Suzuki 2 Strokes

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Back to working on the T500 build.

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

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

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

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