Fully custom 72 T500

Retro, Wild, Cafe, etc. The stuff only your imagination can come up with.

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SliderNH
On the street
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:16 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: Katana, Superhawk, RC51, CB550, T500

Fully custom 72 T500

Post by SliderNH »

Project is not done yet, but it is at a point where I feel I have some info that might be helpful for some people to see. I bought the bike in, what I consider, "parts" condition. Got it running, tore it down, and began building things and making things fit. I'm in the ending stages of mock-up. I'm planning on a test ride tomorrow to test the geometry changes and see how the ride is. After the test-ride I'll tear it down to rebuild the motor and paint everything. Most of the parts seen below required modification to fit. I owe a huge thanks to all the contributing members and moderators for all the information I found on the site here...here is my list of whats on my T500. Please ask questions make a comment or two, criticize and share ideas! All is welcome!

pictures here: http://s1354.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... H/library/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


- 1972 T500 Frame
- 1976 T500 bottom end
- 1972 T500 top end?
- 1974 GT250 18 inch Front wheel
- 1972 GT250 swing arm
- 1976 GT550 Triple tree
- 1973 GT550 forks
- 1973 GT550 front axel+spacers
- Suzuki GS1100E front rotor
- 2001 RM125 clutch lever assembly
- 1999-2002 SV650 front calipers
- 97-00 GSXR 750 front brake M/C
- Vesrah rear brake pads
- GT250 rear brake cable
- Hot Wing Glass TT fiberglass tail section
- Homemade fiberglass undertail
- Rearsets
- Rear shocks: Works shocks – Gasser DRS
- Rear mud guard – 1983-1999 CR125/250 front fender (UFO Plastics)
- Universal tail light from ebay seller: 9sparts
- Power dynamo electronic ignition System (street version)
- 76-81 RM250 14T/15T front sprockets (520) requires spacing - used 2 front sprocket lock washers.
- 42T rear sprocket by sprocket specialists (520)
- O-ring chain 110 links (520)
- NHK Steering damper ODM500/35mm fork tube clamp (bought from Fast From the Past)
- 1968-1975 T500 air filter boot
- 73-77 T500 Intake manifolds/boots
- 2004 Triumph speedmaster K&N air filter
- Jemco Custom race pipes
- Avon AM26 tires
- interstate 12V battery (ASLA1005)
- Russell 30" SS Brake line + fittings
- Custom seat (Allen’s Auto Upholstery, Corpus Christi TX)
- RM 125 Kill switch
Arne
To the on ramp
Posts: 468
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:10 pm
Location: St. Paul, MN

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by Arne »

Very nice, do you have the capability of taking a video of it running?

(I'd like to hear how those pipes sound)
1954 Harley ST165 basket in the attic
1972 Suzuki GT750 project in the works
1981 Honda CB750-1000 driver
1982 Honda GL500 easy project
redline
On the street
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2012 12:57 am
Country: New Zealand
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T500R

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by redline »

wow cool.

I'm not sold on the seat but the build looks really impressive.


that 250 swingarm has really shortened it up.

I'd love to hear how it handles.
SliderNH
On the street
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:16 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: Katana, Superhawk, RC51, CB550, T500

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by SliderNH »

added videos of it running to the photobucket...In the videos its running on the old float needles. It was spewing fuel into the exhaust. You can hear it for sure, but you also get an idea of what it sounds like. The day after I took the videos, changed out the float needles and adjusted the floats, ran much better after that. Its still pretty lean running 150's and on the 4th clip and stock pilots. Aside from the jemco exhaust I have the high flow air filter sitting on the stock intake boot. Any recommendations for a starting point for pilots and mains? I started disassembly today. Took all the electronics off so I can weld up a kickstand. I'm pretty sure I'll be using a RD350 kickstand with a cb750 bracket welded to the frame. So far my best solution is a mount on the right side - I might be one of the few with a bike that leans the wrong way! After that's sorted out I'll continue the tear down to rebuild the motor and pretty her up with some paint and aluminum wheels. Still need to source out crank seals, ugh.

I didn't get a good feel for handling. I just wanted to make sure my geometry changes were safe and stable. Checks good. It feels like it will fall into turns nicely. Should be pretty good but one thing that concerns me is the forks are a bit spongey. I'm hoping that will change when I rebuild them with new fluid and fork seals. Ideally I would like some progressive springs but I haven't seen any for a GT550 fork, I have for the 500 but that doesn't help. Any ideas, please?

