Riding The ORIGINAL 2 Stroke Killer!
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2024
- We take a ride on the legendary Yamaha HL500 4 Stroke motocross bike. This is the ultimate underdog story of how three motocross world champions came together to create the original two stroke killer. Are these the men responsible for changing dirt bikes forever? Let's find out....
A huge thanks goes to Dave King, Kevin Thornton, Torsten Hallman and everyone else that helped make this video possible.
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And also a big thanks to O'NEAL for always helping us to enjoy the ride: oneal.com/ - Спорт
Q&A with Torsten Hallman Part 1:
Hi Torsten,
Any information you can share about the bike would be greatly appreciated by us and our audience. Here are some questions we have;
1.) Where did the idea for the project originate? Did you always believe that 4-Stroke engines could be affective again for motocross racing?
As an importer of Yamaha motorcycles in Sweden, we received early information about all new products. We got specifications, pictures etc of the engine of the new 1-cylinder 500 cc engine that would be sold only in America with the model designations TT500. We immediately contacted Yamaha to order some machines, but unfortunately, we were turned down. The answer was, the model is only intended for the US market. We then tried to buy only one or more spare engines - but were turned down. Why such great interest on our part? In the first place, it was Sten "Storken" Lundin, who was the biggest 4-stroke enthusiast of all of us at our company Hallman & Eneqvist Motor AB. Sten was the service manager at the company. He studied the specifications, pictures, etc. carefully and was convinced that here Yamaha had designed an engine that would be suitable for motocross - if you could reduce the weight and increase the power of course. Sten was one of the forerunners in Swedish motocross when the Swedish riders dominated the World Championship motocross in the 50's and 60's with Swedish-built Albin 4-stroke engines. The Albin engine was originally intended to be used for military use but was perfectly suited to be rebuilt into a high-performance engine. Most of the engines that were adapted for motocross, were built and tuned by Nils Hedlund. He was also the one who prepared the engines on the Husqvarna factory's 4-stroke engines. It was with such an engine that Sten became 500cc world champion in both 1959 and 1961.
So, the idea came from the original idea of Sten. But both myself and my partner in the company, Staffan Eneqvist, were just as enthusiastic about the idea. We were convinced that with the right rider and a more modern 4-stroke engine, they would be competitive. We then decided to start the project and see if we could make a competitive motocross bike. From the beginning, we hadn't even thought about entering a team of our own in the World Championship series. That idea came later after Bengt Åberg got to test ride the first HL prototype. In retrospect, you might think it was a "shoot in the dark"!
2.) Is it true that Yamaha didn't want to send you an engine that you would use for the project? And that you managed to track one down and purchase one on ISDT at the Isle of Mann?
As I mentioned in the introduction, they did not want to send motorcycle models or engines that, at that time, were not planned to be marketed in Europe.
However, we were lucky when my partner in Torsten Hallman Racing Inc. in La mesa California (later THOR) - Lars Larsson, was visiting Sweden to prepare to ride the ISDT on the Isle of Man. I had talked to Lars about how we had failed to get a TT500 bike/motor to Sweden. When Lars came to the Six-Days, he met an American who was going to participate with a TT500. Lars then calls me and tells me about this. Right away I said, Lars - Buy it right now! Make sure it comes to Sweden when he's done with the race!
3.) How long did it take to go from conception to a GP-ready machine?
We got the TT500 in the fall of 1976 after ISDT - and had the new HL500 ready for the start of the 1977 World Championship.
First, the engine was dismantled down to the smallest detail by Sten. He saw what had to be done. He changed and lightened several details, mounted American tuning parts that were available for purchase from White Bros. in the US and then mounted the engine in a Husqvarna frame to be able to test ride the engine. We contacted Bengt to come and test the prototype. He tested and thought we were on the right track. We then contacted the frame builder, Profab in California and shipped the frame that Sten had welded to suite the Yamaha engine and asked them to build a frame plus aluminum swingarm according to our drawings and the frame we sent. After that, the hunt continued to lighten the whole bike, with aluminum shafts and titanium, plus we also used lightweight FOX Airshox. When it was finished, it weighed 104 kg. Unfortunately, Sten later had to change more parts to steel - after Bengt tested the machine in World Championship race pace.
The "4-stroke revolution" was not started by bikes like that that. This was free market activity, made only by the will of the factory.
The evil 4-stroke revolution that actually happened in reality was started in the mid 90's by the EPA (a dictatorship), forcing the factories to built a more competitive 4-stroke than the 2-strokes, and the engine technology came from road racing about 30 years after this bike was made.
