Let’s get this out of the way up front: the seller is asking $16,000 for this bike, and that’s a big number for a Yamaha TZR250. But obviously, a thing is worth what someone will pay for it, and I’m not sure that the seller won’t get what they’re asking here, since prices have been increasing steadily on all two-strokes for the past few years. If you’re a collector for whom a couple grand one way or the other really doesn’t matter, and want the very best example for your collection, this TZR250 SP might just be what you’re looking for. Sure, $16k is a lot to pay right now for a TZR, but that might seem like a bargain in just a few years.
There are three generations of Yamaha’s two-stroke sportbike: the early parallel-twin 1KT/2MA, the reverse-cylinder 3MA, and the v-twin 3XV seen here. Personally, I love the style and general weirdness of the 3MA, especially that version of the gorgeous Deltabox frame, but the 3XV seems to be the most highly sought-after version of the bunch. There were a variety of different specification levels for the 3XV version, designated by the usual alpha-numeric gibberish: R, RS, RSP, SP, SPR. Wet and dry clutches were available, ignition and powervalves had different performance characteristics, and fairings were not always interchangeable between models. Ferreting out detail differences in these Japanese market bikes can be tricky, so experts are welcome to chime in in the comments.
The seller claims you can get 90hp from an unrestricted example which, from what I know, is theoretically possible, but at the expense of any pretense of durability. That’s pretty much race-spec, a smoky grenade you should ride with your left hand covering the clutch. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 60hp is more reasonable for a highly-tuned streetbike, and doesn’t really change the seller’s point at all, that an unrestricted bike would be much more powerful.
From the original eBay listing: 1991 Yamaha TZR250 SP for Sale
This bike is fantastic. It has 1800km (1100 miles) it is a Japanese Domestic bike which I imported personally. There is no bond or restriction from Customs you can get it on the road virtually anywhere if you wanted to street ride it. As you prolly know the SP bikes were about halfway between a standard TZR and a customer-racing 250. Restricted it’s 50hp and less than 300 lbs. It’s a weapon – even after 28yrs!! I have been told that derestricted with basic mods you can get 90HP from these which is just insane, of course. Thanks for looking!
From the photos and description, this thing is just about perfect, in very original condition. And that’s maybe the only issue here: in stock, restricted form, the whole gang of quarter-liter two-strokes made a government-mandated 45hp. But it really depends on what you’re looking for: a wicked weekend ripper or a perfectly preserved museum piece. And I get the feeling that a dead-stock example is the way to gamble if you’re looking at investment potential.
-tad
White plastic zip ties instead of mirrors? And what are those metal eyelets attached to the rear axle- from shipping?
Before others mention the photo setting, the seller has an amazing back story that explains his NR750 and 24 Bimotas, and own personal racetrack. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Wilzig
90 hp is not possible for any tzr price is also unrealistic.
That $ amount is as high as the orbit velocity my sides achieved from laughter at that price.
That is late model TZ250 price. Hell, it is early collectible TZ250 price.
TZR price, yeah I suppose one is born every minute but paying this much means $16K is not a significant amount for you and $16K is no different to $26K or $36K in the circles you move in.
Over priced in my opinion, and yeah 90hp is not happening.
Ever.
Well, I suppose if you subbed in a 5KE factory motor maybe… but even then… yeah, not happening.
90hp…..hahahahaaaa. Tell me another joke grandpa!!!
90 horses? You must mean seahorses… Great bike, price, not so great…
This listing is one of those “l don’t really want to sell it but……..”.
Probably he meant “ponies…” Or maybe just very small horses.
Yeah that was my understanding as well. To be fair, he isn’t claiming this one makes that.
Okay definitely not 90HP !
My bad. Will change. The multitude of S SP SPS is fookin’ dizzying , and makes Ducati 916 specials seem straightforward
Thanks for the heads up.
Zip ties . Oops. But we moved a lot of bikes that day – and were of course just focused on not breaking anything while we did.
Best ,
Alan
(* and I really do intend to sell it. If it’s not realistic I will lower the price. But it sure is pristine I can attest to that. )
If you want the best you have to pay for the best. It is priced higher than other TZRs we have been seeing, but it is also a far better example than others we have been seeing. Whoever buys this will never ride it and it will be a museum piece. I doubt that person will worry about the price. For the rest of us, $12,000 seems more fitting.
