Upping the arms race: 1985 Yamaha FZ750

This entry has been published on December 13, 2010 and links to eBay may have been updated to point to similar bikes of interest.

For sale: 1985 Yamaha FZ FZ750

The 1980s were a wild time of experimentation for the Big Four. From different engine configurations to Turbos to suspension and wheel sizes, all of the Japanese manufacturers raced to leapfrog the other in terms of technology and performance. These were heady times for the sportbike world, as we moved from air cooled motors to liquid cooled, two valves per cylinder to four, and twin-shock swingarms to single-shock configurations.

Yamaha’s salvo for 1985 was the FZ750. Powered by a revolutionary “Genesis” motor, the FZ featured 5 valves per cylinder (3 intake, 2 exhaust), an alternator stacked above the transmission to narrow the profile, and cylinders laid down at a major angle to aid in weight distribution and provide a straighter shot from the 36 mm Mikuni carbs into the cylinder head. In period fashion, a GP-inspired 16-inch front wheel was fitted, which quickened the steering over larger hoops of the day.

From the seller:
1985 YAMAHA FZ750 VIN NUMBER JYA1AE003FA000782 . 15964 ACTUAL MILES. IN GGOD SHAPE FOR THE YEAR. NEW BRAKES AND FRONT ROTORS. CARB WERE JUST CLEANED NEW FRONT FORK SEALS. REBUILT CLUTCH AND BRAKE MASTER CYCLIDER. NEW VANCE AND HINES 4 IN TO 1 EXHAUST. NEW CHAIN.

How does it work? All of this technology was enough to help Eddie Lawson win the 1985 Daytona 200, and magazines of the period raved about the FZ’s performance. If you missed your chance to buy one new, here is a very clean example just waiting for you. The auction is at a very reasonable price at the time of this post, and you can .