Yamaha XT500 1981 - Review

Short film about Yamaha's iconic XT500, affectionately known as the 'Thumper' - a Hoxton Moto restoration.
Ross Doherty presents his take on a 1981 version of the XT, with a bit of nostalgic bias.
XT's were built between 1975 and 1989, they all had a 499cc single cylinder, twin valve, overhead cam engine. Designed as a dual-sport machine for on and off road use.
The XT's had huge success in the African rallies, most notably the Paris - Dakar event.
The 1981 version was famously used in one of the Bond films 'For Your Eyes Only', starring Roger Moore.
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[@karstenramcke498]

Had my XT 500 for 40 years. Great Bike

[@Scott-ow3tz]

I know this video is 5 years old but its sych a beatiful video. Thankyou for sharing it

[@hoxtonmoto]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MOTOTravelUK]

My first travel bike. Never been succeeded till this day. Because this bike opened up the world for me. I miss those days.

[@deborahchesser7375]

When you have an enduro bike, there’s always a reason to go somewhere

[@MOTOTravelUK]

@@deborahchesser7375 XT 500 the best bike I ever had.

[@johnnyb391]

I bought a brand new 1981 XT 500 when I was in high school. Loved that bike!

[@pookiewookie7679]

Do you remember the price back then? Also was a motorcycle driver's license required back then?

[@gizsealface]

when I was younger, there were 4 of us with Xt`s that colour. 2x 500, and 2x 250. There wasn`t much in them on the road, but the 250 were lighter and better off road. We used to get lots of looks as all 4 bikes pulled in and lined up. this was in 1980.

[@markr9312]

I enjoyed my 1980 XT 500, I bought new and drove it almost daily for over 4 years. Shortly after buying it, I changed the heavy. exhaust muffler and put on the newly deigned (larger dimeter) Super Trapp Exhaust. That increased the Hp and made it sound awesome. Great wheelie bike.Great reliable bike.😊

[@hoxtonmoto]

Great to hear!

[@gitaneVYS491R]

When trail/off-road style bikes weren't 10 foot tall. I'm sure a modern version would sell quite well.

[@tomcooney183]

Exactly!

[@NorthwoodsNomad]

Dam right it would sell like hot cakes at an IHOP on Sunday morning !

[@Jappert1234]

Mash X Ride 650

[@c.a.marsupial.1282]

I just wrote that. Nice that others feel the same.

[@nyttag7830]

I had one for the past 20 years, i modified it over the years for more horse power and speed, it creates a lot of attention when I take it out I don't see many like this these days , I guess this bike can easily last a lifetime with a little maintenance and skill.

[@malcytull]

A really great all round bike, I had one in the late 70's & then like a pratt, sold it, I have a Yamaha XT660 X but motor is not as flexible as my old 500. Thank you for sharing.

[@hoxtonmoto]

Couldn't agree more!

[@doca8792]

I had its much younger sibling, the XT200. It was bulletproof. Wish I still had it.

[@souhailshamaissem7564]

Nice video mate. I never had an xt500 but looking to buy one. I had a 1981 DT250 and lived that bike and I still regret I sold it

[@jeanmoulin8472]

Can’t wait. The ultimate bike !

[@TheBONZOID]

Had the same model XT for four years, great fun & as you said, loads of character!

[@coasttocoast-gingersgowest7265]

it's incredible what this motorcycle can do. the xt 500 never gets old.Thanks and stay healthy.

[@viljoen97]

32hp not much for 500cc

[@keithsage1593]

This was my bike.. had it around a month, a 14 year old girl stole her mom's car and hit me broadside , I lost my rt leg. I was a magnet for bad drivers..I still miss her.

[@mtflieutenant7693]

I'm sorry for that...

[@Jlou21000]

Really sorry...

[@willgamer0849]

I'm sorry, Imbeciles like those are the riders worst enemy. They make me mad. They're not careful or respect the riders.

[@1985_Honda_CRX_Si]

Hoping someday you can get back on an xt

[@alt0v14]

it's a good looking bike, I wish modern bikes were like that.

