Posts by tag: Genesis

Yamaha July 20, 2021 posted by Tad Diemer

Feisty Fizzer: 1989 Yamaha FZR400 for Sale

Update 7.20.21: Previously seen this time last year, this exceptionally clean and low mileage FZR400 is back on eBay. Current bid is $5,600 reserve not met with 4 days remaining. Links updated. Thanks for the heads up, William! -dc

“Probably the nicest in existence” is an overused phrase on eBay, but might be an apt descriptor for this Yamaha FZR400 with less than 1,000 miles on the odometer. Modern liter bikes scream around the dial to 14,000rpm and beyond with regularity, but back when the FZR400 could be found in dealer showrooms 11,000 was much more common. And you needed every one of those 14,000 revs to make full use of the 64hp produced by the 399cc inline four.

1989 Yamaha FZR400 for sale on eBay

That Genesis inline four was canted forward at 45° to allow the air a straight shot into and out of the engine, and lowered the center of gravity for better handling. There were just four valves per cylinder, instead of the five valves found on the FZR1000, but the aluminum Deltabox frame was just as trick as the one found on the bigger machine. All-in weight was around 410lbs wet, and that endowed the little FZR with impressive agility. A 17″ front wheel was matched to an 18″ rear, and both were wrapped in relatively fat rubber for such a small machine.

Lacking the Honda NC30’s race-bred glamour, values of the FZR400 have remained surprisingly low, considering the sophisticated specification, and many found themselves turned into cheap track-hacks, or had FZR600 engines stuffed into them to create hot rod canyon carvers. Very few remain with low miles, and this does look to be one of the best you could possibly find, and it appears to be bone-stock.

From the original eBay listing: 1989 Yamaha FZR400 for Sale

I have decided to sell off some of my collection and the bike you are looking at is probably the nicest FZR400 in existence and this is an excellent opportunity for collectors and enthusiast alike as bikes of this caliber don’t come along often so now is your chance. I think the pictures will speak for themselves. Call or text Jamie with any all questions 703-407-1242

Bidding is up to $5,500 at the time of writing. FZR400s have been pretty cheap to buy for a long time and, although prices haven’t really shot up yet, there can’t be many left in such time-capsule condition. That should increase the value for sure, and I’m curious to see where this one ends up.

-tad

Feisty Fizzer: 1989 Yamaha FZR400 for Sale

Yamaha June 24, 2021 posted by Mike

Little Fizz: 1986 Yamaha FZR 250

Bigger bore homologation machines may be where the money is at right now, but rare examples like this littlest of Fizzers is exactly what RSBFS is all about. Sure, you’ve heard about the FZR1000, not to mention the mighty OW01 – the FZR750RR – but some of the most unique bikes can be found at the lower end of the spectrum. And while Ninja 250s are a dime a dozen, the rest Big Four also dabbled with smaller four strokes which were much more performance based… and not imported to our shores. Which brings us to this very rare (in the US) 1986 Yamaha FZR250.

1986 Yamaha FZR 250 for sale on eBay

The FZR250 is an interesting mix of racing technology and basic transportation. It looks every bit the FZR400, right down to the dual headlamps. Reviewers reported that while some of the other four stroke 250 set appeared to be mini bikes, the FZR250 looks like an actual motorcycle. The Genesis-derived inline four is rev-happy, with the tach topping out at 18k. Max power of 45 ponies comes in down lower in the range – about 14,500 – but leaving enough headroom for the 112 MPH top speed. Aside from the gem of the motor, the hard bits are all a bit pedestrian: mild steel (not aluminum) frame and non-adjustable suspension. But the FZR250 is bigger and better than the sum of its parts – with a stronger midrange than the competition and unflappable handling (just like the FZR400), the smallest Fizz makes for some truly heroic cornering. All without the threat of losing your license.

From the seller:
Up for sale is a 1986 FZR250 VIN #2KR-210615. Clean & Clear title. Currently has 15,651 miles (25,188 KM) but that might climb slightly as I take it out a few times a week.

