Win a Custom Black Yamaha YZF-R1 + $5,000 Cash

The build: a blacked-out R1 with almost no miles

Arb's Garage is giving away a black Yamaha YZF-R1. The rules call it custom and list it at about 300 miles, so it's nearly new. The R1 needs little introduction. Every R1 since 2009 uses a 998cc inline-four with Yamaha's crossplane crank. Its uneven firing order gives the bike its growl and a torque delivery that feels closer to a big twin than a high-revving four. The electronics come from Yamaha's MotoGP program.

The operator hasn't said what makes this one custom. The giveaway page and the rules give no parts list, no model year and no build sheet. All they state is the black finish and the mileage. Bolt-on parts like an exhaust, levers, a tail tidy or an ECU flash are very different from deeper work. The difference affects how the bike rides and what it's worth.

Why it matters

The R1 is Yamaha's flagship superbike. Europe now gets it only as a track bike, but the US still gets a street-legal version, at $19,199 MSRP for 2026. The rules put the whole prize at an approximate retail value of $27,999. $5,000 of that is cash, so the bike itself is valued at about $22,999. That's roughly $3,800 more than a new stock R1, and the entire difference rests on custom work nobody has itemized. With the model year unpublished, $22,999 is the operator's number, not a market price.

This giveaway, called ARB1, is the shop's first, so there's no record of past winners yet. The rules name Auto Palace Inc. as the sponsor. It's a used-car dealership at 4621 W Broad St in Columbus, Ohio, which is also the address for mail-in entries. The rules name ViralSweep as the platform that handles entries and runs the random drawing.

The fine print worth knowing

The winner needs a license to take the bike. The eligibility section says: “A valid driver's license will be required for the verified winner to receive the motorcycle prize. The winner may also be required to provide proof of insurance before taking possession of the motorcycle.”

There's no cash option for the bike, and it comes as-is. The rules say “No cash alternative for the motorcycle is offered” and “The motorcycle will be awarded AS IS, subject to applicable law.” The Sponsor may substitute a prize of equal or greater value. The winner pays all taxes on the prize, which the rules value at $27,999 including the cash. The winner also pays every cost of registering, transporting, owning and riding the bike.

How entries add up. Purchases earn one entry per eligible dollar. The rules add that “Certain designated Entry Packs or other qualifying offers may include a fixed or enhanced number of entries.” In practice the store sells standard 1X packs, from $15 for 15 entries up to $1,000 for 1,000. Alongside them are limited Super Tickets at 3X to 25X. The top one costs $1,500 for 37,500 entries, or 25 entries per dollar. A mailed card earns “one (1) entry, subject to the same entry multiplier, if any, offered for qualifying purchases on the date the mail-in request is postmarked.” The rules don't say which multiplier applies when 1X packs and 3X–25X Super Tickets are on sale at the same time.

Free entry. Hand-print your full legal name, mailing address, phone number, email address and date of birth on a 3x5 card. Mail it in a #10 envelope to ARB1 Giveaway, 4621 W Broad St, Columbus, OH 43228. It must be postmarked by November 1, 2026 and received by November 6. The drawing is expected about seven days after entries close on November 1.

Who can enter. Legal residents of the 50 states, D.C. and Canada (except Quebec) can enter if they're 18 or older, or the age of majority where they live. The sweepstakes is void in Puerto Rico and US territories. A Canadian winner must answer a math skill-testing question. You can't enter if anyone in your household won a prize from the Sponsor in the previous 12 months. The winner has seven days after notification to respond and complete paperwork. Ohio law governs, and disputes must be resolved individually, not through a class action.