Hi all, kinda slow over the holidays so I thought I would post the listing for my near-NOS 1st shipment Yamaha TZ750! Paid way too much for it 12 years ago, and have kept it under lock, key, and cover ever since:
Warren's 1974 TZ750A at Mecum (https://www.mecum.com/lots/1102561/1974-yamaha-tz750/?aa_id=520006-0)
During it's one day use, it was given the ultimate 'test ride,' being ridden a total of maybe 100 miles at the 1974 TZ750 Inaugural Event, Daytona Speed-Week 1974!
The bike was serviced as unpacked from the dealer crate, and raced in basically 100% stock trim, then immediately returned to Island Yamaha in Florida (just down the street from the Daytona Speedway), and never started of ridden again. For what ever reason, the rider was done with the bike, and it was returned before any paperwork/ownership paperwork was filed, and to this day remains on the original Dealer MSO.
I purchased the bike exactly as you see it in the pictures in 2011, in a private sale - the bike has never been advertised on the open market until entry in the 2024 Mecum auction. This is the 1st time after the race anyone has seen the bike beyond personal showings over the years.
Condition is impeccable, having been carefully stored basically untouched for the last 50 years. You are seeing what the mechanic who pushed it out of the crate 50 tears ago saw.
During the race, the rear tire failed (many did-big problem in '74), and now has an unridden period-correct Dunlop KR124A race tire; unfortunately the original was discarded. The front tire is original as-raced; the rubber tits are still visible. Estimated total mileage on the bike is less than 100 miles: 20 miles practice, and the prescribed 75 mile-long JUNIOR event. No crashes, and barely any indication it was ever ridden.
As per the Yamaha maintenance manual, the post-race motor was torn down, carefully inspected, and deemed in excellent original condition with ony a couple gaskets replaced - the motor was put back together with all the original internals.
This is the closest to an NOS/OEM TZ750A as there is. The currently owned by a lifelong TZ owner, racer and dedicated enthusiast, who started racing Flat-track in 1969, and progressed to road racing in the 1970's. This is far from the first TZ750 owned, with a lifelong history racing and building all the vintage classic TZ/Yamaha production racers from the earliest RR250's, TD1's, and TZs. This isn't some clapped-out old racer that has been cosmetically restored, but the finest example of a proudly owned and much loved A ... sad to see it go,
Anyone from the Phoenix area want to go to the auction? I have a Guest Pass I could share.
Happy Holidays,
Warren
I've seen this motorcycle. When Warren lived in Arkansas and I went to visit and meet him for the first time. This is/was just one of the many very cool motorcycles he had at the time.
:cheerleader: :bacon: Wow, really nice Warren
Bummer I won't be out there this year for the auction. I had kind of planned to go but it's not going to make it on my travel/events calendar for '24.
A work of art.
Beautiful :thumbs:
But like most true works of art, out of my price range :'(
:drool: