Current Header Picture
Moderators: oldjapanesebikes, H2RICK, diamondj, Suzsmokeyallan
- Zook-e
- Smokin'
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:29 pm
- Location: Southwestern Virginia
- Contact:
Current Header Picture
I see we have Frank Tarpley's 69 T500 up. This pic is in front of my house. I had done some requested work on this bike for Frank to include the upgrade of a GT500 frontend to look close to and similar to the original front end.
"If you keep hitting your head against the wall you will eventually put a hole in the wall or your head"
1968 T500 Monoshock, 1972 GT750 Custom, 1973 GT750 Lemans
http://www.sundialmotosports.com
1968 T500 Monoshock, 1972 GT750 Custom, 1973 GT750 Lemans
http://www.sundialmotosports.com
-
- Expert racer
- Posts: 1254
- Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 2:52 am
- Location: Manchester, UK
Re: Current Header Picture
Funny, I hadn't even noticed the GT500 front end despite looking at that pic dozens of times in the past weeks. The early styling and color scheme sits well with the more modern stopper.
I like that approach of subtle modification by mixing & matching from the manufacturer's parts bin, it's what people did with their bikes back in the day, and I suppose still do today. Some purists prefer factory-correct originality, I just like to see classics on the road and being used
I like that approach of subtle modification by mixing & matching from the manufacturer's parts bin, it's what people did with their bikes back in the day, and I suppose still do today. Some purists prefer factory-correct originality, I just like to see classics on the road and being used

1976 GT380 - wounded by me, and sold on
2006 SV650S - killed by a patch of diesel and a kerb in Feb 2019
2017 SV650 AL7 - naked and unashamed
2006 SV650S - killed by a patch of diesel and a kerb in Feb 2019
2017 SV650 AL7 - naked and unashamed
- Suzsmokeyallan
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4326
- Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:11 am
- Location: Mostly Barbados, sometimes Florida and western Canada
- Contact:
Re: Current Header Picture
Such updates are nice to the T500 even though its not original for that year of bike, especially when the brakes and forks work better than the original pathetic ones.
For my 69 MKII I decided to leave it stock in the front end simply to have the bike resemble a stock restored model.
Since the stock front end isn't the best, having it on there will keep me from pushing the bike too hard and regretting I did so.
For my 69 MKII I decided to leave it stock in the front end simply to have the bike resemble a stock restored model.
Since the stock front end isn't the best, having it on there will keep me from pushing the bike too hard and regretting I did so.
Two strokes, its just that simple.
69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
-
- Expert racer
- Posts: 1254
- Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 2:52 am
- Location: Manchester, UK
Re: Current Header Picture
Amen to that. I'm about 25 years too old for that kind of thing, these days ....Suzsmokeyallan wrote:Since the stock front end isn't the best, having it on there will keep me from pushing the bike too hard and regretting I did so.

1976 GT380 - wounded by me, and sold on
2006 SV650S - killed by a patch of diesel and a kerb in Feb 2019
2017 SV650 AL7 - naked and unashamed
2006 SV650S - killed by a patch of diesel and a kerb in Feb 2019
2017 SV650 AL7 - naked and unashamed
- Zook-e
- Smokin'
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:29 pm
- Location: Southwestern Virginia
- Contact:
Re: Current Header Picture
Craig380 wrote:Amen to that. I'm about 25 years too old for that kind of thing, these days ....
Not Me!!! Was draggin' the center stand on the Buff yesterday.

"If you keep hitting your head against the wall you will eventually put a hole in the wall or your head"
1968 T500 Monoshock, 1972 GT750 Custom, 1973 GT750 Lemans
http://www.sundialmotosports.com
1968 T500 Monoshock, 1972 GT750 Custom, 1973 GT750 Lemans
http://www.sundialmotosports.com
- Suzsmokeyallan
- Moto GP
- Posts: 4326
- Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:11 am
- Location: Mostly Barbados, sometimes Florida and western Canada
- Contact:
Re: Current Header Picture
Eric, the Buffalo is a tad better than the early T500 front end, pogo stick fork dampening and shoes that work well for a few good stops, then quickly go away when warmed to beyond their designed limits is the reasoning behind that statement.
I always drag my Buffalo centre stand too, its got some hefty scrapes on the mid bend portions to prove it,

I always drag my Buffalo centre stand too, its got some hefty scrapes on the mid bend portions to prove it,



Two strokes, its just that simple.
69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
69 Suz U70
69 Suz T500
72 Suz GT750 cafe
74 Suz TS250
74 Suz GTXVR project
75 Suz RE5
75 Suz GT750
76 Suz TS400
76 Suz GT750
81 Suz GSX1100
86 Suz RG500x2
88 Hon CR500
93 Hon CBR900RR
98 Suz GSF1200x3
15 Kaw Ninja H2
- Zook-e
- Smokin'
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:29 pm
- Location: Southwestern Virginia
- Contact:
Re: Current Header Picture
Suzsmokeyallan wrote:Eric, the Buffalo is a tad better than the early T500 front end, pogo stick fork dampening and shoes that work well for a few good stops, then quickly go away when warmed to beyond their designed limits is the reasoning behind that statement.
That's why I make subtle changes in non-descript kind of way.


"If you keep hitting your head against the wall you will eventually put a hole in the wall or your head"
1968 T500 Monoshock, 1972 GT750 Custom, 1973 GT750 Lemans
http://www.sundialmotosports.com
1968 T500 Monoshock, 1972 GT750 Custom, 1973 GT750 Lemans
http://www.sundialmotosports.com