As for the seat - I'm assuming you mean the tail section? The style definitely isn't for everyone. I can't stand the cafe bubble hump style but some people love it - to each their own. Either way, it's light, sleek and a nice place to sit!
redline
On the street
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2012 12:57 am
Country: New Zealand
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T500R

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by redline »

Yeah the tail section looks a bit out of place to me.
Looking at it again though, I quite like the seat itself, but I think it's a little mismatched with the more classic lines of the fuel and oil tanks.
I could imagine with sharper tanks and perhaps a katana style front fairing, it could look pretty awesome.

Your bike anyway, and it's good to see something different.
suzukigt500
Still in the Driveway
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2013 6:03 pm
Country: usa
Suzuki 2-Strokes: gt500

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by suzukigt500 »

great work !those pipe sound great! what kind of jets are you running?
mario03srt
On the street
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 7:01 am
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T500

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by mario03srt »

With PODs and Jemco exhaust.

I added 35 pilot jets and 160 main jets. I moved the needle up 1 but it does not like that so I'm returing it to the stock position. Someone recommended that I go to a 162.5 main and try that first. When It gets warmer I'll dial it in then.

Marion
SliderNH
On the street
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:16 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: Katana, Superhawk, RC51, CB550, T500

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by SliderNH »

suzukigt500 wrote:great work !those pipe sound great! what kind of jets are you running?
Thanks! I really like the pipes...I haven't done any real jetting yet. just to get the bike running decent enough for a short test-ride, I moved the clip down one notch. It still ran way too lean at low rpm and was OK at high rpm. I'll do most of the tuning after I get the crank and top-end rebuilt. I don't want to spend too much time running the bike with bad crank seals and 40 year old pistons. Im expecting similar jetting to Mario but my plan is to order a bunch of different size mains - 160 to 200 and then a few different size pilots to see what will work best.
SliderNH
On the street
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:16 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: Katana, Superhawk, RC51, CB550, T500

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by SliderNH »

Spent some time messing around with paint and color schemes. Tell me what you guys think! Also...how do you shrink a picture to be small enough to attach to a post??? I can't get them smaller than 1k.


http://s1354.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... H/library/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
ja-moo
Yeah Man, the Interstate
Posts: 554
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:47 pm
Location: NM USA
Contact:

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by ja-moo »

Just take the img code of whatever pic you want to post and add in your post.

Image
Visiting from the "K" camp...........
SliderNH
On the street
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:16 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: Katana, Superhawk, RC51, CB550, T500

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by SliderNH »

finished building it, check out picture below. Someone can post it up if they want. Don't know how she runs yet. waiting on some more jet sizes and a few other things. Thanks for the info on this site...

http://s1354.photobucket.com/user/Slide ... b.jpg.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
CJF
To the on ramp
Posts: 306
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:57 pm

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by CJF »

Nice job with the build...really like the paint. I like the seat because nobody else is running one like that on a T500...makes your unique. Did you end up changing out the silencers for a different type? My Jemco silencers don't look anything like yours. Also, what finish do you have on the pipes?
Chris

'76 TR500 Style Cafe
'75 T500 - Cafe Build Underway
'78 Honda CB 750 Super Sport
CJF
To the on ramp
Posts: 306
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:57 pm

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by CJF »

BTW...you can try a triumph weld on kick stand mounting bracket (off ebay) and weld it on the left hand side a little further up the lower frame rail toward the front wheel. That is what I did with mine and then used a speed triple aluminum kick stand that needed to be modified a little, but works great.
Chris

'76 TR500 Style Cafe
'75 T500 - Cafe Build Underway
'78 Honda CB 750 Super Sport
SliderNH
On the street
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:16 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: Katana, Superhawk, RC51, CB550, T500

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by SliderNH »

The silencers on the pipes are Jemco. They are his race version so it might be a different set up than yours...? Or maybe John was just messing around with some silencers in the shop, what do your silencers look like? They are ceramic coated to a polished aluminum finish. I had them done at Cradin Industries in Boerne, TX. And the kickstand got sorted out once I had enough parts to mess with. I think there are bits from 5 or so kickstands. sv650, cb750, rd350, t500 can't remember what else, but yeah it was a pain and I saw those weld on brackets. I didn't want to pay that much, Or maybe I didn't want it to be that easy...seriously, the stand took the most time of anything on the bike
Zunspec4
Expert racer
Posts: 1087
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:37 am
Country: UK
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T500R, SV1000S, TS125, Seeley T500
Location: Trowbridge UK

Re: Fully custom 72 T500

Post by Zunspec4 »

Hello slider,

A very nice looking bike, let us know how it performs.

Cheers Geoff
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