Whatta y aknow about the TX/XS 500?

[scott s]

Quick summary:
I have been teaching a friend to ride. She's been getting her miles in on a CB175 and loves it. We've been keeping our eyes peeled for a good "first bike". She really likes the vintage stuff because that's what we all ride.

Another friend picked up this TX500 to flip. I can get it for somewhere in the $500-600 range. He said it runs good but needs to be jetted. Someone put pods and the 2-1 on it and he said it runs out of steam on the top end. Does fine around town and lower speeds, but "has no ass" up top, as he says.

Thoughts? Opinions? Are the 4 valve heads hard to do an adjustment on? Etc.

 

[willem]

I haven't owned one, but I'd say that looks like a decent bike for that money. A quick google search also shows lots of parts available on ebay and the like. They will be harder to come by compared to the xs400 perhaps, but it doesn't look too bad.

as for working on the bike, it wont be as easy as our xs400's either but I wouldn't be put off by that. Seems to me like a pretty good potential bike. I read it was a bit ahead of its time, and perhaps a bit of a prototype which makes the torque curve not the smoothest, and in general not an overly tested machine. It'll have its peculiarities, but in my opinion that makes an old bike cool. And in my opinion, the tx500 is definitely a cool bike, even in bone stock condition.

 

[xschris]

I would avoid it. It was Yamaha's first dohc bike ( also the tx750) it had a lot of issues with the top ends. Valve seats would crack because they where so close together and thin. The heads would leak bad. Just not good bikes. Yours looks to be a 73 the first year for them. I think they where made till 77-78 but could not get all the problems fixed.

 

[willem]

I also advise to listen to chris' advice over mine, but that applies to pretty much all questions on bikes

 

[Lou Ranger]

I have no direct experience with one but did a lot of reading about them when one came up for sale around here. Everything I read is 100% in line with what Chris said.

On this Forum alone there is quite a bit. I just put "tx500" into the Google custom search window (top left corner of this page, above) and lots came up. I'd recommend you and your friend do this and read it all first before considering it.

 

[iamunique127]

I was also looking at purchasing a TX500 although it cost more than the one you are asking about. I decided against it. I believe handling and reliability were the main reasons.

 

[scott s]

Maybe I should pass on this one...

 

[Scorpio1963]

You can always buy the bike remove the engine and swap it with a 400xs engine.There is a market for the the tx engines believe it or not.Now I live in an area that's economicaly depressed and I could have bought one the tx 500 engines for $200.Theres is a collectors market for them and I seen one selling in mint condition in my area for $2000.It belonged to one of the top ceo`s for GM in Detroit.
The engines have their issues,since it was Yamaha`s first over head cam bike it has a lot of internal vibrations but they used an internal balance shaft to smooth the vibration.The 77-78`s have the better engines from all the studing I have done on these bikes.With that said I wouldn't be so turned off from everything you read about these model bikes.They are sellable and for the price It would be easy to make a profit on.The fact that somebody found a 2 n 1 exhaust for the tx500 is amazing in itself.One more thing the bikes top end speed is only 85mph.

 

[xschris]

The xs650 was Yamaha's first twin ohc engine and the tx750/500 was the first dohc they made.

 

[Greasey Fingers]

I would avoid it. It was Yamaha's first dohc bike ( also the tx750) it had a lot of issues with the top ends. Valve seats would crack because they where so close together and thin. The heads would leak bad. Just not good bikes. Yours looks to be a 73 the first year for them. I think they where made till 77-78 but could not get all the problems fixed.

So in a nutshell, its a total piece of shit.

 

[willem]

So in a nutshell, its a total piece of shit.

it's called character



in my opinion, just be aware of it being a flawed bike. The fact that it is just that will make it that much more special. I'm just saying, people buy ducatis all the time.

 

[LuckyEight]

anyway...bike looks gorgeous

 

[iamunique127]

I was also looking at purchasing a TX500 although it cost more than the one you are asking about. I decided against it. I believe handling and reliability were the main reasons.

On the other hand, my first 2 bikes ever were Norton Commandos. I remember them as fantastic bikes. I worked on them as they needed it, dealt with oil leaks and tough starting all the time. Nowadays ppl say they handled poorly but they did just fine for me. Those were some of the best times of my life.

Back then we didn't have the internet to ask these questions of ppl all over the world who may have had different viewpoints and experiences. We saw a bike (or camera, or car or...) we liked, did whatever limited research we could and bought it. My friends mostly had Japanese bikes and didn't need to work on them, my brother had a Ducati and he & I worked on our bikes all the time. We didn't have any less fun than our friends and both wish we could re-buy our old bikes again.

I guess what I'm saying is, if the bike runs, it's the right price, your friend likes it and someone is willing to do what it needs, then why not buy it? She is a beginning rider so she likely won't be pushing it's limits anyway. Have her take a ride and see if she likes it.

 

[Lou Ranger]

... people buy ducatis all the time.

On the other hand, my first 2 bikes ever were Norton Commandos ...

I'm so old that when I was a kid, Norton Commandos were what everyone wanted but couldn't afford. Those who bought new motorcycles had to settle for Bonnevilles or BSAs. Some of us bought new "bikes" - like my Honda-65 (not the year, the displacement), (not cu.in., ccs)

... I guess what I'm saying is, if the bike runs, it's the right price, your friend likes it and someone is willing to do what it needs, then why not buy it? She is a beginning rider so she likely won't be pushing it's limits anyway. Have her take a ride and see if she likes it.

Excellent advice. As long as you make an informed choice (so discount 50% of the internet) it will be a good choice. If tinkering a bit is something you enjoy, then a rare bike with "character" might well be more fun than anything.
Add to that the cachet or having something rare, collectible and even valuable.
But, if you just want to ride, and hate maintenance ....

 

[Scorpio1963]

Thanks for the correction Chris I think that's what I meant when I wrote that last night.I should never go on a forum after I take my ambein LOL
None the less giving the fact Ive done my homework on these bikes if I found a 78 or the last year of production for one of them at $500 if it runs and you can drive I still wouldn't mind owning one.Worst come to worst it would be my 2cnd project bike.I see a lot of potential in it.

 

[xschris]

Those bikes are much harder to work on than the xs400 but if you are up to it

 

[Scorpio1963]

It cant be more difficult as working on my 96 Jimmy

 

[Specdog]

Yamaha really messed up with the 1973 TX500 engine. It was an embarrassment for them. The same happened with the TX750 at the same time. So we can thank this miserable engine for our XS360/400 being a good one. Yamaha went to work on a replacement middleweight engine and made sure to get it right for 1976.

 

[Scorpio1963]

There was major improvements in the last 2 years of production for tx 500.Thats why I said IF I bought one it would be 78 model.I think that was last year of production for those bikes.Definately 75-76 were awefull years for that engine.I wouldn't buy that year tx eo unless I was going to customize.The first thing to go would be the engine.Then Id probably fabricate mounts for some other twin cylinder engine between 400cc and 500cc class.Or I beat the hell out of it till the engine couldn't take anymore.If you never done that you should try its kinda fun lol

 

[motoTrooper]

It is a lovely looking bike. Nice proportions. I would keep it stock but upgrade it to last year spec. I really like the diverse architecture of the Yamaha air-cooled engines.