1985 Yamaha RZ 500 with 17 miles for sale on ebay
Wow…just wow. Here is a 1985 Yamaha RZ500 with just 17 miles on it, located in Monterey California. As posted previously on RSBFS, back in the early 1980’s sport bikes were just starting to become a major market segment and Yamaha decided to go into the market with an all-out performance machine. The result (after several years of development) was the 1984 Yamaha RD500LC, also known as the RZ500. The Yamaha RZ500 was powered by a 499-cc “vee” four two-stroke and was one of the first opportunities for everyday riders to own and ride something with basically the same equipment and power as professional racers.
Some of the pics on this bike are a bit odd, they almost look like they were cropped out a magazine on some of them. I love the rear end with the Alice’s Restaurant plate holder but I am not sure if the bodywork is aftermarket. The majority of the bike looks right, including the expansion chamber/exhausts and wheels but I am not an expert on these so comments about anything that looks out of place would be welcome.
To me this bike looks like something that was just taken out of its crate but the seller indicates it was in a garage. Here is what the seller has to say:
- I recently found this bike sitting in a garage covered up.
- The owner bought the bike new but after he took it for a short ride he parked it covered it up and never drove it again. He told me it scared him so never tried again.
- The bike has less then 20 miles on it.
- I changed all the fluids ,new battery, spark plugs, fuel lines, updated cdi, new back tire.
- Clear California title in hand
The Buy-It-Now price for this bike is an eye-popping 28,000 USD which is far above the11-16k average price we have seen these going for on RSBFS. The seller seems to be pricing it as if it was a ‘still-in-the-crate” bike. While its not technically an in-the-crate bike, we will likely not see a YZ500 in this condition again for quite a while. Personally I think the price for this will end up somewhere above the average range we have seen on RSBFS but below the Buy-It-Now.
-Marty/Dallaslavowner
The owner has lowered the BIN price to $21,000.
This looks to be a Canadian model, since European and Australian versions were designated RD 500. Domestic JP models were RZV with aluminum frames and different mirrors, among a host of other subtle changes. I’ve never seen Lucky Strike livery on one, could have been dealer applied. Whether this bike does or does not have a crate takes away nothing from its basically “New” condition. The price will be whatever a collector is willing to pay, since someone looking to ride one of these will be much better off looking for an example with some miles on it. Accordingly, investors or collectors will see this bike in this state as only getting more valuable if the mileage remains the same. If low-mile Suzuki Gamma RG 500s are topping $30k, this shouldn’t be too far behind. It is an obvious “steal” at $21k. I have an ’85 RZV 500R (JP spec) with only one (1) mile on it, so my interest is obvious, despite the fact it was never my intention when I obtained it to ever sell it. Machines like this will not be built again and preserving the few that remain in this condition should be paramount.
I saw this one as a Craigslist ad in October 2014. I requested better photos and other than the side view and close up of the Luck Strike stickers, none where forth coming.
The back story of this bike has apparently changed as well.
When I looked at it is was a “Team Roberts Race Bike” – now its a low-miler parked bike?
Buyer beware!
Thanks for the update, RC45! Given your comments I certainly would endorse your “caveat emptor” position! If buyers are going to invest this level of money in a bike they should leave no stone unturned in their effort to learn everything they can. Rare bikes are jewels! Fakes are a disgusting attempt at scammers trying to take advantage of good people! By your comments, this bike is definitely suspicious!
****Text from original Craigs list:****
“http://monterey.craigslist.org/mcy/4739702269.html
Now selling my 1985 RZ 500 by Yamaha ran by team Roberts raceing. This is in flawless condition with all aluminum frame and many up grades it is street legal with clean title I have two magazines with pics and articles of this exact bike winning races by lucky strike team Roberts I’m asking $23.500.00 ”
*******
****Actual reply from seller to post on the RZ500 forums:****
“Hi i have to apoligize to everyone im the owner of this bike i listed it before i checked it all out for myself. The bike has been sitting in a garage since 1986 covered i bought the bike and went on what i was told that it was aluiminum frame and it is not. However from what i have been told and searched this was a.bike owned by team roberts It had no gages or lights on it they was added to be street legal. I deleted the ad and im waiting for prior owner history check to come back to see if it was owned for.sure by team roberts i do apoligize i was not trying to scam anyone i wilk relist the bike once i prove if or if not was a roberts bike thanks Dave”
**********
http://www.rzrd500.com/500phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12973
If the clocks and lights where added back how can it be claimed only 17 miles with any certainty??
