Posts tagged as “RZ500”

Rare Zoot -1985 Yamaha RZ500

Published May 16, 2023 by Mike

Originally available in Canada as one of those morsels of forbidden sport fruit taunting US riders from just over the border, this 1985 Yamaha RZ500 now resides in the US of A down Florida way and is looking for a new home. Sporting updated expansion chamber pipes, a steering damper and a few more stickers than your average display queen, this RZ looks to be largely uncut and in good shape for the approximately 18,600 miles shown on the all KM clocks. The big V4 RZ two-stroke is getting more and more rare as the years go by, so finding one to love and to hold can be a daunting task.

1985 Yamaha RZ500 for sale on eBay

From the seller:
Rare Canada model rz500 ,not rz350 rzv500 rd500 , clear title in my name ready for transfer , runs rides shift as it should has performance pipes and air filters , see stock components in pictures , comes with support products see pictures also a new body in box that i got out of florida / not china . it does have new tires ,brakes and fully serviced ready to ride . I did not think i would ever sell this bike as it always was a dream bike but ordered a new dodge demon 170

The seller has posted a video of the bike showing its condition in a walkaround format. You can watch the video on YouTube HERE

From a pricing perspective the big RZ is an ever-appreciating asset. The market has yet to top out on these, and we have seen them hovering just under – as well as over – the $20k mark for some time. This particular example is being offered in a Buy It Now only format, with the price set at $25,150. The seller is open to offers, however, so there may be room to move if you are looking to move one of these smokers into your stable. You can check out all of the details here, and Good Luck!!

Find cool RZ500 parts and spares on eBay!

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Napoleon Dynamite – 1984 Yamaha RD500LC

Published March 2, 2023 by Mike

Unlike the geeky and ungainly title character who comes good at the end (#spoileralert), the Yamaha RD500LC has never been anything but cool. The Japanese interpretation of what a street-going, 500cc two-stroke GP machine should be, today’s example appears to have played around in France before being imported into the US and going through a restoration process. The bike currently resides in Tennessee.

1984 Yamaha RD500LC for sale on eBay

For those unfamiliar with the RD500 – also known as the RZ500 in North American markets – seriously, where have you been?? This bike was Yamaha’s interpretation of a 500cc GP bike for the street. Therefore, it has street legal amenities such as lights, turn signals, instrumentation and the like. But is also has GP-inspired elements, such as the 50 degree V-4 engine configuration, twin-cranks, two-stroke configuration with the Yamaha Power Valve System in the exhaust port to widen the power spread. It also has an air-assisted, anti-dive front fork, a 16″ front wheel and a single shock rear suspension. It has individual expansion chambers for each cylinder, offering a quadrophenia of wonderful noises. All in all, the RD/RZ500 tipped in with a sub 400 pound dry weight, pushed along by nearly 90 HP worth of very angry bees.

From the seller:
Motorcycle was recently imported from France so the speedometer is in Kilometers. US title was obtained in Tennessee.
It has been completely restored from A to Z.
– new crank
– new cylinders
– transmission has been rebuilt
– new paint
– new tires
– new chain
– new battery
This motorcycle runs perfectly and has just 300 kilometers since restoration.
A lot of invoices from France are coming with it along with the french title.

The big Yamaha two stroke is a popular gray-market stateside, as no variant of this bike was ever officially imported into the United States. This particular example spent time in France before being brought over and registered in the US. The seller has claimed this has gone through a pretty comprehensive restoration, which is backed by an impressive list of parts and services. This auction is live right now, with a growing group of watchers and a decent number of bids. We are up over the $10k mark already (reserve still in place), with a Buy It Now number listed at $22k. This is a beautiful bike and will be very interesting to watch where it ends up. You can check out all of the details here. Good Luck!!

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1985 Yamaha RZ500 in Toronto

Published August 19, 2022 by Dan

Here’s a really clean Yamaha RZ500 with less than 10k miles! We always celebrate the RZ500 on RSBFS because it was of course never officially offered in the U.S. and really represents one of the most collectible two stroke models of the era. The engineering and packaging represents the best of the industry in 1985 and is head and shoulders above more pedestrian sportbikes of the year. 37 years later, it still provides an amazing and powerful riding experience. This example is in Canada and the seller has identified a shipping company that will assist with the paperwork to the U.S. Good luck to buyers and seller!

