Out of Towner – 1986 Yamaha RZ350

Since the RZ350 was sold here until 1986, it’s relatively rare to see the fully faired rest-of-world edition.  Though this example isn’t currently operational, it shouldn’t take much to bring it back to the living – not to mention California title ! 1986 Yamaha RZ350 for sale on eBay For 1986, the RZ350 used Yamaha’s…

Almost Famous: 1985 Yamaha RZ350

How much does star power help with motorsport sales? It helps if the figure connected with the sale is related to the vehicle in question. And in the case of the RZ350, the connection is very, very good. Sporting the signature of “King” Kenny Roberts, the RZ350 came emblazoned with the bumble bee livery that…

The Clean Side of Dirty: 1985 Yamaha RZ500

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…

Winter Blues: 1984 Yamaha RZ350

As many parts of the United States are deep in the throes of falling frozen water, riding is an activity that must wait for warmer weather and more favorable road conditions. There are locales, however, where riding can commence year ’round. The southern states on both coasts serve as a great example. And it is…

Ringer: 1984 Yamaha RZ350

I know that the RSBFS reader loves a good two stroke. And what better to post than a well-kept Yamaha RZ350? The last of the true factory street bike smokers, the RZ was successfully imported into the US – and even California! – for a short while. And so while these are not grey bikes…

Minty Fresh: 1984 Yamaha RZ350

The RZ350 is a special sort of machine in the annals of RSBFS. The last of the 50-state factory two strokes, the little parallel twin that could utilized liquid cooling, a computer controlled adjustable exhaust port (YPVS), and catalytic converters. Even with all of this tech it was short lived on US shores, and even…

Featured Listing: 2Moto 2M400R-SP

If you are thinking that you haven’t heard of the 2Moto 2M400R-SP, you are probably correct. But I’m sure you have heard of Yamaha’s wildly successful two-stroke, the TZR-250. And knowing RSBFS readers, you probably wished for something like that – but with more horsepower – for your street ride. I mean, imagine the wild…