woohoo got another t500!!

tygrant351 · Post by **tygrant351** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:39 am

so this spring i bought a t500 with plans to turn it into a mean cafe racer, well i spend alot of times looking over ebay when this t500 popped up, located 15 mins from my house!!! i bid on it and won for 721 dollars. it is in amazing shape with the exception of the paint wich is an easy fix. im thrilled and have been riding it all over!! this bike is almost too nice to turn into a cafe bike so now i dont know what to do haha

ebay # 230367777598

if you cant see this il get some pics up. what do i do with this bike!??

johnakay · Post by **johnakay** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:14 pm

more jam on you than there is in a tart

TLRam1 · Post by **TLRam1** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 1:03 pm

Nice bike and what a deal!

If you are asking opinions, personally this to me is too nice, I would find another to convert and leave this original. If you are just going to change the seat and bars it could be brought back easily though. I never converted one nor know what it takes so not sure what is involved.

tygrant351 · Post by **tygrant351** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 6:52 pm

well i was planning on sending in my cylinders and having them ported and head decked a little, also running some jemco chambers. also runing clip ons and fiber glass tail. so now i dont know if i want to do that to this bike, its in such great shape almost be a shame to change it

diamondj · Post by **diamondj** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 9:35 pm

IMO - the '75 is a particularly pretty motorcycle in the stock bright blue metallic. If the chrome is nice on the '75, I'd do whatever tune up/maintenance it needed, change the oil, repaint to the stock color, and enjoy it as is.

Maybe I'm reading your post wrong but this is the second T500 you own? The first being the bike you bought this spring and then you got the '75? If so, I'd cafe the bike you bought in the spring. If I'm reading it wrong, then I say find a second crappy looking T500 and cafe that.

diamondj · Post by **diamondj** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 9:43 pm

Dr James on the Kawasaki Triples board did a nice job of building a cafe T500 (technically a GT500 but mostly the same bike):

tygrant351 · Post by **tygrant351** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:31 pm

I absolutely love that GT500 and I have seen it before, I am set on a set of those pipes, just love them. and yes this is the second one, the first is a 71, and its pretty rough shape. really rough shape actualy. and at this point its a mater of funds. I am 24 and have a decent job but theres a long list of wants and needs right now, down deposit on a house, pay off the student loans, plus all the other toys and dare i say it... a diamond... hack cough ugh... i know.

do you think being in sotck color will increase its value at all?

TLRam1 · Post by **TLRam1** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:34 pm

Stock color and condition will be more valuable, the better condition overall in stock form will determine how much value.

Once you take it away from stock you devalue the bike and shrink the market of buyers interested for the most part, there are always exceptions but than you get into putting in more more for a lesser return on your money.

Now, you can always paint it whatever you like and go back to stock at a later time. If your goal is to maximize the value of the bike go back to original at some point. If money is tight paint it yourself or rattle can for the short term. A few here do good rattle can jobs and will be able to school you somewhat.