Now that I corrected history to match the reality of what happened, I am going to enjoy checking the old bike of freedom out. I think Rick Johnson rode one in a 4-stroke national race, (like a 2-stroke national race today, a interesting side show).
I saw Bengt Aberg on the original HL500 at the Puyallup Trans Ama in the mid '70s. The second moto was a mud-fest, and Bengt took the start against the fastest open class 2 strokes ever, eventually finishing behind Arne Kring. It totally blew my mind, and left me with a life long smile, and obsession for thumpers, which continues today. Another great video, Max! Thanks.
That must of been awesome to see in person. Thanks for watching Patrick.
I was there. Iconic Northwest track.
I remember an article in MXA during the mid 1980s where Rick Johnson tried the HL500 and declared it the ultimate motocross bike!
This video brings back memories, thank you! Bought a brand new XT500 in 1976, after this bought a HL500 and did club competition locally. Then bought a Rickman 500, it had a full aluminium frame, hand welded. Guess only few were made. Another MX clubmember had an CCM which I never could keep up with.. we raced in a field of 2 strokes, but mostly finished somewhere in the front pack. The motor pulled everywhere, got a nasty crash and that was the end of my few years in MX competition. Bought new RD350LC and RD500LC... and tuned the crap out of these. Always Lectron carbs. Kept the XT500 for many years and was offered a brand new XT500 if I traded in my 76 model.. It was one of the very first XT500 and I kept it original. But I declined the offer... wish I never sold the HL and the Rickman ! Hey I survived it all .. Lost many friends... still have some photos of the Rickman. Time sure flies! Thank you !
A fascinating history lesson. I think Yamaha XT500 rings a bell among many motorbike enthusiasts but the whole background story with those Swedish guys adds an whole other story previously unknown to me. TnX!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Good review, Torsten is right, these bikes were easy to replicate as a lot of the parts are standard Yamaha issue, forks, wheels, tank etc. I made my first replica back in 2000 and have made nearly 100, I'm also amazed that the enthusiasm for them is still there. Cheers, GMC
I had an HL500, bought new in 79 from Bates in Dartford, Kent. God I loved that bike, got a 4th at Canada Hights and a 3rd at Slade Green. Wish I never sold it.
I know how ya feel, I’ve let so many bikes go because of situations or other people and that’s BS thinking back. Maybe we’ll find another bucket list bike or two we can hang onto. I’m looking for an 86’ Yamaha IT200 as it was my all around favorite, good luck brother ✌️🇺🇸
Wow, must have been awesome
@@deborahchesser7375there is an 86 IT 200 on Facebook marketplace today 2/13/24 in Pensacola Florida
Another maker of special 4 stroke motocross bikes ,that it would be interesting to know more about ,is Kelvin Franks , an Australian who was based in southern California,. He , like Hallman and Lundin ,was into making competitive 4 strokes, when 2 strokes were the thing to have. An example of his bikes was a C&J frame , with CR components, and a hot XR500 motor , ridden by Jeff Jennings, a beautiful bike.
I have a built C&J framed 79 XR500. At the time, the fastest thing on the track. It didn’t hurt that I weighed 120 lbs.
@@gungadingo With CR tank and fenders? Someone said that C&J are still making frames?
I think Alan Clews and John Banks would like a word , They were out there in 75/76, I raced against one of these HL-500's ( from the Gloucester Club I think) in the early 80's aboard My 79 580 CCM, As 4 stroke riders in that time We had our own friendship, The riders Dad did the sound Meter so no problems with open pipes 😉, later I had Vic Allen's Mitsui TT-600 Haynes Championship bike, They still had a weak 3rd gear, That used to overheat and loose its Hardness, Mitsui had a university look into all the available oils And running Shell Rimula X diesel Oil was the only one that solved this problem 👍, nice video
Im a two-stroke bloke all day long, BUT those HL 500s are beautiful machines to behold & that sound..... . Great history lesson . Fantastic that you got Mr Hallman to confirm some of the mystery surrounding the HL . Bengt Aberg's contribution should not be overlooked ( not suggesting you did )- a brilliant rider . Thanks for a ripper episode.
Thanks :)
Nils was a true craftsman. And I'd listen to the old timer any day!
