Suzuki 2 Strokes

Purchased a 1976 gt500. Put on new tires, starts 1st kick hot or cold, everything works. Hate to ride it with a gs550 tank and a xs650 seat.

GT500 parts can be hard to come by. It would probably easier to source a GT750 tank which is basically the same except the GT500 uses a black cover instead of the radiator cap door. As for the seat, good luck. There have been several posts in the past regarding what does and doesn't work for a GT500 seat. I have been searching for a GT500 seat pan for about 7 months now with no luck. They are rare. You can modify a GT550 / GT380 seat pan to work, by mounting the brackets from a T500 to the GT550 pan.

wvc wrote:GT500 parts can be hard to come by. It would probably easier to source a GT750 tank which is basically the same except the GT500 uses a black cover instead of the radiator cap door.

I'm in the midst of dealing with this exact same problem. I wanted to preserve the original look of the GT500, and although the GT750A or B tank at first glance looks the same as the GT500 one, in fact the filler neck is quite different as it uses a flip up cap rather than the twist lock cap of the GT750. The GT500 filler neck is also 60mm in diameter and the GT750A one is 54mm, and the positioning is different also - measured from the back of the filler neck to the inside edge of the cutaway where the radiator filler is located on the GT750, the GT500 measures 116mm and the GT750 is 93. The heights of the necks are also quite different.

One suggestion Allan made to me was to just use the GT750A tank as is - in some respects it looks cleaner as you have the full cap cover and the lower profile. Just depends on what look you are after. I'm 'de-denting' and re-welding my GT500 one - hopefully it will be OK.

Glad you caught that, i had always thought they were the same. Do you think the later GT750 tanks might be similar or are all GT750 tanks the same ? I thought the later ones used the flip up cap like the other GT bikes. Also for future reference, even with the differences you noted, do they still mount the same way, so one could be used as is on a GT500 like you mentioned. I guess if the petcock was in a different position too, that might get in the way of something. Hmm, wish i had a 750 tank laying around to look at.

wvc wrote:Do you think the later GT750 tanks might be similar or are all GT750 tanks the same ?

The GT750 A and B tanks, other than the filler caps and cover, appear to be identical so far as shape, size, mounting etc to that used on the GT500. Earlier model GT750 tanks (J,K, L and M) are quite different.

wvc wrote:I thought the later ones used the flip up cap like the other GT bikes. Also for future reference, even with the differences you noted, do they still mount the same way, so one could be used as is on a GT500 like you mentioned.

That's the cover I mentioned - the GT750 A and B used a twist fuel cap and a cover that flipped up and which covered both the fuel and radiator caps. It does look a lot cleaner to what was installed on the GT500. I have a GT750 A tank sitting on my GT500 now - its a perfect fit so it is really tempting. Certainly would be a lot less work and also money - but I'm going to go for the original look for the only reason that matters. Its what I want - I've never pretended to be especially smart

Oh ok. I don't know my GT750's all that well. I guess i thought A and B models would be the 1st 2 years, not the later years of them.
So for anyone just needing a tank that works and looks right, the later GT750's are fine, but not 100% original. I got it now. thanks.

I have a tank and a seat for a gt500. They are off a parts bike I have. 98446 on the motor and 98424 on the frame I have the title also. The front end is gone but most is still ok. I do have pics but are 0ld

By geck0 at 2011-04-15

I'm interested in the seat and some other GT500 parts. Sent you a PM.