Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Moderator: rztom
Finally I’ve bought a 500...
*** If anyone is interested in reading about what im doing with this one in a more condensed and rewritten form, Ive hosted the build on my website now:
http://2smoked.com/Yamaha_RZ500_-_Home.html
Looking round the members here I think I know about half of you already from either the 350 side of this forum or elsewhere, but if you dont know me then I guess I should say 'hello'. Ive been restoring and building modified bikes for many years and about 10 years back moved back into the RD/RZ range from my youth and gradually sold all my 4T Hondas. I do have a supermoto XT500, but thats my only 4 stroke these days. All my bikes are on my 2smoked.com website, which i suspect a few here have come across in their internet travels.
So... I finally seem to have bought a 500, its a 53G Aussie delivered bike. Those that know me will know that over the years I said I never would get one due to price/costs/effort/too many projects etc... but I was offered this one by a mate as it belonged to his brother. It's in bits, the engine is out for a crank check but it's said to be all there but I expect I will be asking some dumb 500 specific questions as I go along and also looking for some parts as well. Plan is to restore it. Will arrive with me in a couple of weeks... more when that happens!
http://2smoked.com/Yamaha_RZ500_-_Home.html
Looking round the members here I think I know about half of you already from either the 350 side of this forum or elsewhere, but if you dont know me then I guess I should say 'hello'. Ive been restoring and building modified bikes for many years and about 10 years back moved back into the RD/RZ range from my youth and gradually sold all my 4T Hondas. I do have a supermoto XT500, but thats my only 4 stroke these days. All my bikes are on my 2smoked.com website, which i suspect a few here have come across in their internet travels.
So... I finally seem to have bought a 500, its a 53G Aussie delivered bike. Those that know me will know that over the years I said I never would get one due to price/costs/effort/too many projects etc... but I was offered this one by a mate as it belonged to his brother. It's in bits, the engine is out for a crank check but it's said to be all there but I expect I will be asking some dumb 500 specific questions as I go along and also looking for some parts as well. Plan is to restore it. Will arrive with me in a couple of weeks... more when that happens!
Last edited by JonW on Wed May 15, 2019 9:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
www.2smoked.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
- TwoStrokeNut
- Posts: 585
- Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:12 pm
- Location: Florida,USA
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Congrats and good luck with it. Looking forward to seeing it!
Project bike links: NS400R - TRIPLE THREAT // RZ500 - MOSQUITO CONTROL BIKE // RZ350 - REVIVAL
'72 H1-500/'75 H1-500/'85 RZ350/'85 NS400R/'01 DR650/'07 FJR1300/'18 Tiger 1200
'72 H1-500/'75 H1-500/'85 RZ350/'85 NS400R/'01 DR650/'07 FJR1300/'18 Tiger 1200
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Nice one Jon, Be prepared to dig deep into the pockets...
1985 RZv500
1984 RZ500 Hybrid
1986 RG500 Walter Wolf
1986 RG500 Skoal Bandit
1984 RZ350
1984 RZ350 Hybrid
1981 RD350LC
1981 RD350LC Hybrid
2009 CR500AF Supermoto 250X
2007 CR500AF 250X
1988 YSR50 (2)
1989 VFR750R RC30
1984 GPZ750 Turbo
1984 RZ500 Hybrid
1986 RG500 Walter Wolf
1986 RG500 Skoal Bandit
1984 RZ350
1984 RZ350 Hybrid
1981 RD350LC
1981 RD350LC Hybrid
2009 CR500AF Supermoto 250X
2007 CR500AF 250X
1988 YSR50 (2)
1989 VFR750R RC30
1984 GPZ750 Turbo
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Haha, thanks guys! I think my pockets are ok, its the short arms that cause me problems lol
www.2smoked.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
-
- - - - - -
- Posts: 3241
- Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:36 am
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Thanks John, its great to finally be here.
www.2smoked.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
-
- - - - - -
- Posts: 609
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 5:22 pm
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
'"finally seem to have bought a 500"
glad I'm not the only one, who for whatever reasons, never had one previously.
glad I'm not the only one, who for whatever reasons, never had one previously.
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Haha, well... Yeah... many times over the years I could have bought one, but always something got in the way, either the price or I was buying something newer ie 'on the way up', and then more recently Ive just concentrated on the twin cyl models while these spiralled out of control around me, sigh.
Thinking about it, I remember one time I should have bought one... I was in the UK then and in Fowlers Bristol shop (when they had Swindon too) and there was one in the rows of modern bikes. I think it was £3995 which was silly money for one back then - it was about 2000 or 2001 I think. I was tempted but I'd either just bought, or was looking to buy a new R1 and I thought it was waaay too much for what it was.... I should have haggled (they were chancing their luck on it for sure) and bought it. I loved the R1, but I sold it 2 years later, perhaps I'd have kept the 500, hmm....