Happy Friday, -dc

1985 Yamaha RZ500 for sale on eBay

From the seller:

Excellent Condition Turn Key 1985 Yamaha RZ500

8.5/9 out of 10 condition bike. Repaint / clear coat is in excellent condition.

Bike runs great – lots of power – sounds great – nothing beats two stroke smoke.

Two minor flaws – hairline crack (about 1 inch) at front fender and tiny chip touched up on white paint (both shown in pictures)

NOS stoneguard will go with the bike (not currently attached) – pictured

Mileage is 9,608 or 15,464 kilometers

Documented Rebuild of the motor by a two stroke specialist – minimal mileage since (stored in a collection and run periodically)

Aftermarket pipes – originals also come with the bike

Steering dampener added – other than that and the pipes the bike is stock.

Don’t buy a bike that needs work and wait – this is the one for your collection or reliving your hooligan youth!

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V for Victory: 1984 Yamaha RZV500R

Published July 2, 2022 by Mike

One collector RZV invariably breeds another, and today’s offering is a slightly more used – but just as pretty and rare – 1984 Yamaha RZV500R. The last example was a zero hour, push mile only example that failed to sell at nearly $74,000 high bid. Today’s bike shows a few more miles, has been lightly modded (read: de-restricted), touched by the two-stroke hand of God (also known as the late Rick Lance), and may be priced a bit more reasonably (currently above $17k with reserve not met; no Buy It now). The seller of this Florida bike as a bit to say, so I will let him take it from here.

1984 Yamaha RZV500R for sale on eBay

From the seller:
For your consideration is my Japanese Spec 1984 Yamaha RZV500R.

I purchased this bike eight years ago out of Long Beach, CA. It was restored at RG500.com.

Since I purchased the bike, I had it up to Rick Lance where he added his petcock kit along with new suspension which included a Rick Lance rear shock and a complete rebuild of the original front forks.

More from the seller:
Rick was a pretty big guy, and so am I. The bike was setup for bigger riders. I also still have the original parts from when I purchased the bike (pipes, airbox, tool kit, and misc. other parts as seen in photos). I have never unwrapped the stock pipes to take a look at them. I was told they were in excellent condition. I have a copy of a factory repair manual. I did not keep the worn out rear shock after Rick changed it.
The motor is stock and has never been opened. The tires are the same ones that were on it when I purchased it.

The speedometer is in kilometers. It had 12,701 kilometers when I purchased it. Currently the bike has 13,082 kilometers on it which is 8,129 miles. The few times I had ridden it to a couple of bike shows, it drew large crowds. It is a beautiful bike, and it is a beautiful riding bike. It also sounds incredible with the Lomas GP style pipes. It does have one small flaw on the body work that was there when I bought the bike. It has a small crack on the left corner of the upper fairing.

More from the seller:
When Rick had the bike he said it was the best running RZ he ever rode with Lomas pipes. The bike has been sitting for a while and will need the carbs cleaned and a battery.
The bike has a clear Florida title in my name.

The collector market has gone through some pretty intense gyrations during the first half of 2022. Trends appear to show some cooling off at the high end, but I certainly would not expect the market to return back to where it was. Welcome to the new normal. Prices are high. Desired bikes – just like always – will fetch top dollar. The better the condition, the higher the pricing. This looks to be an excellent example of the Japanese home market only model; bidding has been strong with only a day or so remaining. Exotic Japanese hardware located in the U.S. of A. on one of the biggest American holiday weekends of the year. What is not to like? Check out all of the details here, and Happy Fourth of July to our US-based readers!

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Southwestern Style: 1984 Yamaha RZV500R

Published April 19, 2022 by Mike

The world of 500cc two strokes is pretty small. But within that world is an even more exclusive club of limited editions and unique models. On the Yamaha side, the RZ500 is cool. But the Japanese market restricted offering of the RZV500R borders on the unicorn. Never officially exported by Yamaha outside of Japan, the RZV500R is a sharper version of the base RZ500 found elsewhere. As such is it much more rare, very coveted, and a rider and collector dream machine in its own right.

1984 Yamaha RZV500R for sale on eBay

As delivered, the Yamaha RZV500R was a bit of a conundrum. Utilizing an aluminum frame (as opposed to the RZ500’s mild steel version), the RZV tips the scales at an anorexic 20 lbs lighter than the rest of the world RZs. The RZV has a few other aluminum parts that help shed the weight (shift and brake levers, etc), but those are minor compared to the hand-welded frame. There is also a nifty feature that allows the water temp gauge to double as a fuel gauge at the push of a button. The remaining changes are home country specific, and include a red light on the dash that lights up when nearing the max speed limit in Japan (55 mph in US terms). Riders should be aware that this red light doubles as the oil tank reservoir level – if you’re not speeding and the light is on, better top up on the smoke juice. And then there’s the downside: as a Japanese only machine, the power output of the RZV500R is restricted to 64 HP (down from the reported 88-ish for export RZ500 models).

