I Bought a Brand New 40 year Yamaha Motorcycle

[@Land-Shark]

In 1985 I tracked down the last available Ninja 600R (about $3,500 total cost) from a dealer in Federal Way, Washington who had one due to a canceled purchase. I think it was Federal Way Cycle Center. Kawasaki made just enough Ninja 600R for racing homologation (3,600 bikes, or so), and most were earmarked by dealers who had a sponsored racer, and most dealers were only allowed one Ninja 600R unless they were a huge dealership, then they might get two Ninja 600R's. I had mine delivered in it's crate to my driveway in Anchorage, AK, and it arrived in the middle of April. Took me about 3 hours to get it all put together. I got radar'd doing 153mph by an Alaska State Trooper on the Glenn Highway in July of 1985, and there was 1500rpm left to go before redline. Trooper only wrote me up for 95mph so I wouldn't lose my license because I actually pulled over and waited for him instead of just outrunning his old Chrysler squad car like most other motorcyclists do (according to him, I was the fastest radar reading he'd ever gotten in his 20 years). Had to see a judge for the ticket, and the judge only charged me for 75mph speeding ticket since the Trooper's handwriting was sloppy.

[@DJXentar]

Awesome Story 🤙

[@johndeere1951a]

I raced AMA Super Sport on a 600 Ninja. The entire field was Honda Hurricane's with Doug Polen at the pointy end. I was 1 of 2 Ninja's in the East coast races 😢☹️👎✌️ Hurricane's rocked

[@markfrost2707]

great story, man

[@FireTrailPCT]

Cool...I live in Federal Way.

[@Gutbomber]

Wow lucky.

[@malcolmcavalier7849]

This one brings back a lot of memories, and yes I was laughing at you trying to find the keys. Standard operating procedure was pull the headlight out of the shell during the uncrating. We used to call those crates "Rodent Ramada Inns", the mice loved to build nests with the gray packing material and usually left the wiring alone on the Yamahas. Those 81 and 82 models usually need a new pilot jet put in them and a good carb cleaning, Yamaha put something in the fuel tank and carbs before they shipped them and it would gum up the carb. Clean the carb and follow the starting instructions in the manual and the SR500 is easy to start. Thanks for the trip back to the 80"s.

[@malcolm2527]

👍🏼

[@G58]

It’s essentially the same procedure as a British single from the 1930s onwards. I guessed the key was in the headlamp. Opening up the crate if it’s rodent infested is acceptable, but they are essentially wiping maybe $1,000 off the valve by riding it.

[@kevinthompson2327]

I was a mechanic for a dealer in San Diego through the 80's and I can still smell and see the green slime in the carbs. I had to clean the carbs on every new bike we sold it sucked.

[@ajcates9136]

I love those bikes they were just a solid machine

[@Toddscomp2]

Did you get electrolyte for the original battery or not ?

[@ヤマハ乗りのホンダ好きの鈴菌]

アメリカでは人気が出なくて、輸出がすぐ終わった貴重なSR500を見れて楽しかったです。日本では2021年までSR400は販売されて愛されましたが、残念な事に排ガス規制により日本国内向けには生産が終わってしまいました。現在はタイでまだ売られているようです。 It was fun to see the precious SR500, which has just finished exporting and has not become popular in the United States. In Japan, the SR400 was sold and loved until 2021, but unfortunately production for the Japanese domestic market has ended due to exhaust gas regulations. It seems that it is still sold in Thailand.

[@TheHelado36]

YOU GUYS KNOW HOW TO MAKE BEAUTIFUL BIKES !

[@rickreneau5230]

I worked at City Cycle Sales in Junction City KS from 81-85. We sold Yamahas and Harleys then. Wayne Jaecke is the owner and still is. I was wrenchin in the back with Steve (good guy) and loved the experience. I unpackaged many a bike packed like that. Brings back memories. 82's an up were shipped with a flame retardent in the carbs and tanks. First it jelled and then it crystalized. Was fun tearing down and cleaning, re-synching so many carbs.

