US Import: 1985 YAMAHA RZ 500

For Sale: 1985 YAMAHA RZ 500

From the great state of Ohio comes this interesting RZ500. Yes, it only takes one quick glance to realize that the painwork is not stock. Glass half empty folks might worry that this could indicate something is lurking underneath the new skins. Glass half full folks might see it as an opportunity for a nifty new paint job like this one. Either way, the bike looks to be solid and presentable. Besides: it smokes like a chimney and rattles and pops like Hell’s own popcorn maker. What’s not to love?

With a speedo calibrated in kilometers and showing approximately 22,000 miles, this bike is an import that has some decent mileage on it. That really attests to the rideability of these fabulous 500cc V-4 two strokes. There is no real information as to the status of the engine (if it had a rebuild recently, etc), but top-end rebuilds are not terrible on these models, and far cheaper than a similar performance four stroke.

This has got to be one of the best shots in all of motorcycling. I love the look of the tail section on these bikes, and with the four pipes sticking out shotgun style I can practically hear the staccato of each cylinder in turn. Is that castor oil that I smell? Imagine the 16-inch front wheel skimming the pavement, the tach swinging above 7 grand as the bike comes on the pipe.

From the seller:
1985 YAMAHA RZ500 – WE BOUGHT THIS BIKE SEVEN YEARS AGO DRAINED THE FUEL AND HAVE HAD IT IN CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE SINCE THEN. THE FARING, SEAT AND FRAME APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PAINTED BUT DOES NOT HAVE ANY OF THE GRAPHICS. OVERALL CONDITION IS GOOD AND DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE EVER BEEN DOWN. WE RODE THE BIKE WHEN WE BOUGHT IT AND IT HAD NO PROBLEMS. WE DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT THESE BIKES AND DO NOT KNOW THE HISTORY OF THE BIKE, SEND QUESTIONS AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO ANSWER THEM.

So here we have a rare and very desirable bike not normally available in the US. We have a willing seller who does not know a lot about the bike, but is open to answering questions as best he can. We have an auction underway, and moderate interest thus far. If you are looking for that next great project, this might just be it!

This auction is on right now, and bidding is only in the $3,100 range with a reserve still in place. RZ500s have gone for as much as $15,000 – $20,000 in perfect condition, with average units moving for approximately half that number or less. For more information and your chance to own this retro-rocket popcorn machine, click the link and jump over to the auction. Good luck!

MI