I am ALWAYS suspicious of low mileage cable speedo bikes – ALWAYS!!!
I remember often seeing bikes back in the 80’s running without a speedo cable to “save the miles”. Very easy to do.
I have a problem with the “I’m the owner and I listed it before I checked it out myself.”
This statement screams, ” I am not a motorcyclist or an enthusiast. I don’t know diddly about RZ500s”.
The idea that this bike would have anything to do with a real MotoGP bike is also not credible. RZ 500s and Yamaha 500cc factory race machines are , to coin a phrase, “same but not same, same.”
This guy may be a prince from Nigeria, if you catch my drift.
I am still waiting for info on the magazines with the articles. Good thing I didn’t hold my breath 🙂
And per the new eBay add… WTF is an “updated CDI?” By the VIN it is a 52X Canadian only model with the “latest CDI” any way. And what good is a “updated CDI” on a 2 stroke without jetting and exhaust changes? Which all require rolling road dyno tuning.
This bike stinks to high heaven and back without some of the earliest claims being backed up.
you are right Rc45 its total bullshit . as it was said on the 500 forum
lack of pictures . wrong frame in 1st ad
its a 52X Canadian Rz500 . with luckey strike farings .
the miles are another bull shit i can assure you now
the owner needs to prove us all wrong . 50 pictures and all the history then it may be called legit
The pictures are not current and somewhat hodgepodge’d together. The one cropped photo is especially strange. A fresh set of quality photos with proof of date (a newspaper or some such) would be reassuring. He doesn’t know anything about the bike and is doing his best to create a narrative. The only indication of 17 miles is his comment in the ad. No photo of the speedo is weird. The bike is far from the condition it left the factory in. Changes include some cool stuff, just totally contrary to his claim of low mileage originality. The Kitaco fiberglass tail is sweet and rare. The chambers are a nice set of NLA Tommy Crawford’s (in my opinion the best pipes made for the RZ5 and the same as on my personal bike). The paint is aftermarket and not associated with the Yamaha factory or the Canada Yamaha distributor (or Team Roberts, for that matter). The Lucky Strike matching tank is for sale elsewhere. No idea why the tank was swapped for the stock paint one in his ad other than potential rust issues or paint flaking. The plate makes me wonder if someone had a big bore project in mind for this machine. Is the motor even original? Everything else on the bike was changed so why not the motor? Pictures without bodywork would be informative. The ad copy tells a story passed on by a previous unnamed owner stating the bike ran at one time. No other comments on whether or not it runs now. The bike has the potential to become a nicely modified RZ5 but plan on spending time and money after the sale.
When he first tried to sell the bike he said there was no speedometer. Now he says it has 17 miles on the speedometer. Well, at least on this speedometer. Maybe he’ll be able to find one with less on it. And why do we not see the speedometer. It is an actual RZ500 speedometer. Does it really have 17 or is it 17,000. He knows nothing about this particular bike and nothing about an RZ500. First it was a Team Roberts bike and now it’s a fresh barn find. He’s just trying to unload the bike for as much as possible before he gets stuck with it. Looks at the pics and notice a few odd things for an as new bike with just 17 miles. Wrong front signals, forks raised in the triple clamps, repositioned kick lever, no rear pegs, aftermarket pipes, and the wear on the VIN tag is excessive for a 17 mile bike. Look really close and you’ll see the date on the CA plate tag. Enhanced here that photo sure looks like is say 96. He said it was parked since 86. Check his bids on eBay and you’ll see someone with a feedback score of zero bidding on the bike. The seller also has a feedback score of zero. This is an attempted scam and many of us have seen it before. He is now in the process of swapping gas tanks. He’s installing the Lucky Strike gas tank that he was selling separately. I couldn’t stop myself and asked why it wasn’t on the bike and he said he didn’t realize the Lucky Strike tank matched the Lucky Strike paint. That speaks volumes as to the seller’s knowledge and intent. Buy it cheap, lie about it, flip it and disappear. Use extreme caution with this one. It will end badly for someone.
Note also that it has new bar grips. Did they got worn out doing that 17 mile ride?
