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
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.
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.
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
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.
36mm Amal mk2 carbs where fitted along with mesh filters made from tea strainers!
She looked good without clothes!
And also with clothes
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.
TR500 replica
Moderators: oldjapanesebikes, H2RICK, diamondj, Suzsmokeyallan
- 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
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
A quote from my old dad
1971 Pink GT750J
1973 Blue T500J
- 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
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?
- 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
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
A quote from my old dad
1971 Pink GT750J
1973 Blue T500J
- Alan H
- Moto GP
- Posts: 3174
- 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
Never mind Paul, you're twice the man you used to be then!
It does look well, I always did like the 500, but never had one (yet.)
It does look well, I always did like the 500, but never had one (yet.)
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
-
- 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
Nice bike that.
Who made the stuffers.
Who made the stuffers.
- 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
Me 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!old racer wrote:Nice bike that.
Who made the stuffers.
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
A quote from my old dad
1971 Pink GT750J
1973 Blue T500J