Thread: Any dirtbike riders out there

a minter XT 500
every teenagers wet dream back in the late 70s and early 80s

having said that i will need a bit of work before kicking it into life.

Originally Posted by garrycol

A mate of mine dad managed a farm which like all farms had vehicles lying around. The farm sold and the two bikes below were given to my mate and his brother.

Both bikes are from the mid 70s, the blue trials bike is a 77 and the trail bike is the first of the 500cc thumpers of about 76.


So anyone got an idea what the 500cc bike is worth - noting it is as new.

Thanks

Garry

G`day ,

the 500 which as you say is a 1976 XT500C because the 1977 XT500D had a high pipe is probably worth double the offer being the first of them .

If it had ACT reg in 76 it would be something like 16266 if NSW = MA

The blue one is a 1977 TY250D and probably worth more than it sold for .

At the time of these bikes i worked at a Yamaha dealership and still have some fuzzy memory about them , though the detail for above comes from an old Glass guide i kept .

Peter

Putting the guide back in it`s special place and came across a receipt for my first new bike a DT100A $437 in 1973

Neither bike has ever been registered and never actually used on the farm. Bought new as farm equipment and just went into storage along with some sort of Mercedes Benz.

I can remember when the XT 500 came out - I had a Cooper 250 motocross bike that I had converted into an enduro. In early 77 I decided to get a new bike and bought a Yamaha DT400 2 stroke - I cannot remember why I did buy the 500 but I think it had something to do with its increased weight and old suspension when the 400 had newer mono suspension.

Cheers

Garry

Alot were put off by the 500 single because of the starting procedure and the fact that they would kick back if not done right .
At the time i had a 77 YZ400E although they were a 78 yr model the one with the alloy box swing arm , had to rebuild the mono shock as it seized solid one day .
It was moded for road reg and i used it to ride enduros and in with the glass guide was the receipt for my first enduro the Calula $10 entry and $1 licence fee but i rode a DT360 then also used that bike to ride trials bought new in 1974 one of the best and most remembered bikes i`ve had .

Did a trip to through cental Australia with a Scottish bloke he road a Z9 overland from there but he used a brand new DT400E for our trip , it seize twice near Alice springs , the crankcase seal behind the flywhhel was in crooked , i had a DT250D and the third traveller had an Ossa explorer .

Never had anything to do with Coopers but my memory tells me there a 500 that used 2 ossa 250 engines and the son of Cooper was killed in testing or something like .

Originally Posted by PLR

he used a brand new DT400E for our trip , it seize twice near Alice springs

Funny about that - my brother had a DT400E as well before I got mine and it seized up. Soon after I got mine I was doing 100kph along the Geelong freeway at night, in winter, in the rain and mine seized as well - as the headlight runs direct from the engine all went dark and I skidded to a halt down the middle of the freeway. I hid the bike under one of the bridges and came back the next day and picked it up with my trailer - the skid mark was about 300m long and the rear tyre worn to the canvas. Was repaired under warranty and it was found that the factory had set up the carbie wrong and it was too lean at revs.

I had a lot of great experiences on that bike but it was a piece of crap.

My brother traded his on an IT465 that he still has but that was a dangerous bike due to its high power and light weight and the kick back on start would do serious damage to your leg.

Alas - I am too old and too fat for trail bikes these days.

Garry

This has got to be one of the best trip reports I've ever read, and I think fitting for the first thread in this section, it even has a Rover connection.

Taken from ADVRider trip reports section, if your not a member here, then join up, it a great forum to get ideas for adventure riding.

Borneo Equator Expedition - Jungle , Swamps and Heatstroke - ADVrider

Baz.

Look behind him and I can't see any green protesters either.

Originally Posted by Redback

This has got to be one of the best trip reports I've ever read, and I think fitting for the first thread in this section, it even has a Rover connection.

Taken from ADVRider trip reports section, if your not a member here, then join up, it a great forum to get ideas for adventure riding.

Borneo Equator Expedition - Jungle , Swamps and Heatstroke - ADVrider

Baz.

that is one of the all time best reads i have to agree.