Just got this from an Ebay seller in Japan. It a cylinder block from a TR500/XR05 racing bike. It's carved from a block of aluminum and then the cylinders are hard chromed/nikasil plated. Given that the transfers are at 9 and 3, Suzuki must have machine up the crankcases differently to match. Unfortunately the seller did not have the head for the block. I'll have to track down a head as well as figure out what pistons will work and get a set of cases modified. I'll work up a port map in the near future as well.
The first thing I wondered is if this is one of the water cooled TR cylinders Muzza owned? Suzuki brought out the water cooled cylinders in 1973 and revised them slightly for '74 and again for '75. I'd guess these are first year cylinders based on the 26 but it's just a guess on my part. Anyone know for sure?
The cylinder also has 83B43 engraved in it and I wish I knew what this meant.
There was something written on the side in marker but it's so faded I can't read it. Plus it could have been added any time in the 35 plus years in between...
Zook-e wrote:So you got that one!!! One other person I know was looking at it. Sooooo I guess this goes into the never to been seen again basement museum???
If I can find a head for it and get a crankcase modified to take it, it may see racing use again! The stuff in the "basement museum" will be seen again as well, my pace is a bit slower is all....
Who else was looking at it? It probably wouldn't be too hard to copy for someone with the right resources.....
Jim im glad it went to someone whos got the time and effort to actually do something with it. I saw it and sent the pics to suzukidave a few days ago so either one of us was watching it as well. Its needing a nikasil replating and im sure some cosmetic cleaning up of the outside so its got the shine it deserves for being such a rare item.
You may never find the head for it and will probably have to have one made up, but at least youve got the main part....
I really like how those ports are shaped/designed very neat work for its time..
Oh as for the number on the side???? that was my phone number years ago, so now youve found it you can return it to me..LOL
Suzsmokeyallan wrote:
You may never find the head for it and will probably have to have one made up, but at least you've got the main part....
Oh as for the number on the side???? that was my phone number years ago, so now you've found it you can return it to me..LOL
Hey Allan,
This is the second water cooled xr05 cylinder to hit ebay that I can remember. The first had the head and cylinder together and went for a lot more. There have also been at least two sets of air cooled tr500/xr05 cylinders that have come and gone on ebay. One of which had the "T" ports - I saved the auction pictures here somewhere.
You phone number you say? Hmmmm looking closer I'd swear it says "Not Allans".... Perhaps I'm reading it wrong?
I posted the same message on Muzza's Suzuki website and he let me know these are the Mark III barrels same as the ones they used on the Bimota SB1. Team Suzuki states the later XR05 cylinders were good for 78-80 hp at 8,700 to 8,900 rpm.
Not my number you say??? and not mine in any sort of slim chance??? well ok ill let it slide this time.LOL
Sooooo around 80 horses huh, thats quite an impressive figure, actually for the time period that was probably the epitome of output for a 500 twin.
you have a set of mk2 barrells.
they are actually sand cast , not carved from a block.
you will also notice that there is no left and right piston. bot cylinders are mirror image, so u might have to find and modify a similar piston.
stud pattern is different on the crankcase but is a fairly simple mod to fix that.
suprisingly there is still alot of watercooled stuff around for TR's, as they were a over the counter production bike but most guys are reluctant to sell.
I have some base and head gaskets for a watercooled TR if u need?
shannon wrote:you have a set of mk2 barrells.
they are actually sand cast , not carved from a block.
you will also notice that there is no left and right piston. bot cylinders are mirror image, so u might have to find and modify a similar piston.
stud pattern is different on the crankcase but is a fairly simple mod to fix that.
suprisingly there is still alot of watercooled stuff around for TR's, as they were a over the counter production bike but most guys are reluctant to sell.
I have some base and head gaskets for a watercooled TR if u need?
Hey Shannon,
Thanks for the info - what distinguishes a MkII from a Mk III cylinder? The cylinder came with 2 used head gaskets - is there a way of determining if the gaskets are still usable? I could use a base gasket or two. For pistons, I will see if the Arctic Cat 500cc pistons will work - same bore and a 1mm difference in stroke with the transfers lined up at 3 and 9. Plus they later A/C cylinders were plated as well.
Well Shannon, you may have a more complete set of Suzi specs than me.....but I had several sets of MK11 w/c barrels and they are quite different to these ones and they were fitted to the TR500 II which came out in 1973. Pics of those barrels are on my website.
IMHO barrels of this type appeared on the 1974 TR500 III and continued into 1975.
Anyway, the point of primary interest is that they are not the early w/c barrels but the later pattern and do not fit straight onto a standard T500 crankcase unlike the earlier w/c barrels.
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs. (Suzuki Compendium - www.ozebook.com)