[@pastorfrankie3120]

i went there, was stationed at Fort Riley. :)

[@dan-o9746]

I had a '78 model. A tech upgrade copy of a BSA. Complete with the oil in the downtube. Not hard to start. Just push down until the kick stops, pull in the comp release and push down a half strike. It wouldn't throw you over the handlebars, but the kick start would slip off your boot and bruise your ankle and leg. I have to say; from musical instruments, audio equipment, to outboard motors, Yamaha always made top quality stuff.

[@rogerkay8603]

Yep, always been a Yamaha man, from RD250LC right through to my current XSR900 with loads of others in between.

[@ericbraun4652]

I had a KZ 1000 and loved it. They make top quality pianos too. Amazingly diverse company. I had a piano snob friend play my 7.5' Yamaha grand all evening in a dark party. He LOVED it. When he was done he peered at the nameplate to see the make. "Yamaha?" he exclaimed. "YAMaha!!?" But he still admitted he loved it. He owned a 9' Blutner, BTW, and barely tolerated German Steinways. Forget the New York crap.

[@nickhall5959]

They do an electric starter kit now, I went over the bars twice kicking over my xt500

[@krookpd01]

My 2005 Royal Star tour deluxe,,,94500 miles,,,air ride ,,, still getting out there and driving the Harley riders crazy 🤣

[@Waterlooplein1]

Years ago I had a SR 500, a '78. This brings back memories. I learned how to kick start it. I watched someone try to kick start it the wrong way and he never got it running, do it right, it kicked off. You look for the white in the window. And use the white switch under the carburetor to open it up a crack. And for those that do not know, you can only start this bike by kicking it.

[@gorongo4202]

Among my favorite bikes I’ve owned. I felt like a kid in a candy store watching this get unwrapped and the excitement was nearly unbearable. I had one back in university to ride along the beach to class each morning in San Diego. Living my best life. Loved that bike and the joys of being 21 in a beach town. Thanks for the journey.

[@EL2ZGOD]

Where was the keys?

[@andrewflynn2945]

@@EL2ZGOD in the headlight

[@jacobjohnson5186]

I sold my bikes last year to get ahead and miss riding so much. I really enjoy watching y’all bring these classics back to life. Watching this made me fill that void that needed filled ( riding ). The joy of it firing up! Stay blessed

[@chuckyrichter4396]

I had a 1978xt500 and jt was the best most reliable machine I ever owned! My father gifted it to me after he ran kt for twenty years and I put it through another decade of endurance miles lol absolute beast of a bike that I miss with all my heart. This brought back memories. Good memories so thanks!

[@ronclark9306]

I bought one of these in 1980 right out of high school. It was my first new vehicle. Everybody was scratching their head at my choice. They just couldn't understand the appeal of a "thumper" and kick start only. It wasn't perfect. But it still holds a special place in my heart and I miss it. You lucky devil!

[@geraldnees1330]

last year I was up in PA spending time with my parents before they passed. I was talking with my brother and he told me about your videos. I finally got into watching your stuff 7 or 8 months ago. Being retired I really don't have the money to ride anymore but I live vicariously through bikes and beards and wheels through time. thank you so much for what you do, god bless.

[@searcher1104]

I was going to retire but my hobbies are expensive and what is life without hobbies? I am happily continuing to work and I own 8 motorcycles, a boat, a plane and many of my favorite muscle cars. Jump back into the work force and enjoy life. I'm currently on a 3 month leave of absence so I can enjoy my toys.

[@ClaudeSac]

So sad that the greatest country in the world has people being poor at retirement age.

[@bradschreifels2043]

I assembled hundreds of Yamaha's in the early 80's, almost all of them needed to have carbs removed and cleaned, surprised this one ran! Thanks for the memories!!!

[@cbn320]

In the late 80’s, I owned the enduro version of the SR500 (namely the XT500) which was a great bike for beginners. At 16:40 of the video, I literally travelled 35 years back in my own life and remained stuck with a stupid smile on my face for 5 mn just hearing the sound of this single piston 500cc . Thanks to you guys for getting this beautiful piece of art back to life, it must have been a very moving experience . Please continue to make us dream with these unboxing videos!

[@503challenger]

I had a brown xt500.. High school bike... Shipped it to guam while in the air force...... Guam ate bike.

