Project Shinjimei- 73 TX500

[two-smoker]

Alright! I'll be hitting it hard this weekend. I purchased a pair of Mikuni's from DCC today, but they're back-ordered til mid march, so I'm going to make sure everything else is ship-shape before they get here. I've gotta swap front ends with one of the parts bikes, and fix some cracked cases.... Battery, oil change.... Hmmm.... I'm looking forward to this a lot less now... Lol.

[two-smoker]

These are rearsets culled from an '87 Hurricane 600 I had laying around.... They will be finding a new home on my Yamaha. I have also started cutting down the stock seat to fit my seat hump/reserve tank. Progress is slow because I don't have heat in the shop my bike is in, but that won't matter when my carbs finally show up. I've decided to try using the motor in the bike to start with, but I'm going to refurbish one of the motors in the parts bikes to take its place in time. Questions?

[two-smoker]

Took a paper template of my bike's frame to cut out the frame for making my fiberglass seat section. Then, cut out the mesh frame, which I will be welding to my seat hump/reserve tank before fiberglassing over the screen.

[saywhat]

Are you still looking for a manual, I have a PDF version of the factory manual if that might be helpful.

[two-smoker]

If it's the repair manual, not the owners manual, I'd greatly appreciate it! Burnoutra43@yahoo.com if you'd be willing to email me that pdf. Thanks!

[two-smoker]

My first officially completed part! Picked up a pair of BMX bicycle pedals, and welded one into the end of my original kick start leg, after cutting off the original foot bar. Should match my motocross footpegs really well. Sweet! Also, just for fun, I replaced the cheap plastic bearing cover with a Brazilian 50 cent piece I had laying around.

Kinda hard to see in this shot, but  it's what I got.

[two-smoker]

A little off topic, but just a question for allll you guys. In case my motor is shit on this bike, I'm considering using the motor from a GS500e as a contingency plan.  But I still want a kick starter. Anyone know how difficult it'd be to fit the kicker and right side case cover from a GS400 to the GS500 motor? Thanks.

[VonYinzer]

Id bet its near impossible without a massive amount of custom machine work.

[two-smoker]

I just figured, they're the same engine family(the GS400 became the GS425, then the GS450, and eventually the GS500), so maybe the innards are close enough to pull it off. Anyone been inside both a GS400 and a GS500? Are they close?

[SrgtBear]

Great find man.  It's great to see so many more TX500 and XS500's popping up on here lately regardless of their poor reputation with those values.  Like everyone said,  just make sure you adjust them.  Take your time.  It will pay off.  And let me tell you these engines sound so great and pull so well.  Your gonna love it.

Here is the manual if anyone needs it:  TX500 Service Manual
http://www.dotheton.com/downloads/Yamaha_TX500_500A_Service_Manual.pdf

Check out my build.  Let me know if you need any help.

Keep up the good work!