Posts by tag: V4

Yamaha November 15, 2018 posted by Aaron

Signed by the King: 1985 Yamaha RZ500 RN

This 1985 Yamaha RZ500RN is a bread-and-butter bike for us here at RSBFS. It's an old, rare, iconic Japanese sportbike in excellent shape topped off with a few unique touches to separate it from the rest of its thin herd. What's not to like? It has covered fewer than 5,000 miles (just over 7,000 kilometers) in its 33 years, and sports a raft of recent, but period-correct, mods. Oh, yeah, and a front fender signed by 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Kenny Roberts.

1985 Yamaha RZ500RN for sale on eBay

In addition to a recent .030-over rebuild and those lovely JL pipes, the bike wears immaculate paint, and all the plastic, rubber and vinyl surfaces show evidence that the machine was stored indoors and extremely well looked after. Aside from the pipes, the mechanical rebuild featured a carb rejetting, which should work with the exhaust to wake the bike up from its corked stock specifications.

Despite their winning lineage, wild engines and potential for pace, these bikes weren't bought at the same fever pitch as their four-stroke stablemates, so finding them these days, especially ones this nice, is a feat. Prices have been a little across the map, but none can be had for cheap.

From the eBay listing:

FROM MY PRIVATE COLLECTION A PRISTINE HARD TO FIND 1985 YAMAHA RZ 500RN WITH A CLEAR FLORIDA TITLE.

I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL RZ'S/RZV"s AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT I KEPT FOR MYSELF.

RUNNING OUT OF SPACE FORCES ME TO PART WITH AND SHARE THE ENJOYMENT OF A FEW OF MY PRIZED COLLECTABLES.

THIS PIECE OF YAMAHA HISTORY THAT (NOT SOLD/OFFERED IN THE UNITED STATES) FEATURES LOW MILAGE 7423 KILOMETERS/4612 MILES (MILAGE IS IN KILOMETERS) IN IMMACULATE, PRISTINE CONDITION MY RZ 500RN HAS WORLD CHAMPION KENNY ROBERTS SR AUTOGRAPH ON THE FRONT FENDER, A PERFECT NOS FUEL TANK (THE BEST PAINT THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN), AND THE REST OF THE PAINT IS MUSEUM QUALITY.

FITTED WITH A PERIOD CORRECT J L EXHAUST, THE ENGINE WAS GONE THRU A FEW YEARS/250K AGO, WIESCO .030 PISTONS, NEW BEARINGS, SEALS AND GASKETS, CARBS RE-JETTED AND JUST THOROUGHLY CLEANED AND SYNCHRONIZED, NEW TIRES, A NEW LITHIUM BATTERY, THE HARD TO FIND OWNERS MANUAL, THE SOLO SEAT WITH EXACT MATCHING PAINT (THEY NEVER MATCH), NOS ROTORS AND PADS, REBUILT MASTER CYLINDERS, NOS TAIL LENS, NOS REAR TURN SIGNALS, NOS MORRORS

THE AUTOGRAPHED HELMET IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS AUCTION, BUT IS ALSO AVAILABLE. THE HELMET WAS SIGNED BY KENNY ROBERTS, EDDIE LAWSON, WAYNE RAINEY, JORGE LORENZO, ANDREA DOVISIOSO, BEN SPIES, AND ALVARO BAUTISTA, AND WES COOLEY. THE BEST IN THE WORLD. ALSO AVAILABLE ARE 2 NOS STILL IN THE BOX MID SECTION FAIRINGS.

THE BIKE LOOKS, RUNS, AND RIDES BETTER THEN NEW! THIS IS A MULTIPLE SHOW WINNER AND A VERY FUN BIKE TO RIDE.

I HAVE BEEN RIDING, RACING, COLLECTING AND RESTORING BIKES SINCE GRADUATING FROM AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE INSTITUTE IN DAYTONA BEACH IN 1980. I TAKE MUCH PRIDE IN THE FEW BIKES THAT I OFFER FOR SALE. ONLY THE BEST WILL DO IN MY MINI MUSUEM. SO BID WITH CONFIDENCE. THIS BIKE STARTS UP ON 1 KICK IDLES BETTER THEN WHEN NEW AND RUNS/RIDES LIKE A DREAM.

SERIOUS BUYERS ONLY PLEASE. $500 IMMEDIATE DEPOSIT THRU PAY PAL. THE BALANCE DUE WITHIN 3 DAYS CASH OR A WIRE TRANSFER. I CAN HOLD THE BIKE UP TO 30 DAYS IN MY SECURE CLIMATE CONTROLLED FACILITY. I CAN ALSO ASSIST IN SHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS. THE CLEAR TITLE WILL BE SENT VIA FED EX ALONG WITH THE KEYS AFTER FULL PAYMENT.

ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL OR TEXT 954-816-0806 BOB

HAPPY BIDDING:) BID HIGH SO YOU DON'T MISS OUT.

The buy-it-now for this machine is set pretty close to as high as you'll see them listed, but it does come with touches that similar machines can't offer, and is in really nice shape.

Signed by the King: 1985 Yamaha RZ500 RN

Sport Bikes For Sale November 4, 2018 posted by Aaron

Buzzsaw: 1985 Yamaha RZ500 on eBay

The seller of this 1985 Yamaha RZ500 keeps the details light in his eBay posting, but the details he does share are certainly intriguing. The iconic GP replica sports a set of very nice aftermarket Lomas pipes, upgraded forks and wheels from a four-stroke Yamaha FJ, and a top-end rebuild. You cannot really say fairer than that when it comes to an aged two-stroke sport bike. The weird tire sizes and anti-dive forks have gone the way of the Dodo and any questions about maintenance have been answered.

1985 Yamaha RZ500 for sale on eBay

In '85, the Yamaha RZ500 was used to making light work of the big, heavy four-stroke superbikes that comprised its competition, and was riding the wave of Kenny Roberts's Grand Prix successes upon a similar-on-paper machine. It lost a few horsepower and a few kilograms to the Suzuki RG500, but the Yamaha was still no slouch, and was to go down as the more refined and rideable of the two machines. Where the Suzuki shrieked, the Yamaha would bellow.

From the eBay listing:

1985 rz500. Great driver quality bike. Could use some touchups but mechanically very nice. Lomas pipes. 20,000 miles on chassis. 1200 miles on new gaskets, seals, and top end. Have receipts. Has FJ forks and wheels. Oil injection has been removed but comes with bike along with the proper throttle cable. Email any questions. Can send pics of anything you'd like. rd500 2 stroke street legal.

As mentioned, the details are few, but the ones we get are important. The pictures show a beautiful example of a legendary machine, and one that will be just as easy to ride as it will be to collect.

Honda November 3, 2018 posted by Tad Diemer

Collectible Classic: 1990 Honda VFR750R RC30 for Sale

For all the accolades it's received, the Honda VFR750 RC30 is a subtle machine. To the uninformed, it doesn't look all that special, especially now that single-sided swingarms have become fairly common. The proportions are good, it's very compact, and the colors are classy: it's a handsome bike, but doesn't appear to be much more than another Japanese sportbike, although one that just looks right. And the spec sheet doesn't really do much to give the game away either, although hints about that this is a very special machine...

The bike weighed in 458lbs with fuel, coolant, and oil, with power quoted at 118hp, good for a top speed just a shade north of 150mph. It wasn't especially lightweight, even at the time, and the power-to-weight looks decidedly tame now. Of course, numbers don't tell the whole story. They never do. They're just a useful metric, a way to compare apples to apples. I'm not good enough to test an RC30 against its peers and come away with anything useful to say, other than "that was cool." And nearly thirty years later, I'm sure it'd be hard to understand the impact of a bike like this when it was introduced if you're used to riding modern motorcycles, bikes that all learned a trick or two [or ten] from this one.

The RC30 might represent peak Honda: everything is perfectly engineered, and reviewers have always gushed about just how easy it was to get the most out of. As Pirelli says, "Power is nothing without control" and the RC30 was, by all accounts, an easy bike to ride fast, a bike that flatters the rider. The proof is in the pudding, as it were, and the bike won innumerable victories in Superbike and endurance racing. For a racebike, it had a surprisingly long shelf life, and was popular with both factory teams and privateers.

From the original eBay listing: 1990 Honda VFR750 RC30 for Sale

VIN JH2RC3009LM200170, engine # RC30E-2200324 - matching numbers
only 642.8 street miles, never raced, one private owner from 1998
unmarked original paint, decals and finish
a 49-state ‘no smog’ L-model, one of approx. 316 to US-market spec.
climate controlled storage
clean, transferable Ohio title

118hp at 11,000rpm, red-line 12,500rpm, 51lbft torque at 7,600rpm, dry weight 400lb, over-square water cooled V4 DOHC, 6-speed, top speed quoted at 153mph

The RC30, a modern classic if ever there was one, was created solely to win the World Superbike Championship, a goal it met in the nascent series' first and second years, 1988 and 1989. And while American Fred Merkel aboard his Team Rumi-sponsored purple and black RC30 was bringing Honda its first two WSB crowns, Britain's Carl Fogarty used another RC30 to win the TT F1 World Championship in those same years, and the equivalent FIM Cup a year later in 1990. No mere short circuit scratcher or TT rocket ship, the RC30 proved strong lasting enough to win a bag-full of Endurance Classics, too. ‘That this latter requirement was also part of the design brief may be determined from the fact that a quick-release front fork and single-sided swinging arm - essential for speedy wheel changes - were part of an unrivaled specification that included a twin-spar alloy beam frame, 16-valve V4 engine with gear-driven cams, close-ratio six-speed gearbox and four-pot front brake calipers. All of which did not come cheap: at the time of its launch in 1988 an RC30 cost near double that of other super-sports 750s.’

