Thoughts: Rough RZ500 project

[Trickniner]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1984-...item416289ec50

I found this while browsing local(ish) listings on ebay. I'm not particularly in the position to buy it, but it caught my attention because as as far as I know these are pretty rare. Which is really why I am posting it so see what some of the more knowledgeable 2-stroke grey market bike guys think. Is a RZ500 in this kind of shape really worth that much? I always thought it would be fun to have a 2-stroke bike to mess around with here and there. I only really thought about RZ350's and such as options but when I saw this it got me curious. This one just seems like it's a lot of money for something that looks like a total headache unless you really know what you're doing.

[tropicoz]

Sounds like too much $$$ for that...but what the hell do I know?

[joeswamp]

That's pretty cool, never seen one of those before. What two stroke street bikes were imported to this country in the 80s other than the RZ350? I vaguely recall that thing had near ridiculous pollution controls to allow them to sell it here.

[Sheppo]

that thing is sweet !

[Rambunctous]

I would let someone else restore it then buy it. I learned from experience that its way cheaper and of course way easier.

[dontpanic]

Waaay too much $ for one that rough.

[jwm2k3]

That bike looks like a total rat. Nevermind price, it needs a full teardown and complete resto. When finished it should be cool! I bet Tyga makes a nice set of bodywork for it too...

[Expat]

I had an option on an RG500 in much better condition than that a couple of months ago for the same price.
On the face of it, it seems like a nice project but if you really look into the cost, the fact is that just a good motor overhaul is going to run into the $000's as many of the parts are hard to obtain these days.
I passed on the RG and wouldn't entertain this unless it had a street title which it appears not to do!