This bike is in great mechanical condition and not in need of any repairs. It starts right up and runs fantastic. Redlines at 17,000 RPM and makes 45 horsepower. It sounds like an F1 car. Very unique motorcycle that was never imported to the U.S. so they are quite rare here.

Recent work includes
Carb Clean
Fuel Pump
Oil
Battery

Quote from Motorcycle magazine
“The mere thought of initiating a turn on the FZR250 accomplishes the task, and the Yamaha’s scalpel-precise steering allows you to aim for any inch of tarmac in the turns. As you’d expect with the slightly longer stroke, the FZR starts its serious forward progress at the 13,000 mark, and signs off at 15,500 rpm, well short of its 17,000-rpm redline.”

Today’s rare example (qualification: rare in the US) comes to us from the great state of Massachusetts. It presents reasonably well, although the photos do show some wear and tear that we typically see plaguing smaller bikes. There is some corrosion which is common from outdoor usage in wetter climes – but nothing that is a deal killer. The blue tinted windscreen is not stock, but nicely rounds out the blue/white paintwork. Turn signals have been modified from stock, and it looks like a fender delete was performed at some point. The exhaust can is not stock, but should help improve the power (marginal) and sound (significant). This is a Buy It Now advert, with the seller asking $5,500. Check out all of the details here, and Good Luck!!

Yamaha June 11, 2021 posted by Donn

Up a Notch – 1992 Yamaha FZR1000

As much of an upstart as the original FZR1000 was in 1987, later design revisions took the superbike to the next level. Today’s FZR is an elegant survivor with just under 13,000 miles.

1992 Yamaha FZR1000 for sale on eBay

Yamaha’s 1,002 cc Genesis had 5 valves per cylinder from the start, a great technical achievement until the EXUP power valve ( and 10 hp ! ) were added in 1989. Because of the stretched power band, it’s ok with a 5-speed transmission. The alloy DeltaBox chassis got revisions in 1989 and again in 1991, with the addition of upside-down Kayaba forks. 320mm brakes had plenty of oomph and reviewed with good feel via the 4-piston calipers. Clip-ons under the triple clamp are routine in the sportbike world but not so much in the liter category, they draw the rider over the tank and make the fairing’s protection more easily accessible.

Evidently hidden away in a suburban Iowa garage for some of its life, this FZR appears excellent with just a Vance & Hines exhaust and smoked windscreen as visible mods. Comments from the eBay auction:

Here is an excellent example of one of the legendary sportbikes from the 80’s and 90’s. This bike is in above average condition with minimal chips and scratches. Well cared for with only 12,900 miles. This bike has been kept up on maintenance and needs nothing other than a rider, or stow it away in your collection. These bikes are becoming more and more valuable and extremely hard to find in this condition.

In 1991 a further redesign of the FZR resulted in the release of the FZR1000RU EXUP, upside-down telescoping forks were fitted and the front fairing was fitted with a single headlight, generally regarded to be the definitive FZR1000 which this bike is. This bike has a few tasteful mods – Vance & Hines SS2R exhaust that gives it that superbike sound, and a lightly tinted windscreen.

Yamaha got it very right with the FZR1000, to the point that Cycle World named it the bike of the decade, and it even beat the FZR600 around the technical Streets of Willow road course. Lighter than expected at just over 500 lbs., when 145 hp were applied and balanced on 60-series tires, it became a nimble projectile.

-donn

Yamaha October 10, 2020 posted by Tad Diemer

Rare Homologation Special: 1999 Yamaha YZF-R7 OW02 for Sale

The Yamaha YZF-R7 OW02 was one of the very last 750cc homologation specials and was available for just two years before Yamaha folded their World Superbike team and ended production. Utilizing the frame geometry from their GP YZR500, the OW02 featured many exotic components, as you’d expect from a bike like this. Unfortunately, in road-going trim, the engine put out a disappointing 106hp and its true potential could only be realized using one of several race-kits that included a carbon-fiber airbox that added a ram-air effect and activated a second, dormant set of fuel injectors.

