Location:Lafayette,CO
Miles: 10,236
Price: Currently $8,900 with Reserve in place
It’s no wonder that the Yamaha RZ500 is one of the most searched for bikes in the RSBFS archives. These things are awesome and that V4 two stroke engine sings a song like no other. Eddie Lawson was able to find success on the Yamaha back in the mid 80’s, here is your chance to see what at the hype was about.
The bike up for grabs here isn’t a bone stock original bike, but it’s pretty close compared to a lot of other RZ500’s we see on here that have been heavily modified. The wheels have been powder coated white (original’s were gold) and a new set of chambers have been added. Though, the seller does indicate that the original pipes are included. The seller also indicated that a complete engine restoration has been done for a little over $4k. I would be curious as to what the restoration exactly included.
From the seller:
Up for sale, 1985 RZ500 with 10263 original miles and only 354 miles on a complete Phase I engine restoration by Wilson Perfomance (total invoice $4250). I bought this as a project bike just before I started my new family and as you can see by the low miles on the new engine I don’t have much time to ride so I have decided to sell. The bike is very clean with new old stock belly pan, left and right lower panels and front fender. The wheels were powder coated and new wheel bearings installed. New Lomas chambers, but also have the orignal pipes which are in good condition and will be included in the sale. Also included in the sale is a full set of main and pilot jets and Ivan’s needles. Using K&N elephant ears, but will include the original air box. The bike looks and runs great but is currently jetted for 5000 ft evelavation so most buyers will need to adjust the jetting for thier evelavation. All items in good working condition including oil injection, turn signals, etc. Clean and currentColoradotitle. The buyer is responsible for shipping or pickup.
Seems like a fairly solid example of an RZ500 that hasn’t been highly modified or run into the ground. Make note that the seller does say it is tuned for 5,000ft elevation and that it would need re-jetting for any new altitude. Bidding is already active and the reserve is still in place. Given the nature of the bike and the recent amount of money the seller has put into it, I suspect the reserve to come off somewhere around $11k. Take a look at the auction here and snag this in time for a full summer of smoking!
-JS
Great looking bike. $8,500 is getting pricey, but that is just my cheap nature speaking up. The Bill Wilson build is worth the price of entry alone since there is a clean bike thrown into the bargain 🙂
His “Phase 1” is essentially a Blueprint cleanup to Yamaha Specs + Upper cylinder intakes cleanup, Port Specs to suit, Minimum required port spec to tunnel porting, Gasket match cylinders to top case, Match and polish exhaust port to exhaust pipe manifold, Deck cylinders / mill heads and re-cut squish band for higher compression and proper squish clearance, True and weld cranks (if needed), Pahse I uses Wiseco pistons NO piston modifications, stock blueprinted stock reed cages with TDR reeds or other client preferred reeds and Stock intake boots.
http://www.wilsonperformance.net/RZ500.htm
Thanks for the info on the Phase 1! -JS
This RZ500 is so much nicer and tastefully modified, so well documented, so well taken care of, so much more desireable than the last turd with the aftermarket fairings! You’d have to be a fool to pay the asking price for that other one when a few weeks patience would have rewarded you with this example. Even if this RZ500 cost you $5K more, you’d be money and time ahead long term.
Strong buy recommendation here.
yeah… i’m with phil on this one. if you have been looking for an RZ, this might be the time to peel off those hundreds.
in a perfect world i’d have all the bikes. but i still don’t think that this compares to a gamma if one is looking for a 500 2-smoke.
This RZ is one of the nicer ones weve seen in a while.
At $10K I think it is still a better investment than money hanging around in a money market or mutual fund..
I am however partial to the RG 500’s and can’t have enough of them. This one would fit in nicely in my garage though.
That is if someone would buy my mint RGV VJ 23 .. LOL
I was watching the auction at the end and bidding was very active in the last 10 minutes. It ended up selling for a little over $11k. Anyone from here buy it? -JS