Very cool Hallman/ Aberg. The brand CCM might be the first “two stroke” killer. Technically. The Yamaha was way lore advanced and competitive though.
doing my racing in the late 60's, early 70's, it's cool to see videos of the history back then that I didn't know about. great job. 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
I had a 78 xt500. It was a bulky machine and difficult to trail ride. Power was decent. Best on fire roads.
The HL500 is a beautiful machine. Those bike need put into a time capsule.
On YT Brad Lackey is racing head to head with a Maico 490 Mega 2. It's a vintage race.
Outstanding how you all do it on this channel. Hats off once again!
Thanks Eric, really appreciate your comment :)
Thanks Max, a quality and fascinating episode. Great to see and hear the great Torsten Hallman, a legend when and where I grew up in SoCal in the 60's and 70's. I had a pair of his leather motocross pants and was rightly proud of them.
It was great to have Torsten in the video. thanks for watching Lance :)
I was proud of my Hallman gloves.
This is a hell of a post!! This is something that person as I born around that time,would have never known! Great Job!! Thank you !!
I remember those days back when Roger DeCoster won five 250cc world championships in a row, he was an amazing rider. and I also remember Montesa having a pretty decent motorcycle in motocross racing with Mikkola Anderson. I was a huge fan of Montesa motorcycles I thought they were the coolest looking bikes ever made? I remember there were full page ads in the motorcycle magazines of all their models. that were each size of the Cappra models, which were their motocross and enduro models. and each size of their Cota models which were their trials models. which by the way Montesa was dominating trials events during that period in time. the ads were a full page showing a picture of their bikes with a brief description of the bikes. it was a unique advertising campaign. I used to stick the ads on the wall and look at them. I wanted a Montesa really bad but they were difficult to find in the United States, dealers were few and far between. so I got a Husqvarna instead. I thought Montesa had gone out of business many years ago? but as recently as 2023 I have found out that Montesa and Honda have had a collaboration on a trials bike. for over ten years quite a surprise indeed. I remember the Yamaha HL 500 and thinking back then a four stroke thumper probably wouldn't do well on the motocross track. but was surprised when I would find out that they were doing better than I expected. I even thought if they keep this up they would build a four stroke that can be successfully raced in motocross? and eventually Yamaha did just that. I don't know why but the bikes in this video look so much better than I remembered back then? the one's in this video look fantastic and I bet they are probably they are great to ride with their forever wide powerband? it seems like Yamaha is more willing to experiment with four strokes in more applications than other manufacturers? some years ago it was either coincidence or they saw the writing on the wall. when Yellowstone Park decided to ban all two stroke snowmobiles. so Yamaha decided to produce the R1 snowmobile. which uses a modified four stroke engine from the R1 sreet bike. which was met with mixed reviews. but if that's the direction the industry is heading many people thought it would be a suitable snowmobile?
Still waiting for you to do CCM please 👍
This is a superb vlog Max, you n Dave have raised the level again with this old school MX story… great details that might be lost in the coming years are now on record ❤
You've been putting out some great stuff. Thank you and keep 'em coming! 👍
Thanks Brian, will do!
A fantastic and interesting video Max, Thorsten and co pioneered that bike and probably their design had a hand in Yamaha's return to four stroke MX bikes, well done Max.
Thanks Kevin, it was a real team effort to get this video done.
Wow! What an awesome story!! Fantastic that you got to ride one as well. Thanks for making a great vid man 👍😎
Glad you enjoyed it!
So good to see this bike featured, 2 strokes are undoubtly what i love to see, and apart from a daliance with an early 600 Husaberg in the mid 90s that is all i have known. But that all said, if i could have any classic MX bike the HL500 would be it! it just looks so right....Great video as always!!
Thank you, We love our 2 strokes, but knew this very special bike ( and story) deserved a film making about it.
Great episode & on bike commentary on a legend of a bike. As always a great job by you and your team Max👏👏👍
Glad you enjoyed it , cheers
Hi from Texas, Great Video. I’d never heard of the mHL500 Story. Hats off to them for taking on the Big Companies to produce a capable and Winning 4 Stroke. Incredible Work by this Team. I really enjoyed the Video and the Story, Thanks for making it.😁👍👍
Great Vlogg max , love to see the old bikes
Great vid Max, I have a '77 TT500, it's a bit of a pudding but the lumps a stonker and I love it. Great to see vids on rare / unique bikes.
Thanks 👍
Max your channel content just kicks ass !
Thank you :)
Great vid especially since I lusted for the XT500 as a schoolboy in the 70’s, and the HL was another level again!
