Mint 1985 RZ with 10 miles

[kobra]

Friend sent me this.

The funny thing about these old bikes is it will still need to be gone through because rubber bits just don't last. But could be a great collector. Looks like the nicest I've seen.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 772213175/

[Darrell]

I remember when the bikes were current. They weren't in high demand then, it was pretty easy to walk in to a dealership and find one. As I recall, there were non-current bikes sitting on the floor the year after they were discontinued. So what would cause a guy to keep one without riding it? Was the original owner so prescient that he knew that one day a small group of enthusiasts would still lust for the bike? I can't imagine buying a sport bike and letting it sit! (I kind of wish I'd let my HD XR-1000 sit instead of racing it, that would have been a good investment, but alas, I digress.)

For whatever the reason, though, there is now a 10 mile RZ sitting in California awaiting a new home. With 10 miles it doesn't qualify as a crate bike, but still....

So I find myself wondering who would buy it. I guess a guy who collects museum quality bikes would consider it. But if I buy a bike, I want to ride it!!!! And it wouldn't make sense for me to buy an old 10-mile bike and then take it right out and put miles on it. I would think that anyone who pays a premium for such low miles is going to let it sit. Which seems a shame since the bikes are so much fun to ride.

[JonW]

Chips n wear on the bar caps and the ind pinch bolt is upside down... im saying its not really a 10 mile bike.

not enough close up pics to find more issues, but i reckon there will be lots.

[Questo vecchio rz]

Yeah that's pretty nice... Got to say.
I agree with the above, I think that is possibly the nicest original condition RZ I have seen in almost 25 years.
Yeah we look at that is expensive but when you consider a brand new sport bike 600 from Honda Suzuki Kawasaki or Yamaha is roughly 12k.
So me being age that I am... I have zero interest in the performance capabilities of a new 600, and if I want to relive my youth .... Outside of a 20 year old clone of our girlfriends or wives in 1985 ...then the next best thing is a Red/White 1985 RZ350 could do...... it's a no-brainer.

( Not that I would) but the only reason I would not buy it is it does not have that Kenny Roberts graphics.... That would be as important as the bike to me.

[waltmil]

All I would want from that bike is the painted parts, fairing, tank, belly, side panels and tail.

[(F5)]

Pull the engine out. Maybe scavenge the loom. Project bike!

[brrrappp]

Interesting post.
I have a 1988 jet-ski hanging from the rafters in my garage. Shortly after buying it the State outlawed the single rider jet-ski on most of the lakes around here. I wasn't willing to sell it for the few hundred bucks people at the time were offering. So.....there you are, one example of a 30 something year old machine with low miles sitting unused for spite.
Back in 1994 a customer of mine traded in a 1978 RD250 with about 20 miles on it. His wife dropped it while trying to learn to ride- she gave up trying to learn and the bike sat for almost 15 years in his garage.
Up until a few years ago, a car dealer I know of had a 1978 Corvette Pace Car Edition on his Sales floor with 58 miles, window sticker still stuck to the glass.
just saying, these things happen from time to time. It would be interesting to see if the seller has the original Title, Sales receipt, etc to verify.

[Yellow and Black RZ]

What a waste. Should have been flung down the street a myriad of times by now.

[madgoat]

The seller has 1983/1984 as the year listed in the body of the ad...

Hmmm....


And 1984 in the title elsewhere.

Obviously does not know what he has.

It is a California edition 1985 1/2 year model.

[madgoat]

Bike is SOLD.

It was all original and legit. Down to the OEM tires.

The seller got it from a friend who had it saved from a family dealership. Knowing 2 strokes were being banned, they stashed this last year California only model away. Well, 34 years later it quadrupled in value. I think for the price it was a STEAL.

Be sick to see it flipped for $15k to $18k at auction. Deserved to go to a true enthusiast.

Still had the Certificate of Origin from Yamaha as it was never even titled.

If it was a yellow one, it would have sold for close to $20k all day I believe.

[Evans Ward]

Waste of a good bike. Will never be anything more than static art as one would have to go through the motor, change tires, etc IF they wanted to use it as intended. I fault the likes of Barrett Jackson and Mecum for the current culture and inflated perceived values. Just my opinion.

[brrrappp]

If I had deeeeeep pockets........
I like to ride my RZ350 but I get a certain satisfaction just knowing I have one of the last 2-strokes in the USA. I sometimes find myself staring at the thing in the same way that I watch the twenty-something bronzed beauty that jogs past my house every few days in the summer.
So, yeah, I'd buy that bike, park it in the living room and be happy staring at it all winter.

[silverstrom]

I think for the price it was a STEAL.

If it was a yellow one, it would have sold for close to $20k all day I believe.

I think people are seriously overvaluing the RZ350.

[JonW]

Its the new 500 John... lol

I reckon it was dropped on the left side at some point in its life, hence the upside down indicator bolt which was lazy mechanical ability for sure as you only need to lift your head over to see what the other side looks like when fitted. The chips where a key ring have knocked the thick paint off the bar clamp to me say this has more than 10miles on it. Dont get me wrong its still a nice bike, but its not like its just came out of a crate etc.

[madgoat]

It has sat for decades as it is. Has 10 original miles. Those thinking otherwise are just guessing.

Amateurs put it together as it was stashed in the crate by a family member of the dealership owner -- so a bolt or two installed incorrectly is to be expected.

The bike has not run since 1987 or so. Been in storage ever since.

And the last two top sales at auction for uber low mile RZ350s were $14k to $17k.

Someone stole this rolling art. The last of the last 2 strokes being a 1985 and a 1/2 California edition. I know of one or two other RZs still in the crate in the US. And those owners have been offered over $20K for them but won't sell them. They both are the more desirable yellow ones though.