[@TomTom-gx1sm]

I have a XT600 for my restricted license :).

[@therealunclevanya]

My work colleague had an XT500, I would sit and wait to see if he could start it. 1 time in 5 it just didn't want to know and I would give him a lift :)

[@503challenger]

@@therealunclevanya 🤔🤔😥😥

[@MrYfz45005]

I owned a 1978 XT500 also .. Wheelie Machine !!😀😀

[@PaulR387]

Outstanding! Recently I had a Yamaha SR 125 which was 28 years old and never missed a beat, cracking little motorcycle, I’ve now upgraded to something more powerful but will always love the Yamaha SR range, thank you for sharing this video..

[@keithbladen8776]

What a trip back in time for me. I owned a 1981 SR500 , it was the first bike I purchased after passing my test as a 17 year old. The down side after 3 months I had a very bad accident but it never stopped me riding. Fantastic video well done guys.👍

[@Kevin-ti3rz]

Me too. I got a 1980 KX 125 the first year of the Unitrack suspension year's later a magazine voted it the slowest 125 ever . Funny I still beat bigger bikes on the motocross track . The bike shop was a multi brand shop . They sold everything. It was like the most happy place in the world to me

[@BobbyMCC]

I ride a SR 500 from 1993 here in France. Don't know why, but i fall in love with this bike. So jealous to see it. What a dream to find this. Beautiful history guys. Enjoy it

[@brianjacobs1241]

I absolutely love these kind of videos. It’s like a blast from the past right out of the box. Absolutely amazing.

[@johnnunn8688]

Top tip. When removing tape, do it at an acute angle; less likely to pull paint off.

[@ogopogo1916]

And use a blow-dryer to heat it up.

[@bikeman123]

I had the XT500, same engine. They have a valve lifter you use to get the kick-start easily to tdc prior to starting. Makes it much easier to start.

[@NIGHTOWL-jf9zt]

I think it was a compression release.

[@gregoryhoover2388]

I owned and rode a 1975 RD 350 in my late teens (from around 77 -79). Without question the fastest mode of transportation I have ever been on. Blessed to be alive. Used to run it from Titusville Florida to Daytona Beach and back at speeds varying between 90 and 110, even drafting behind semis in the rain for cover. Howled like a werewolf caught in a meatgrinder but ran as smooth as a sewing machine.

[@bikeman9419]

I bought a brand new 1975 RD 350 for $900 in 1976. What a great machine. It was a 2 cycle with the Yamaha Oil Injection. What a screamer, I could smoke Harley Sportsters without any trouble.

[@gregoryhoover2388]

Wow can I relate. There is no other bike like it. IT sounds and feels like the engine is about to explode, but that's just the way it rocks. I could bark the rear tire while already doing 45 mph. Had some near death experiences on it, but no regrets. In the short run, nothing could keep up with it. I attempt to describe iot to other riders, but I can tells they will never know what we do, unless they ride one. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day. @@bikeman9419

[@michaelshearer3559]

That was such a classic Yamaha. I am a huge fan of the old xs650, but the sr500 has a big spot in my heart!

[@RFXLR]

My dad’s first bike was a candy apple red ‘79 XS650 Special. That’s when I learned to ride myself

[@jasonallen9072]

That 1996 Honda cbr 900rr in the background brings back serious memories. I loved riding that bike more than any other motorcycle I have ever been on. Only seen that color scheme one other time. Soooo nice.

[@alokkulkarni78]

My dad would have been so happy to see this, I'm gonna showthis video to my son and show the bygone great Era of these old Jab bikes that me and my dad loved. Thanks so much guys for bringing back this beauty to life

[@TheJayant911]

He needs to send some old bikes to India and maybe the JDM cars as well coz those cars are super rare to find.

[@alokkulkarni78]

@@TheJayant911 agreed

[@Cannibust]

Almost everything made in Japan is top quality

[@mandylou292]

Uh

[@truecockney438]

This takes me back my dad used to deliver Yamaha motorcycles in Britain and i used to go with him in school holidays and loved every minute of it I didn’t think I’d ever see one of them boxes again

[@darkrurouni1]

Getting to live vicariously through B&B is awesome. Loving the resto projects and can't wait to see Craig's new bike.