I never thought I’d stick it through all of the video, but this was great. Well done Max for putting it together. It was a great insight 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Max, This was a great telling of the development of legendary HL 500! Thank you!
Thanks Charles
@@999lazer It was great, and you do one of the best shows IMO (Michigan USA here). But I had to reject a bit of the historical assumptions, because it was the EPA that forced the 4-strtoke on the industry. No sir. We should not accept that force, as it is surly and clearly leading us into a dictatorship.
No government created free enterprise. Free people with a brain created free enterprise. It belongs to us. we need to demand it back sir.
I do enjoy your shows though. Thanks for them. Doug
I saw Bengt riding the Hallman 500 during the 'Trans-AMA' series @ Redbud in 76-77. He did quite well since it was a mud race in October. You always heard it coming among all of the 500 2-strokes.
That's the oldest four stroke you've ridden?
You need to do an episode about the Rickman brothers and the magnificent Rickman Metisse mx bikes.
There are two books describing the amazing history of their world changing machines.
The Rickman Story, and The Metisse Story (a re-write) both books by David Gittins.
1965 was an amazing year for mx.
They saw that the two strokes were going to make four strokes obsolete so they proposed that a four stroke class would make an excellent addition to the FIM world championship. As always, politics shot that down before it had a chance to grow.
This is an awesome episode!! Thank you 😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video Max, brilliant story telling👌👌
Thank you so much, really appreciate your comment and glad you enjoyed it :)
.. Another most splendid vid,.. Nice one, Max ,.. 👍👍👍
Thank you :)
I had a hotted up tt500.
Loved it so much.
Brilliant bike
Max , i really am enjoying these videos on the older bikes .
Thanks Mark, we have got some pretty cool stuff coming over the next few weeks :)
The test ridden bike had an SR500 motor with bigger valves and electronic ignition.. which was a better platform than the older TT motor. The bike Bengt Aberg rode also usually had a wilder cam, two gears removed and lighter flywheel/ignition, quite a different beast to the stock motor…hence the alleged 50hp.
What an absolutely wonderful video and vision of this historic mx bike , I was so in tune with this I've watched it twice 👍 truly a vital piece of history in our great sport 😀 you can almost feel what it must have been to race it 🏁
Thanks Mike
In early 1979 my late brother Peter Stayt imported a Bendt Aberg replica frame from USA to Australia and took an engine out of a TT 500 and won the Finke Desert race. I have one photo of it. i got to ride it once. It was sold to a guy and ended up in Adelaide to my best knowledge. I've seen one HL 500 in my life. It turned up at a vintage meeting near Boonah Qld. Never knew they existed as such. An interesting story that filled a few gaps.
Though really for my money, the most revolutionary bike ever made was the very affordable DT1 Yamaha, that allowed the masses to turn up and race or trail ride or whatever. I had one in the 70s I raced and did all manner of club events and rode in to work during the week
great information about this classic motorbike
A great episode, really interesting,and amazing research... And what a beautiful bike..👍
Many thanks!
Excellent job on video!!! 💪💪💪💪
Excellent video! What a great story to tell, and 999lazer did a great job with another rare motocross specimen.
IMHO, affordable 4 strokes became competitive for dirt bikes only after technology had evolved enough to make a very high revving engine which was durable enough to sell.
Thank you. Its quite interesting to look back and see the market go from 4 stroke to 2 stroke then back to 4 stroke. I wonder if we will see it change again ?
The two stroke can never be killed as it will always live in the minds of men.
Men who are not afraid to hold it wide open and go BRRAAAAAAPPPPP!!!!!!!!
Thank you for another fun and interesting video. There are so many twists and turns to the story of motocross that it makes my head spin. And when you consider the motorcycle industry as a whole, it is mind boggling. But thanks to knowledgeable people like yourself we can hear about certain "chapters" of the story (And don't get me started about Harley Davidson. Lol.)
Personally I prefer 4 strokes. They just sound more civilized than those buzzing 2 strokes, but there can be exceptions.
I have owned several small 90 and 100cc bikes over the years. This is what happened in the early 70s.
My favourite was my Honda S90 because that candy red paint job was a chick magnet ("Can you give me a ride home?" That's how I met my wife, but that's another story :-) It was great for zipping around town doing errands, going to work, gawking at girls, etc.