Buy It now is $16,000 with 139 watchers. This is going to be interesting. There are probably more people watching this sale than there are RZ500 owners in the USA. LOL.
I want to know the magazine titles and issues of the articles.
I have been asking for these since October 2014.
When I originally phoned the guy he implied he was Law Enforcement – if so, the scam is even more shocking. if not, then why even imply it?
and now its lowered to 16k
I also notice that his ebay feedback score = 0 with no transactions and membership only since last november…
Yes, this is a complete fabrication. I own two of these (Australian delivered bikes). This is non-JDM and non-Australian delivery – so Canada sounds right. A lot of these were plated around 11/84 so it looks like a genuine plate. It’s easy to get new speedometers for these showing zero miles – then put a few on! The bodywork and paint scheme are completely wrong. If you want to see what a real original one looks like, I have one of mine for sale on eBay Australia. I won’t try to post a link on here – don’t know how anyway – but not hard to Google up. Cheers Brian
Hey Brian, I was looking at your RGV, how about a straight swap , The rgv and the RZ for the RR?
Regards
Darren
Western Australia.
BIN is now gone, current price is a $12,099 bid from zer feedback score buyer.
Zero feedback score seller deserves a zero feedback score seller I guess.
Member Id: a***a( 0 ) New eBay Member (less than 30 days) US $12,099.00 Feb-15-15 02:26:39 PST
Member Id: i***y( 282Feedback score is 100 to 499) US $11,999.00 Feb-13-15 04:44:45 PST
Member Id: v***s( 0 ) New eBay Member (less than 30 days) US $11,900.00 Feb-13-15 05:08:04 PST
Member Id: i***y( 282Feedback score is 100 to 499) US $9,000.00 Feb-09-15 12:12:00 PST
Member Id: e***s( 3 ) US $6,966.00 Feb-11-15 21:51:41 PST
Member Id: e***s( 3 ) US $6,666.00 Feb-11-15 21:51:29 PST
Member Id: e***s( 3 ) US $5,555.00 Feb-11-15 21:51:23 PST
Member Id: g***3( 841Feedback score is 500 to 999) US $4,888.88 Feb-11-15 12:12:33 PST
Member Id: g***3( 841Feedback score is 500 to 999) US $4,577.77 Feb-11-15 12:11:51 PST
Member Id: f***e( 383Feedback score is 100 to 499) US $4,100.00 Feb-10-15 09:16:52 PST
Starting Price US $4,000.00 Feb-08-15 22:43:19 PST
I’ve been a pretty savey horse trader most of my life aside from the odd impulse buys here and there. There is no doubt this listing is full of red flags. I wouldn’t buy a can of chain lube from this guy.
Sold for $12,099.00 at 11:43pm? Re-listed at 1:15am? Wow.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Other-/161603256951?vxp=mtr
The next stop on this train wreck of a sale. The seller visited the RZ500 forum with this revelation:
http://www.rzrd500.com/500phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12973
“To anyone and to all. Ill tell you like this i dont know anything at all about these bikes really except what i read . yes to many contraditions. Well first i was told it was at one point a roberts bike that comi g from the guy i got it from. Is it really ? How the hell do i know someone in this site probally knows if it did or didnt since you all know or seem to k ow these bikes and the history. Im not trying screww no one just saying what i was told i spent last several months having the bike gone over so it was in top running shape and tryed to contact team roberts. No luck. Then i receved a email telling me that the bike was never a roberts bike and i should let my buyers k ow so i did then i have cpl legit bids and i get some jerk bumps the bid up so higb and fast the real bid backed out thought i was doing it. Then the guy bids and wins and its a scam which makes me this you in australia who contacted me saying if guy dont pay let you know was probally your doing well what i do know is what i did to the bike and what ive read the bikes go from 11000 to 16000 and ones that did have some issues you dont want to buy the bike no problem stop tryi g make out like im screwing some one. I dont. Care if it dont sell ill sit on it another 10 years be worth 25 grand maybe.. Im just a lucky s.o.b who was at the right place at right time and met someone who sold me this beautiful bike for $500.00 thats right $500.00 i put a grand into it getti g it running and all no one on here will find a deal like that i had no idea when i got it what a rare and exspensive bike i just got i dont need to really sell it. And for you aussy gjy dont botber me again i hate two face people i wouldnt sel u the bike now for 50 grand have nice day”
This deal smells, I dont believe any of it.