1973 T500 cafe build

[jabcb]

Test fit of rear fender & seat. Am going to chop the rear fender where the blue tape is — it will be flush with the rear edge of the seat brackets. Fender will be powder coated black.

Will use a side-mount license plate with a bracket attached to the top shock mount.
For turn signals, am deciding between the K&S LED shown in the pic and Motogadget m-Blaze Pin. https://www.dimecitycycles.com/motogadg ... -unit.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

cafe-T500-0962 by jabcb, on Flickr

[Zunspec4]

Very nice, jabcd ,

You will be sending all those desperately seeking a std. rear fender for their resto a bit crazy at the thought of it being cut down though

Cheers Geoff

[jabcb]

I would be up for an even exchange if someone has a comparably good fender except for the portion I’m going to cut off.

I know good fenders are hard to find unless you are willing to spend crazy money. Recently went through that because I needed one for the GT550 build.

[jabcb]

Wheel candy!
Buchanan’s SS spokes & shouldered Excel rims: front 2.15x18 & rear 2.5x18. H-rated Conti Go tires: front 100/90-18 & rear 120/90-18.
cafe-T500-1241 by jabcb, on Flickr

[joolstacho]

Ooooh please don't cut it! It'd look MUCH classier with the chrome 'guard left on it.

[jabcb]

Too late. Already have the rear fender cut flush with the rear edge of the seat brackets. The fender will be powder coated black.

Using a GT500 triple tree and fork tube assemblies from a 1981 GS550T. Have not yet determined if I can use the GT500 front fender or need to use one from a GS series bike. The front fender will be chopped similar to what we did on the GT250 build. Would prefer a chrome fender but will powder coat it black if the chrome isn’t in really good shape.

Pic of the GT250 build. It doesn’t have a rear fender. The T500 rear fender powder coated black & chopped will have a similar look.
SCMR_2017-2_0680 by jabcb, on Flickr

[jabcb]

The combo a smaller shouldered 18” rim & a larger 320mm brake disc makes the disc look a lot larger.
cafe-T500-1242 by jabcb, on Flickr

[titan performance]

Coming on nicely......new wheels and tyres just look so good !

[jabcb]

Back to working on the T500 build.

The GS550T outer fork tubes had a lot of internal wear. Found good low-mile GS750 for outer tubes. They use the same fork seals, upper bushes & lower bushes.
Had the outer fork tubes & carb intake pipes vapor blasted:
cafe-T500-1517 by jabcb, on Flickr

[titan performance]

Will you leave the fork bottoms with the vapour blasted satin look, or is there some polishing coming?

[jabcb]

Fork outer tubes will be powder coated black.

Will use GS550T fork inner tubes. A second top out spring to shorten the forks. RaceTech gold valve emulators & springs.
And YSS piggyback reservoir shocks.

Should end up looking like the big brother to our GT250 cafe build.
Will use a similar oil tank & shortened black powder coated front fender. Anything Goes makes custom tanks to the buyer’s specs. Will use a GS-series front fender — have not yet figured out which ones will work out.

[jabcb]

Back to working on the T500 build.

YSS RG362 shocks -- definitely overkill but cool looking.
cafe-T500-1814 by jabcb, on Flickr

[jabcb]

Fork candy. Overkill but cool looking. GS750 outer tubes (with upper+lower bushes, internal hard anodize & external power coat), GS550 inner tubes, RaceTech springs & RaceTech Gold Emulators.
cafe-T500-1904 by jabcb, on Flickr

[jabcb]

Test fit of wheel & caliper.
cafe-T500-1911 by jabcb, on Flickr

[jabcb]

Transmission assembled.
cafe-T500-2033 by jabcb, on Flickr