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Well I see a lot of T500 activity just recently so I guess I might as well present my T500 project!
I just picked up a 71 T500 with a 76 motor in it and it looks like the forks are from a GT500. It's a bit of a mess but it does run just fine, paid $600 for it, not sure if thats a good or bad deal. This will be my first bike build project and I will be doing it with my 16yr old son.
Here is the plan so far:
Frame mods to suit mono shock rear, possible geometry change to rake angle, frame bracing.
Use modified FZR swingarm and shock/linkage
Kawi 636 front forks
Run 17" spoked wheels from my KTM supermoto
Fabricate new gas tank, seat pan and tail section
Oil tank under seat hump
Build my own expansion chambers
Totally rebuild the motor and port it while its a part.
I am sure there will be changes along the way but that's the plan as it stands. This is a long term project as I have very limited time avialable so updates will likely be few and far between.
Sounds like it's going to be a good build I'm in the processes of gathering an array of parts for the t500 I just bought. So I will be watching to see what ideas I can barrow lol.
I honestly didn't realise that there would be much of a following for two strokes these days. Glad to see all you guys on here with smokers.
Started sizing up the FZR arm this morning and it will need quite a bit surgery to get it to fit. I also have to cut off the original swingarm pivot brackets from the frame and fab up some new ones then weld them to the outside of the frame tubes instead of the original inside location.
Ive got two of the little brother GT250's. Would love a 500, or even the 750. Two smokers rule! I still even ride a two smoker off road. ;D Cant wait to see the progress on this build. Sounds really cool. Good luck!
Ive got two of the little brother GT250's. Would love a 500, or even the 750. Two smokers rule! I still even ride a two smoker off road. ;D Cant wait to see the progress on this build. Sounds really cool. Good luck!
Ya the earlier 250's had "ram air" but they found out it actually made the bikes run hotter so they eventually switched back with the later models. My 74' has the ram air, and the 76' doesnt. Not to highjack your thread but you can check them out on my build thread.
Hello from the UK johnu....allways keen to see what's going on in the T500 cafe section.
We specialise in converting these bikes into cafe racers, but we are clearly not in your league !! This sounds like a real ambitious build....particularly altering the angle of rake....though there is no doubt it needs doing !
It's a great shame there is not the level of enthusiasm in the UK that you guys have.....
Take a look at our T500 thread....."Titan 500 reborn".
Good luck with it, we will be keeping an interested eye on your progress.
Hello from the UK johnu....allways keen to see what's going on in the T500 cafe section.
We specialise in converting these bikes into cafe racers, but we are clearly not in your league !! This sounds like a real ambitious build....particularly altering the angle of rake....though there is no doubt it needs doing !
It's a great shame there is not the level of enthusiasm in the UK that you guys have.....
Take a look at our T500 thread....."Titan 500 reborn".
Good luck with it, we will be keeping an interested eye on your progress.
I was actually born and lived in the Uk until 1991 when I came to Socal and met my wife here, been here ever since. I will be basing my tank on a pic I saw on your web photo page...hope you don't mind. I like your products but I like to build my own stuff as much as possible, biggest downside to this approach is that it will take so long to complete. I like the satisfaction of looking at things that I have built myself though and I want to hopefully pass on some of my skills to my son who is helping me with the project.
I plan to change the rake angle from 29degrees to around 26.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Great to see another Smoker here. T/GT500 are great bikes and make enough power to keep you smiling. A few years ago I had the good luck to have a low mileage RZ350 and and equally pristine low miles VFR750 Interceptor. When it came time to let one go, it was the VFR that went to a new home. The RZ I still have.
Right....that is a fibre glass TR500 tank which we bought in from a guy over here, who specialises in fibre glass race parts. We actually boughy 2 from him, as, although we intend to make our own alli tanks in the very near future....we are not ready yet, so had to buy these. I realise it's a replica...but it's a shade too long and narrow for my personal taste. However, if you would like some more pictures, let me know.
Hi Johnu the tank pictured you like is made from a mould taken off of my tank pictured here on one of my TR500 replicas if you need any detail pics of the original or the glass one, drop me a mail at TR500.SUZUKI@btinternet.com, if you change your mind about making I can supply with either a well in the base as per TR or flat for a unmodified road frame.
Ok guys, a little bit of progress but not too much. At least I have some pics though, there are some of the swingarm before surgery and some during (removing 30mm from the width) take no notice of the sharpie lines that was an earlier thought. Also a couple of the bike semi naked.
Well I finally got the swingarm welded back together. It's now 30mm narrower. Time to start on the frame mods. Waiting for Kawi 636 forks to arrive which I bought on ebay.
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