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1981 XT500
- Thread starter Sparkle
- Start date
joker650
Active member
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That was my first new bike. 1979 , at 14yo I was the only one I knew that could start it...even dad couldn't.
That bike rocked, longest wheelie I ever did on it was about 4km's, passed cars and round corners. Even got the wheelie contest trophy at a fun day up in Batch:tup:
NEVER sell it:ted:
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That was my first new bike. 1979 , at 14yo I was the only one I knew that could start it...even dad couldn't.
That bike rocked, longest wheelie I ever did on it was about 4km's, passed cars and round corners. Even got the wheelie contest trophy at a fun day up in Batch:tup:
NEVER sell it:ted:
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Sparkle
New member
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Well....It looks pretty sweetin the pic. Nice mods here and there too. Those old yam's had strong bottom ends and you can do the valves and even rebore for real cheap. That'd make it sit up again for another 14 years!
Thanks Big White DR, anyone else got an80's Yam Thumper...I love 'em.:tup:
Sparkle
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Well....It looks pretty sweetin the pic. Nice mods here and there too. Those old yam's had strong bottom ends and you can do the valves and even rebore for real cheap. That'd make it sit up again for another 14 years!
Thanks Big White DR, anyone else got an80's Yam Thumper...I love 'em.:tup:
Sparkle
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Mine has warnout.. EVERY THING.!
Been in the family since 86..My kid usta suck on the foot pegs..And then grow up and double his mom on it.! Thats her pregnant with the same Kid! the pic on the beach is my youngest and I in 2002..probably one of the last rides..
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Mine has warnout.. EVERY THING.!
Been in the family since 86..My kid usta suck on the foot pegs..And then grow up and double his mom on it.! Thats her pregnant with the same Kid! the pic on the beach is my youngest and I in 2002..probably one of the last rides..
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Futura
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Sparkle
New member
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A great old bike Futura...you can have a ton of fun.
I love collector plates (17 bux a month), and not making payments, and being able to set my own valves in 20 minutes, and being able to pick it up easily, and not worrying if I get a scratch, and watching my resale value go up...
and I never have to "remap" the ECU!
:tup::tup::tup:
Sparkle
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A great old bike Futura...you can have a ton of fun.
I love collector plates (17 bux a month), and not making payments, and being able to set my own valves in 20 minutes, and being able to pick it up easily, and not worrying if I get a scratch, and watching my resale value go up...
and I never have to "remap" the ECU!
:tup::tup::tup:
Sparkle
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hookeniggy
Guest
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nice bike
Henno van Bergeijk, entered the dakar on a 78 model and finished 99th
Iggy
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nice bike
Henno van Bergeijk, entered the dakar on a 78 model and finished 99th
Iggy
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Futura
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hookeniggy wrote:
Very cool info Henno. That's the way I want to Dakar.
I want to say I am a huge fan of the XT500s. Like the styling even better than my XT550. XT500s rule.
Here is a shot of a vintage XT550 as it ran and wonthe Paris Algiers Dakar in the early 80s.
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hookeniggy wrote:
Very cool info Henno. That's the way I want to Dakar.
I want to say I am a huge fan of the XT500s. Like the styling even better than my XT550. XT500s rule.
Here is a shot of a vintage XT550 as it ran and wonthe Paris Algiers Dakar in the early 80s.
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Sparkle
New member
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Shucks, I can't resist putting up yet another pic of my 81.
When I first ran into it it was 1993 and it had about 12000k. It needed a lot of attention like tires, brakes, handlebars, spokesand the lights put back on.And, itwas down on compression. It started easy, didn't burn oil, but didn't seem to have much snap.
One of the things I did was set the valves. I was a little concerned because I could turn the bike over with my hand on the kickstarter with the spark plug still in...and you shouldn't be able to do that on a 500cc thumper.
But, whenI loosened the exhaust valve nut, suddenly I couldn't turn it over with my hand anymore...The engine got very stiff and I could hardly turn it over with a solid kick.
I was one happy dude! The reason for the low compression was the exhaust valve was too tight to close. I setthe valvesup, did a compression test and it was perfect...it didn't evenburn the valve.
Oh, and it was a LOT harder to start after that, but it came to life.
Sparkle
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Shucks, I can't resist putting up yet another pic of my 81.
When I first ran into it it was 1993 and it had about 12000k. It needed a lot of attention like tires, brakes, handlebars, spokesand the lights put back on.And, itwas down on compression. It started easy, didn't burn oil, but didn't seem to have much snap.
One of the things I did was set the valves. I was a little concerned because I could turn the bike over with my hand on the kickstarter with the spark plug still in...and you shouldn't be able to do that on a 500cc thumper.
But, whenI loosened the exhaust valve nut, suddenly I couldn't turn it over with my hand anymore...The engine got very stiff and I could hardly turn it over with a solid kick.
I was one happy dude! The reason for the low compression was the exhaust valve was too tight to close. I setthe valvesup, did a compression test and it was perfect...it didn't evenburn the valve.
Oh, and it was a LOT harder to start after that, but it came to life.