[@dynamo1796]

Though I gotta ask, why is there a random religious scripture piece halfway through? Is that like some American cultural thing?

[@darkrurouni1]

@@dynamo1796 Not exactly an American thing. Sean is religious and recites a verse in almost every one of their shows, usually before a ride. I guess the most American thing about it is that he is free to express his religious feelings.

[@dynamo1796]

@@darkrurouni1 LOL thats hilarious - you actually think America has freedom? Well well... someone has been living under a rock. I think its bizarre frankly that this guy lists religious text in his videos about motorcycles. It bears as much relevance as me making a video about building a tree house and then displaying the full and complete failings of the US constitution. Its laughable (the constitution, that is) but ultimately not relevant to the subject matter at hand. Get mad bro.

[@flylock]

I loved this bike, back in '83 the local yammie dealer had them brand new for $1999. I was tempted to buy on the spot but then I went to see what kawasaki had and they sold me a leftover kz550ltd with 3 more cylinders and electric start for the same price. It was a great bike for several years , I rode the wheels off that kawi.

[@JayDubster]

Can't believe the condition of this thing, it's immaculate !! Also Craig, that elastic band hit was a beaut :)

[@kimmyrask7368]

Well it’s new..

[@mixerD1-]

Er, it's in original packing..that's not good condition...it's new 🙄

[@BillLaBrie]

It’s like it’s brand new! Showroom condition!

[@NightMotorcyclist]

I'm in my 30s but most of my bikes have been classics from the 80s to early 2000s with carburetors and will say that I miss the days of simplicity when it came to motorcycles as it was far easier to take apart and repair than going through really cables within very tight clearances and tons of plastic bits and pins. Heck, my 1985 Kawsaki Ninja 900 was so simple that I could take it apart in a few hours, replace the alternator and get it all back together again once nightfall hit (unless I felt like doing some major wire routing as most of the cabling is standard spaghetti strands wrapped in electrical as was common in that era). My 2017 Z650 is a nightmare to work on in comparison.

[@blessedandhappy3921]

You go right ahead unboxing all of them you can find. They were built to ride and enjoy. You’re absolutely right. You are rescuing these bikes. I only wish I could be there with y’all.

[@Steve-ec6ed]

This is slowly turning into a restoration channel... and I love it

[@keefespencer1173]

I totally agree and now they just need to do even older bikes and bikes that were made by independent dealers kind of like some of the bikes on the @Wheels Through Time channel but not quite as old but I think something like a BSA or something along those lines maybe even an Indian Scout would be cool and maybe some old Harley's like an old Panhead or even a Knuckle would be awesome

[@kh9242]

Yeah me too i love the unboxing its like heaven :) love seeing all original everything.

[@RandieSA]

it's not a restoration if it's brand new.

[@stupidhead9117]

What did they restore exactly? They opened a box.

[@shelbyseelbach9568]

This was an assembly video not a restoration video.

[@klc3478]

That’s one beautiful bike! Maybe it’s because I was in my late teens/early 20’s in the 80’s but I’ve always loved the styling of 80’s bikes. Looking forward to seeing what Craig bought.

[@buffalokrisgoldprospecting]

I love these crate bikes from the past. Comes out of the box mint. . This bike is a true gem. Time capsule. Awsome stuff

[@andrewdillon7837]

Back in the day , the TT500 was also incredibly hard to start ,my mate got a backfire that threw him over the handlebars ,,XR500 had an auto-decompressor ,, Honda was the best then..

[@tj-kv6vr]

"my mate got a backfire that threw him over the handlebars" this didn't happen

[@colinwallace5286]

I remember my buddy’s XL500 being a stubborn b:::h on occasion as well. Joys of large singles and dealers who couldn’t tune them worth a crap.

[@twillison8824]

I had an 81 yamaha exciter 185 that only had 300 miles on it when I bought it. One of the best little bikes I've ever owned.

[@gingerpops4069]

I love watching every new video you release! I had a bike in 2008 and it was stolen, I have been trying to acquire another bike but kids and family come first. One day I'll get another bike, until then I will continue to live vicariously through Bikes and Beards!