From the seller:
1984 Yamaha RZV500R
Stock
12000km
Parked and not started since 2011 – was not prepped for storage
Not perfect but very nice.
Includes full Jim Lomas carbon/carbon fiber, box never opened
Includes 2nd triple clamp set with 2nd set of forks, to replace upper triple clamp on bike (corroded)

Unverified story;
imported Japan-England-Canada-Michigan, some paperwork. Parked outdoors in Japan

Has Arizona title, can easily be registered in Arizona

With only 1,600 units produced, interest in this particular RZV500R is high. The seller notes it has been parked for a decade without being prepped, but no notes of whether it is running. The bike does come with some additional parts, including a set of Lomas pipes. These are one of the two key items necessary to de-restrict a RZV500R. Since this predates computer controlled electronic ignition, Japanese market restriction was accomplished via choking down the exhaust and running jetting that matched that flow pattern. Fitting the bike with a natty set of chambers will greatly wake up the beast within, as long as careful attention has been paid to the upstream jetting. Bam! One full horsepower (and then some) RZV500R made to order.

This bike looks like a true survivor, exhibiting some evidence of life in seaside Japan. But the corrosion doesn’t appear too severe in the pictures. There are some unknowns in terms of the engine – and crank seals would be a first priority – but that is all standard stuff for what amounts to a very rare and coveted model from a pretty golden age of two strokes. Check out all of the details here, and then check your bank account, your 401k, and your kid’s college fund. This Arizona-based beauty has climbed over $13k and will likely go quite a bit higher before all is said and done. Good Luck!!

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Get Your GP On: 1985 Yamaha RZ500

Published May 27, 2021 by Mike

Hot on the heels of the big Gamma we posted earlier this week, it only seemed fair to post the other 500cc competition – the Yamaha RZ500. Seeming more readily available than the Gamma, the RZ500 is another of the GP replica two strokes that were never officially imported into the United States. Today these smokers bring big bucks when presented in decent condition, and it’s easy to see why: Rare, fast and very exclusive, the Yamaha RZ500 was the closest you could come to channeling your inner Roberts, Lawson or Rainey on the street. And who didn’t want to do that?? Today, 35+ years removed, the world of ever-tightening emission and noise restrictions make these screaming banshees icons of a past era, never to be seen again. But today’s example shows that these icons can live on in the used bike market.

1985 Yamaha RZ500 for sale on eBay

Unlike Suzuki’s square four arrangement, Yamaha lined up their GP replica in a 50 degree, V-4 formation. Both brands utilized a twin crank setup – more out of two-stroke necessity than anything else. That meant that this is actually two twin-cylinder engines powering the bike, rather than one bigger four banger. Power from the two engines is harnessed and consolidated in the clutch & gearbox areas, making the whole thing seamless to the rider. The rest is pure two stroke wizardry, with reed valves, exhaust power valves and four individual tuned-length pipes for maximum HP (approaching 90 HP when new and stock). The chassis is a rather pedestrian mild steel affair. The Japanese home market offered a power-restricted version with alloy frame – the RZV – which shaved about 20 pounds off the total dry weight – but those are even more rare than the rest of the world model we see here. The swing arm for both models is aluminum. As per the fad of the times, the front hoop is a mere 16″ to reduce the gyroscopic effect and speed up transitions.

From the seller:
Also known as the Race-Developed 500cc Liquid-Cooled motorcycle or RD500LC, the RZ500 was produced in limited numbers from 1984-85 as a road legal production version of the YZR500 2-stroke V-4 Grand Prix factory racer. This rarely seen replica racer was not sold in the United States, and the1985 RZ500 stands as one of the most collectible road-going motorcycles of its era.

Very rare V4
Light and powerful
2 stroke Sports Bike
Liquid cooled, 6 speed
High performance with speed of 148 mph
499 cc
Odometer: 26604 km (16530 miles)

Bike is all stock and original, with the exception of the upgraded exhaust system (stock exhaust system will be included with the bike purchase). Original paint; see picture for a few minor flaws.

