Many of the weird and wonderful bikes we like to feature on this site appear in time-capsule condition, as if Doc Brown put them in a trailer behind his time-traveling DeLorean and towed them from the distant year 1985 into… The future! Others are patched-up wrecks described as having “patina” with “90% tread left on tires.” This particular RZ500 falls somewhere in the middle, and looks like a nice, clean, bike with a reasonable asking price.
Crazy, right?
Yamaha’s RZ500, also known as the RD500LC in some markets, was one of two 500cc race-replicas designed to ape the overall specification and style of the top-level two-stroke racebikes of the era. But unlike the Suzuki RG500 “Gamma,” the Yamaha pulled a bit of a Honda with their roadgoing exotic, taking a brilliant idea and then engineering the hell out of it, ending up with a bit of a muddle. The powerplant was a liquid-cooled 50° two-stroke V4 with twin cranks. So far, so good. A pair of YPVS power valves and oil-injection helped boost performance and make the bike a bit more practical. Seems like a smart choice. Sophisticated anti-dive forks and an unusually-mounted rear shock allowed for serious handling and tight packaging, respectively. Then a balance shaft was included to handle unwanted vibrations… In theory, this should have helped make the bike run smoother and make it more civilized while simultaneously allowing a lighter frame for improved performance, but it didn’t really work out that way. The resulting bike was both heavier and less powerful than the Gamma and although the RZ has its fans, reviewers and prices reflect the Gamma’s superior performance versus the RZ500’s more practical street bias. The upside is reasonable prices compared to the Suzuki, and that singular two-stroke sound and feel.
So what’s the big deal with the rising popularity of these two-stroke sportbikes? A bit of nostalgia and a bit of performance. These tinny-sounding streetbikes began to disappear after the mid-1980s here in the USA where ever-tightening emissions laws strangled the smoky little beasts into an early grave. Top-level racing of the era saw two-stroke machines competing exclusively and that link to race-bred machinery is a powerful thing in the minds of motorcycle enthusiasts. There’s also the axiom made popular by Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus: “Simplify, then add lightness.” And two strokes are both of those things: with fewer moving parts, they’re simpler and lighter, while theoretically making twice as much power as a four-stroke of equivalent displacement. So while a 500cc two-stroke might make similar power compared to a 1000cc four-stroke, the resulting package is much lighter, meaning the bike will turn quicker, brake better, and generally offer more feedback to the rider. Two-strokes require more maintenance, which isn’t a problem for race bikes or committed enthusiasts, and they also produce more pollution, which is something many motorcycle fans are happy to… Ahem. Overlook.
From the original eBay listing: 1984 Yamaha RZ500 for Sale
In great condition. Runs after one kick. Never downed. Never raced, 8700 Miles. Tuned by Lance Gamma
Engine: 499 cc liquid-cooled V4 two stroke Power: 64.2 kW (88 PS) @9,500 rpm Torque: 65.4 N·m @8,500 rpm Transmission 6 speed Weight 205 kg/452 lb (dry)
There’s a $9,000 opening bid with no takers as yet and a $10,000 Buy It Now price for this bit of two-stroke history. This example isn’t cosmetically perfect, with a little bit of surface rust here and there on the steel frame, but appears complete and mechanically well cared-for: “tuned by Lance Gamma” certainly adds some value. Although as always, I wish these sellers would include more details about the bike’s history and exactly what “tuned” means: did he adjust the carburetors, or do a performance rebuild of the motor and set up the suspension? Having been under the care of a well-known and regarded tuner is great, but a bit more detail might help the bike sell…
-tad
I hope this bike is not represent current price/condition trends.
$10,000 for a not so tidy after market faired runner.
The only time I feel a “tuned by” statement is a value adder is if the bike is still at the tuner and has not been delivered yet.
Once the bike leaves the tuners shop all bets are off – was the work done last week? Last year? 5 years ago? Was the work extensive, ragged edge tuning or simple rebuild? And if the motor was given the red carpet them why not the rest of the bike?
All the rust makes it look like it has lived outside most of its life. Worth 10 large? Not to me.
Maybe I am just getting old and cranky LOL
This bike looks vaguely familiar. I may have worked on it about a decade ago. I have never been referred to as “Lance Gamma Manufacturer” before. Sound’s impressive, though. I have no recollection as to exactly why this bike may have been in my shop. I note that the fork has a North Carolina inspection sticker which hasn’t been required for about the last 8 years. Inspections, yes. Stickers, no. The seller says Detroit, MI but has an eBay account that originated in Canada. My guess that’s where the bike is now and outdoors at that, judging by the level of corrosion. The expensive stock mirrors are missing. The front fairing group is AirTech, a product of which I am no fan of. The miles are listed as 8700. The speedo reads more than 18,000kms or about 11,000 miles. Still low mileage if accurate. The description is very nondescript.
I agree. Asking price is way too much for a bike that looks like it was not garage kept. Too much corrosion. Looks like a JDM import.
More than likely just an eastern Canadian bike. Doesn’t have to be a Japanese import to rust in the humid air.
Albiet a rough one, and not an RZV, price rediculous, condition fair to less than fair, still better than any “slabbie”…
Be careful with this one.
This is quite interesting. This same bike has been for sale locally on Kijiji for almost a month and the description is very different. In the Kijiji ad is has 87,000 miles and there is no mention of Lance Gamma. I actually inquired about the bike and gave up when I learned more. Read the real story here http://www.kijiji.ca/v-sport-bikes/city-of-toronto/1985-yamaha-v4-rz500/1183116776?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
Thanks for chiming in Rick. Appreciate the insight, as always. It amazes me how little information some of these folks who are trying to sell premium motorcycles include. Anyone shopping for one of these will want to know more than the seller reveals…
Get off my lawn! Seriously though: IF the cosmetic stuff is the only issue and the bike is in mechanically good shape, the price seems appropriate: prices are on the rise and I’ve seen a number for sale recently well north of this. But there’s a ton of questions a buyer’d want answers before plunking down $10k on this particular bike.
Definitely not JDM (frame) but too much corrosion. Looks like a north American bike but has too many aftermarket bits for me to even think its anywhere near what is purported to be.