[@lunaberry7020]

Wow, I love the YL1 Twin Jet in the background at 0:40! Reminds me how that was my first bike. Mine came in pieces and had an old locked up engine that was way beyond my repair skills at the time, so it ended up getting a rather crazy motor swap (can't remember what it was I put into it) and was restored by my brother and I. But I love seeing that one in such a nice condition!!

[@BruceTheSniper]

That bike brings back so many memories, I was a mechanic at a Yamaha shop and was sent out on many house calls to teach customers how to start the bikes.

[@Ds-xi2sq]

I own a 1976 XT500....and a 1977 XT500 ,,,On the 1977 XT500 there is a window to make sure your your top dead center before you kick it over...the 1976 XT500 did not have that, I used the compression release to start it..actually i was good at that, was easy to start. I've also over the years owned two XT550's as well....After that i went to Honda and did a XL650L put a LA Sleave into it making it a 720cc , and threw white brothers added the HRC hop up with the LA Sleave ...Then i went with a XR600 loved that bike did a few mods...But my last bike was the best the new 2000 XR650R with a stage 2 HRC kit to uncork it and a cam & exhaust...Now were talking this bike flew even faster than my CR500. Latter i went back to my 1976 XT500C and redid the engine with ProTec's help . Everything was done on that bike, result was now 38HP..compared to the 28 HP factory stock bike . Heavy bike the XT500 was, but for trail riding and play bike it was fine.

[@terryzimmerman1308]

You didn't know about the compression release lever on the left side of the handle bar under the clutch lever. You use it to cycle the piston to TDC with no compression in the cylinder. It makes it very easy to start the engine, that's why it's there, (read the manual).

[@pdtech4524]

Nice bike, I remember lusting after one of those back in the day! Something about it's pure simplicity, single cylinder, big capacity, light weight, nice handling, nimble and the irresistable cafe racer inspired retro look, that drew me to it like a magnet 🧲 😳👍😁

[@dennisschmitter7310]

Really loving these videos lately. You guys are killing it!

[@ungabungaable]

thats a sweet ride, i had one back in the late 80's and can attest if you didnt know the kick sequence you was gonna need a doctor for your ankle lol, the did not have electric starter like honda, but once running they were a fun bike to ride, mine was same color as that one, brings back some memories. Great find. they did well as a café racer in the canyons.

[@Clearanceman2]

"probably out of date" I bought a 1997 vulcan 500 with 1950 miles on it in 2017 and it had original tires and tubes and I rode it on the road until the tires were worn out. I never had a blow out LOL. Not saying you should ever do this but it worked out OK.

[@tomcooney183]

Love these episodes, and a brand new sr500 is such an epic find!

[@chief5195]

Any Yamaha RX100 Fans here👇👇

[@apacheknox]

Me...t was born in my time......😂

[@Voodoochild-tf6xr]

Just bought an RX 125. Very nice example which had been converted to a cafe racer with out any frame mods. I have sourced all parts to put it back to original. This includes new tank, new side covers, new seat, new pipe, new chain shroud (full cover). These parts were sourced from India and are repo. Many parts available from India, but check ratings of companies and buyer feedback. Quality can vary greatly. 0:06 The tank and side covers came painted with decals and badges for the side covers. They cost me AUD $240. Seat AUD $140. Pipe AUD $140. Full shroud chain guard AUD 75. Many of these companies offer free postage.

[@rendezvous4699]

That was lord, and i still have❤❤

[@zeeshantariq1462]

Yes I am

[@sunitthebiker4843]

Yeah .. Yes Yamaha

[@petermolloy992]

In 1986 I bought a brand new 1981 SR 500 from Rick Case in Columbus Ohio. I’d had a lot of bikes before this bike, but this little bike stole my heart. I loved it! Once you learn the sequence to starting it, it’s easy and it’s a huge theft deterrent. I called my little bike ‘putter putter’ because when it idled it said ‘putter putter putter putter.’ I lived in Ireland in the early 1980s and rode with a large group of bikers to the North West 200 bike race. I was riding a BMW R100RS at the time and we had an SR 500 with us all day. I just fell in love with the lines and the simplicity of the bike. When I found out I could but a brand new SR 500, I couldn’t resist. It was identical to this silver SR 500. It was my only method of transportation for two years and I enjoyed every minute of it. Even in rain and snow. I gave the SR 500 to my brother, thinking he would appreciate it, but he let it rust and deteriorate. Something I’ve always regretted. Definitely NOT a bike for long trips, but a total blast for short commutes. It was a wide as a trials bike. There was no gap it couldn’t squeeze through. I’ve looked for another one, but any I’ve found have been trashed or some amateur effort to create a cafe racer. It brought back so many wonderful memories of ‘putter putter.’ Thanks for the great memories.