Sparkle
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hookeniggy
Guest
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Yeah the xt's are all you need to go around the globe,
We have really strong clubsupport over here in Europe, and there's lots of guys i know that go everywhere on 25 year old bikes, a few friends of mine just left for Capetown, South Africa and i know someone that rode his XT tenere from Amsterdam to Australia and back.
Henno entered the Dakar in 2006 on his '78, and he was the first one to be back at the Park Ferme,after the first special stage, finishing just a couple of minutes behind the KTM works guys.
People just went crazy, seeing him doeing so well on his 30 year old bike.
grtz. iggy
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Yeah the xt's are all you need to go around the globe,
We have really strong clubsupport over here in Europe, and there's lots of guys i know that go everywhere on 25 year old bikes, a few friends of mine just left for Capetown, South Africa and i know someone that rode his XT tenere from Amsterdam to Australia and back.
Henno entered the Dakar in 2006 on his '78, and he was the first one to be back at the Park Ferme,after the first special stage, finishing just a couple of minutes behind the KTM works guys.
People just went crazy, seeing him doeing so well on his 30 year old bike.
grtz. iggy
flyn
New member
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I have a 77 xt 500 that I rode to work every dayand some weekends this summer, Once a week someone stops beside me on my way to work and says "I used to have one of those back in the day". Wonder where they all went.
Mine wasnearly a basket case when I gotit. I had to fab my own muffler cause the original was gone .
check out the photos from last sunday ride http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view/831566072-1222671289-81496/
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I have a 77 xt 500 that I rode to work every dayand some weekends this summer, Once a week someone stops beside me on my way to work and says "I used to have one of those back in the day". Wonder where they all went.
Mine wasnearly a basket case when I gotit. I had to fab my own muffler cause the original was gone .
check out the photos from last sunday ride http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view/831566072-1222671289-81496/
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hookeniggy
Guest
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Nice pic's
Iggy
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Nice pic's
Iggy
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Oh my, what beautiful bikes, I've always liked the rough and tumble look of the old 500s
I'm with Joker on this one, never sell one if you have one, just restore and maintain =3
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Oh my, what beautiful bikes, I've always liked the rough and tumble look of the old 500s
I'm with Joker on this one, never sell one if you have one, just restore and maintain =3
Buckethead
New member
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Have you guys seen this thread:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=405327
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Have you guys seen this thread:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=405327
Sparkle
New member
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I've been riding a bit, although it's still a little cool. This spring I ordered parts for my XT500H from Thumper-Stuff in Snohomish. Mostly signal lenses, fork gaitors, stem bearings....stuff like that. Good service, and prices. I took the bike to the shop this year (broken ribs....don't ask) to install the bearings and gaitors.
Today I took the tank and seat off, checked the valves...oil change/filter...air filter and a little cleaning up.
Season 29 is coming up for this old girl....I think she's ready.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27376060@N08/sets/72157623681544848/show/
Sparkle
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I've been riding a bit, although it's still a little cool. This spring I ordered parts for my XT500H from Thumper-Stuff in Snohomish. Mostly signal lenses, fork gaitors, stem bearings....stuff like that. Good service, and prices. I took the bike to the shop this year (broken ribs....don't ask) to install the bearings and gaitors.
Today I took the tank and seat off, checked the valves...oil change/filter...air filter and a little cleaning up.
Season 29 is coming up for this old girl....I think she's ready.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27376060@N08/sets/72157623681544848/show/
Sparkle
Kitimat KLR
New member
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This was my Dads "78 XT500 back when I started biking in the UK...he's 76 now & sold his 500 Enfield (2003 Indian model) just last year. Not the greatest photo but the only one and is treasured ...just like the bike was. Unfortunately, he sold it to his friends son ..who worshipped it. It was a great fun bike ..a pig to kick over (if not on the top of the compression stroke) ...the first instruction I had was to turn the handle-bars to the left when kickstarting her ...otherwise one's knee would make contact when she kicked back. I remember my Dad drifting her around corners ...I was tailing behind on a Honda CX500.....thanks for the memories guys.
Mmmm! Anyone got one for sale?
Click the photo - it should open my gallery with some of mine & Dad's bikes...
[align=center]
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[align=center]http://www.dualsportbc.com/photogallery/showphoto.php?photo=17375&sort=7&cat=809&page=3[/align]
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This was my Dads "78 XT500 back when I started biking in the UK...he's 76 now & sold his 500 Enfield (2003 Indian model) just last year. Not the greatest photo but the only one and is treasured ...just like the bike was. Unfortunately, he sold it to his friends son ..who worshipped it. It was a great fun bike ..a pig to kick over (if not on the top of the compression stroke) ...the first instruction I had was to turn the handle-bars to the left when kickstarting her ...otherwise one's knee would make contact when she kicked back. I remember my Dad drifting her around corners ...I was tailing behind on a Honda CX500.....thanks for the memories guys.
Mmmm! Anyone got one for sale?
Click the photo - it should open my gallery with some of mine & Dad's bikes...
[align=center]
[/align][align=center]http://www.dualsportbc.com/photogallery/showphoto.php?photo=17375&sort=7&cat=809&page=3[/align]
