It LIIVVESSS!

[Hank]

This is one of those projects I wish I'd have never seen (I've had a few).    About 4 years ago, I spy this beaten XT500, was a 76 or 77, and got it for $75, thinking I'd just put some tires and a seat on it and ride it to work.   This was before I picked up my KLR and I was bike-less.

As soon as I got it home, I noticed both rims were cracked.         Then I couldn't get the title.      All of the electrical was shot or missing.       The petcock was broken 

You get the point.   So I found a titled frame off a '78 on ebay and a set of wheels.  I started to replace parts, and you know, there's something about new parts sitting next to old crappy parts that just doesn't seem right.. and so it goes, and so it goes.   New frame and wheels are powdercoated, and I started prowling on ebay for even more parts.

I'm at a point now where it's almost complete.   Missing a few more small parts and I just need to find the right fasteners to put it back together.      I'm not lying when I say that I think the only original part from the bike I bought is the engine.   More time and money into this than I could ever recoupe by 4X...

But the good news is.. today I tried to finally start it (it did run briefly shortly after I bought it) and it only took about 4 kicks.  Grabbed the camera I was so shocked.. and tried it again.  Voila!

[Hank]

Here it is with the tank, seat and side panels on:

[fringefan]

Jealous. The bike looks great and I think you need to get the thing out here. My dad has an old 250 stuck behind his house and been thinking about pulling it out and getting it going.

Showing pics of your shop that include arcade games is just wrong and you have a good looking Viszla, always liked them.

[Hank]

Ha thanks.   The Vizsla is Abby.. she's a total pain in the butt yet, but getting better.   She's about 5 months old.  Lots of energy and a thick skull sometimes.

I built the arcade game out of a mortal kombat cabinet i got for $75 and an old computer.   Took some work but very little money.   I play an unfortunate amount of Robotron... lol.. I still think that game is as fun as i did when i was 13...

I don't know if I'd want to ride that old beast all the way across the state.   Would be fun to try, but as of today I wouldn't trust it any farther than I can throw it!

[Hank]

You should dig out that 250.    Old bikes are money pits though..

[LittleJacket]

good work!  nice looking pup!  so, is that bike gonna hit the trails?

[Hank]

I don't know what I'll do with it.   I'd feel really bad if I smashed up that aluminum tank.  They're really fragile and irreplaceable.
Maybe if I could find an aftermarket plastic one for it?    Not much point really though as it would really suck compared to the other bikes.
I'll probably just keep it around and ride it to work occassionally.   Keep it nice and give it to my kids or something

[revin kevin]

Don't be knockin the old 500's they'll run forever and are dead reliable, yes off road they don't compare to a modern bikes suspension and brakes but compared to a KLR they aren't that much different. The old TT's and XT's pull like a tractor and will lug down like nothing else made, well tuned they start with only a kick or 2 once you get the hang of it, "don't use the compression release window - roll up against compression, pull release and roll just over TDC then let go of compression release and give it a good kick"
If your XT was originally white fendered, with a white & red steel tank it's a 75 or 76,  1977 would have been brown.
Nice job and good to see another thumper living on

[Hank]

It was actually a '78 - I had to look it up.   Tank had a white top, polished sides with just a yamaha logo.
The all polished with white oval logo is something I came up with to cover a bondoed dent on the right side.   The tank looks pretty good now, just one or two very small dings.   The things dent if you look at them wrong I swear.
It, like the powered coated black rims, are different than any year but essentially I'm trying to turn bulls**t into beef stew!  Making the most of the parts I can scrounge.   It's now titled as a '77.   Frankenstein would be  good name for it.

I don't doubt their reliability, I only say I don't trust it because I have no track history with it.  It only shows about 7K miles (I think?) on the clock, but I have no idea what kind of shape the motor is in.    Starts decent and not much smoke though, so that's a good sign.

One of the parts I'm still missing is a decompression cable - so I'm starting it with brute force.   Note the motocross boot on my right foot in the video.  I tried to kick it over with tennies on and it took about two tries to pretty much kill my foot.    Seems like it has good compression at least.

Today I'm going to order up a few more missing parts.   I should have it done by spring with any luck.

[loingrader]

wow, what an awesome looking bike.  i'm with you hank. maybe ride some tame trails with it once in awhile and ride it to work.  beat up the other bikes (like the katoom) and let that little bike take it easy for the rest of it's life.

nice job!

[revin kevin]

If you need a decompression cable I'll take a look through my stuff, I don't use one on my flattracker "remote electric start"  so I might have an extra laying around, If you need any other bits let me know as i have a couple of junkers. Sounds good in the video, set the valves and keep an eye on the cam chain adjustment and your good to go.
Revin

[Hank]

If you could help me out with some odds and ends that would be very cool.
Just let me know what you have an how much $.

Right now I need:

decompression cable

rear wheel - the left axle spacer

a matching set of chain adjusters.   i have a pair but they don't match and look like crapola.

brake and clutch levers (these i figure i'll get new so they look nice and match, but if you can sell me a decent set thats great too!)

there are two special shoulder bolts that bolt the tail light bracket to the rear fender (they go through the big rectangular grommet).  i need those and any associated washers and nuts

the grommets that go over the frame peg that the side panels snap onto.   both sides.. probably very unlikely an old bike would have these still, at least not dry rotted ones.

The bolts and associated washers/nuts that go through the big grommet on the rear fender and blinker brackets.   I have grommets and sleeves, the the fasteners I have are not right (they'll work OK but look out of place).

This bike has more grommets and grommet sleeves than i could have ever guessed.

Let me know what you have!   And thanks in advance!

[Hank]

Oh yeah I need the inner rear fender too.

[revin kevin]

it might be this weekend before I get a chance to look but I'll check and see what I've got, I know I have a 77 with a rear fender on it yet so I should have some of that stuff

[Hank]

That would be great.  I'm on your schedule here.. whenever you get to it.
I'll probably order up the levers.

Looking at the microfiche on bikebandit, maybe what I have for the inner fender is all there is.   You can see I have the piece between the swing arm and tire, but I thought there should be another higher piece between the tire and seat?   Maybe not though.. don't see it on the 'fiche.   This means that mud and crap actually hits the seat pan though.  Is that right?