[@news603redux]

I had a brand new '78 SR500, a fantastic motorcycle. Your statement that it was "so hard to start, blah, blah, blah" is utter nonsense. You turned the key, pulled in the compression release, lined up the guide in the sight glass and it was ONE kick every single time.

[@Loggiebeat]

Great video guys .👍 Brings back many memories as I owned one of these. It was my 1st motorcycle. It took some time to get the hang of starting it though. When I left the dealer (he started it for me) I was afraid to shut it down as I wasn't sure I would get it running again 😅 What a great find!

[@Loggiebeat]

@notfiveo I just checked the website. The SR500 was roughly 2000$ back in 1978. It sure didn't loose its value it seems. About the "Detroit" "Michigan" issue..... it might be because Detroit Michigan is often mentioned in one sentence maybe? For some foreigners that might be confusing. Not for me btw .... and I'm also not a US resident 🙂

[@johnerrington4072]

this brought back memories. I had one of those bikes in the early 80's in the UK. fantastic fun to ride but you could feel the vibration from the big single cylinder.

[@felixcat9318]

Another fantastic find! I would replace the engine oil, oil filter, hydraulic brake fluid, fuel line, tyres and inner tubes before riding that motorcycle anywhere! I loved your FT500 find, and this perfectly complements it! Hopefully you'll continue to find bikes in crates.

[@darlacurrey-colter3844]

ive ridden triumphs for 46-47 yrs. love em! i had an sr500 for a short time in th 80s and have wanted another since. the only asian bike i want besides my triumphs. it was FUN!!

[@phillip9468]

With this bike Yamaha built something the British had been trying to do for decades. Build a strong, leak free, reliable & quick(ish) 500 single that stopped & handled pretty good.

[@SLDYDirectors]

They riding 41 years old motorcycle with 41 years old engine Oil 💀💀💀💀

[@julianhall2008]

Hopefully they would have replaced the oil. 😂😊

[@EricBelville-gz1ku]

That took me 41 years to figure out what you were trying to say 😂😅😢

[@peekaboo4390]

Totally nice looking bike and timeless design. Yamaha is awesome in everything they make.

[@mglaz100]

Craig: "What are we doing with acid?" LOL! Love these builds!

[@andyevans2336]

Miss my Virago 920, had the same battery, wheels etc. shaft driveway so smooth. Nicest freeway cruiser ever.

[@berrylee6787]

You are my hero. I can't believe you found this. What a work of art. It should be in the Smithsonian. How can this be possible? You are a wizard Brother. NEAL APOLLO BEACH FLORIDA

[@shermantincher3417]

Another awesome video, beautiful bike. Will be waiting on the edge of my seat to see what kind of bike Craig bought. Also waiting for Craig to teach Sean that shorts and Crocs, like Trix, are for kids.😁

[@KutWrite]

I thought it was gonna be a Sheriff's Dept. Harley.

[@S4R1]

@@KutWrite good guess you can see the rear end of it on camera

[@stuart_oneill]

@@S4R1 Out run most bikes and all Harleys.

[@luxtempestas]

Beautiful bike! It hurts to see you guys take it out of the crate but it's amazingly satisfying that it finally got to be ridden!

[@cooperh928]

It's pretty cool seeing you guys open all these old bikes It's like you're opening a time capsule

[@Mavczers]

I didn't know what to buy my father for Christmass but cosmetics for his honda might make my life easier. Thanks mate!

