TR500 replica

Getting your blazingly fast Suzuki powerplant to perform even better!

Moderators: oldjapanesebikes, H2RICK, diamondj, Suzsmokeyallan

Post Reply
User avatar
PaulD
Around the block
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2016 9:01 pm
Country: United Kingdom
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T250, Dunstall GT750L, GSXR1100, Z1300, GT500
Location: If I'm not working I'm in the shed

TR500 replica

Post by PaulD »

Unfortunate I no longer own this bike due to arthritis in my knees, hands and shoulders making it impossible to hang on at racing speeds so she had to go :oops:
I did have fun building and racing it though so I thought it may be of interest to some on here. The original idea came from an article in Classic & Motorcycle Mechanics a loooong time ago.
I bought the bare bones of the bike from a friend, it was a braced and de-lugged standard frame plus a standard T500 motor.

Image

Image

The motor was highly modified as you can see, lightened and balanced crank, inline bored cases to accept the stuffers and a close ratio box (can't remember offhand the make) the kickstart mechanism was binned and the case blanked off. Barrels where ported, and the heads filled up with weld then machined to give central plugs and a proper squish band. The end result was 70bhp at the wheel.

Image

Image

The pump was used but it was controlled by a lever from the bars, it was shut off for starting and open by 1/4 for racing, I also used pre-mix in the tank. The fuel and oil tank where hand built by Peter Kyte

Image


Image


I used a modified GT750 drum brake with race linings and also at some circuits I also had a twin disc set up depending upon how strict the classic rules where.

Image

36mm Amal mk2 carbs where fitted along with mesh filters made from tea strainers!


Image

She looked good without clothes!


Image

Image

And also with clothes


Image

Four years of work (in my back bedroom) finally paid off.
Here we are in full flight at Tye Croes circuit in Anglesey North Wales.
Those jap bikes are rubbish they won't last five minutes son, get yourself a nice Royal Enfield!
A quote from my old dad

1971 Pink GT750J
1973 Blue T500J
User avatar
Jimroid
To the on ramp
Posts: 309
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2016 8:32 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: GT500 T500 GT750
Location: Pisgah Forest, N.C. USA

Re: TR500 replica

Post by Jimroid »

Beautiful bike and craftsmanship. What kind of powerband did it have, where did the power drop off? How well did the clutch hold up? Love the tea strainers! Newtronics ignition?
User avatar
PaulD
Around the block
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2016 9:01 pm
Country: United Kingdom
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T250, Dunstall GT750L, GSXR1100, Z1300, GT500
Location: If I'm not working I'm in the shed

Re: TR500 replica

Post by PaulD »

Hi, the bike would pull from virtually nothing right up to my imposed redline of 9000rpm I didn't dare chance any more on the dyno and that's where it made the 70bhp, as I found out later when the red mist came down during a race any higher than that and the tops came off the pistons (standard Suzuki) I did fit a set of what I was told where Mahle pistons and they where still going good when I sold it. There was no powerband to speak of although it did seem to pull harder from 5000rpm. Yes I did use Newtronics on a modded backplate, you might just be able to make out the rgv battery in the carrier just behind the fuel tank sump. once it was set it never moved. It was also unlike any other race two stroke I've ever had in that once I had sorted the jetting out it never needed altering whatever the weather or circuit I raced on? The clutch was standard apart from having an extra steel plate fitted and held up well. It's a good few years since I sold it but I'm sure I've still got the dyno chart somewhere, if I can dig it out I'll post it.
Those jap bikes are rubbish they won't last five minutes son, get yourself a nice Royal Enfield!
A quote from my old dad

1971 Pink GT750J
1973 Blue T500J
User avatar
Alan H
Moto GP
Posts: 3160
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
Country: England
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: TR500 replica

Post by Alan H »

Never mind Paul, you're twice the man you used to be then! :roll: :lol:

It does look well, I always did like the 500, but never had one (yet.) :ssh:
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
old racer
To the on ramp
Posts: 240
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 1:22 pm
Country: Wales
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RG250 GT750L GT750 DRAG seelyt500 tr500MK3
Location: Wales UK

Re: TR500 replica

Post by old racer »

Nice bike that.
Who made the stuffers.
User avatar
PaulD
Around the block
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2016 9:01 pm
Country: United Kingdom
Suzuki 2-Strokes: T250, Dunstall GT750L, GSXR1100, Z1300, GT500
Location: If I'm not working I'm in the shed

Re: TR500 replica

Post by PaulD »

old racer wrote:Nice bike that.
Who made the stuffers.
Me :up: and it was a loong job on my little lathe and milling machine, I did make the job a little easier by finding some aluminium tube roughly the finished size so I didn't have to bore out a solid aluminium billet!

Image

Image
Those jap bikes are rubbish they won't last five minutes son, get yourself a nice Royal Enfield!
A quote from my old dad

1971 Pink GT750J
1973 Blue T500J
Post Reply