$5000 Canadian for 3 RZ350? A good deal?

HolyRoller

HolyRoller

Been Around the Block
So I have a new friend. He loves strokers. He has 12 of them. Suzuki's (RGVs), Yamahas (RZs, RDs, TZRs)... and he will sell me 2 identical '85 RZ350Rs (not assembled but all parts there) and a '90 RZ350 (complete but fairings off) for about 5K.

Good deal?

He is a restorer of these bikes and incredibly knowledgeable. He also knows my goal would be 3 complete RZs. I love them, and had a brand new '89 stolen from me in '91. Very sad. The '90 he has is the identical Blue and Yellow that I had (different VIN!)

The two '85s are in very very good condition, tanks are dent free, they have full fairings included, all parts and he will help me where I need it. He only lives ten minutes from me.

Any thoughts? 5K is a lot for older bikes, but RZs were never ordinary bikes. I suspect I could restore one '85 and sell it for much of what I have paid for all three. If I buy it, I will never part with the '90 as I have been looking for a good one since mine was stolen. The '90 has about 15K on the odometer.

What are these bikes worth restored?
 
He also has a good friend (his paint guy) who is selling a completely rebuilt, restored, full fairing '86 RZ. It is totally immaculate. He didn't tell me the price of that one yet!
 
For shit sake if you have $1650 in each and average $2500 no labor inc. to get them together you still have 3 bikes valued at $4500 low end and 5K all day if allowed the time to market. I would give you $7500 if you give me 15K in say... up to 2 years... NO?
 
Guess it depends on what you want to spend. Titles are a plus. Personally, it'd be hard to justify spending that kind of coin on two basket cases. What's the one together worth?
 
Well to be fair, they aren't basket cases. The two '85s are all ready to reassemble. The parts are in good condition. For me, a basket case has the image a bike torn apart and abandoned for someone else to deal with. The two '85s are mid-restoration and look great. The owner is eyeing up either an RZ500 or RGV and I think is looking for cash. Seeing his shop made me salivate. 2 strokes wall to wall.

In fact, I had never even heard of a TZR250 before seeing the one in his shop. Nice bike.

Hey, Tune... I guess that math makes sense but its not the norm for me to drop 5K on bikes. I usually go the route of buying old cheap heaps that nickel and dime me to death. I pay the 5K the long way around!
 
J-Rod, the one that is together looks like this... and its value is moot as I will never part with it if I buy it. The blue and yellow RZ is my dream bike and I was heartbroken when it was stolen from me. Mine has 3100 kms on it when stolen and it would FLY. Interestingly enough I was 16 years old when I bought it and didn't really appreciate its true worth.... in part because I had been ripping around on a CR500 and so I knew was absurd powerband felt like.

My CR had a left-hand kickstart that was a biatch to start. It would climb trees though and would leave a 4 foot high rooster tail when gunning it on a dirt/gravel road. I was too young to realize how dangerous it was and I had grown up on RM250s and Suzuki DS's. Ah, the memories.
 
Sorry forgot the picture...
 

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I get that it's tough to pull the trigger on a 5 grand purchase, but it'll be worth it for sure. :)
 
I just picked up a 83 rd350lc2 for 150.. In basket..unknown engine condition..lots of missing bolts and in rough shape.

why dont you just buy one? if youre looking for profit..settle for less.
 
If everything including the seller is in fact as you describe, I would buy them even if I didn't want them. At the current rate of appreciation it is a no brainer. By the time you get the second one running, you will be astonished how much more expensive the third one is going to be compared to the first, and will have no doubts.
 
In good running condition you could damn near make your money back selling ONE to a buyer in the States.
 
HolyRoller said:
Seeing his shop made me salivate. 2 strokes wall to wall.

Hey, Tune... I guess that math makes sense but its not the norm for me to drop 5K on bikes. I usually go the route of buying old cheap heaps that nickel and dime me to death. I pay the 5K the long way around!
Click to expand...

If you are passing on this, would you mind sending him the pics of my GT550 and see if he wants one ;D
 
I'd buy them - good deal. If you get 3 complete bikes out of the deal, then it's worth it. But remember, you'll still need to soak some cash into them. Old bikes come with a hidden price tag. If you build a good bike out of them and lose interest in the others, you can always part them out or try a hybrid.

26f43108cb4dbc2c4948e782464889b0.jpg


Go for it. Relive the dream.

Are you in Canada? If so, where about?
 
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