[@chasl3645]

In 1982 I walked into a Yamaha shop and they sold me one of a showroom full of Yamaha 650 Maxims I road out of that dealership with a brand spanking new bike with zero miles on it for $1,800 it included a 12-month 12,000 mile warranty. I sold that bike for more than I paid for it after putting 40,000 miles on it. Rumor has It they overproduce the hell out of them and they discounted them to move them. Nobody could believe how smooth that machine operated it was an awesome bike.

[@MrEye4get]

So satisfying to hear it start!

[@bobmurray3229]

That is a beautiful motorcycle I love the paint & graphics

[@chicagovasko]

When Sean did the hand gesture when we saved this bike from being eaten from the inside. I busted out laughing. Super fun show we need the laugh now a days.

[@markjordan348]

That wood is mahogany! When I lived at Reynolds Cycle Center in the early 80s my dad would come up and pick that stuff up by the truckload. My dad and uncle made furniture out of it, and at the shop we made push bars for the front door and other fixtures. It finishes up real nice with semi-gloss or gloss polyurethane!

[@DirkDigler209]

The Honda video came across my recommended yesterday and I’m absolutely hooked on this channel this guy is awesome he has just enough fun but adds enough history and knowledge in with these beautiful bikes that thing is a thing of beauty I never thought I’d be in the motorcycles this is so cool great content

[@MrSnowWolfx]

I own a 1980 sr500 and love it so seeing a video about one makes me very happy.

[@bobbymaiu745]

Keep up the good work guys thanks for the bike therapy

[@lesmoore3638]

I had an SR 500. Very fun. A refined BSA 441 Victor. It wasn't hard to start. Mine had a little peep hole to line up TDC. You could avoid getting kicked back by the kick start and you didn't need to tighten all the nuts and bolts before each ride.

[@motordude67]

I bought one of these when I were 17 in 1984 when the bike was one year old. I still have it. I put 185000kms (130k miles) on that bike. Very reliable and I rode it all over Europe.

[@paulomiranda1717]

My favorite bike ,second to none,honest,decent looking bike .I regret selling my 1981 back in 2015 the most,I miss her dearly.

[@davedorn1023]

I worked at a bike shop in 1988 and when bombardier stopped selling can am they sent inventory of new bikes they still had and I went crazy and purchased 2 brand new 1982 can am qualifier 400s for 800 dollars each and a 1985 125 for 1000.

[@pakmail6781]

You guy should buy a Yamaha Daytona 400 ! if its stil available in Japan because i used ride it once and its the awesome bike in the late 80s !!

[@Bodhi1satva]

Could be my first “new” motorcycle which was the old Yamaha Midnight Maxim! Nope! Damn too bad! That was a terrific bike!

[@ntvypr4820]

My youngest brother in law bought one of these in 1981. I was not much of a motorcycler but I borrowed and tooled around on it and really liked it. So I coaxed my wife onto it (We wee both 20 at the time, married a year) and took some more trips. No helmet requirements back then. came back and dropped her off and I went for another turn up on a gravel road through the woods. When I came out I had to cross a state highway and a trooper was sitting there running radar. I freaked a bit but decided to play it cool, go down, stop, look left n right then carefully proceed across like I had every right in the world. When I stopped to cross, I looked in the RV mirror and he had his head down writing. SO far so good, I eased off and crossed the road and as I got to the other side I saw him look up, flip on the lights and he stopped me on the other side. I did that perfectly there was NO infraction but 20 doesn't argue with a 43 year old trooper. License. here it is. Where's your M/C Endorsement? Don't have one. Got tagged. They made fun of me at the Sheriff's office cause I knew a bunch of them. Two years later I became a Deputy Sheriff myself. But the ticket didn't stop the wife and I from taking trips again on it. I'd love to find a Honda in a box like that.

[@613Builds]

1970 chevelle on the 2nd hoist 😎👍🏽

[@Phenixrising-p1p]

The bike you bought brings back a few memories for me also. I bought a 82 yamaha xt550 and put it together my self. My keys were in the manual. The xt550 was a compression monster also for these years being a single cylinder 4 stroke. If your foot was wet and slid off it had a bad habbit of bruising the crap out of your calf and that's with using the compression release.

[@sitflyer2661]

Back in those days I came so close to buying one of these thumpers, but went for a discounted Virago 750 instead because of the shaft drive. I did love that Virago till I crashed it, but still would love to ride one of those 500's to this day. Nice find!