The frame was a modified Deltabox II unit, with adjustable steering head and swingarm pivots, and fully-adjustable Öhlins suspension at both ends. Despite its lukewarm output as-delivered, you can see the potential in the engine, just looking at the spec sheet: a 72 x 46mm bore and stroke with 11.4:1 compression, titanium valves, forged aluminum short-skirt pistons that featured nickel-plated tops, titanium H-beam connecting rods, and a slipper clutch connected to a close-ratio six-speed gearbox.

500 were built for all markets, making these exceedingly rare. This example is located in Australia, and includes the very desirable “race kits” to get the bike into its intended fire-breathing 162hp form.

From the original eBay listing: 1999 Yamaha YZF-R7 for Sale

The bike is originally an Italian model brought into Australia 15 years ago. It is currently located in Melbourne, Australia. I am more than happy to assist with shipping at purchases cost of approximately US$1500-2000.

It comes with stage 1 and 2 kits as new from the factory. As you can see from the photos the bike is in very good condition with very low mileage (the speedo is currently in kilometres) I believe that they can be changed to miles and happy to answer any questions.

Yamaha fans go bonkers for these, but I always thought the OW02 looked a little bit too much like an R1 with squintier eyes… However, there’s no denying the bike’s race-bred heritage and exotic components. Here in the USA, we received just 50 examples, and 10 of those were destined for the Yamaha factory teams. Starting bid for this one is $32,000AUS and might be worth a look, no matter what part of the world you’re in.

-tad

Rare Homologation Special: 1999 Yamaha YZF-R7 OW02 for Sale

Yamaha August 28, 2020 posted by Donn

Ready to Rumble – 1996 Yamaha YZF-750R

For a while in the 1990’s, sponsorship from Marlboro led Yamaha down a red-liveried path, and the torn paper graphics on this 1996 YZF-750R makes reference without saying it too loud. It’s a low-mileage example with a recent major service, and looks smashing.

1996 Yamaha YZF-750R for sale on eBay

Yamaha took the successes of their late -80’s World Superbike mounts and ran them by production engineering, preserving as much of the good stuff while bringing the cost out of the stratosphere. Kept was the forward canted inline Genesis, with the EXUP exhaust tuning system – in road trim worth 125hp. The aluminum Deltabox chassis evolved with re-designed frame connectors. New brakes were 320mm disks with 6-piston calipers. The fox-eye headlights look a little less drop-dead serious than those on the OW-01, but the painted pillion cover passes for a single-seater under way.

The seller’s other auctions seem to indicate a dealer rather than motorcyclist owner, but either way, this YZF is in special shape for its age. Hard to find fault with the presentation, except maybe to pine for an SP homologation special. The last service call made everything ready for the new owner. From the eBay auction:

Parts:

Float bowl gaskets

Needle and seat

Fuel line

Oil (semi/syn)

Battery

Rear brake caliper kit

Rear pads

Front pads

Fork seals

Pirelli Rosso Tires

Labor:

Service carbs

Oil change

Install tires

Fork seals

Rebuild rear caliper

Front pads

Complete degrease/clean

This bike is very special to me as you can see with all the investments made .

A cleaner example for sale will be very difficult to find today .

The bike is ready to ride .

The YZF750R sold better across the pond than here, but trailed the 916 and CBR900RR and gave way to the R1 in 1998. The race version did well in endurance events where Yamaha’s quality shown. This one is right on the edge of too nice to ride too much, but the classic mid-size package and recent maintenance call for at least an occasional back road afternoon.

-donn

Bimota March 9, 2020 posted by Mike

Featured Listing: Bimota YB11 Superleggera

Update 3.12.2020: This bike has SOLD in 3 days! Congratulations to buyer and seller! -dc

Bimota has had a long standing history of offering up sublime rocket ships crafted with ingenuity and Italian flair. Throughout the years Bimotas have been powered my many different engine combinations, including all of the Japanese Big Four. Of those, the Yamaha YB series just might be the most interesting on offer, spanning 250cc through 1200cc variants. Today’s Featured Listing is a YB11 Superleggera, the last in the YB line of Bimotas and motivated by Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace power.