Nit pick: It’s missing the warning sticker on the windscreen. The forks have been dropped quite bit and there seems to be lock wire on the grips which is not cool for a museum piece.
I never really felt like the bikes shown through RSBFS were never meant to be museum pieces, but for guys wanting the rare and even gray import at let’s say “normal” price.
If I’m way off base, that’s because I’m poor with two university degrees. Sorry in advance.
Thanks for checking in, Alan. Good luck with the sales!
dc
Ciao Pietro. I know how tricky English can be as a second , or third language. I have many friends from Italy. So I offer this in friendship & moto brotherhood – not to be a jerk. At all.
I am not the editor of this site , and of course you have only used polite , congenial language even if I was. I just like to help people master the subtleties of our language.
If you use two negative words in the same sentence we call this a “double-negative”. It’s like math or science at that moment and the negative + negative = a positive.
Of course we all know what you meant.
That’s the beauty of linguistics Vs language.
( I have a few degrees as well 🙂
But technically in English you wrote,
“I ALWAYS felt the bikes here on RSBFS were meant to be for museum pieces……”
So you would change the first negative since “better” sentences begin with positive declarations even if the sentiment is negative.
“I always felt the bikes here were not / never supposed to be museum….”
But , as my Euro friends might put it “to laugh….” : I ALWAYS thought the bikes referenced here were for museum pieces or as we say about bikes you TOW places just to show them off “trailer-queens” , simply based on the first word “RARE”.
A collective “thanks” to everyone for helping me to show this bike better (* but I have too many bikes to deal with the zio ties right now)
The fork height , the wire , the eyelets.
Who has a spare 1991 SP (* NOT THE SPF : thats sunscreen , dammit ) windshield sticker ?
You have to laugh with me for a second though. I have a Paso for sale too among some others. One expert writes me to inquire where the stock pipes might be – explaining I have BREVETTI SELENTIUM pipes pictured.
“Well ALRIGHT !” I thought. Finally something to say besides “clean , 3000 miles , slowAF , heavyAF…..and , the only clear Ducati which has not increased in value over thirty fookin’ years”. Awesome !
Until a more expert expert wrote me “The Silentiums DID come with your Limited Edition Model (* pearl white , most likely additional weight and slowness) – however someone replaced them with F1 slip-on which were a cheap, popular fitment back in the day”.
So I thank , and edit again !
(* So with this Yammy it means I will have my mechanics remove the “axle eyelet from shipping” – and then 3 days LATER someone will write me and say,
“Dude , you ignorant rich f#cktard…..you removed the little-known-but-rumored “Rainey Eyelets” ( it’s like a Gurney-lip , but moto) …..used to attach teeny tiny weights to fine tune the swinger rebound beyond the precision of the shocks of 30yrs ago. You fool. Why don’t you go now and try to erase the mole on the Mona Lisa’s face, so you can be jailed and your family forced to sell your collection to someone that actually knows something about motorcycles ?”
I love it though – all of it. Passion. Details. Fanatacism of a noble order. For 38yrs I’ve been mad about motorcycles.
Speaking of “years”…..you up there , Skippy who called me grandpa:
My kids are only 11 & 12.
My gf of the last 4yrs is only 24*.
(* this has no bearing of course – but just writing it is horny when you’re 53 🙂
However…
There exists a minute chance that in my collegiate years I may have in fact slept with your grandmother , perhaps in the Hamptons , or Ibiza…..accident might have happened….in which case : call me Pappy my boy !!
Do you live in /near the Northeast ?
If you do (* Javier ) – you get to come visit Wilzig Racing Manor and see the entire collection and , if able & desirous….come run a few laps with your beloved Grandfather.
Afterwards , at lunch perhaps , you can compel me that since my kids & nephews eschew motorsports (for themselves), YOU , my boy , should be the rightful heir of the Manor.
But seriously – you really can come here just for making me laugh 3-4 times….and giving my Clem (* who is a kneedown badass HERSELF after these last 3 years) something ELSE to tease me about !!
You see , over the coming decades you will realize – that similar to sex , or pizza….motorcycling (and all its derivative forms….or forums) is never bad , only some magnitude of good or great.
So on the street I might intuitively think : “Grampa ? Okay then let me put you down over my knee mufucka…..I’ll show you Grampa”
But HERE…..in our shared world….this unique global moto subculture…..you earned a Willy Wonka gold ticket just for tweaking my nose !