[@Tainy-fj4cg]

凄い掘り出し物が出てきたな。 私が知らない時代のバイクがこんなに綺麗に残っているとは。

[@henrymorgan3982]

I remember in the late 70's my brothers friend brought over this I think exact same bike to my mom's house to show it to my brother. At that time, my brother was riding a RD400. All very classic bikes. Great video!

[@markanderson3870]

Great video. But there is no way I would ride more than a few blocks, let alone through several states, on 41-year-old tires. No way.

[@DEarls-ye9tz]

"The dad bought two of these to put together and ride with his son but the son wasn't that interested" 😡😡😡

[@davidkordylas9746]

probably the best mono 4 stroke bike ever

[@garysprandel1817]

Honestly must say was not expecting a clip from Galactica 80 in my vintage bike unboxing video.

[@searcher1104]

I wasn't excited about this video untill I saw the model. This is the perfect retro bike to build and own. I am so envious!

[@darrenschmitz2712]

You got soooooo lucky with the condition of the gas tank! I worked for a Yamaha dealer in the 80's and basically every Yamaha gas tank of that era had to be cleaned out with acid when they were new.

[@motoknowledge008]

Any Yamaha RD 350 fans here 👇👇

[@blueskybanshee8013]

Wish I still had my old RD350LC. 2stroke powerband max!!😂❤

[@patrickkoenigsfeld1253]

Man, that is one sweet little bike

[@uralbob1]

I bought a new 1980 XS850 standard in 1982. This was a very fine quality bike. I attached a Velorex sidecar so that I could carry my little twin boys. My buddy had a Goldwing with a Vetter Terraplane, and we rode all over the Southeastern US with our wives and kids. I regret the day that I sold that bike.

[@mdemartile]

I had a 78 SR500 burgundy color. It was stolen sadly from my garage in 1995. I rode that bike on both the dirt and the street. Loved it on wide turning dirt roads, hated it for long freeway travel. Overall I loved that bike.

[@georgecurtis6463]

I had a 77 tt500. I had so much fun with it. I loved it. Then much later I bought an 80 sr500 at a yard sale. Still have it. I've had many other bikes. Besides my r1100gs, for me the sr, tt or xt are the only bikes I consider as the best. These bikes do it all but mostly the looks just do something to me that no others ever have. And no, I never ever had a problem starting it. The biggest problem is not doing a full stroke on the starter crank and holding it down. Short stroking does not allow the ratchet to work and it will catch and toss you.

[@jackstone3843]

Damn love your work and both of you..great work

[@Paul-jb7br]

Take the freaking thing thing out already

[@PhilRounds]

WOW! I almost bought an SRX back in the 80s. I ended up with an FZ600 instead.

[@zeroboyrick1717]

I had a Honda XR650R kick start only. It had a compression release lever. I took pride in one kick starts. Making it all the more challenging that bike was sky high. Like all older bikes they have a starting ritual, once you figure that out it's cake. Part of the fun of older bikes.

[@johnheckscher7138]

I still have my XR600R, I normally ride it two or three times a year

[@MrYfz45005]

Great Memories .. Been Ridin" Yamaha since 1968 .. My Uncle opened Zechmans Cycle Center.. still ridin' today a 2013 Yamaha FZ8 54 years later ..

[@terinyland5236]

Piece of advice,,,Having put these units together an back in the days ,,The manufacturers used to put a rust preventive coating in the gas tanks to prevent them from corroding..Aka the reason your tank has no rust..We used to buy the cheapest gas an fill it an drain later...Some had enough sealer that it would actually plug the slow speed jets an resulting carb cleaning.

[@Fosi94]

The scary part is watching how well preserved those tyres after 41 years.

[@GPz84]

They may look fine, but no sane person would trust them. New tires a must.

[@hodaka1000]

I've got a 1978 SR500 with the original (marked 1978) brake hoses They're one of the few things I haven't replaced yet I must get on to them

[@Fosi94]

@@GPz84 Man, of course. I'm talking about pollution.

[@Fosi94]

@@hodaka1000 Damn.