Yamaha XT500 rebuild expert

Master bike rebuilder, Paul Van Wyk, takes us through his approach to a project bike rebuild. These renovations are down to the nuts and bolts. He is busy with build number 8 at the moment.

[@bryantotten2757]

This man is exceptional and his detail and care is impressive.Wish they were all like this.

[@TomKappeln]

Paul has to life forever, like the XT !

[@jimray937]

Wow beautiful cool bikes

[@richardho5955]

Arguably, the best motorcycle ever built! Paul, clearly is an old XT guy like me! His restorations are top notch! I bought my first XT in Durbs in 1977, a brown one and sold it in 1981...immediate seller’s remorse set in so I hunted until I found another which I still own today! I also currently own a 1980 XT which I’m busy restoring. These Yamahas have a special place in the hearts of guys who owned and rode XT500s back in the day. Ride safe!

[@blairguinea6811]

so thats where all the XT 500 are...............beautiful work Paul

[@davidsaladin2365]

You have a very good eye for detail I have a TT 500

[@TomdabombNchrone]

I

[@mebeasensei]

Brilliant! I love them. I had a Yamaha SR400. Adored it. I built to be almost a street tracker style.

[@victordohleman8061]

I had the Xt550 in college and loved that bike more than life itself. I went riding everyday in the hills of Eastbay area in northern ca. Weekends we went farther to the Sierras and deserts. XT250. XT 500 Xt 550 and later a XT 600.

[@javieragudelo1496]

La aventura 500 forever

[@Ianzandvoort]

Nice bikes, I think the classic dirtbike community is big in South Afrika; XT500's , TT500's and IT's. Lot of info from South Afrika on the internet. When I am retired I will be more time spending in my shed too... I have got the same 79 model

[@ianmangham4570]

I had an xl185 in the 80s, she was so beautiful

[@ianmangham4570]

Beautiful

[@tonydejesuscuellonoriega3834]

ÉSA ES LA MOTO DE MIS SUEÑOS...OKAY TELODISE TONY COLOMBIA ❤❤❤😇😇😇

[@stewartmckinley7639]

I miss my 79 SR 500

[@brettonjones4765]

Had an '81 Black and SIlver Thumper bought from Charlie Young in Durban. I wanted an XT as all of my friends rode Honda XL500s and I believed this to be the better bike. I quickly removed the ugly crash bars and added a Supertrap exhaust. Rode for two and a half years and loved it. The kick start was a pig in the dark as you couldn't see the decompression indicator. In fact it was the kick start that stopped me from buying a reconditioned one from the Netherlands (for three times what I paid for the original new bike!) so now I ride an Aprilia Tuareg 660.

[@kamelthorn]

Lekker

[@aaronbanes6668]

I just received one of these bikes from a random person. I'd love to see more videos about his process.

[@dymphnajames3193]

I would buy one of you

[@adrianrouse5148]

That will be fantastic when it's finished. The xt 500 was a nice bike to ride. But where we rode offroad it was just to heavy. The dt 175 .was a good trail bike for us. You could lift it out of the mud when you got stuck. But the xt 500 was great on the way to the trails.