Many years ago, my XT500 and I had a love hate relationship, mostly hate! Worst day was when it I started it from warm, it tried to kick back so hard the Kick Start Lever snapped. No kidding! Trouble was, I was in the middle of the flattest part of London City, with absolutely no hills! Eventually, I managed to push the thing a mile or so, and managed to bump start the mother down a sloping taxi rank leading into the main entrance of a Station. Thankfully none of the Black Cabs opened their doors as I panted silently past on my one chance to fire it up, and it caught right at the bottom of the slope! I rode it home, led it into my garage, and reminded it who was boss. Cost me a few parts to address that but, it was satisfying! Despite heavy Ashman MC Boots, I had a permanent bruise on my right calf the whole time we were together! Warm starts were the problem, and it also liked to stall in traffic if I didn't pay attention. I also had an SR500 before the XT500, and that was far worse but I sold that quickly thinking it was a lemon machine. The XT500 just confirmed the warm starting problem came with the engine.
You knew the early SRs had a hot start button built into the throttle linkage near the carburettor ? I've owned my current 1978 SR 500 for seven years and done 80,000ks on it, it has a Wiseco ten to one piston In that time it's kicked back once or twice when it had some CDI issue or some sort of problem And I've stalled it once or twice in traffic but it's always started easily If it was a concern, say if I was riding through a busy city I might sometimes turn the carburettor idle up a little to prevent stalling On this one my second SR I've fitted a simpler VM 36 Mikuni carburettor and it always starts hot or cold without any problems I've cracked and replace my kick start lever but when you consider how many times I've used it you couldn't blame it for cracking I've broken the kick start lever on the bike in my profile photo a 1972 Hodaka 125 "Wombat" but again you couldn't blame it it's on its fifth speedometer
I have a 1977 tt500 and I tried to start it for weeks and never could do it cleaned the carb put a new electronic ignition on and still no good then I talked to a guy that used to flat track the 500 and he showed me I couldn’t believe it starts so easy now ,I was trying to start it like an old Harley ,bring it up to full compression and kick I didn’t know to move it just over the compression point , I almost. Sold this bike now it’s a keeper
I really loved my 83 Honda XL600, it had a compression release that was activated by the kick start lever. Genius idea! It also had a compression release lever up on the handlebar, I never used the handlebar mounted one in the twenty years I owned it from brand new. My buddy had a Yamaha XT500 a year or two older. I seem to have a memory that there was a sight glass with an indicator that you made appear by slowly cranking it over, and then you gave it the starting kick. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, that was almost forty years ago.
Yeah they have a kick indicator window but once you understand what he's telling you in this video you never have to look at it again The only reason I've looked at the indicator since the early 1980s is to show people that it actually has one
Maybe a couple of kicks with the decompression lever pulled in before really kicking it just to get the juices flowing and it more likely would have fired first kick
Another good idea is leave the kick stand down. It helps when you are first learning how to start the XT. When all else fails, just hold the throttle wide open, works everytime.
Have you ever seen one ? Knowing how to start one helps a lot too this fella on the video understand how you start one I've seen an electric start conversion video on UA-cam but I've never seen another one and don't believe they are commercially available or that you know what you're talking about
Now try it hot.....I know about the hot start button, mine does not have one. I had a 59 BSA Goldstar, always started no matter. These thumpers are basically big lawnmower engines, should not be problem yet the majority of them suck.
Sweet, I had an XT400 for years had so much fun on that thing, until the CDI unit shat itself and Yamaha wanted over half of the bikes total value for a replacement one, what a friggin ripoff.
@@readmore3634 this was quite a few years ago, mid 90's, I hunted high and low for a replacement CDI, the only two choices I had were buy a new one from Yamaha or I did find this guy who said he could drill/dig/chip the resin away and get the CDI board out of the little black box and try fix it but no guarantees, he'd done it a few times before with mixed results, I ended up selling the bike as is to a guy who wanted parts....
