Topic: New Toy- 1971 Suzuki T500

[ekpent]

Looks like your canary had to temporarily find alternative lodgings.

Kev

She couldn't take the 'fumes' !!

[Stev-o]

Looks like your canary had to temporarily find alternative lodgings.

Kev

She couldn't take the 'fumes' !!

And Eric hasnt had any pesky mosquito bites since!

[Zunspec]

Hi ekpent (Eric?),

Your T500 looks like a great candidate for a restoration.  I will heartily agree that it could become pretty expensive to bring it back to it's full glory, although that's true of any full on restoration.  I spent a fair wad of cash on my road T500, even to the extent of NOS crank cases (and many other parts).  The result was worth it at the end of the day and another bike saved from the breakers yard.


Cheers  Geoff

[Terry in Australia]

That is beautiful Geoff, I scored a mint T250 back in the 1990's, it was a great little bike once I replaced a duff coil. I'd love to buy Eric's T500, my mate Pete had a T500 back in the 1970's, and it was a great bike! Cheers, Terry.

[ekpent]

 Love that color Geoff,one of my favorites. I do not consider myself a restorer. I like to buy bikes that are nice survivors with original paint, clean them and get them roadworthy and let somebody else take them to the next level someday. The 1971 I started this thread with fits my bill perfect. The 1973 needs more love then I am willing to give at this point with other projects lingering.

[Stev-o]

I do not consider myself a restorer.

Bet Geoff doesnt know Eric has 43 bikes!  Imagine the investment [and time] needed to bring all back to showroom stock?

[ekpent]

I do not consider myself a restorer.

Bet Geoff doesnt know Eric has 43 bikes!  Imagine the investment [and time] needed to bring all back to showroom stock?

Might be more then that Steve but don't tell the wife. Been hovering around the mid 60's for a year or so. Get rid of some but others magically appear.Did not go overboard this summer but still picked up a few.   

[grcamna2]

I do not consider myself a restorer.

Bet Geoff doesnt know Eric has 43 bikes!  Imagine the investment [and time] needed to bring all back to showroom stock?

Might be more then that Steve but don't tell the wife. Been hovering around the mid 60's for a year or so. Get rid of some but others magically appear.Did not go overboard this summer but still picked up a few.   

pics or it didn't happen 

[Stev-o]

I do not consider myself a restorer.

Bet Geoff doesnt know Eric has 43 bikes!  Imagine the investment [and time] needed to bring all back to showroom stock?

  Been hovering around the mid 60's for a year or so.

WOW...cant imagine!!   How many are runners that you could ride? 

I'm at about 14 with 8 riders, hard to keep up the maint on them and have project bikes too.

[Terry in Australia]

My cousin told me about a guy in our home town who owns over 200 minty original Suzuki road bikes from the 1960's thru to early 1990's. My cuz sold him a few of them when he owned the local Suzy dealership.

He doesn't show them, and he rarely rides them, I guess they're his nest egg. In the old days I didn't like the idea of folks just hoarding bikes for the sake of hoarding, but if they're keeping them out of the hands of the current generation of "Cafe Racer" and "Bobber" builders, I'm thinking that's not a bad thing........

[Rob62]

Wow!! That is one shiny Suzuki.... well done Geoff 

[Zunspec]

Thanks Rob,

I was trying to find a "before" photo but couldn't find one.  Here's a before and after photos of my Triumph Speed Twin instead.  The T500 was in a similar state of repair when I got it.



Cheers  Geoff

[ekpent]

 I never grow tired of looking at before and after pictures. Like the way you have both pictures in the same position for comparison.

[RAFster122s]

Nice work and pretty colorful Suzuki.  I see you are into RC helis and planes if the boxes on the bench are yours. It is a fun hobby.

What is the white multispoke wheel to in the background?
interesting wheel

David

[Terry in Australia]

What is the white multispoke wheel to in the background?
interesting wheel

David

I reckon that might be an RC30 in the background David, I think I can see a flash of red white and blue RC30 fairing there too........

[Zunspec]

Ahh, an RC30 I wish

It is one of a pair of the little brother to the VFR750R, the VFR400R (aka NC30).  I have given them both away to friends as I needed the space.

Cheers  Geoff

[grcamna2]

Ahh, an RC30 I wish

It is one of a pair of the little brother to the VFR750R, the VFR400R (aka NC30).  I have given them both away to friends as I needed the space.

Cheers  Geoff

Were parts very expensive ?

[Zunspec]

Ahh, an RC30 I wish

It is one of a pair of the little brother to the VFR750R, the VFR400R (aka NC30).  I have given them both away to friends as I needed the space.

Cheers  Geoff

Were parts very expensive ?

Hi grcamna2,

No more than any other 25 year old bike.  Many parts are still available from Honda

Cheers  Geoff

[ekpent]

 Sold the 1973 T500 today. She needed more love then I was going to give.

[grcamna2]

Sold the 1973 T500 today. She needed more love then I was going to give.

 

[Zunspec]

You can't keep them all, Eric.  At least someone else will have the pleasure of spending a fortune to restore it 

Cheers  Geoff

[ekpent]

 Ha ha - Yes you could put a lot of money into that one. The guy who bought it says he is a "T500 Titan guy" and has extra parts etc. to play with so that helps his cause. He is a flipper so I am sure I will see it around again sometime probably. I am happy with the one I bought this spring as it fits my collection well.  My only problem though is do I really want to ride it much, change the original from factory redline tires etc.  Now I need to find ANOTHER one with more miles on it that I can actually call an everday rider !   

[Terry in Australia]

That is a magnificent Barn Find Eric, personally I wouldn't ride it at all on those 47 year old tyres, I'd hate for them to turn to dust mid corner, let alone the rarity of ever finding another bike that old with original tyres with only 2000 miles on the clock. Put it on a pedestal, and ride one of those magnificent GT750's that you haven't sent me yet! Cheers, Terry.

[RAFster122s]

That T500 is incredible, great find!  Be patient for a great condition rider shows up, unless their prices are defying the soft market on bike prices.
Are you aware of your collection count is at?  Wondering how folks with big collections cover them froma catastrophic loss.  Unless a collectible bike that doesn't see riding I have the impression most insurance companies rake you over the coals on things like a bike that does not have a specific policy on it or a rider that addresses them with value being appraised. When Cal's roof caved in due to snowfall a few years ago he lost quite a few projects and took a major $ hit on many things the insurance would not cover.
David

[ekpent]

 A lot off roofs came down around Michigan during that really bad snowy winter we had I think 3 or 4 years ago. I shoveled my shop roof off and had huge tall snow piles around the outside walls,made it look like a snow fort. My neighbor wasn't so lucky as a building he had a nice vintage Chevy winter stored in up on blocks lost its roof and the car got pancaked.  If something catastrophic happens I will be pretty much  foocked.