Despite the passing of 30 years the RC30 remains a match for the following generation of superbikes but possesses an exclusivity that precious few of them can approach. ‘No other bike from the late-Eighties is lusted after like the RC30’, reckoned Bike. ‘And then there's the exhaust note – loud, of course, but soulful enough to bring a pit crew to tears.’

This RC30 is a beautiful street example that is in stunning, as new, un-raced condition, showing 600-odd miles on the odometer. The original dealer was Cycle Sport Center, Inc. of Cridersville, Ohio. They sold it to Steve Bennett of Domi Racer Distributors, Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio who rode the 600+ miles gently on the street, and then sold it, with a new set of tires, in late 1998 to the current seller, the first private owner. The bike has been meticulously stored unridden and maintained from then on. It comes with the original owners manual, unused tool kit, and the factory key.

A likely never-to-be-repeated opportunity to acquire an ‘as new’ RC30.

This bike, hidden away for 20 years, is in superb condition, so it can justify the label "museum quality." It re-defines 'as new.' Its VIN tag, shown here, illustrates just how clean this bike is.

To maintain the RC30's original finish, complicated by the use of several colors and many stick-on decals and stripes, it behooves the caretaker to take great care when moving it for photography and preparing it for sale. Remarkably, this bike has had the kid glove treatment from day one.

Foreign sales are invited. The buyer must pickup the bike from the seller. The seller can help with arranging third-party domestic and/or international transportation upon request, at the buyer's expense. Pickup must take place within 21 days of the payment clearing the bank. Thereafter, storage will be charged at $10 per day.

Contact the seller via email in the first instant. Questions are invited.

Well, I think it's always a good sign when the seller invites questions and the bike appears to be extremely clean, as you'd expect from a bike with just 600 indicated miles. Experts should feel free to chime in with opinions in the comments, and I'd love someone to fill me in on the signature that is visible on the tail section. I'm guessing it's Bubba Shobert, who raced 500GP bikes for Honda, but the seller doesn't seem to mention that little bit of trivia.

-tad

Collectible Classic: 1990 Honda VFR750R RC30 for Sale

Honda October 22, 2018 posted by Aaron

Baby Viffer: 1990 Honda VFR400R

This 1990 Honda VFR400R was imported from England wearing a body kit that mimics the almighty RC30, the 750cc WSBK rocket that these beginner-friendly ultralights were intended to mimic. Rather than let the bloodline do all the work to sell these things, though, Honda made them standouts in their own right, with sweet-handling chassis and a 60 horsepower mill that belied the bike's humble displacement.

1990 Honda VFR400R for sale on eBay

This one has been used as intended, and carries a few battlescars and needs some minor sorting consistent with its age and 36,000 miles. Thanks to the slip-on muffler, the carbs could use some tuning and the seller says it's a little temperamental until it gets up to temperature. It has a Hagon rear shock to replace the stock piece, and needs to have the rider's seat recovered.

From the eBay listing:

For sale is a rare UK import 1990 L series NC30 Honda. This is the little and much cheaper version of the RC30 750cc bikes which fetch $25-50k now. Single-sided swing arm, 400lbs wet and 60 horsepower turned these bikes into rocket ships. 36k kilometers (roughly 21,000 miles). Hagon rear shock conversion... rides nice!

New radiator stack (yes 2 radiators), carb re-jetting and an aftermarket muffler makes a deep growling sound that sings when it hits redline at 14,500 rpms. Cool bodywork paint scheme resembles the RC30, but is apparently an aftermarket body kit, except for the fuel tank. Carbs might need more jetting as the a/m muffler has less back pressure. These bikes are cold-blooded anyway, according to the various forums. Once it is past the 70C temp reading it runs great! Driver seat needs a recover.. see photos.

$400 spent on getting this officially registered and licensed in California. Riding position is just a bit too low for this 70 year old man, so it needs to find a more flexible and appreciative rider. New CA title in my name, so ready for a clean sale and transfer. No reserve auction. Very few of these bikes are in the country, much less with a clear California title.

PLEASE NOTE: I have shortened the end of auction so it will be a 5 day auction, not 7 days.......

The auction has a precious few hours left, and bidding is approaching the buy-it-now price of $7,600. We haven't seen the popularity of these things wane much, so this could be a cool opportunity to get a winter project that will return the money next year!