@@ats-3693 Back in 1971( I was 12) my dad bought 2 Suzuki TC90's, one for me and one for my mom. My older brother had a Bultaco 250 Matador, Sis had a Honda Mini-Trail 50, Dad a Bultaco Pursang. My nephew now has my moms Suzuki and we're both restoring them to like new, just for the kicks. Powder coating everything and stuff. In honor of my military son I'm using military colors....waiting on the engines to be finished.Maybe I'll make a short vid and send it to you when finished...don't hold yer breath...we started this project when the Covid hoax was created.
Stone Cold. YOUR Waring A T SHIRT.. Cold Is When If Your Outside In A Shirt ., You Could. Die. Really All These So Called. Cold Starts at 70 Deg. Well Doo The Math..Show A Start In Wisconsin December At 3 degrees.. been sitting since last December..
I remember seeing a promo for the XT500 by Yamaha in the '70's where they rode it from the tip of South America to the tip of Alaska.
Can hear the wind, really useful
Forget the wind listen to what he's telling you
My first WHEELIE bike !!
Same front tire when I sold it!! Tons Of Fun !!
Many years ago, my XT500 and I had a love hate relationship, mostly hate! Worst day was when it I started it from warm, it tried to kick back so hard the Kick Start Lever snapped. No kidding! Trouble was, I was in the middle of the flattest part of London City, with absolutely no hills! Eventually, I managed to push the thing a mile or so, and managed to bump start the mother down a sloping taxi rank leading into the main entrance of a Station. Thankfully none of the Black Cabs opened their doors as I panted silently past on my one chance to fire it up, and it caught right at the bottom of the slope! I rode it home, led it into my garage, and reminded it who was boss. Cost me a few parts to address that but, it was satisfying! Despite heavy Ashman MC Boots, I had a permanent bruise on my right calf the whole time we were together! Warm starts were the problem, and it also liked to stall in traffic if I didn't pay attention. I also had an SR500 before the XT500, and that was far worse but I sold that quickly thinking it was a lemon machine. The XT500 just confirmed the warm starting problem came with the engine.
Had a chain saw like that..1 or 2 pulls to start it if hot or cold..50 pulls wouldn't start it when warm..
You knew the early SRs had a hot start button built into the throttle linkage near the carburettor ?
I've owned my current 1978 SR 500 for seven years and done 80,000ks on it, it has a Wiseco ten to one piston
In that time it's kicked back once or twice when it had some CDI issue or some sort of problem
And I've stalled it once or twice in traffic but it's always started easily
If it was a concern, say if I was riding through a busy city I might sometimes turn the carburettor idle up a little to prevent stalling
On this one my second SR I've fitted a simpler VM 36 Mikuni carburettor and it always starts hot or cold without any problems
I've cracked and replace my kick start lever but when you consider how many times I've used it you couldn't blame it for cracking
I've broken the kick start lever on the bike in my profile photo a 1972 Hodaka 125 "Wombat" but again you couldn't blame it it's on its fifth speedometer
Excellent and correct tecnique.
I had a new XT in 1976.
Good onya bro!
One of the best bikes I ever had, great video, thanks for sharing.
Next Week..............How to use a microphone!!!
I had one of those when it was new..they had the compression for sure. Awesome bike.
I have a 1977 tt500 and I tried to start it for weeks and never could do it cleaned the carb put a new electronic ignition on and still no good then I talked to a guy that used to flat track the 500 and he showed me I couldn’t believe it starts so easy now ,I was trying to start it like an old Harley ,bring it up to full compression and kick I didn’t know to move it just over the compression point , I almost. Sold this bike now it’s a keeper
Now refilm it without dragging the microphone all over the ground.
Listen... Do you hear it?
It's the wind, fool.
@@lawrenceklein3524 Fool?
And film from the other side.
Really had a good laugh, thanks
@@lawrenceklein3524 that's the joke, fool.
That yard brings Dead Island in mind :O
I love my XT!!!
I've got a high compression piston and dellorto pumper carb. i wish it was as simple to start as yours. But when it starts what fun it is.