[@johnnybslc]

My friend and I bought brand new matching 1981 XT 500s; the ones with the stainless steel tank. We were the envy of our high school.

[@reggierico]

Great bike! I sold my screamer, a two stroke DT 440 for a 1980 model XT 500 in 1982. Loved it, so reliable and torquey, a great hill climber.

[@greensocks4507]

DT400.

[@ypcgnx7766]

Greeting from france, and thanks for this video ;-) I've had two XT500, approximatively thirty years ago, one 1981 version, and one 1989 version.The first one was a bit hard to start, no problem with the second one. I miss them. The first bike who put such a smile upon my face is my new Fantic Caballero 500 : I thing it is the lone real successor of 500 XT, actually.

[@hoxtonmoto]

Thanks for sharing!

[@banditbabe1]

Lovely bike, I never owned one, but I do own a 1972 DT3 250 Enduro. It's so much fun and turns heads too.

[@pookiewookie7679]

Such a beautiful bike. This should bring it back exactly the same

[@tomwilliams4885]

A 79 XT 500 with a Super Trapp and Fox gas shocks. One of the best working most durable bikes I have ever owned. Very handsome too. Now wondering why I ever sold it.

[@alanhunter2051]

I had a XT & SR 500. Both white 1979. Bought from the same guy at 3 years old. Sold them in 1990 to a bloke who payed well over the odds for them both. Worst mistake I made. Loved them. it was hilarious watching the plastic fantastics trying to start them. Baffled by the extra leaver. My mate had a SR500 I mind leaving the pub shoving a huge lit firework up the exhaust it was hilarious watching the different colours of sparks and banging. He was trying to get home discreetly Happy days.

[@k9er233]

Brings back a lot of good memories from the 70's. '75 500XT with the silver aluminum tank, what fun!

[@nickbarber2080]

Living in Vienna in the early 90s it seemed as if every second bike was an "Ix-Tay"...extrodinarily good-looking bikes with a well-deserved popularity.

[@ronanrogers4127]

I had an ‘81 Model with the silver and black tank...it was a fun bike, but believe it or not my local Ducati dealer accepted it as a partial trade in on a beautiful 900ss...I liked both of them!

[@mikeyerke3920]

Enjoyed the video! 🏁

[@isaaclamb1417]

Love the xt500 no matter what

[@RunsWithScissors]

I had one, it was the bike that launched a thousand wheelies! First thing to do was take that heavy exhaust pipe off and replace with a light weight header pipe. It was heavy for a dirt bike but I put road tires on it and it became a SuperMotard before there was SuperMotards. With that suspension I could bounce off side walk curbs and power slide around corners. I regularly rode wheelies through all 5 gears on the road. Fortunately I did that before the laws changed here in Florida where your bike can be confiscated for doing a wheelie on the street. Ahhh the good old days...

[@jofanxywu5187]

Nice Video and a very nice Bike! Greetings from Germany 😁

[@iterminator309]

Absolutely awesome iconic bike, i have an 1980 XT500G.

[@hoxtonmoto]

Couldn't agree more!

[@jefflohr5533]

I own this bike I got rid of all the lights and the gaudy exhaust system, added a full super trap exhaust gutted it and I run a 38mm mikuni carburetor round bore with a whirlpool throttle and it is absolutely nasty! It pulls power wheelies first through third with no problems whatsoever and has the meanest second gear whole shot! I owned a brand new 450x and my ‘78 XT500 pulls just as hard as that thing! I love my old XT500! A bullet proof design by Yamaha! Mark Applands thumper stuff on line sells all kinds of goodies for these bikes! BRAAAAAP ON!

[@whalesong999]

Boy, how I miss my 1980 model XT. Had the best geometry and suspension for the day. Eventually, the igniter unit failed on mine and, being in somewhat of a financial crunch at the time, I sold it actually for a quite fair price considering. It was so perfectly suited for exploring the back roads of Texas Co., MIssouri where I lived at the time.

[@iterminator309]

I still own my G. It is a rock solid bike I wouldn't trade for anything.