Honda October 11, 2018 posted by Aaron

Visions of Joey: 1990 Honda RC30

If you stop through this dusty corner of the Internet often, you have by now figured out that our buds at Iconic Motorbikes pull no punches when it comes to lining up the finest wares for their museum/dealership. It's easy to say that they deal in the best or nothing, but a cruise through their inventory will back it up. This 1990 Honda RC30 is absolutely no exception.

1990 Honda RC30 for sale on eBay

It is a 7,400-mile U.S.-spec example, and it's original down to the plastic spiral around the rear brake lines. After the first owner racked up the street miles, the bike was sold to a Honda dealership, where it sat in a climate-controlled display without being ridden. That means that the bodywork, aluminum parts, plastic and rubber are all free of the aging you often see on long-dormant machines. The only giveaway is the sheen on the tires, which we would swap out if you plan to ride it.

From the eBay listing:

1990 Honda RC30 in fantastic condition & all stock! LOW MILES!
Honda RC30’s are arguably one of the most collectible and sought after sport bikes and their values continue to climb! A recent zero mile example fetched over $92,000 at auction in Las Vegas in Jan, 2018. I personally bid on the other RC30 that was at Mecum and it too fetched $44,000 and honestly, it doesn't hold a candle to this one as I went through it with a fine tooth comb prior to bidding. Still pondering the values, there are a few on Ebay UK right now, the nice ones are very close to our asking price and if you add in shipping, crating, import fees, you'll be at over $45K and still not know what you bought until you receive it and we all know how that can go....(I for one sure do...unfortunately)

This particular one is in fantastic shape and babied since new with only 7400 miles. It’s a US Version bike so speedo is in MPH which makes it that much more collectable (and sought after). Note the 17 digit vin as well.

The second owner of this motorbike was a Honda Dealer that just used it for display and put 0 miles on it so it stayed indoors and in a climate controlled environment.

Has a Title, original handbook, original Honda RC30 Sales Brochure, some articles, magazines and other cool tid bids calling out how special the bike was at the time. Also equipped with the OEM tool kit and a very rare RC30 paddock stand which will be included with the sale.

You’d be very hard pressed to find another example this clean and near perfect. Most are Japan imports with oxidation or have had crash repairs, etc. Not this one…Beautiful as it is and needs nothing but a new owner! You will not be disappointed!

Feel free to come see her in person at our Dealership in Marina Del Rey, CA. We're only about 15 minutes from LAX and staff permitting, we'll even come pick you up at the airport need be. Take a look at some of our other super rare bikes for sale at iconicmotorbikes.com as check back often as we're adding and selling bikes every week. As it sits today, we have 6 more bikes to post including a KTM 1290, a Derbi 50, a CBR400 and a few others. We even have a Rare Harley VR1000 with zero miles up for sale.

We'd be more then happy to help with shipping. Whatever we can do to make your transaction as easy and stress free as possible.

Motorbike is for sale locally at our Dealer / Museum so auction may end early without warning.

The best part of this deal is that the bike has all its U.S. paperwork in order, and could quite easily be seen before purchase, which is so rarely the case with these bikes. If it's up your backstraight, though, we'd hurry. There's not much doubt the RC30 will be gone in short order.

Honda September 24, 2018 posted by Aaron

Featured Listing: 1996 Honda RVF400R for sale in Canada

Update 9.30.2018: This bike has SOLD! Congratulations to the buyer and seller! -dc

As the little brother to the legendary RC45, the 1996 Honda RVF400R in some ways got stuck playing second fiddle to the faster bike. That isn't exactly fair treatment, though, as the screaming little gear-driven V4 had the character and handling to make a very good case for it being a world-class standalone machine.

They have had something of a resurgence lately, as people who want the thrill of a bike whose main weapon is momentum and value mid-90s Japanese build quality gobble these up on the grey market. Were it not for their rarity, they make a true case for themselves as an everyman sportbike. They're not overly expensive, they're reliable, and they suit new and experienced riders.

This one has an aftermarket powdercoat job on its wheels, but the bodywork is apparently all original and looks to be in good shape. The seller says it currently serves daily rider duties. It has a few easily reversed mods, and the seller is providing the original pieces should a new owner want to take it back to stock.

From the seller:

I have a Honda rvf all original body panels,it's a daily rider.
The bike has a Tyga rear tale section on the bike right now.
Bike comes with all original parts, also has a HRC upgraded ECM
Tires are a year and a half old, brakes are one year old, it has HEL stainless steal brake lines.
Wheels are powder coded white not black.
Over all condition out of ten would be a 8.
Let me know if you need any other info.
Attached are some pictures
We are from St. Jacobs,( just outside of Waterloo) Ontario, Canada.
Asking $7,000 US or best offer.
Thanks

The asking price is in line with what we see these bikes go for, despite the fact that buyers on the southern side of the border will have to contend with importing a bike that is newer than 25 years old. With the market as hot as it seems to still be for bikes like this one, that shouldn't be too awful a prospect.