Featured Listing: Bimota YB11 Superleggera

In Italian Superleggera literally translates to Super Light – which is pretty descriptive of the YB11. A full 30+ pounds lighter than the Thunderace that donated it’s guts, the YB11 tips the scales at well neigh 400 pounds. And although the YZF1000R mill remains in stock form, Bimota claims the larger airbox (with cold air intake) and modified exhaust provide more than the 145 HP stated by Yamaha. Light weight and big horsepower has always been the recipe for going fast – in a straight line. But if you know anything at all about Bimota, you will know that cornering is where the Rimini madmen excel. Utilizing a stout perimeter frame that efficiently ties in the steering head with the rear swing arm pivot, the aluminum chassis on the YB11 is as beautiful as it is effective. This is actually an evolution of the chassis developed for the YB6, but made more rigid in key locations to aid in stability. Substantial 51mm conventional forks anchor the front end, while a Paioli shock tunes out the bumps fed through the sculpted swing arm.

From the seller:
Thank you for looking at my 1996 Bimota YB11. If you are looking for one in mint condition, that’s completely stock, this is the one. It has less than 2000 original miles, never down, abused, it the rain, cold, pollen you name it. It’s had a very sheltered life in a temperature-controlled garage, hooked up to a battery tender, with Stabil mixed in the fuel. In 1986 Bimota’s were much more than just eye candy, make no mistake the detail along with fit and finish are amazing to look at. However, YB11’s weighed substantially less and produced more power than the Yamaha R1 it’s derived from, making it an all around better performer.

I’m a sixty-year-old collector that is very particular, I’m told that I treat my bikes better than I treat myself. I looked for this one for a long time as I wanted one as close to new as possible. It’s amazing for a thirty-four-year-old bike. The only imperfection anywhere are a couple of very small chips on the left side of the swing are, see pictures. Other than these it’s museum quality, ready to be ridden or collected. If the new owner wanted to ride it I would suggest cleaning the carburetors as even though it has Stabile in the fuel ethanol still gums things up. I would also put on new tires as they are original. Other than that it’s ready to ride, no leaks, issues, fire right up. If it were to be put in a collection, I’d drain the fuel, take out the battery, fog the engine and put it away.

The only reason I’m selling it is over time I find myself only riding on the track, rarely on the street. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. As I’m thinning the herd I am not interested in any trades. Scott

Asking Price: $9,750.

Detail accents abound on this bike. Stare at any one picture long enough, and you will start to see what I mean. The frame side plates are CNC milled in a jeweled fashion. Cap screws replace traditional fasteners and provide an upscale appearance. The rear wheel adjuster is a classic slider, but implemented so cleanly that it is noteworthy. The carbon accents on the fork mesh nicely with the carbon front mudguard, which contains aerodynamic elements to aid in brake cooling. And all this is with the bodywork on. Undress a Bimota and be prepared to be amazed by the concept of mass centralization and packaging.

Yamaha-powered Bimotas are currently the bargain of the hand built exclusive super bike set. These bikes offer bulletproof Yamaha 20-valve motors and transmissions, exquisite handling thanks to light weight, good suspension and top-shelf Brembos, and the cachet of exclusivity that comes from being only 1 of 600-ish examples ever made worldwide. This particular YB11 SuperLeggera shows less than 2,000 miles and looks absolutely top-notch. The pricing is right in the ballpark for YB11s, if not a tad low for the condition and miles. Check it out, and then give Scott a shout – with Bimota being acquired by Kawasaki these amazing Yamaha-powered models are likely to never come around again. Good Luck!!