My 2nd favourite was my Yamaha 100 L5TA (2 stroke :-) because it's rotary valve engine gave it tons of low end torque (for a 100 :-) and the low first gear meant it could climb any hill until it flipped over backwards if you're not careful. It's low seat height meant that your feet could always reach the ground. Even though it had a top speed of only about 45mph it could beat most other dirt bikes in tight, twisty and muddy trails. My friend had a Suzuki RM125 and he was always saying "wait up" in the rough stuff, but he would leave me in the dust as soon as we were out of the woods and onto the flat stuff.
Anyway, I just thought I would tell you a little story from personal experience as a thank you.
PS - Here's what happens when you have the latest superbike.
🏍 🚓 🚓 🚓 "Pull over.. Now!!"
Cheers from Canada.
Thanks for sharing with us Robin :)
@@999lazer Well. I love motorbikes and my wife won't let me ride them anymore (She's probably wise). So I get to watch youtube videos about them 👍 (And steal my wife's Yaris when she's not looking :-)
Great video. I owned an XT 500 back in the day and rode a replica a few times in the 1980's but I definitely preferred my "81 YZ-465. In fact, I still have it.
I had an early XT 500 in 1976. Loved that bike. Even rode it in an enduro. Only once, it was too heavy really, but good fun. Amusing anecdote, I was on my way to work one morning when I was pulled up by a police motorcyclist. Nothing illegal , he just wanted to see my bike as he hadn't seen one before. Good job on the documentary.
Great story telling and a good history class! Very interesting
Nice story Max, Thank you!
In 1978 I was 18 and had a TL 250 thumper trials bike and bought the second year TT500, polished tank orange top it was beautiful, and I learned how to shift gears on a wheelie. Even with a clutch, which was how I always rode then. I could go for blocks. I had a blast and I was amazed when I put a single K and N eliminating the airbox. I really had to bump up the jets a lot and the torque and response was huge. It was heavy but it worked pretty good, thick torque that would blow the tire off anytime you wanted. I've been a thumper guy since.
Good memories
YEPPER I know that feeling.
Superb jobb. Much appreciated
My pleasure, thanks for watching:)
I remember watching them in the 80’s they sounded fantastic. AMCA 4Stroke championships. 😊
I enjoyed riding it to be fair and it sounded a lot different to a modern fourstroke, more of a burble to it :)
Bought an XT 500 new in 1978 along with a few mates great bike, sold it when the IT 465 came out dailyed both cheers for the memories.
Love this episode! I am in process of rebuilding a 1983 TT600 currently and the history/lineage you cover here are top notch. Im obsessed with the 851-888 Ducati road bikes and would love to see an episode on the Cagiva WMX series bikes if you find some time. Keep up the good work!!
Thanks Troy. We have made one one the Cagiva :) Here's the link:
Nice thumper !! Had a 81 dr 500 I was 18/19 maybe 145 pounds. It was a low end power machine. Top speed ..75or so. Glad to see the fun ride ! Enjoy.
As a 2000’s kid. I thought the original “2 stroke killer “ was the WR400F, it’s cool that Yamaha was doing it for a whole while longer
Wow!
Awesome video!
Thank you! Cheers!
Well done max and team!
Cheers Guy
Always great content 💯%👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Cheers :)
This was the catalyst undoubtedly, and the Suzuki DR 400 that MXA made was another 4 stroke that had me dreaming about racing one way back in the early '80s. Such a turn of the worm how the 4-stroke had such a soulful sound back then and now the sound of a two-stroke brings out similar emotions!
I've got several DR400s. They handle quite well but aren't in the league of the KLX, and DMS/C&J variants
I want you to know that back then MXA, ( Motocross Action Magazine), did write about all those great Euro riders as much as they could, (probably don't now. The rag sickens me today, so bad), because I grew up reading about every one you mentioned, even before USA riders took over. :)
Q&A with Torsten Part 2:
4.) I've heard of an assurance made to Yamaha where you said you believed the machine was certainly capable of top 5 finishes. But did you really think it was capable of winning a Grand Prix?
After the test rides had been to Bengt's satisfaction and he confirmed that he would like to ride the WC series with our bike - that's when the enthusiasm from my side became at least as strong as Sten´s! Man, this is what we must do, we have to enter "our machine" in the Championship series. I then talked to Bengt about his requirements for the whole season, I also talked to Bror "Julle" Haglund about his requirements to be a mechanic. A budget was made what the investment would cost. We saw then that we ourselves would not be able to finance a team, rider, mechanic, transport and everything that was needed to participate.