[@c.a.marsupial.1282]

To me it reminds me of a 70s bikes I rode. That Tank and seat is definitely 70s. I wish they would bring this type of 70 style bike back. And I love the seat. A seat that actually looks comfortable. I believe that style of bike would sell today. But I may be right of the mark.

[@scottw550]

I've always been a fan. It's still viable today because it doesn't have the mile-high suspension that today's manufacturers think we need.

[@Medicandy]

The Yamaha XT500 was the first true Adventure bike! I own a 1979 XT500F with 4700 original miles on the bike.

[@lesterkirby3367]

I had a 80 e model the same gold ally wheels .. ten years i had it sold it in 09 .. the best bike i ever had love that XT 500...😊.helo from ireland 😉...

[@SkySim]

This was my first and favorite bike, thumper.

[@cobraxspeed]

In my dream garage I have one of these.

[@rosslynn1590]

Staggering 32hp A TRACTOR had them. torquey bikes. Have another tomorrow

[@longjonwhite]

I love 'em! They may be considered light weight, but I don't think I could pick one up above my head and throw it, like the Bond baddie appeared to!

[@jeffreywarner6931]

Beautiful Classic

[@TomKappeln]

I LOVE her since 1981 ...

[@therealunclevanya]

In the early 80's I had a Superdream and my colleague had one of these. We would leave work then I would sit waiting 5 minutes for him to get it to start, it was quite tricky before the XT600Tenere arrived with a valve lifter

[@bluecanary9417]

There was a knack to kick starting it. You either had it or you didn’t it seemed. I got an XT500 in ‘83 - silver tank and rims - and worked it out quite quickly. My brother could never get it right. Happy days.

[@jeffvaljean6030]

Love it such a beautiful bike

[@hoxtonmoto]

We agree!

[@6marco5]

the one and only

[@scottlochans4180]

Nice, bet good torque, my brother had XT250, I started his brand new Ducatti 750 MONSTER, remember revving it, thinking, sounds like XT250, I always had kawasakis, am now a 650 Banditaholic, best bike ever.

[@hoxtonmoto]

Right on

[@Dunstire]

I only had the 250 but i loved it.Had the same gold rims but the silver tank too which i think looks better.Brand new,it was £850 on the road in 1983.Then it got stolen about 2 years later.

[@Dsm152]

WOW it has indicators??? And get this, a Speedo and tacho too!!? Amazing stuff.

[@josefkubis6693]

The lovliest bike evver.

[@deborahchesser7375]

One of the best bikes ever, bar none

[@alainc1132]

It's a very nice bike, a great thumper. I think it's the 1980 design tank, not 1981. 1981, the tank became aluminium made with a new design till 1985.

[@davidross8233]

I lusted after this bike as a very young child. I’m surprised that I survived the loss of never having one.

[@hoxtonmoto]

There's still time to secure your survival🙂

[@matauboy]

I've owned one if these and the xt550. The 550 was by far the better bike and probably the best gravel road tourer I've ever ridden.

[@sharronclark8339]

I used to have i think was a 1978 DT 400 street and trail, I loved that bike! I would ride it to work and on the way home after I would hit a game trail a take off through the woods. Great time!

[@lourdesunate1413]

La YAMAHA XT 500 Y la TT 500...fueron y serán , las mejores motos del mundo...nunca las superarán.....

[@buggs9950]

Nice video, though I didn't hear any hint of sarcasm when describing the 32bhp as staggering..

[@user-ks2ng2wn2y]

I would like to have one!

[@ManNomad]

I had the brown one. I think the dry sump oil system was key to its reliability.

[@DA-pj3or]

I owned a 82 it was a Thumper and my lisc plate was a personal on in WA State USA THUMPER lol.

[@choqui2]

I hace a 78 xt500, its lovely!

[@theo180195]

Beautiful bike.

[@hoxtonmoto]

We agree!

[@adrianrouse5148]

Nice road bike.nice on forest tracks. But we came unstuck on tight gnarly and muddy tracks.to heavy to lift after getting stuck.also they were hard to start when they got hot and bothered. The dt 175 was better for the tracks we were winter riding

[@hoxtonmoto]

Yeah, the DT's were great light weight and easier to start dirt bikes for muddy greenlaning - we had a DT250, great fun.

