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Yamaha RZ500/RD500
The road to redemption
March 2022, by Guy 'Guido' Allen
Yamaha's RZ/RD500 V4 two-stroke series is one of those
models that's had a wild old ride across the decades. It
caused huge excitement when first launched back in 1984,
then seemed to disappear without trace, and more recently
has seen a massive revival as a much-desired classic.
Though nominally listed at $4800, which quickly rose to
$5200, by the time the first retail examples arrived in
Australia in the third quarter of 1984 – and it was never
big volumes – they were selling at a significant premium
as buyers clamored to be the first on the block with the
new toy.
And they of course had that most important ingredient: An
identifiable connection to the top Yamaha 500cc Grands
Prix machinery of the day, ridden by the likes of Eddie
Lawson (above). Like the real thing, they were a 500-class
V4.
With a claimed 88 horses (64kW) for a dry weight of 180
kilos, they had serious power for the day in a diminutive
and light package. Not since Honda’s 750-Four, or
Kawasaki’s first-gen Z900, had four exhaust pipes
generated such excitement. And on this bike, they exited
on two decks.
In reality, a well-ridden Kawasaki GPz900R would see off
an RZ in most road situations, thanks to a broader spread
of power and roughly equivalent top end. However the Kwaka
couldn't match the RZ's GP bike 'attitude' and
resultant street cred.
When it came to the fabled Castrol 6-Hour production race of 1984 (see story below), RZ500s – though nothing else quite like them had existed before – were billed to fill a third of the starting grid. And they won.
In a 1984 road test Two Wheels magazine noted:
"Perfection
is
elusive and the RZ does suffer from the odd
sixteen-inch front wheel induced
head shake, but the bike is better than the majority
of current small-wheel
models over rough roads and only a little worse than
the best behaved of the
bunch, the CBX750 and GPz900R. All in all the RZ is a
brilliant handler, an
extremely well-balanced and confidence-inspiring
motorcycle."
However all was not well over the longer-term. As the
bikes wore and maintenance may have been less than
perfect, they showed some handling 'teeth', particularly
over choppy road surfaces. RZ500s earned a reputation for
being flighty, and even downright unstable at times. Tyre
choice and wear was often the culprit when it came to
unruly behavior.
As the machines aged, and the initial glow of ownership
wore off, they also developed a reputation for being a
relatively expensive and complex mechanical package to
refurbish. Whether this is entirely deserved is
questionable.
In truth, the engines have proven to be reasonably
robust, however correct synchronisation of the YPVS
powervalve system, plus correct jetting and a well-sealed
induction system are critical.
Watching from the sidelines, you got the impression that
this and Suzuki's slightly later and arguably
better-sorted RG500 (see our model
profile) were a flash in the pan. The relatively few
examples that were sold here in most cases seemed to end
up languishing under a dust sheet in a corner of the shed,
forgotten, unloved and suspected of being uneconomical to
recommission.
However around a decade ago the mid-eighties strokers
started to experience something of a revival, with the
RZ500 leading the charge. Values climbed from negligible
to mid-teens in relatively short order and, in the last
few years, have risen strongly. Bids in the mid to high
Au$30k range for excellent examples can be expected.
For example, Bring a Trailer in January 2022 sold the RZ500 shown above
for Au$35,000 (US$26,000, GB£20,000). It claimed ultra-low
mileage (40km) and came with both the stock exhausts and
an aftermarket set of expansion chambers.
As a classic buy, it's pretty easy to make a case for
RZ500 ownership. While the power claim may seem very tame
by current standards, they're still an exhilarating ride
and – as recent history has suggested – a good example
should at least hold its value. Plus, they have that
wonderful connection to what turned out to be a golden era
of premium class two-stroke grands prix.
***
See the
contemporary road test from Classic Two Wheels
Also see this very tidy
RZ500 restomod with a greatly improved chassis.
***
The RZV500R
A variant of the RZ/RD theme is this, the domestic model
RZV500R which was an up-spec version that has found
popularity as a grey import.