Were we too over-optimistic in our thoughts? Would we, a small private company, be able to compete with the Japanese and European factory teams in the World Championship? Who else, other than ourselves, believes in such an investment? We needed financial help from YAMAHA - but how would our investment be received? How could any more people be as enthusiastic about the project as we are?
I started by pitching the idea to the Scandinavian marketing manager at Yamaha. He immediately said no - no interest. I then moved on to the marketing manager for Europe. He also said no. His answer - we have no interest in such a project, we already have a Yamaha team. Just as I had predicted. Of course, I was disappointed that they didn't believe in the slightest in my idea that - an investment in this project would mean a lot for the future sales of the XT500 on the European market.
I then went down to YAMAHA's European office in Amsterdam and asked for a meeting with the top manager, Mr. Kuratomo. Of course, I could have gone down to the Amsterdam office and talked to Mr. Kuratomo directly - but then the two marketing managers would have been angry if I had walked past them with such a type of request. You can't do that in a Japanese organization!
So now it was only the head of Yamaha Europe I had to convince!
I knew Mr. Kuratomo very well. He was the person I met early in 1971 when I was fired by Husqvarna and came up with the idea of going and talk to Yamaha.
Ever since my first meeting with Mr. Kuratomo in early 1971, our collaboration had resulted in me being involved in developing competitive YZ models, evaluating and then recommending buying the monoshock design, becoming world champion with Håkan Andersson -73. All of this had been positive, so Mr. Kuratomo had great confidence in my views.
But the biggest confidence in me came when I convinced him to introduce Yamaha's off-road program in Europe. "No, no, no - there are no models that are suitable for Europe, you can see for yourself that neither Honda, Suzuki nor Kawasaki sell their off-road models here" was his answer! "Let's bet" was my answer and laid out what kind of marketing effort (too long to tell you about this!) needed to be done. The campaign was an immediate success, Yamaha quickly became the market leader in the off-road segment in Europe and sold thousands of bikes. And because of my successful proposal - I was offered to become the exclusive importer for Yamaha in Sweden - and after only 4 years Yamaha was the market leader. The only country in Europe that knocked Honda off the top spot! So, Mr. Kuratomo was already in favor of having a meeting with me when I walked into his office.
I did not promise that Bengt would earn a place among the first 5, but among the first 10, in one or more Championship races. I knew Bengt's capacity and had seen him ride and was convinced that he could make a sensation with the new bike. But I didn't think he had the capacity of winning, he would certainly fight with the leaders in the beginning but would probably lose positions in the end.
What I promised and what we discussed lively was that I was completely convinced of the advertising value of the venture. I promised that all motorcycle magazines in the world, reporting about motocross, will have pictures of Bengt and his Yamaha on the front page in the coming year. I promised that all motorcycle magazines would do several technical articles about Bengt and his HL500. I meant that Bengt on his Yamaha, with his crowd-pleasing riding style, will be the rider that is written the most articles about at the same time as it is mentioned that the engine comes from "Yamaha's new sensational off-road model XT500" that will now be introduced.
The budget and the money needed were then the topic of discussion, where I asked him to note - we believe in this, our company will cover half of the cost!
I also stated that I personally was completely convinced that it was an investment that would strengthen Yamaha's image in the off-road segment. Finally, to be correct, I also informed him that I talked to some Yamaha employees about the idea, but no one thought it was worth investing in!
Mr. Kuratomo needed no time to give me an answer. He said, "Who can say no to such a brilliant proposal. Of course, we are paying for our share of this investment. I will also make sure that you get all the support you need regarding the technical side of things with us in Japan, good luck”, Mr. Kuratomo concluded!
I must admit that there were a lot of thoughts going around in my head on the way home. Now we're going to compete against all the factory teams - how the hell are we going to manage all this?
5.) As the 70's drew to a close, Why didn't the project progress much further after the initial race seasons with Bengt? - especially after the race win in Luxembourg.
We saw that the HL500 was not as fast as the 2-strokes bikes. Bengt needed more horsepower for the 1978 season. We contacted Nils Hedlund, famous for his efforts to build and tune motocross engines since the late 50's. We needed his help to make a new cylinder with a three-valve cylinder head. In a short time, he built a new cylinder and a three-valve head that increased the power to close to 60 hp. Unfortunately, the extra horsepower came at a higher rpm that didn't suit Bengt's riding style. He rode in a few races with the 3-valve engine, but more often preferred the original engine.
