Yesterday, we saw news of Ducati’s new Superquadro Mono. This engine, built with a bunch of superbike parts, is supposed to be the most powerful single-cylinder ever made. With that in mind, check out this listing that expires in only a few hours (by the time you read this, it might be gone). Someone has a 1977 Yamaha XT500 for sale, and if the new Duc is today’s apex predator in the thumper world, then that old XT was the equivalent in its day—but we’ve sure come a long way since then.
Sincere flattery
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, we’re told, and I think you could argue the Yamaha XT500 was a bit of an imitation when it debuted in 1976. Big single-cylinder engines were very much a Brit bike pattern (see also: BSA Gold Star, Matchless G50, Norton Manx, etc.). Yamaha already had the XS650 in its lineup, which was itself a pretty good copy of British ideas (by way of Showa, defunct Japanese company Hosk and German manufacturer Horex—moto history is weird). All the Japanese companies knew that the Brit bike manufacturers had the basics figured out, but their bikes often leaked oil, had terrible electrics and shook themselves apart. So, Yamaha built a better big-bore thumper. Nothing fancy—just an air-cooled two-valve single making about 32 horsepower. The bike had basic suspension including a dual shock rear end, but at least at 340ish pounds wet, it wasn’t too porky for its engine.
In other words, it wasn’t really high-tech, but it was a smart repackaging of existing ideas into something new. At the time of its introduction, there was nothing quite like it on the market, at least nothing this good in its class. The XT500 was the first large-capacity four-stroke dual sport from Japan, and to say it revolutionized the industry would be an understatement. The big 600/650 dual sports all owe their genesis to this machine. The XT cleaned up the hardware at the early Dakar races, establishing Yamaha’s long association with rally raid victory. And the XT500 was perhaps the first modern machine that combined all the aspects of an adventure bike. It was a full-sized motorcycle and for its day it had decent off-road capability and enough power to haul a rider and luggage at highway speed. And that four-stroke was easy to live with compared to the common two-stroke enduros of that era.
See Trail Trash take the old XT500 (and an almost-as-old XT250) for a romp in the video below:
The XT could even be blamed for the modern boom in ADV riding. Austin Vince, the filmmaker behind the Mondo Enduro and Terra Circa series, was inspired to take up dual sport adventuring by the XT series. On tour through post-Cold War Europe with brother Gerald, Austin met a crew of Germans touring aboard XTs. He saw they were enjoying their lives on the same roads that beat him and Gerald to bits. The resulting mini-series from his adventure travels that followed were the inspiration for hundreds or maybe thousands of adventure travelers around the world, including (it seems!) Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman—who really got things going.
The forum’s take on the bike
The XT500 was extremely popular in Europe and a lot of Americans bought them too (supposedly it was actually designed at the request of Yamaha’s US distributor). As such, ADVrider inmates have a long history with the machine; see a long thread on the bike here. There’s an excellent ride report featuring the XT500 here. The text is super-garbled, but there are fascinating photos of mid-1990s travel through Africa by XT500 here.
This bike here
This motorcycle is for sale on eBay (obviously!) as a low-mileage example. The description explains why:
Rare example of Yamaha’s dual-purpose four-stroke single in virtually all-original condition, ridden less than 1000 miles. Bike was purchased new in Orange County, California in 1977. Owner passed away after putting just 900 miles on the bike. It was purchased in an estate sale after being in dry storage for 45 years. Recently gone through, it starts and run well.
Bike is original right down to the Bridgestone tires and stock muffler, has Yamaha accessory chrome luggage rack. Only non-OEM items are the replacement Oakley handgrips. Turn signals are intact, chrome headlight bezel rust-free and undented, finish on fork lowers still excellent. Bike shows only minor wear and nicks from age/use, documented in the close-up photos.
Photos were taken this month; bike has clear California title, is located in Boise, Idaho.
It’s sad to think the original owner didn’t get to enjoy his machine, but it’s cool to see a machine in such excellent condition—so many of these old enduros have been bashed to smithereens with their off-road adventures over the years.
For more photos, or to make a bid, head to the listing but note that the auction ends on Saturday, October 28, 2023.