But please- everyone else- this offer is only for Xavier so refrain from the fusillade of insulting appellations or epithets you were composing in furtherance of obtaining an invite of your own 🙂
Cheers ,
(* and good cheer)
Alan
Actually in math a negative plus a negative = a negative i.e -3 + -3 = -6
a negative MINUS a negative is a different story i.e. -3 – -3 = 0 is actually -3 + 3 =0 or -2 – -3 = 1 or -3 – -2 = -1
a double negative when writing a sentence can be a positive but not always in math and science.
No worries Alan. Thank you for the advice, but this is a result from beginning to write a comment while in the middle of working and then coming back to it later.
I most likely intended to put an “ever” in there instead of “never”. One can’t be so sure.
Anyway, like I said to you once before in my email years ago, you’re doing it right and an inspiration.
Didn’t the original description say something about never being near a track or raced? Or am I thinking of another listing?
I was just wondering how a bike parked in a garage on a private track would never be on track.
Unless it was a double negative…
Wow, I always get nervous when the seller of a bike we’ve posted pops on here to comment, especially if the comments have been at all critical… So thank you for dropping by and having a good sense of humor! Very nice TZR and even nicer collection!
Gorgeous bike! I’ve seen a slew of Two Strokes lately, in fact I’m driving out to see a collection tomorrow and yet another on Sunday….Have some serious mileage to cover. Anyway, most of the 2 strokes I’ve seen are pretty rough. Either they were brought in from Japan with all types of corrosion, left outdoors for many years or just crashed over and over again. Maybe the asking price is at a premium but it would cost you 1000’s upon 1000’s to get a rough one nice and it would still have a bunch of miles and tough to find parts. Excellent example and for a 27 year old mint bike…The price makes sense for such a pristine example. You get what you pay for and Alan’s stuff sure seems like true museum pieces to me. Your place is amazing man, wildly impressive. Hope to have a similar look at Iconic Motorbike’s next building, I look at your photo’s often for inspiration, beautifully done!
You guys are funny a f#ck. I have to come visit more often (* BTW – I wonder why no mention of my restored RZ350 Kenny-Bee for sale on eBay )
Anyway – The double negative quip regarding my never raced bike living practically on top of a race track: all I can say Is it a good thing that I was not drinking soda when I read that because you would owe me a new keyboard buddy.
#2 ) that Jess knows his mathematics, huh ?
Nice.
#3) I shared that little anecdote about having to add and then remove the mention of those “precious” Brevetti (f#cking) Silentium pipes on the Duck Paso ?
It was annoyingly motivating enough for me to go get a little dirty in the storage building and sure enough I found those damn exhausts !!
So the moral of the story boys and girls:
is that having been a pretty public person from my own choosing, and other reasons like publicly traded companies, for 20-30 years – so when people make critical comments about me personally, let alone some material possession like a motorcycle , it’s just my nature to engage. I
‘ve found that in the final analysis- only those who have prejudice in their hearts don’t come-around equally.
I’ve had no more than 3-4 comments out of 5000 on TV shows , web shows , where it’s obvious the kernel is in fact “kill all the bankers , rich , Jews……and the trifecta : rich Jewish (now former) bankers.
Have a great weekend everyone
Alan
Having seen all of Alan’s bikes personally, they are all great specimens and this would make a perfect collection piece… that pretty much sums it up.. those tiny issues could literally be dealt with in an hour and would not turn off a serious buyer. If you’re looking to go canyon scraping buy a second TZR and do the race mods and if it drops so be it. RSBFS caters to both museum collectors and on road enthusiasts, and thats what makes the site great!! Think about it if you had a mint 3xV, a Rothmans MC28, and an LS Vj23 you would have the trifecta of the best of the end of runs of Japanese street 2 stokes, this would fill out the collection of anyone that had the latter 2… (Still waiting for that lottery win to add to my collection 😉 )
Best. RSBFS. Thread. Ever.
Geez I have to comment just to get in on this thread with no skin in the game. You are a funny guy Alan, I like you already. By the by kudos for the 24 year old girlfriend, anyone who makes snide comments is just jealous.
Alan. It’s Adam from Iconic. I called Pete on this so hope to hear from you bud. If you’re free next week, I’ll drive down to CT and visit, would love to synch up man. We have about 16 bikes en-route but I like even numbers so 4 more??? Hope to meet soon, I’m not as nutty as you hear from Pete, just LOVE bike!!!