1980 Yamaha XT500 6,600km 1 owner $s??

**Naki Rat** · 4th February 2008, 15:16

My partner, Maggie, has decided to sell her motorcycle which belonged to her late husband when in Canada. We imported it into NZ when she immigrated in 2004 and did the VIN / rego thing but it is not getting the use we planned as I have a 2nd hand knee and the kickstart causes me grief. Maggie is about 5'1" and doesn't plan on putting trainer wheels on it

Last 12 months the rego was on hold and we're putting rego/WOF on it again now to sell.

It spent plenty of time in storage while in Canada so although straight and very much original it would take a strip down and frame-up paint to be mint again.

So.... what is this old girl worth (the bike)? I intend to contact the local classic bike club but if there's anybody out there who is knowledgeable enough to value it or interested enough to make an offer, drop me a PM and we can chat.

I'll post some photos later.

Cheers

**Naki Rat** · 5th February 2008, 12:23

A picture is worth 1,000 words....

**mitchilin** · 5th February 2008, 15:47

That looks pretty tidy Naki Rat.Classic bike did a feature on them last year I think saying what a good bike the were.Bit of a cult bike now,at least in England.I remember my flatmate buying one back in the mid eighties.I think he may have paid over 3k for his.Somewhere around the same money,maybe?I really don't know.I sold my 1980 Z1000st recently and was glad to get $1900.It's only worth what the market will pay.Still a cool bike in their day.

**spookytooth** · 5th February 2008, 16:23

Can't help with what its worth sorry.But that sure brings back some memory's.I had the black/silver one,my first of many dirt bikes.And what a pig it was as a dirt bike haha looking back that is spent many a times picking it up struggling in the wet clay.I saw a yellow TT500 go for 3500 a cupple of years back

**mitchilin** · 5th February 2008, 16:29

Originally Posted by spookytooth

Can't help with what its worth sorry.But that sure brings back some memory's.I had the black/silver one,my first of many dirt bikes.And what a pig it was as a dirt bike haha looking back that is spent many a times picking it up struggling in the wet clay.I saw a yellow TT500 go for 3500 a cupple of years back

Never took one in the dirt.My flatmate said they were a pig.We were pissing around with DT175's and IT 250's at the time.They were brilliant at popping wheelstands in traffic though.As an Adventure bike today I reckon they"d be great.

**spookytooth** · 5th February 2008, 16:36

Yep good on the road.A freind used to wheely his xr500 for miles till it would start to smoke from lack of oil.I miss the days of doing stupid shit and not giving a shit about it

**Sensei** · 5th February 2008, 20:04

Have owned 5 XT/TT500s bike looks in excellent condition , could be keen to buy one more .

**Paul in NZ** · 6th February 2008, 09:33

Quite highly sought after but while yours has low kms the little detail stuff is getting scruffy (and getting stuff like instruments etc right is where the time goes) and the real purists want mint original. Minters do come up because by the time tham model was released people bought them and put them away for the future so.. Tough one to price really. If you wanted to restore one - that would be a good one to start with but you would spend more than it's worth.

I wouldn't be giving it away but I'd keep an eye on trademe for similar ones. I'm only guessing but a low price of $2K if there are no dents in the fragile tank? A restored one would go for $5K plus to the right buyer.

Paul N

ps - It wouldn't make much of an adventure bike these days - they were a pig on the open road without modifications plus a small alloy tank and the engines could be a bit fragile if held at higher speeds for a long time (or is my memory faulty?)

**Wired1** · 6th February 2008, 11:38

Yes I want one, and bugger it, whenver I want something it goes up in price.

Turdeme adicts will have seen a dismantled SR500 motor sell two weeks ago for $1100! AND YES, IT'S IN BITS! The seller even said that bidders were buying a Wiseco piston and a rebored barrel and the other engine parts were thrown in for nothing so there is no guarantee that there was even a complete engine.

One week ago a reasonably good looking TT500 sold for $5680 - although it was to a dodgy looking Aussie and might be a phantom bidder. I guess we'll see if it reappears on Trademe again.

I'd love to pick up a barn-find TT500 or XT500 but there aren't enough barns left to look in. I'll give you $2000 for it today but it must be worth over $3000 of anyone's money, if that $5000 sale is legitimate then maybe this should be up there too.

If anyone has one of these that needs restoring then PM me as I want that one too! I promise to restore it to original condition and then race the bastard like they should all be.