike in 2007 and have kept it inside my temperature controlled shop only riding it here and there. It has only 8,254 miles and is in great condition especially for being almost 30 years old. This is a smooth bike and the only performance alteration being that it has been jetted for the dual pipe Toomey Racing exhaust. It has the single person seat on it and does not have mirrors. Cosmetically the bike is very sound as well, it has one very small ding in the gas tank which you can see in the picture and some missing paint from top of the right side engine casing. It would be tough to find another one of these bikes in this condition. The tray under the center stand is to protect the floor, not for leaks. If you have any questions or would like specific pictures feel free to ask. Thanks for looking.

I am only the second owner, I purchased the bike from the original owner when I bought it in 2007.

The Yamaha RZ350 was a 2 year bike in the U.S. After 1985 the two stroke party was officially shut down. Perhaps that is why these little RZs – despite not selling particularly well in the 1980s – have been consistently going up in value over the years.

The opening ask on this yellow buzz bomb is $5,500. While that sum would have bought you a very low mile, perfect example in years past, this is pretty much the going entry rate for the average bike. There is no word on if a reserve is set, so only time will tell if the price on this model ends up being on the high side. From the opening, however, this is pretty much a fair market ask.

For your chance to check it out, click on the link and jump over to the auction. Drool over the picks, imagine the ring-a-ding-ding of this little rocket coming on the pipe, and then drop back by to share your thoughts. Good Luck!

MI

For Sale: 1990 Honda RC 30

For such a rare motorcycle, RSBFS readers have been blessed with a relatively large supply of RC30s as of late (check out the latest RC30 written up by Rem HERE. But rather than question why, I prefer to simply oogle and enjoy the bounty. While often placed behind the younger brother RC45 in the performance department, the RC30 remains one of the iconic motorcycles of the homologation genre. That probably explains the constantly rising prices on these bikes.

Located in the Great State of Texas, this VFR750R looks to be as original as they come. Having traversed a paltry 6,894 miles since new, this bike defines the category of “rideable collectable.” Purists will always search out a zero mile example, but here is one that has few enough miles to still be considered relatively new, but not so few miles that it cannot be ridden. And after all, isn’t that the *real* draw of these uber rare steeds?

From the seller:
This is completely original and perfect, less one small rub spot on the fairing from transportation. It is a very small spot on the right side in the light blue area. Please check the detailed picture of the right side it is just below the end of the handlebar. This is not a restoration it is original. New O.E.M. tires, includes the rear stand, tool kit (missing 2 sockets), owners manual and several magazine articles and road tests.

The value of an RC30 has been often discussed on these pages (search RC30 on RSBFS). The floor starts in the $20k range and extends up above the $30k mark (way above that for some optomistic sellers!). This particular bike is sitting at $15k with minimal bidding a reserve firmly in place.

These bikes may peak in price sometime in the future, but that is not going to be any time soon. Until then, this is as secure an investment as anything on two wheels, and probably will out perform real estate and the average 401k to boot! For your chance to view this beauty, click the link and jump over to the auction. Be sure and let us know what you think!

MI

What Smokes And Has Six Cylinders?  Two 1986 Honda NS400R’s Of Course

Update 1.22.2012: These bikes are now available on eBay. Links updated. -dc

Here is a little something for those of you that like package deals. It isn’t very often you find an NSR400 for sale so keep reading because the seller is offering two plus some spares. Let your mind run wild: one for the street, one for the track, restore one, part one. It’s all up to you.

From the seller:

I picked up these bikes for my brother but he’s too deep in projects and too wed to big bore four strokes so I would like to sell them. I’m too big and not a rider and as neat as these are, I’m not putting one or both in my living room.

The original plan was to detail the nicer of the two, a ’7′ (out of 10, and maybe an ’8′ given its vintage) and upgrade the ‘5’ for use as a track bike. Both bikes start right up on the first kick or two.

The extra wheels allow for fitting a VFR 1000 17×3.5 on the rear in place of the stock 17×2.5. The original 17×2.5 rear goes to the front, replacing the narrow 16-inch unit. This allows fitting newer, bigger tires. There are enough parts to do this to both bikes.

The other upgrades are an NC30 rear shock, a spare set of carbs that can be bored out, and a set of CBR250RR forks, calipers and brackets, and CBR600 discs and a front spindle to suit. Lastly, there is an NSR 250 front fender to complete the package.

There is also a brand new set of tires for the stock wheels, a pit stand, and a cover – I think that’s everything.

The bikes are in Maryland. Both bikes have Oregon titles. All the parts except a pair of wheels and the extra set of carbs are also in Maryland (those three items aren’t pictured).

What were you doing in 1986?  Honda was rolling these two off the production line.  Both bikes have some mileage/km’s on them (30,093 and 17,776 respectively) and your usual wear and tear.  Shoot the seller an email for the specific needs on the bikes.

Here are the spares included:

Carbs (above)
17inch Front and Rear Wheels (above)
Front 17inch Wheel
Rear Spokes (for 17inch Wheel)
Rear Hub (for 17inch Wheel)
Rear Bolts  (for 17inch Wheel)
Solo Cowl
Pair new CBR600FM Discs
CBR250RR Forks
Calipers & Brackets
Front Spindle
Front Mudguard
NC30 Rear Shock

The Honda sometimes get left out of big bore two stroke discussions but I think you can argue it is the rarest.  I’ve yet to see one in person.

If you are saying to yourself, “here is my winter restoration project”, here is what you are aiming for.  If you’re like me it would be the Rothmans Edition.  I think you are only a few stickers away.  You have to love the Japanese with their English slogans:  ”Hello! Good Rider”.

Freshen them up and you will be the envy of many.  Be sure to check below for all the close up pictures the seller supplied and the seller would be more than happy to answer your questions about the bikes.

IK

Location: Ireland

Mileage: 8,364

Price: Auction, $23,000 BIN

I’ll be the first to say that the seller in this auction doesn’t really provide the kind of detail I would expect on a bike like this one. Granted, there are probably more of these available in Europe than we see in the States at any given time. But still, it’s a VFR750R (RC30 to the U.S.) and is a bike I would want a lot of detail on. It’s also in Ireland, which is quite a trip for anyone from the U.S.

Maybe one reason why there’s not a lot here is because for most everybody who follows sportbikes and certainly RSBFS knows about the Honda VFR750R. But in case you need a reminder, here’s a great post from Jared that will give you a good breakdown between the U.S. and non-U.S. versions.

Only a few photos with this one. I’m sure anyone who is serious would want more-

Again, not much of a description from the seller-

This is the original racing VFR750RC30, untouched and in impeccable condition. The bike is fully serviced, run every month and wants for absolutely nothing. The mileage is low, and as you can see, I keep her inside at all times. Will listen to reasonable offers but no jokers please..

The seller says the bike is in need of nothing and is described as new. Again, with a lack of photos, it’s hard to say how clean the bike really is. And at a BIN price of $23,000, you’re gonna want all the detail you can get. Of course, there’s also the matter that the bike is in Ireland. This just may be the best excuse to visit. It’s an amazing country.

So, that’s it. Lack of detail by the seller is evident, but at the same time, that doesn’t mean it can’t work out. Decide for yourself and check the auction out.

-RN