Bike is in excellent running condition with everything working.

Given the rarity of these bikes in the US and considering the short life span they had in market when new (model years spanned 1984 – 1986), it should be no surprise that prices on these big smokers are wafting up like the blue smoke they create. Still, these are a pretty good bet for long-term value appreciation since they are popular, approachable, and in limited supply. I don’t see any of those factors changing in the foreseeable future, although the availability of spares might become an issue at some point.

Today’s bike looks pretty good for an older girl (even with low-res photos). There are some unfortunate nicks and cracks in the plastics, but everything appears to be in place. The JL exhaust out of the UK is a nice addition, and the seller notes that the stock pipes come with. Definitely a bonus for the collector. The red handgrips look to be aftermarket, but the rest comes across as an honest example of the breed. With 16,530 miles on the clock this is not a garage queen, so somebody please buy it and get out there and ride! Check out all of the details here, and Good Luck!!

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The Clean Side of Dirty: 1985 Yamaha RZ500

Published October 28, 2020 by Mike

The legendary Yamaha RZ500 – the twin-crank, V-4, 500cc two stroke GP bike for the street – never officially came into the United States. By the late 1970s the EPA had their sooty little hands in, well, everything, and raucous power plants such as internal combustion two strokes were strictly off the list. Yamaha tried for a couple of years with the 500s baby brother, the RZ350, but ultimately shelved the clean air catalytic converter project. They didn’t even bother trying with the bad boy 500, and perhaps it was better that they didn’t. The RZ500 was a down and mean smoker, and never tried to apologize for that fact. It landed on the shores of North America and rolled on Canadian soil, but such was as close as it came for eager and lusting American riders. Thankfully many were unofficially imported into the US as used bikes, which brings us to this particular example.

1985 Yamaha RZ500 for sale on eBay

The seller of today’s bike has quite a bit to say, and I will let him pick up the tale from here:

From the seller:
Yamaha Other. 1985 Yamaha RZ500 2 stroke. Low miles. Speedo is in KM and bike has 5300 miles. I purchased this bike from the 2-stroke guru Rick Lance a few years ago before his passing. http://www.lancegamma.com He gave it a once over inspection and replaced the crank seals and gave it a tune up. Those who knew Rick can attest to his competence regarding two strokes and his integrity. He was aware of the history of this particular machine and stated he believed the engine had never been apart and was a great example of a stock, unmolested low mileage RZ500. I’ve seen numerous RZ500s over the years and have even raced them and this is one of the nicest, cleanest survivors. Upon receipt, I took it for a quick test ride to ensure everything was working properly. Lights, turn signals, horn, brake lights, etc. function as designed. The bike shifted through the gears and there were no mechanical issues. The bike even has the original tool kit and fuel tank service cable. The interior of the tank has no rust and the bike has new tires and battery. Because of the altitude of my location (4200 feet MSL),the bike did tend to bog and was in obvious need of a rejetting as it was running rich. After consulting with Rick, he said the bike had run clean at his altitude in North Carolina before shipping. Not having the time to work on it, I drained the float bowls and tank and put the machine into storage with the intent to rejet the carburetors and ride it in the future.

More from the seller:
Unfortunately due to work and personal commitments, I never did rejet and have decided to sell off several of my collector bikes. Not knowing where the machine would be shipped, I decided to leave the jetting for sea level instead of taking the time and effort to set it up for my altitude. Overall, this is a classic machine in great condition. It does not appear to have had any crash damage. Check out the YouTube link below of the bike running. It fires up on the first or second kick. Please feel free to ask any questions. When I sell on Ebay, I try to be as honest and forthcoming as possible. If you have a shipper, I’ll work with them on pickup or dropping the bike off at a location in the Salt Lake area. Please feel free to ask any questions. The bike has a clean Utah title. $500 non-refundable deposit required in 24 hours and full payment in 7 days. Bike is sold as is with no warranty although honestly, it’s in great shape and Rick Lance gave it a clean bill of health. The bike and title will not be released until payment clears. Thanks for looking.

If you doubt my earlier statement about “Ole Smokey” the 500cc two stroke, allow me to share the video created of this bike by the seller. I can practically smell the castor and revel in the sounds (and undoubtedly the lack of mosquitoes!).

