1-25-26 Update: Nick was able to track down a 2016 article in Cycle World that gives more of the history, you can read it here!
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Please Note: This is part of the Ienatsch Collection.
Upon its introduction in 1985, Yamaha’s FZ immediately took the 750cc sportbike crown – MCN says it was “as fast as a Kawasaki GPZ900R” and called it “a wonderful piece of engineering.”
The main advancements were found in the Genesis engine, which featured 5 valves per cylinder and wowed just about everyone. Cycle magazine said “It’s hard to conceive of this level of power from an over-the-counter 750 engine…yet the FZ delivers the goods so eagerly it makes other 750s seem as if they belong in a race for freight elevators.” The motor was rated at 106 horsepower at 10,500 rpm, enough to get a top speed near 150 miles per hour.
From Nick Ienatsch himself:
“If you were riding bikes in 1985, this FZ750 was a bomb blast. Europe had the GSX-R750 that year, but this 750 was the trickest thing coming to America. And it got me and Mitch Boehm (also an Associate editor at Motorcyclist magazine) in big trouble! The bike arrived (literally the first one in America) at the MC offices and went into the studio for pics right away, as usual. Mitch and I not only worked together but rented rooms in the same house, so we would work all week and ride all weekend. We decided to take the FZ750 from the studio to our house so we could “begin our roadtesting”. The bike was so f’n amazing that we rode it all day Saturday and all day Sunday. It was a revelation. So small. Light. Smooth. On rails. We couldn’t believe it. Monday comes and Editor Art Friedman blows a gasket because the tires are completely worn out! The bike was due for track testing on Wednesday and the Willow Springs dates had to be delayed until new (at the time hard to get) tires got to Yamaha.”
“Flash forward to me meeting Pete Bacarossa through bike crazy Chip Spalding. Pete has one of the most amazing bike collections you will ever see, and he is uniquely interested in allowing others to ride his bikes. He once arrived at YCRS with a trailer full of pedigreed Superbikes and MotoGP one offs, insisting that all the instructors ride whatever they’d like. I learned that Pete had this perfect 1985 FZ750. This was around the year 2010? It was mothballed but Pete’s gang got it running and I brought it home to Colorado. Rode it all over the place and was once again blown away by how good this bike is! It is one of the smoothest running bike’s I’ve been on, and still handles impressively when compared against modern stuff. This bike has a Fox shock, an Eddie Lawson sticker on the front fender (he won the Daytona 200 on an ’86 FZ750) and a small aero-wing on the rear cowl…yeah, I added that because…well…it was just sitting in my toolbox! The bike was correctly mothballed and then displayed in my house and shop over the last four years. It should be a pretty quick rejuvenation. Battery, check the carb needles, oil change…and it should fire and be rolling once again. Oh, tires too.”
Manufactured in February of 1985, this example is VIN: JYA1AE009FA000608.
The odometer shows 11,907 miles.
Maintenance:
In preparation for the listing, the seller had us perform a safety inspection and flush the hydraulic fluids. Our service department notes the following on their condition report:
Gas Tank Internal Condition: Tank Liner is starting to fail
Engine Oil Level: Ok
Engine Oil Quality: Ok
2T Oil Level: N/A
Coolant Level: Ok
Coolant Quality: Ok
Front Hydraulic Fluid Level: Ok
Front Hydraulic Fluid Quality: New
Rear Hydraulic Fluid Level: Ok
Rear Hydraulic Fluid Quality: New
Clutch Hydraulic Fluid Level: Ok
Clutch Hydraulic Fluid Quality: New
Final Drive Condition: Ok
Headlight High Beam: Ok
Headlight Low Beam: Ok
Passing Light: Ok
Parking Light: Ok
Turn Signals: Ok
Tail Light: Ok
Brake Light (Front Switch): Ok
Brake Light (Rear Switch): Ok
Plate Light: Ok
Horn: Ok
Kill Switch: Ok
Brake Pad % Remaining Front: 80%
Brake Pad % Remaining Rear: 90%
Forks: Ok
Shock/s: Ok
Tire Date Code Front: 2701
Tire Date Code Rear: 1604
Tire % Remaining Front: 80%
Tire % Remaining Rear: 90%
Tire Press. Front: 23PSI
Tire Press. Rear: 19PSI
Battery Standing Voltage: No Battery Present
Charging Voltage @ 4k RPM: N/A
Running Condition: Crank No Start on Jumper
Test Ride Completed: No
Test Ride Distance: N/A
Notes:
-Fuel tank has previously done liner but appears to be failing and coming off of the walls of the inside of the tank
-Carbs are leaking fuel and are going to need to be rebuilt
-Bike has a cracked tail panel on RH side
Recommendations:
-Tank will have to be removed and sent to have original liner chemically removed and then professionally relined (Long Lead Time)
-Carbs 4 service and drain old gas out of tank
-Front and Rear Tires
-Battery
Modifications:
Fox shock.
Zero Gravity windscreen.
Inside of the tank:
It is riding on Bridgestone Battlax BT45F and Spitfire 11R tires with date codes of 2701 and 1604.
The sale includes one key.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album in the “Photos” tab for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
Currently located in Panorama City, California, (please make an appointment for an inspection) this Yamaha is offered on a clean Colorado title.
Have any FZ750 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
