One and Done: 1997 Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace, the Only Year It Came to America

1997 Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace
Chassis miles: 46,000 / Engine miles: ~4,000 (frame-off rebuild)
Asking price: $4,500
Where: Yaphank, New York
Auction ends: about a day and a half from posting

SELLER
1997 Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace; fully rebuilt, big-bore, one-year-only US model.

Frame-off rebuild by me with only ~4,000 miles on the fresh motor. Chassis shows 46,000, but the engine is essentially new.

The Thunderace was only sold in the US for the 1997 model year: FZR1000 EXUP engine in a YZF frame, “bike of the year” in ’97, and the last of the old-school big-bore Yamahas before the R1. Rare here, and parts are easy since it shares them with common Yamahas.

The rebuild: I bought it in 2010 and stripped it to the frame before even riding it. While the engine was apart I installed a Wiseco 1040cc big-bore kit and replaced all the valve stem seals (the weak point on these YZFs/FZRs — mine has zero leaks). The rebuild was done to curb any potential oil consumption, not due to any internal engine damage. Fork seals and stainless braided clutch and brake lines done at the same time.

It sat in storage after an unrelated 2014 accident on a different bike of mine — this Thunderace was parked and untouched, never involved. I pulled it out last year and got it fully sorted. Fires right up and runs strong. New tires last year with almost no miles on them (still have the nubs).

Mods: YZF750R swingarm · Delkevic downpipes (retains EXUP valve) · Yoshimura slip-on · Sprocket Specialists rear sprocket · dual HID headlights · Pyramid Plastics seat cowl.

Included extras: two rear seats, Renntec grab bar and luggage rack, spare carbs, original cylinders, and misc. gaskets.

Asking $4,500. Clean title in hand. Not interested in trades. Located in Yaphank, NY and can help arrange shipping if necessary.

RSBFS
46,000 miles would normally be too many for us to post, but the motor’s basically new, and that’s the part that matters here.

We’ve covered a few Thunderaces before, most recently in 2024. Quick recap for anyone new: US buyers only got this bike for one year, 1997, before the R1 took over and buried it. Everywhere else, it kept selling for years. Sellers love calling it “Bike of the Year” for ’97, we’ve never been able to run that claim down to an actual source, but the bike earns its reputation regardless.

This one’s coming from Nick, a longtime reader, and the rebuild reflects it. Someone who tears a bike down to the frame before ever riding it isn’t cutting corners.

Would you take a well-documented rebuild with more chassis miles over a lower-mile bike with a mystery maintenance history?

Good luck to the buyer and seller!