Bimota November 30, 2019 posted by Tad Diemer

Underappreciated: 1997 Bimota YB11 Superleggera for Sale

This Bimota YB11 Superleggera isn’t just a sportbike, or even an exotic sportbike. It’s a high-performance boutique motorcycle, one of just 650 ever built. Of course, that’s pretty much mass production by Bimota standards. It doesn’t have quite the cachet of Honda’s limited-production homologation superbikes, but consider that Honda made almost 5,000 Honda RC30s, compared to just 650 YB11s. It’s still incredibly rare and plenty fast and, as a bonus, you can take your significant other with you on your high-performance boutique motorcycle: this was one of very few Bimotas ever built with passenger accommodations, although they’re about as comfortable as you’d expect. Still, it’s great to have that spare seat, in case of emergencies…

The “Superleggera” part of Bimota YB11 Superleggera refers to the focus on lightweight construction that allowed huge performance from an existing engine, along with the agile handling you’d expect. At the time, the bike weighed 403lbs dry, a full 80lbs less than the Yamaha YZF1000R that donated its 1002cc five-valve Genesis engine and five-speed transmission. Power was rated at 145hp, with an impressive 80lb-ft of torque that allowed the five-speed box to be fitted to the open-class superbike in the first place, a characteristic it shared with Suzuki’s rival GSX-R1100. The light weight and power were enough to push the bike to nearly 170mph. All the way back in 1997.

Somehow, because of their hand-built nature and flaws, it doesn’t seem all that criminal to modify or improve Bimota’s 1990s motorcycles if it helps sort some of their more annoying quirks: a YZF750R six-speed can replace the original five-speed found in the YB11, and I’m sure somebody can figure out how to fit a stand-alone fuel-injection system to replace the carburetors. This example luckily has the earlier gauges that should hopefully prove more reliable than the later style, while looking better to boot.

It can be tricky to tell if we’ve posted a particular YB11 on the site previously: they all came in the same colors, have low miles, and are generally well cared-for. It’s even trickier when the seller refers to the bike as both a 1997 and a 1998 and appears to have “borrowed” some content from RSBFS in their description… Other than the occasional Termignoni system, aftermarket exhausts and accessories are virtually unheard of, and bolt-on farkles are generally considered undesirable. There appear to have been a few different exhaust hangers used, with and without passenger pegs, although it’s also possible those were fabbed up by the owners when new.

From the original eBay listing: 1998 Bimota YB11 Superleggera for Sale

One of only 650 produced

1998 Bimota 1,002cc YB11 Superleggera

Frame no. ZESYB1100TR00047

A Rimini-based manufacturer of ducting for heating and ventilation, Bimota soon turned to their first love of motorcycles. Founders Guiseppe Morri and Massimo Tamburrini began manufacturing in the early 1970s and have since built a reputation of exclusive and limited with inimitable Italian styling machines of performance. Using the best cycle parts and an array of the best outside manufacturers’ powerplants, the Bimota was always an uncompromised and expensive foray in to exclusive motorcycling.

Powered by Yamaha’s superb Thunderace engine, the Superleggera YB11 was Bimota’s last word in Italian exotica of the 1990s. The 131bhp ‘four’ in stock form breathed through a Bimota-designed exhaust system, which could squeeze out a little more power. It was shrouded by the firm’s trademark aluminum beam frame and complemented by some of the finest cycle parts available, including fully adjustable Paioli 51mm forks, fully adjustable Paioli shock, Brembo brakes, 17” Antera wheels and carbon fiber-abound. At 403lbs, the YB11 Superleggera weighed some 80lbs less than the donor bike and its handling and performance were in a different league altogether; as was the price, which at about $20,000, was a staggering 50% more than the Yamaha.

In the late 1990s Bimota went through one of its periodic financial convulsions and production of the YB11 ended in 1999, although a second batch of bikes was completed later using stocks of existing parts.

The bike offered, an early 1997 example, the 46th built, is presented in excellent condition throughout. With an indicated 8,700 miles, racked up in the first decade of use, the bike has been on static display since 2007, though regularly maintained. A fresh service was performed to ready the bike for sale and no back-fees are due to a California buyer, as the last registration was due over ten years ago.

With only 650 machines produced, this represents a perfect combination of Italian exotica, Japanese reliability, ease of maintenance and power and with such qualifications, is bound to be a future classic.

For additional information, photos, etc. please visit ClassicAvenue.com

Look, the Bimota YB11 is a flawed motorcycle. And maybe the flaws would be unacceptable in a bike that originally sold for the equivalent of $47,000 in today’s money, but they don’t cost that much currently: this one is being offered at $9,900. That seems to be a little bit on the high-side for a 90s Bimota currently, although I doubt that will still be the case in the future. For that kind of money, you’re getting a hell of a lot of exclusivity and performance that will still peel your face back, even today.

-tad

Underappreciated: 1997 Bimota YB11 Superleggera for Sale

Yamaha November 8, 2019 posted by Mike

Featured Listing: 1987 Yamaha FZR750RT

Update 11.27.2019: SOLD in less than three weeks! Congratulations to buyer and seller! -dc

Say you’re a Yamaha fan and you want to collect something significant. Where do you start? Well, rare homologation machines are always a great place to look. Think you want an OW-01? You might find that mighty machine to be very, very expensive, and not as rare as you think. If you really want to buy the right bike at the right time, the homologation machine to check out is the 1980s FZR750R variants. Built to go AMA Superbike racing, the FZR750R line was fast and trick, and continues to be an affordable collector option today. Take for example today’s Featured Listing: a 1987 Yamaha FZR750R “T” model.

Featured Listing: 1987 Yamaha FZR750RT

To build the FZR750R, Yamaha invested in new technology. To build the DeltaBox frame, for instance, Yamaha adopted robotic procedures for folding and welding the thin aluminum components. This stiff but light frame housed the all-important, 106 horsepower “Genesis” engine. Sporting a unique valve train consisting of 5 valves per cylinder (3 intake, 2 exhaust), the Genesis engine family also maximized weight bias by canting the cylinder bank forward to place more weight lower and closer to the front tire. Between the high RPM capability offered by the airflow through the head (and straight-shot downdraft carbs) and the handling afforded by the chassis and ideal weight distribution, the FZR750R was a potent competitor on the racetrack.

From the seller:
Original 1987 Yamaha FZR750RT, #2** of 500 Homologation specials for 1987 , this is a Canadian market bike with 26290kms

This bike is a unrestored survivor in excellent overall condition and does not appear to have been raced (no drilled brake caliper bolts, axles etc etc) the exhaust has never been painted from new. There are some scratches to the protruding air intakes on both sides of the fairing as shown, the fairing is not cracked or split in any way in these areas.

This bike is in very original condition, with all the original reflectors, grips, handlebar ends leavers footrests, windshield and trim. The bike has been fully serviced: valve clearances done, carbs serviced and balanced, it has brand new Bridgestone Battleax tires front and rear, everything works as the should.

Comes with the original owners manual in English / French as it is a Canadian.

Asking Price: $5,950 USD

The anecdotal stories suggest that Yamaha dealers were discouraged to offering these homologation machines to buyers intent on utilizing them on the street; after all, Yamaha built these bikes to go racing. And while many FZR750Rs were raced, we have (thankfully) seen a number of these bikes show up on the street. Some have been reconverted from the race bike status. This particular example appears to have been saved the hard life of the race track, and has instead lived its life as a pampered street bike. That is a plus for collectors. That is not to say that this bike has not been used – with 16,000 miles on the all-metric clocks this is not a garage queen, but looks to be in complete and original form.

Yamaha produced but 200 of these particular bikes for the US market, and only 500 world wide. Those are some pretty low numbers by “Limited Edition” standards, and you are looking at the #2 bike in the production series. But before you think “that will cost me an arm and a leg,” the seller is only asking $5,950. That is right in the sweet spot of where these amazing machines are today, and an amazing deal when you consider that this was destined for AMA Superbike competition. The bike is located in Osaka, Japan, and the owner is willing to talk about crating, domestic shipping or (I hear vacation!) local pick up. Check out the picks and then drop Trev a line. Homologation bikes are hot, and the FZR750R has been the underappreciated step child of the genre. These are bound to go up, so we recommend picking up a great example before the market discovers them. Good Luck!!