[@beaud4474]

Good looking bike. Its probably what ducati had in mind when they designed the desert sled.

[@Bassalicious]

I own the sister bike to this, the 2-stroke DT250 from 1977. Apart from the engine not being a soothing thumper but the tractor version of a pissed off moped, I have to say everything else pretty much aligns. The DT is a bit lighter still at 130kg and has a cantilever mono shock in the rear, so it almost feels like a trials bike sometimes, yet it also sticks on the tarmac like you wouldn't believe. Granted, the restricted 16 or open 21 bhp of the 250 isn't a lot but I have yet to ride or drive an engine with more character, theatre or sheer mechanical honesty. They do have a tendency to require a loving and mechanically caring hand more often though. I have ridden the XT500 and the SR500 before and they do have a lot of character. In comparison though, they always felt a bit tired to me, just not as eager, punchy or dynamic as my bike. It might just come down to opinion and taste in the end. All are really great bikes nonetheless.

[@mikyl-fo8rh]

I loved it but I had to sell it only because it regularly kicked me back in the calf with the kick starter 😢

[@MatthewGill-nv4tb]

I have one I can buy right now. Rode it a few days ago. My problem. I haven't rode in a LONG time and I was nervous on gravel and well.... the thing has some snort I was never exposed to. Should I buy it? I'm even in a position where my boss is lending me his sons old 82 xt200.... so I can get my confidence up. No major problems from what I could see other than normal wear and tear. Started easily which I was most nervous of...... Just need some suggestions

[@user-sw2lv3zp6o]

I used to have exactly this model. And a Shoei Chips helmet, but not at the same time. It must be a very old helmet.

[@user-sw2lv3zp6o]

Although this is not the 1981. That had a silver tank. And the bike in 'For Your eyes Only' was the XT250.

[@keithsage7258]

I had a 77, loved it but, in less than 1000 miles a 14 year old girl was driving her parents car hit me and I lost my rt leg.. Damn I miss this bike.

[@hoxtonmoto]

Wow, that's tough to deal with - respect.

[@dozerblade]

Did he say only 32 bhp, I had a 1976 low exhaust model,, adn I currently ride a RE classic 500. I would have thought the overhead cam engine on the Yammy was making more power than my classic by more than a couple of bhp, the RD 400 I had prior to the XT500 made 44bhp.

[@darkiee69]

The XT was also used in First Blood when Rambo escapes from the town.

[@paulgeraghty4566]

correct - i think it was the xt 250 and i think the sound of the bike ws changed for the movie using a stroke -

[@scottlochans4180]

Just remembering Tom Cruise TOP Gun, sure he had a GPZ750TURBO, I had one, very good, rather have 650 Bandit, 750,1200,1250 GT Bandits, ah pipe dream. Professor B.T.E.out, Bandit Torque Enjoyment, only nothing technical.

[@funerwino]

. . . „XT was my first love and it will be my last!“ my model 84 ist still in my garage all other bikes get sold again ;-))

[@jamespolucha6911]

Thanks for the video, I always wanted this street legal bike but I got a great deal on a dirt only TT500 and love it , pulls like a tractor, I can go anywhere the modern bikes go in the woods, I might put an enduro light kit on and make it street legal if it’s not too much of a job

[@hoxtonmoto]

Right on!

[@SolomonsMartialArts]

A new xt500 will be amazing maybe a tenere 500 that ways 100lbs less than the t700

[@mattbrownonline]

How did you get those shots over the shoulder?

[@hoxtonmoto]

Jumped on the back and went pillion.

[@theaxeman4429]

😍

[@davechabba8324]

Didn't the oil run through the frame

[@TheBONZOID]

Yes, oil in frame. However, unlike the British singles, the XT was a thoroughly developed idea. It featured a conventional replaceable element under a cover in the R/H crankcase & two gauze strainers, one in the frame downtube, one in the sump plate.

