Buy KR Jr's 1996 Yamaha YZR500 OWJ1

John Burns
by John Burns

Looking for a safe haven for a few hundred thou? Who isn’t. We’ve found it: Kenny Roberts Jr’s last Yamaha 500cc GP bike, the one he rode just before switching to Modenas in 2007. They’re not making any more of these, and they don’t come on the market very often.

In the video, the 499cc two-stroke V-four fires right up and sounds great. Yamaha said it was good for 177 horsepower, which should be enough for casual trackday use. Heck, why not a little vintage racing? Mileage is unknown, as there is no odometer. No ABS, no steenkin’ traction control… There are a few rough edges and some patina, but all that may only add to the value of the investment. Best hurry over to Iconic Motorcycles, where there’re a lot more pics and info on the bike. Current bid is only $200,000. The auction ends Friday at 2 pm.

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John Burns
John Burns

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