1985 Yamaha RZ500 (RD500LC)
Miles: ~2,100 (3,387 km)
Asking: $29,000
Where: eBay, Chicago area
SELLER
This is a highly original, collector quality RZ500 with matching numbers and original paint and bodywork. Recently serviced and ready to ride, with a clean transferable title. Inspections welcome before the auction ends, and the seller will provide a cold start video on request.
Click on the button to see the full ebay description and all the photos.
- 1985 Yamaha RD500LC / RZ500
- Approximately 3,200 original kilometers
- 500cc liquid-cooled two-stroke V4 engine
- Original paint and bodywork
- Clean, transferable title
- Recently serviced
- Ready to ride
- Excellent collector-quality condition
- Rare and increasingly desirable Yamaha two-stroke superbike
RSBFS
The RZ500 doesn’t get talked about as much as the Honda NSR or the Suzuki RG500 Gamma, but it deserves to be in the same conversation. Yamaha built this thing as a street legal version of their GP bike, V4, two-stroke, and just about as raw as anything Japan ever sold with a headlight on it. If you know, you know. If you don’t, ask around, someone in the comments will explain it better than I can. We covered one of these back in 2017 if you want the full history on why this thing never officially made it to US shores in the first place.
Seller is offering inspections and a cold start video instead of hiding behind photos. Good sign.
For reference, a rougher, well ridden RZ500 sold on BaT a few years back for $17,600. This one has a fraction of the miles and none of the “ridden hard” story that bike carried. Worth keeping in mind if you’re trying to figure out where the bidding should land.
Would you keep the miles this low, or finally let a two-stroke V4 do what it was built to do?
Good luck to the buyer and seller!
Nice example. I’m assuming this is a Canadian import? That should be part of the description. And I would definitely ride this thing.
The VIN # says its a 1985 Canadian 1GE spec. First Cdn RZ500 was a short production run of only 500 bikes. The second Cdn model (1GE spec) was 1400 bikes.
I don’t know how much trust you can put in the odometer. There are too many things suggesting it’s not as claimed.
Mirrors are cheap aftermarket copies ($40 verses at least $500 for genuine mirrors). Why would a claimed 3395 km bike be missing its correct mirrors?
Solo seat bobbins ( bolt, seat fitting, p/n 47X-24717-00) are missing. Why are they missing on a 3395 km bike?
Incorrect hardware in places and damaged swingarm paint suggests kms are more than claimed. Damaged swingarm paint suggests plenty of chain stretch and adjustments over time. Not what you’d expect on a 3395 km bike.
Tool kit is not original that came with the bike. Another suggestion that perhaps 3395 km isn’t accurate.
Windscreen has been replaced. Not an uncommon thing to see. 57V screen is 1985 Cdn RZ350 screen, but otherwise identical to RZ500 screen that would be marked 47X.
Steel braided brake lines are not original, but a wise upgrade.
I’ve rebuild many RZ500 speedometers and have learned to never trust any claim of low kms on a bike with obvious signs of being well used. Obvious wear on things like the ignition switch and brake discs. Many areas look very good, but others raise doubts.
As a long time owner of two RZ500s I think the price is ridiculous. That’s $42000 Cdn, which is more than $3000 Cdn above Hagerty Canada’s valuation for a concours condition RZ500.
Overall it’s really nice bike and it looks to be in very good condition, but inconsistencies suggest it may not be the low km bike it is claimed to be. It may seem like I’m nit picking here, but at the asking price it should be flawless and correct.
Buyers set the market price, so time will tell, but I wouldn’t expect much action at that price. Especially from a seller with a low feedback score for prior sales.