TX500 build

well got a 74' TX500 (at least i think that is what it is) Pretty sure it is not an XS500
- I am going to CAFE this sucker very traditional
well got a 74' TX500 FAST LITTLE BIKE!

*since this picture i have removed the front fender (it will become my rear fender on my bobber project), added the clubman bars, removed the rear fender and all the lights except for the headlight,(will add tail light today)... got it running (did not run for about 8 years) this bike was made for 2 short years and handles like NOTHING else i have rode... the prev owner was going to start to work on it so he put on new wheel bearings, tires, and bandged the exhaust (totally shot)

few ?'s
- anyone know where i can tack down a speedo for this guy? someone took a hammer to it... yes a hammer... i also need to track down an exhaust that woudl work... or i will have to make one!
i have alot to do on it but it will take a back seat to my current bobber... just something to keep me occupied after the bob/cafe is finished... i am going to make this sucker so i can CUT some serious turns... thought i would share!... Ill get some better pics later...
* I also picked up a 3 place motorcycle trailer from some guy we met in the city! this thing is awesome!!! going to rino liner the whole thing wiht baby moons... post pics on that later

Re: added to the stable TX500

Nice! Can't remember if I threw them out or not, but I had two complete sets of gauges from my two XS400's. Likely the same or close to the 500's. I'll check my parts box sometime. I may have kept them.

As for the trailer, that thing is some gawdawful ugly thing! Lol! Trailers are a handy thing to have around. I just got finished welding and first coat of paint on mine today. Been building it for a few weeks now. Didn't want to buy some prefab garbage that wasn't built how I wanted. It's gonna be a sweet hauler for under $500. Could likely sell for over $1000 when it's done.

Re: added to the stable TX500

how many cylinders is that? looks cool. where are those progress photos?

Re: added to the stable TX500

They are a two cylinder parallel twin, 500cc, dohc with 4 valves per cylinder, I believe they were timed 360 degrees with a balance shaft but I could be wrong. They were notorious for having cam chain and balancer shaft chain tensioner issues. They had a manual, then automatic, then reverted finally back to a manual tensioner! Apparently the issue is that there's not enough adjustment range on both tensioners, so you have to set the clearance cold and that's it - if it's loose it's loose. The very early ones had a two piece head that was also prone to cracking, there was a retrofit upgraded gasket to help alleviate the problem but later models had a one piece casting.

A very interesting and cool bike .. I'd love one myself. Nice find!

Re: added to the stable TX500

holly crap! you know this bike... WAY better than me! as far as progress photos... dont have any, and will nto for a while... got to finish my CB350 first then i will cafe this guy out... Rudy if you have a guage set that woudl be killer! Lunar you know about these bikes? you ever worked on them? looks alot like my 350 twin in my honda but i have not started to mess wiht it yet... i am going to just clean the carbs out, change the fluilds and then try to gap, time, and set everything... with any luck i wil not have to crack open the motor... hell i doubt i even pull it from the frame at all... just want a bike i can get a little low in the twisty country roads on... i think this may fit the bill! we will have to see.

Re: added to the stable TX500

its got a nice stance.... or the shocks are shot lol... keep the purple! man thats a cool bike...

Re: added to the stable TX500

just had it strapped down real tight...
last night i pulled off the tank and headlight... stripped them down... will bondo and sand then prime them up... got the bars off the bike and the clubmans on... still need to pull the guages... just going to do a single speedo... junking the rest of it all.

Re: added to the stable TX500

Looks like an excellent catch. What color are you going with?

Re: added to the stable TX500

white... white ... white... with heavy flake teal accents and scallions... everything else will be powdercoated black, white, or polished out... real simple on this one! want to be done with it in 2 weeks!
for the white i am going to use white EPOXY paint

Re: added to the stable TX500

last night i got the clubmans on... getting ready to tear out the guages (stock) i only want a speedo and tach... other than that it will all go away (mini tach and speedo are on the way)
i got the booth all set up for paint... using the old way with rattle cans on this one... have a buddy that tells me you can not get a good paint job with rattle cans so i will prove my point with this bike.... tank needs to be finished stripped... tried the spray air craft stripper... LAME going to stick with the jell in the future... also got the dent on my 350 project smoothed out as well (one side at least

Re: added to the stable TX500

well i got the tank all sanded down, bondo, and filled... the headlight bucket has also had the same... got the headlight bucket primed and painted... tonight the plan is to paint the tank and side covers... later this weekend i will pull the wheels and do them and while they are drying i will boil the carbs and get them cleaned up really nice!

Re: added to the stable TX500

painted! used some bond and glaze to fix the dents in the tank... then i hit it wiht a self etching primer, wet sand, hit again, wet sand (wiped down with mineral spirits before every coat... then i used a filler primer, so i could really sand it smooth... then 3 coats of epoxy white appliance paint... LOVE to work with this paint... also took the wire wheel to the top of the motor, one of the side covers (half ass job) and lower forks to get an idea what it would finish out to look like... dig it on the forks not so much on the motor... her are a few pics... trying to deecide what color to paint the motor or if i should just wire wheel the whole thing and clear it.. but the clear will yellow wiht the motor heat (even high temp clear will) i was thining silver with black cylinders... what you think? just need to find a speedo and i can start slapping this sucker back together (giong to let the paint cure for 75hrs before i touch it... it is a great paint to work wiht but is VERY picky... once it has cured a bit more i will get a shot of it in the sun so you can see how high gloss it is! RACER WHITE!

ok... had to turn on the heat in the garage tonight.. man huge tem change... hope that does not screw with the epoxy paint as it cures... we will see... tonight i got the carbs out and cleaned real well... even polished up the lid and cups with some 00 steel whool and a bit of wax... the insides are what matter and that is spotless! got the tail section off the bike now... have the rear lighting figured out... going to do a captain america type set up... we will see how that goes... camera died only got a few pics of the carbs... tomorrow i will get hte clutch cable fixed and the stripped out bolts out of there and replaced...

- I also cut off the ratty old mufflers... had to cut them they would not let loose i tried heat and all... i am relacing them with the stock mufflers off my harley.. the brackets line up PERFECT... any issues with this? you guys think i will need to rejet?

Great progress you are making on this one.

ok... so... need to peel back off the paint and shoot it again... my body work shows though... this white epoxy paint is AWESOME though!!! real cool paint and great to work with, very forgiving with with a wet sand as well... can not decide what i want to do on the tank and side covers so i slapped it all together and started to draw on the tank cause it needs re done anyway... here are some pics... the last one is the one that i plan on going wtih... maybe red not blue... rims will be chrome wiht white hubs and spokes...
I was going to make my own seat... but then i came across the killer ones that rockcitycafe makes... i think i will go that route... coming along... time for paint... frame, motor, wheels, tins, and seat... i was going to rattle can it but i guess i may as well do it right and pull out the guns... just some basic single stage colors and get a good clear on it... may even do a bit of air brush work to highlight the paint after it is done... we will how the weather holds and what temps i have to work with in painting..
NEED SOME IDEA'S!!! AND A MANUAL!!!!


STOCK honda seat

STOCK yamaha Seat w/ fender


BIT of drawing


in case someone wants to be an artist

need some opinions on wheels! what ones should i do!
#1

#2

#3

#4

I vote the fourth one. Thanks for the plate pix also

i vote for No.2

Black rims and spokes, polished hubs and spoke nipples.....

Swagger said:

Black rims and spokes, polished hubs and spoke nipples.....

Click to expand...

I agree with this one.