Yamaha RZ500

The Yamaha RZ500, or RD500LC depending on where you live, was about as close to a street legal Grand Prix bike as you could get. In 1984 Yamaha released the RZ500 in Canada/Australia and the RD500LC in Europe. The RZ was a liquid cooled 500cc two stroke v four. It was an evolution of the two cylinder RZ350LC which had been popular in Japan and Europe. The two stroke engine made the bike compact and lightweight. Being a two stroke the RZ made a lot of power (about 88hp) for its engine size (500cc). Despite its impressive power and lightweight the RZ did not have a long life. Two strokes were a thing of the past and people were buying bikes like the Honda Interceptor.

In the United States the EPA frowned upon two stroke motorcycles, thus the RZ500 was never available in the US. In Japan Yamaha offered an upgraded version called the RZV500R. The RZV featured an aluminum frame an other various changes, the RZV was only available in small numbers. The RZ500 was one of the last two stroke street bikes. Yamaha had long been known for its RD350/400, but times were changing and the days of two cycle bikes were numbered.

Family Tree
1984-1986 RZ500/RD500LC
1984-1986? RZV500R?