Ex Brian Reid Yamaha 500 V4 F1 Spondon Racer.This machine was built especially for the F1 world championship in 1985, it had taken months of preparation & some £25,000 in funds to get this machine ready in time for the IOM TT races, but going to the TT races in a fishing boat ended in disaster as the boat the Tornamona Lass skippered by Archie Lappin and with Joey & Robert Dunlop as passengers, foundered on rocks and this machine along with some others sank to the bottom of the sea, the machine was brand new and had not even raced yet.
The machine was eventually recovered rebuilt and prepared for the TT races, Brian lapped the circuit at 107.05mph on the first lap of the F1 race but later retired at Hanley’s when the carburetor blew off. The frame is a Spondon beam, the engine was built by Arnie Fletcher and Robin Church from Len Manchester Motorcycles, the engine in 1985 was giving out 150Bhp on the test bench, timing 1mm BTDC, short reach plugs fitted, 280 main jets, 35º squish, piston clearance 2.6 thou. Brian Reid was able to pass a TZ750 Yamaha easy at the UGP. The wheels are special 16" Dymag items, and the exhausts are Len Manchester made,the ignition is Hitachi TZ500, the forks were changed some time during 85 from Spondon to RG500. (This great information was provided by RZatch from the RDRZ500 forum)
For more pics see
Spondon F1 Yamaha RD500
