Thump-a-lump

**GSF** · 6th November 2012, 19:40

Just picked up my new bike on the weekend!

1981 Yamaha SR500 - 500cc big single!
Here it is next to my Bandit.

She's a beauty, engine was rebuilt about 5,000km ago (got 92,000 on the clock right now).
Been fully repainted and rechromed, pretty much totally stock standard.
At the moment she needs a new battery, an oil change and a spark plug, I'm itching to get 'em so I can ride the damn thing.

Later on I'll try whacking on a new filter, a Mikuni flatslide carb and a new muffler and maybe some flat bars and shocks too, make a nice street bike

**ducatilover** · 6th November 2012, 19:47

Way cool dude. Stylish beast

**GSF** · 6th November 2012, 20:03

Originally Posted by ducatilover

Way cool dude. Stylish beast

Cheers dude!

This bike is gonna be fun. Super simple and easy to modify. Pretty light and torquey, plus once I get a nice aftermarket pipe it'll have that sexy single sound.
It currently has the muffler from a 2000s model SR400 on it which is heavy and quiet and shit.

Plus the old chap threw in the Haynes manual with it. There's no English documents for early 250 Bandits out there which is a pain in the arse - having the Haynes means I'm practically having kittens. It tells me how to do everything! WITH PICTURES!

**Subike** · 6th November 2012, 20:06

Very nice score fella.
Thats one that will be a keeper for a long time, eh.

**tigertim20** · 6th November 2012, 20:09

nice addition to your garage!

**GSF** · 6th November 2012, 20:18

Originally Posted by Subike

Very nice score fella.
Thats one that will be a keeper for a long time, eh.

Definitely! I am not planning on parting with this ole girl anytime soon, they are getting collectible at a pretty swift rate now I think.

Originally Posted by tigertim20

nice addition to your garage!

Sure is! Soon I'll be back down to one though, I'm going to sell the Bandit once I've sat my full license test on it.
Be a bit sad to part with it, it's my first bike and I've been a lot of places on that cycle.
My garage will thank me for it though, it's overflowing with bikes, dismantled mowers, pushbikes and cleaning products...

**ducatilover** · 6th November 2012, 20:20

Originally Posted by GSF

There's no English documents for early 250 Bandits out there which is a pain in the arse

I know a chap with a hard copy of one

Cafe that sucker!!!!

**GSF** · 6th November 2012, 20:27

Originally Posted by ducatilover

I know a chap with a hard copy of one

Cafe that sucker!!!!

A manual for a GJ74 Bandit? Like '90 to '94 ones? Fuck me, where did he dig up that particular piece of rocking horse feces?

Yep, I'm shopping for some clip-ons or flat bars, got some small turn signals that can mount on the lower triple, get a cut-down seat and maybe a late-model Sportster headlight with the hood/visor.
I'm tempted to go batteryless, apparently it's a piece of cake with these.
I like the idea, considering it's kickstart only it would be like riding the biggest wind-up toy ever.

**ducatilover** · 6th November 2012, 20:35

Originally Posted by GSF

A manual for a GJ74 Bandit? Like '90 to '94 ones? Fuck me, where did he dig up that particular piece of rocking horse feces?

Yep, I'm shopping for some clip-ons or flat bars, got some small turn signals that can mount on the lower triple, get a cut-down seat and maybe a late-model Sportster headlight with the hood/visor.
I'm tempted to go batteryless, apparently it's a piece of cake with these.
I like the idea, considering it's kickstart only it would be like riding the biggest wind-up toy ever.

No idea where, but I've seen it and he's used it a fair bit (reliable Jap bikes eh?)

You could run it with an A123 cell pack instead of a normal battery, that'll free up space.
Those factory signals are a bit much eh? I'm shopping for some nice looking bullet ones at the moment for the FrankenGN

**GSF** · 6th November 2012, 20:43

Originally Posted by ducatilover

No idea where, but I've seen it and he's used it a fair bit (reliable Jap bikes eh?)

You could run it with an A123 cell pack instead of a normal battery, that'll free up space.
Those factory signals are a bit much eh? I'm shopping for some nice looking bullet ones at the moment for the FrankenGN

Ugh reliable Jap bikes with four cylinders, four fucking horrible CV carbs and 20 years to their name!

The thing I had looked at was made by a German company called Kedo. From what I understand it's just a giant fuck-off capacitor that replaces the battery. The downside is that when you're sitting idling at a stop, all your lights will be flickering and barely going.
The factory signals are like small moons orbiting the massive sun that is my headlight.