Built by blending the YZ250 and YZ490, the WR500 was a rare offering that was best served as a trail bike that could mix it up on the race track every once in a while.
For more information, check out this profile on Motocross Action Magazine. The author, Jody Weisel, starts it off by saying: “Today, 500cc two-stroke motocross bikes are looked back on, mostly by people who never raced them in anger, with rose-colored glasses. That rosy vision is clouded by a veil of gauze. The 500’s aura wasn’t based on brand participation, fan approval or a strong following of local 500 racers. What gave the 500s the aura that surrounds them today was their exclusivity. What exclusivity? Of all the men who have ever raced 500cc two-strokes, only a few ever rode them to 85 percent of their potential, which paradoxically means the 500cc two-strokes were popular because so few could ride them. It was a man’s machine. The 125 class was for schoolboys. The 250 class was for paperboys. And the 500 class was for men.”
The seller of this example says that it’s fantastic condition and it’s ready to ride with fresh tires, new linkage and swingarm bearings, and a Pro Circuit pipes. “Fresh plastics and graphics but it’s mostly original. Even has the factory air scoop.”
Find this WR500 for sale in Manchester, Connecticut for $5,750 here on Facebook Marketplace.