This bike looks clean, clean, clean. The fact that it went through Lance Gamma’s shop is a real plus as few people knew and lived this era’s smokers like Lance. This bike has been wonderfully photographed, and shows its originality proudly. The miles are low, but I’m sure the riding smiles are off the charts! These big RZs are getting harder and harder to find in clean and original condition, and prices are definitely on the collector side of the fence these days. If you want one, the time to get in was yesterday – but better late than never. The current auction bid is up to $14k with reserve still in place. Check out all of the details here, and Good Luck!!

7 Responses.

Kentucky Bourbon: 1985 Yamaha RZ500RN

Published July 6, 2019 by Mike

How is this for international intrigue? Take a smoking two stroke iconic super bike built in Japan. Export said bike outside of the home market into Europe, the Pacific Rim or Canada. Later years on, that bike finds its way into the US and now lives in the state of Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark and Buffalo Trace. OK – so maybe not mysterious, but the migratory path of this particular example of Yamaha’s last big street going two stroke is certainly circuitous, and part of its appeal. Since Yamaha never imported the RZ500 into the US (with riders desperate for the GP bike with lights), dreams and schemes ensued to liberate these models from our fortunate norther neighbors. Today’s example shows the fruits of those importation labors.

1985 Yamaha RZ500 for sale on eBay

Need we go deep on the RZ500 details? Although this crowd undoubtedly already knows, the RZ500 was a V-4, 500cc two stroke meant to invoke Yamaha’s legendary 500 GP machines ridden by the likes of Roberts and Rainey. History will show that these bikes were not quite as sharp as the silhouette would suggest, but it was still a very potent motorcycle for the day. Dichotomies exist throughout: While utilizing a GP-inspired 16″ front wheel to quicken steering inputs, the RZ500 makes due with a mild steel (not aluminum) frame and contained a passenger pillion. Hardly GP level stuff. Still, the twin-crank V-4 configuration made decent power (estimates put a stock bike in the 85+ HP range) and with Yamaha power valves in the exhaust ports the powerband was wider than the traditional, peaky two stroke. Weight was a seemingly portly 450+ pounds – “seemingly” only because of today’s standards. At the time, this was 10-15 pounds lighter than the Kawasaki GPz550, which was down more than 20 HP on the big RZ. That should give you some indication of how hot the RZ500 was in the day.

From the seller:
1985 Yamaha RZ500R. This bike has 15730 original Kilometers and runs great. This bike has a Clear Ky Title in my name. This bike has been well taken care and was stored for a few years. This bike has never been Modified or worked on other than regular maintenance. It does have some corrosion-rust here and there The carbs and fuel system have been cleaned. The brakes have been serviced with new brake pads. This bike starts right up, idles and runs perfect. Transmission and clutch shift smoothly. All lights, Horn and signals work as they should. Inside of the gas tank is rust free. The tank has a couple marks on it. The Plastic is new aftermarket. (The OEM Plastic has some damage and is included in this auction). Please Ask Questions. I have plenty of pictures if need.

Today’s example is relatively mild on the scale of what we have seen. Mods are few, and this bike has apparently seen nothing in the way of hop ups; only usual maintenance items have been covered. Plastics are aftermarket, which makes this unrestored specimen appear to be much newer and cleaner than the rest of the bike. Some corrosion is evident – and not unremarkable for a bike of this age. The seller claims the bike starts and runs without issue, and has had some recommissioning by way of the required carb and fueling system cleaning – again, no surprises there given the rancid state of today’s gasoline formulation. Possible concerns include the reasons for the replacement bodywork (the seller indicates the original pieces will come with the bike), and the state of the (presumed original) internal engine seals after sitting for an extended period of time. Two strokes will develop air leaks (air gets sucked into the crankcase) as seals age, resulting in a lean running condition, increasing the temperature as well as the potential to seize. An air pressure test would be recommended prior to wringing the neck of this beautiful beast, as the condition is most detrimental at high RPM.

The market for RZs has been a bit all over the place lately. We have seen crazy asks in the $30k range for perfect examples, and bargains well below market value. This particular bike appears to be most original – which is a great foundation for a collector. However the step from 34 year old original motorcycle to a 34 year old restored motorcycle is a big one indeed. This particular bike is priced based on the original condition – with a $9,100 opening ask. We have seen much cleaner examples in the $12-15k area, but given the lack of bidding on this one thus far it would appear it may struggle to break the $10k barrier. It’s a runner – which is a plus – and you won’t have to undo somebody else’s mods to get to where you want to go with it, so as a resto project this might be the perfect start. There is still a long way to go on the auction so check it out here, and then let us know what you think. Good Luck!!

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