The chassis is based around a hand-made aluminium frame
rather than the stock steel unit. It boasts air preload
and rebound damping adjustment on the front fork, along
with a temp gauge that doubles as a fuel gauge at the
press of a button.
However they have a down side, which is they're detuned
to 64 versus 80hp to meet what were then local rules.
Deresticting them involved rejetting the carburettors and
removing restrictor plates in the exhausts.
Values seem to be roughly on a par with a standard RZ/RD,
though you will sometimes see a premium being paid. (Pic
from Shannons)
***
Pic: Yamaha News in 1984 celebrating the RZ500's win in the Castrol 6-Hour
Castrol Six-Hour Winner
Once upon a time…or that’s how the story should start, I
guess. There was a fabulous production motorcycle race
called the Castrol 6-Hour, run by the Willoughby Club out
of Sydney. It ran from 1970 through to 1987.
Back in the early days, it was broadcast by the ABC with
enthusiasts such as Will Hagon and John Smailes doing
commentary. This was a major event. It started as an
extraordinary endurance test around Amaroo Park, and then
moved to Oran Park for the final three years.
It became a hugely influential challenge, much like the
(then) Bathurst 500/1000 for cars. The rules were intended
to highlight showroom motorcycles, running street tyres.
Motorcycle manufacturers fought over honours and, for several years, it was as much about the tyres as it was the motorcycles. If Pirelli won, for example, it shouted it from the rooftops and sold shiploads of Phantoms as a result.
In 1984, the field was extraordinary and read like a who’s who of fast riders. Names like Gardner, Phillis, Feeney, Baldwin and Merkel (yep, the Americans), Dowson, Pace, Willing, Campbell, Oldfield, Heyes, Gall, Chivas, Holden, Sayle, Middlemiss…where do you stop?
Three motorcycles dominated the entries: Honda VF1000R, Kawasaki GPz900R and Yamaha RZ500. Eleven of the 30 provisional entries were RZs.
It was the last-minute pairing of Michael Dowson and Richard Scott who won, on an RZ500 backed by then Dunlop importer Emerson Sport. The result was controversial, as Wayne Gardner and John Pace were on the same lap on their VF1000R, but the race was cut short to fit TV commitments.
Both bikes were on vapour when it came to fuel and some felt the Honda might have won if the extra couple of laps had been run.
Who came third? Neil Chivas and Robert Holden on (of all things) a Suzuki Katana 750, four laps down.
(Recommended reading: The Castrol Six Hour Production
Race, authored by Jim Scaysbrook and published by
Rennicks. Motociclo has
them for sale.)
Good
Pukka GP connection
Exciting to ride
Light and flickable
Not so good
Unstable if not properly set
up
Very high fuel consumption
SPECS:
Yamaha RZ500/RD500 (standard)
ENGINE:
TYPE: Liquid-cooled, 50-degree V-four red valve two-stroke
with YPVS (powervalve)
CAPACITY: 499cc
BORE & STROKE: 56.4 x 50mm
COMPRESSION RATIO: 6.6:1
FUEL SYSTEM: 4 x 26mm Mikuni
TRANSMISSION:
TYPE: Six-speed, constant-mesh,
FINAL DRIVE: Chain
CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR:
FRAME TYPE: Perimeter square-section steel
FRONT SUSPENSION: Conventional 37mm telescopic fork,
air-assist, spring preload adjustable, anti-dive
REAR SUSPENSION: Monoshock with spring preload and rebound
damping adjustment
FRONT BRAKE: 267mm discs with two-piston calipers
REAR BRAKE: 245mm disc with two-piston caliper
DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES:
DRY/WET WEIGHT: 180/199kg
SEAT HEIGHT: 780mm
WHEELBASE: 1375mm
FUEL CAPACITY: 22lt
WHEELS & TYRES:
FRONT: Cast aluminium 120/80-16
REAR: Cast aluminium 130/80-18
PERFORMANCE:
POWER: 64kW @ 9500rpm
TORQUE: 68Nm @ 8500rpm
OTHER STUFF:
PRICE NEW: $5200 plus ORC
-------------------------------------------------
Produced by AllMoto abn 61 400 694 722
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