6.) What were your thoughts of the HL500 bikes that were built in England in 1978/79? Were you pleased to see your idea put into production?
From Hallman & Eneqvist Motor AB's side, we were positive and helped them with the start-up of production. Both Sten Lundin and his son Kenneth spent a lot of time at the factory, helping from the beginning. But unfortunately, they couldn't build a bike that even came close to how an original HL500 was built. This resulted in many disappointed customers as the English model was not even competitive to ride veteran races with. No, not satisfied - it wasn't we expected, unfortunately.
7.) Do you think the HL500 project (and the success in Luxembourg) had any influence on Yamaha's decision to develop the YZ400 in the 1990s?
After the -78 season, we did not get any more financial help from Yamaha to continue to develop the HL project. We had a good communication with the engine department in Japan, we sent suggestions on how we thought a completely new, smaller, narrower, and lighter engine could be manufactured to be competitive. But unfortunately, they had no interest in working with the proposals that Sten Lundin sent. (But the proposals probably ended up in a drawer somewhere in the design department and looked at in the early 90s!)
8.) Final question, when you came up with the original concept did you imagine that you would be answering questions about the bike almost 50 years later?
No, I could not even in my wildest dreams have imagined that I would be sitting here and writing about our dear HL project. I would like to point out that it was Sten Lundin who was the original source of the idea to start the project and that we, Staffan Eneqvist and myself, as owners of the company, were also eager supporters of the project. I can take credit for being the one who worked hard to fund the project. At our company Hallman & Eneqvist Motor, we were many HL fans as the project was very positive and created a good feeling among all employees. They felt that they were part of a company that dared to fight against the big motorcycle factories in the World Championship, it felt great!
Great story and interview with the man who built it
Thanks Edward
My friends Dad had a mint XT500 I think it was a 78'? We rode it as kid's, 14&16yrs old in the mid 90's! That 500 was a leg breaker to start, even with the decompression lever.. Heavy bike but the power was bottomless! I had it to 90mph multiple times! No helmet, sneakers and shorts in the summer time! 😂
Another great vid, I raced my TT 500 and all the XR range during the 80's in the 4 stroke class as well as my 2 smokers, had over 20 MX ers lived and breathed it, I remember reading about Torsten in the mags and thinking " what a legend " good to see him in this episode and how good he looks now, thank you 999laser.
Cheers Andrew, glad you enjoyed the video. It was a fun one to put together.
Thank you very much for that well deserved HL special 🙏
May I ad that, between the HL and the YZF, there was Husaberg !
As usual, great story Max. This is the bike that proved that 4 strokes were NOT competitive and why Yamaha and other Japanese manufacturers (unfortunately) convinced the sports controlling bodies to allow the doubling of capacity to make racing 4 strokes "fair" and supposedly on equal terms. The marketing and environmental aspects dictated the direction of the sport and I believe were not in the best interests of genuine development by competition.
To take a heavy production engine designed to last years and put out 28bhp at the back wheel; and put it up against race engines designed to last hours and chuck out 40bhp + as standard: and get in the top ten adds no weight to your assertion.
Manufacturers (especially Honda i.e.NSR oval piston against equal capacity 2 strokes didn't work.) would have jumped on a 4 stroke if they could be truely competitive. As I said they had to change the rules, in both MX and road racing to favour 4 strokes to get to where they are today.
Great Video!
Cheers Sean, Glad you enjoyed it :)
I love two-strokes but you've got to admit tracktability wise four-strokes find the grip really well 👍
The XT/SR motor just looks right.
Thanks for the great story there was a lot of good info that I never knew anything about I have been a yamaha fan my whole life 1st bike was yz50 then moved onto yz125g then later a yz250k then tt600 98 model then wr450 2003 model and now I have a wr450 2016 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great Story Max good on You cheers Mick Australia
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video
Hey op mate totally blown away by this video never heard of HL500 before, in the second half ov 80s fitted a XT 500 motor in husqavana cr 250 (83 or 84 model) wasn't that hard really after engine plates were made up, used the 38 mikuni from the husky with a jet kit from some place in oz ( which worked perfectly) and took bike to exh mob just south ov Sydney for a stainless one to be made, bike worked out nice but did feel a bit heavy on front end, raced it enduros a couple ov times
Bengt Aberg my favorite rider when I was a kid. The "Berm Master" I remember the titanuim framed works Huskys in 72 during the trans ama series. He also rode for Bultaco in 74/75....R.I.P Bengt
Back in the day I loved the 500 Yamaha and owned a few. I always wanted an HL500 as it seemed rather like the Holy Grail for 500 Yamaha fans. Many years later I got to own one and race it in vintage MX. The bike I bought was a ProFab kit bike assembled in Australia by the design guy for a well-known local motorcycle publication. I rode and raced it for several years, but as a decidedly average racer I found it less than impressive. Perhaps it was the suspension used - RM400 forks with a set of S&W shocks - but it was a pretty rough ride. I enjoyed it of course, how can you not, but I think that by 2004 I'd had enough experience of other bikes to know it wasn't quite what I'd imagined. I later traded it on a new-build Husky CR500 on which I had much more racing enjoyment. I do kinda wish I'd never sold the HL, however. PS: Super interesting video, thanks heaps.