I really loved my 83 Honda XL600, it had a compression release that was activated by the kick start lever. Genius idea! It also had a compression release lever up on the handlebar, I never used the handlebar mounted one in the twenty years I owned it from brand new. My buddy had a Yamaha XT500 a year or two older. I seem to have a memory that there was a sight glass with an indicator that you made appear by slowly cranking it over, and then you gave it the starting kick. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, that was almost forty years ago.
83 Honda XL600 - I had one of those also. Great machine!
kinda heavy.....
Yeah they have a kick indicator window but once you understand what he's telling you in this video you never have to look at it again
The only reason I've looked at the indicator since the early 1980s is to show people that it actually has one
Overhead thunderstorms! Typical in tropical climates.
Maybe a couple of kicks with the decompression lever pulled in before really kicking it just to get the juices flowing and it more likely would have fired first kick
Another good idea is leave the kick stand down. It helps when you are first learning how to start the XT. When all else fails, just hold the throttle wide open, works everytime.
Electric start conversion is the way forward with these..
Have you ever seen one ?
Knowing how to start one helps a lot too this fella on the video understand how you start one
I've seen an electric start conversion video on UA-cam but I've never seen another one and don't believe they are commercially available or that you know what you're talking about
Yes, any 500 is THE mans bike for sure.
How about the idiots guide to making a video with audio you can understand?
Too much wind noise. It was only a minute long how hard is it to do this over.
What on earth did the bloke say? I only heard wind in the mic.
Or upgrade the manually decompression for an automatic . It's only a few bucks and you will save that much on Ibuprofen .
What are talking about ?
Your Honda ?
Wrong T-Shirt
Simples:)
My be not in a galette next time😵💫
Nice helmet…!
the caaaboore-tta
Now try it hot.....I know about the hot start button, mine does not have one. I had a 59 BSA Goldstar, always started no matter. These thumpers are basically big lawnmower engines, should not be problem yet the majority of them suck.
If they're running right and you know what your doing they're easy to start
@robiniroven Oh if thinking so makes you happy: go for it! XD
no need to let it warm up lol
I don't
Why do people do this shit, Starting a big single, ie XT500 starts piss easy when cold. Now starting them once hot that's the trick.
The thing I hate the most on a video is when its blowing. god I hate it !!!!
Sweet, I had an XT400 for years had so much fun on that thing, until the CDI unit shat itself and Yamaha wanted over half of the bikes total value for a replacement one, what a friggin ripoff.
You can buy an aftermarket CDI for cheap...it'll work fine......but...if the problem is the stator?....that's another story.
@@readmore3634 this was quite a few years ago, mid 90's, I hunted high and low for a replacement CDI, the only two choices I had were buy a new one from Yamaha or I did find this guy who said he could drill/dig/chip the resin away and get the CDI board out of the little black box and try fix it but no guarantees, he'd done it a few times before with mixed results, I ended up selling the bike as is to a guy who wanted parts....
@@ats-3693 Back in 1971( I was 12) my dad bought 2 Suzuki TC90's, one for me and one for my mom. My older brother had a Bultaco 250 Matador, Sis had a Honda Mini-Trail 50, Dad a Bultaco Pursang. My nephew now has my moms Suzuki and we're both restoring them to like new, just for the kicks. Powder coating everything and stuff. In honor of my military son I'm using military colors....waiting on the engines to be finished.Maybe I'll make a short vid and send it to you when finished...don't hold yer breath...we started this project when the Covid hoax was created.
haha simples!
Sorry, what did you say? 😅😅😅
@PseudoTwo i cant read what you typed...the wind is blowing in my eyes, nice ego break kiddie
If you are looking for yamaha parts Google "lecarreretro all Yamaha "
No idea what you said or did.
+Ronan O'Boyle
What!
Stone Cold. YOUR Waring A T SHIRT.. Cold Is When If Your Outside In A Shirt ., You Could. Die. Really All These So Called. Cold Starts at 70 Deg. Well Doo The Math..Show A Start In Wisconsin December At 3 degrees.. been sitting since last December..
Get a fucking windscreen, cool bike
Very bad audio....mate
Lol! Next time don't put the mic in God's mouth.
couldn't hear shit
Terrible audio.
typical guide for harley drivers... watch his t-shirt