[@davechabba8324]

@@TheBONZOID my chain came off sheard the wheel tensioner and nicked the frame oil every were that's why I remember oil was in frame brilliant bike though loved every minute on it 👍

[@MeBallerman]

Great bike - I own it's even better little sister; the XT 250 "3y3" model. It has cantilever single suspension rear, otherwise it looks almost identical to your 500. Oh and your XT 500 model (not "your's", but one like your's of course) was the one used in the winter mountain scene in a James Bond movie, as you say. It had spiked tires. And my 250 (not "mine" but one like mine of course) was also a movie star - it was the one that mr Rambo stole from a random guy on the street in the "escape from police scene" in the very first Rambo film "First Blood" - I love my ancient XT 250. And your 500 is cool as fuck, too...

[@kimthakkukimchi9]

The Fastest Drift Motorcycle In 1979, Yamaha XT 500 Top Speed 175KM/H, It is very fast in 70s.

[@mossieeduanmostert9508]

Had the 250 xt

[@richard9444]

I had one great bikes

[@isaaclamb1417]

I don't have one of these bikes but my dad has one

[@malcolmnuttall3165]

The XT/T T where a handful to start, with a valve decompressor and half kick full kick stroke, get it wrong, and it could send you over the bars ,(I had a 1978 TT500).

[@roberttwitcher8856]

Nice…….

[@deborahchesser7375]

That’s the original THUMPER

[@distortiontildeafness]

How is it for carrying a passenger ? Light weight 130lbs

[@hoxtonmoto]

2 up's fine and surprisingly comfortable, bit friendly though. Filmed the on-board shots in the film 2 up.

[@paulgeraghty4566]

why don't yamaha make a 2020 version?

[@gingerfella2011]

I've got the xt660x supermoto and it sounds the same lol

[@7x779]

They stopped making this around 1981 or 82 when it was replaced by the 4 valve XT550

[@Pedaltrilhasemergulho]

Motorcicle of película Rambo!

[@sharronclark8339]

Oh yeah my DT 400 was two stroke also! Oil injected didn't have to mix!

[@lourdesunate1413]

LA MEJOR MONOCILÍNDRICA JAMÁS CREADA EN JAPÓN..ELLOS... YA NO SON CAPACES DE FABRICARLA!

[@MrWebischnebi]

bro du fahrsch ja uf de falsche siite vo de strass

[@anapaulafonsecaguimaraes1061]

Ôh YAMAHA, com td respeito, sai dessa letargia e relança a XT 500. Se muito, com freio a disco, só isso. Quem curte BOAS motos não está mto ligado nessa montanha de coisas eletrônicas (painel, ABS, entre outros). Vamos lá, pra guerra YAMAHA, XT 500 Já !!!!

[@listdavid]

That’s for sure not the 81 version. 81 has a silver tank.

[@user-sw2lv3zp6o]

Black and silver.

[@glenncitron]

i would love to know your height please. I'm 6.1 and wondering cause it looks looooow.

[@drumsnbass]

32.7” per cycle-ergo.com

[@user-sw2lv3zp6o]

I went around southern Europe four times on one and I am 6ft 1. Very comfortable.

[@deanhackett349]

It’s actually the 1980 G model.

[@rudyalonzo5371]

XT500 y TT500 YAMAHA je adore les deux! villages y campagne réuni 9:20

[@jeremyatkinson4976]

30bhp max as standard

[@hodaka1000]

SR400 "Final Edition" 2021

[@richardrichard5409]

Enduro..... Never seen one being used in an enduro :) Nice enough roadbike though.

[@malcolmnuttall3165]

Yes they where, the TT500 (I owned one should know). The XT500 could manage some trail riding.

[@Perry_dAccard]

Yeah it's really just a road bike. Total crap off the tarmac. That's why it won Paris-Dakar only twice.

[@Perry_dAccard]

@A SJ Fun fact, in 2006 someone participated in the Dakar Rallye with an XT500 an finished. What a legend.

[@gogogeedus]

It's a great bike if you are after an overweight barge with heaps of torque and no suspension,its like an old early 70's scramble bike. which is ok if thats what you like. we had an MX track in the 80s at an old quarry and a neighbor had a xt550, he let my brother have a ride and he gave it a good thrashing around our track, his opinion of the bike was that it was impossible to ride fast because of the weight.