Max, a story on the Hagon 500 yam would be interesting. Probably the first aluminium framed bike. I think Martin Hagon even raced a sidecar based on the same principle in later on.
Greeves could probably lay a claim to that
@robindufton1392 of course!🤦
Story could easily be made into a movie!…sort of like “Ford vs. Ferrari”. Great job!
Thank you, I'd love to see that :)
Interesting thought experiment!
Dont forget the CCM ! If it had been allowed into the 250 class together with the HL Motocross history would have taken a completely different course.
I can't imagine any mx bikes from the last ten years or more standing the test of time like the bikes from the 70's and early eighties. I always found the racing much more interesting when there was a two stroke/four stroke battle going on. So many people mention how good the CCM's were. But all I remember of them is the countless breakdowns. My first exposure was Norman Barrow flying over the girling leap and booming off up the hill at Hawkstone, chasing a couple of rm370's. It was shaping up to be a great race. But of course, his bike packed up. I had just turned 7, but the memory stuck with me.
Epic bike. Legend. Wonderful story. A parade of Swedish Champs too. Many thanks for this video. Keep your boots dirty.
Glad you enjoyed it
Sold my overweight KLR 650 and ride my like new 45 year old XT500 now.😊
Hard to get used to that kind of power loss
Great job max
You too sir
42mins of pure pleasure...just a shame about the small track. As for how good they're to ride is pretty much horses for courses, for me she did everything I wanted. Look forward to seeing her on a bigger track.
The XT500 and the TT500 turned up in Australia as well.
I remember some being shoehorned into a Honda CR500 rolling chassis for better handling.
Loved my XT 500 and always hankered after one of these 👍🏻
Fascinating! I would like to see a video and what you make of the VOR/Vertemati story. I think this was a suppressed marque, especially in the American context, due to the results it was producing in the early 90s. Check out Mika Ahola in the VOR context too. I am lucky enough to own and race one. There are still many alive and being ridden all over the world.
So glad you managed to find one of these things, I mentioned you should seek one out in your story on the gilera twin cylinder. One of the big things with the HL is no two are the same so set up is critical and its not surprising the production bikes were a dissapointment to the owners. I noticed on the survivor bike your friend has that the drive chain is laying heavily across the swingarm pivot and the swingarm is noticeably shorter than the photos of the bike bengt was riding, willing to bet that your friends survivor bike handles horribly in the form its in at the moment. Dosent stop me from wanting it badly though as im sure it could be sorted!.
Thanks, we always take note of bike people want to see in the comments so thank you for asking for the HL. The survivor bike is a real time warp, it would be good to see it on a track again one day.
Great history lesson
Its absolutely mind blowing they got that bike down to 225lbs in that time.
it could be done even the 1976 I had was stripped down and probly only weighed about 250 pounds.the 1979 one I had may have been even a tad less than 225 pounds it deffinately didn't feel anything that much heavier really than the YZ 490 I had just about the same time I had the TT's. at least in ride feel.
According to all the videos I've seen on the hl 500 mine was one of the nicest ones ever made. I lived in Santa Fe New Mexico at the time. It was built-in Las Cruces, New Mexico at the Yamaha shop built for desert racing. It was geared to go one hundred and ten miles an hour.
That is awesome!
That bike sounds so sick
Awesome content
thanks:)
Those also made a great flat track bike my brother raced,using a champion frame,
I rode a 1977 TT500 back in the day. I ways felt my 1980 XR500 had more top speed and was a better trail bike overall. Cool history lesson!
Thanks for watching:)
My hl500 Had kyb factory suspension dual high volume oil lines to both cam followers and a oil cooler in the air box. With a lectron carb. Piston sr head .
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