Yamaha’s RZ500 was known in some markets as the RD500LC, but by any name, it was one of the weirdest and wildest sports machines ever built. The twin-crank, liquid-cooled two-stroke V4 featured a set of torque-boosting YPVS powervalves and standard Autolube oil-injection so riders could worry less about premix and more about handling what was…
It seems like it’s been raining two-strokes recently, and this RZ500 should make Yamaha fans happy. Bikes seem to come in waves as their values wax and wane. Forgotten bikes suddenly find a collector’s market, and all those folks who’ve had them from new suddenly unload them, or get too old to ride them in…
Introduced in 1985, the Honda VF1000R could be thought of as a precursor to the legendary RC30, a low-production V4 homologation special. But while the later Honda sportbike is one of the most desirable machines of the modern era, the big VF has languished largely forgotten, although interest and values are on the rise. Specifications…
Well, last week’s seemingly ham-fisted resto-mod Gamma went over like a lead balloon, so let’s see how this one flies: a very bright and shiny Yamaha RZ500 fitted with some FZR bits! Built from 1984 to 1986, the RZ500 was also known as the RD500LC in some markets. It was Yamaha’s entry into the Moto…
Rare as hen’s teeth here in the USA, Honda’s little RVF400 [NC35] superbike made it into the country exclusively through grey-market imports, often via Canada. The RVF400 replaced the VFR400 in 1994 and used a smaller version of the bigger 750cc bike’s gear-driven V4 engine. Like the 750, the 400 used a 360° “big-bang” firing…
The road-going version their GP7 racer, the Desmosedici was a limited edition of 1500, but more limited by stratospheric pricing and long lead times. Originally offered to only Ducati cognoscenti, the $72,500 cycle was way more than could be used on the road, the spec sheet having enough of everything for two or three sportbikes.…
From a styling standpoint, motorcycles of the 1980’s were going through a bit of an awkward, adolescent phase… But continuing with that analogy, major growth and changes were occurring under the skin, and Japanese race replicas like this Yamaha RZV500 featured all sorts of wild, innovative technology. Yamaha’s GP bike for the road pulled out…
The Honda NC30 was officially introduced in 1989, although this one obviously slipped in under the wire as, according to the seller, it was manufactured in December of 1988. This was the first year of the smaller V4 to feature the iconic look seen here, with dual round headlamps to match the single-sided swingarm and…