Thinking about it, I remember one time I should have bought one... I was in the UK then and in Fowlers Bristol shop (when they had Swindon too) and there was one in the rows of modern bikes. I think it was £3995 which was silly money for one back then - it was about 2000 or 2001 I think. I was tempted but I'd either just bought, or was looking to buy a new R1 and I thought it was waaay too much for what it was.... I should have haggled (they were chancing their luck on it for sure) and bought it. I loved the R1, but I sold it 2 years later, perhaps I'd have kept the 500, hmm....
www.2smoked.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Congrats!!
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Will this be moved to the front of the "project" line?
Ken's Garage YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/KensGarage1
1985 RZ500 (R6 suspension & body work)
https://www.youtube.com/c/KensGarage1
1985 RZ500 (R6 suspension & body work)
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Nice to have you here Jon !
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Thanks for the warm welcome!
That's a very good question... v2.0 of the 421 is currently on the lift but its nearing completion with a bunch of new goodies, what will hold that up is that ive a bunch of stuff to zinc plate and I may as well wait for the 500 and do all its plating at the same time... that sort of slows a lot of things down. I guess I'll need to decide when its here, but the short answer is 'yea' it will jump the queue, it'll be ahead of the F2 for sure and maybe some others.
www.2smoked.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Congratulations.
I know the feeling about finally having a V4 500
I knew they were never going to get any cheaper, and I was definitely not getting any younger....I just had to do it.
I know the feeling about finally having a V4 500
I knew they were never going to get any cheaper, and I was definitely not getting any younger....I just had to do it.
73 TM/TS400
78 GS1000E
80 KD80
82 Katana
84 RZ350
84 RZV500R
86 GSXR1100
86 1100 sportster
88 FZR1000
89 RGV250 VJ21 SP
90 RGV250 VJ22 SP
91 TZR250 3XV2 SP
96 RGV250 VJ23 SP
99 RS250
02 Hayabusa
16 KTM 390 Duke
17 KTM 1290 SDGT
21 Aprilia RSV4 1100
78 GS1000E
80 KD80
82 Katana
84 RZ350
84 RZV500R
86 GSXR1100
86 1100 sportster
88 FZR1000
89 RGV250 VJ21 SP
90 RGV250 VJ22 SP
91 TZR250 3XV2 SP
96 RGV250 VJ23 SP
99 RS250
02 Hayabusa
16 KTM 390 Duke
17 KTM 1290 SDGT
21 Aprilia RSV4 1100
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Well done to get one finally. For decades I felt I would never own a Gamma myself. Then somehow I had 4. Passed on my project RG400 recently to a worthy comrade, who like many, was also wondering if it would ever happen for him. Congrats and enjoy the time with your new ride, she's real special!
1985 RZ500
1986 RG500
1986 RG500 C
1992 RGV500 WW ATR
1992 RGV500 LS
1985 NS500 Spencer p
1989 TZR500 Biaggi p
1984 RZV500 Rainey p
1994 NSR250sp R
1983 NS250 p
1987 RG250 WW p
1983 RG250 p
1988 YSR50 p
1986 RG500
1986 RG500 C
1992 RGV500 WW ATR
1992 RGV500 LS
1985 NS500 Spencer p
1989 TZR500 Biaggi p
1984 RZV500 Rainey p
1994 NSR250sp R
1983 NS250 p
1987 RG250 WW p
1983 RG250 p
1988 YSR50 p
Re: Finally I’ve bought a 500...
Thanks guys, I feel much the same as you guys did from what you said. I have always wanted a Gamma 500 as well... The UK bike mag that lead with a story called 'fear of flying' really got me when I was a youngster lol.
Im excited to get this 500 in my garage and look it over, I didnt really get much of a chance when I did the deal, but its mostly standard with only a few non original things like a screen (I have a spare actually in my 350 spares) and aftermarket brake lines. Of course it'll need a full engine rebuild and probably a bunch of other things, but I do love a project
Im excited to get this 500 in my garage and look it over, I didnt really get much of a chance when I did the deal, but its mostly standard with only a few non original things like a screen (I have a spare actually in my 350 spares) and aftermarket brake lines. Of course it'll need a full engine rebuild and probably a bunch of other things, but I do love a project
www.2smoked.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com
80 XT500 Supermoto!
81 RD350LC Resto
82 RD421LC Hybrid
82 RD250LC '251LC' YPVS
83 RZ350 Resto
84 RZ500 Resto
85 RZ350 F1 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Resto
86 RZ350 F2 Hybrid
Like Watches? www.PloProf.com & www.DeskDivers.com