Classic Motorcycle Mechanics: Restored Yamaha XT500

Last month our XT500 project was ready for the moment of truth -- the great start-up. Rod Gibson refuses to be intimidated by the kick-starter.

The scariest bit of any rebuild is that moment where you have no further excuses but to try and start the bike up. For that's always the time when the worst possible scenarios run like a horror movie in your head. "Did I put those gear selectors in correctly? Are the oil lines the right way round? I did remember to fit both gudgeon pin circlips, didn't I?" The only way to dispel the paranoia is to go for it, so with fresh fuel in the tank and a fully charged battery I switched on, turned on the fuel tap, flipped the choke lever up, and gently turned the XT over on its kick-starter until I felt the resistance of compression...

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Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• classic
• motorcycle
• mechanics
• yamaha
• xt500
• restoration
• project
• rod
• gibson
• rebuild
• bike
• motor
• engine
• japanese
• vintage

[johndoerocks]

rod gibson RIP ride free rod!

[MortonsMediaGroup]

Thanks for the comment

johndoerocks - it was a great loss to the community. Rob Gibson was a great guy to work with, and we had hoped to make many more fun videos with him and his restored bike projects for Classic Mechanics magazine.

An Obituary for Rod is currently on our magazine site.

[scmorton8]

Nice bike. I restored a 1973 Yamaha 175cc CT3 and know that anxious feeling when you first kick it to life, followed by euphoria when it starts. See my "RESTORED" first-start video here and before/after at my channel (scmorton8).

[MrMark0102]

true biker right there what spots a true biker a massive smile like like a kid at chrismas :)

[flanneryged]

@minervastone There is a de-compression lever on the Handlebars.I have also had

some very nasty jolts when not concentrating proper.This is not an Engine to take

liberties with.I dread to think what it must be like without the De-Compression enabled.Try finding a internet web-site for this Bike there is bound to be at least one.

[beesdad]

That top-end is a bit rattly isn't it??

[uudfourty]

Make sure your timing is correct and that you're kicking at the proper point in the cycle.

[ZomvieSurvivalLog]

I own a xt500 and well lets just say it's seen better days. To start it we either have one guy sit in it while its in first and a few guys push him until it starts up or we drag it behind a car and do the same thing, it works but we can't wait till we figure out the idling problem, and kick start problem, and many leaks.......

[greaserleo]

i just brought a 77 xt500 with an sr500 engine installed.

gonna get it next week and wheelie over every speed bump.

[trimoto125]

very nice bike ! i have the same one but its tremclad black