Yamaha XT 500

This model was developed as a desert race enduro machine. Released as a street-legal version of the TT500 enduro machine launched the year before, this model became the pioneer of the big single off-road genre. It was the focus of attention also for the bold adoption for the first time ever of a forward inclining upside-down rear suspension on a trail model. It was on an XT500 that the Sonauto Yamaha team’s Cyril Neveu won the motorcycle division of the 1st Paris Dakar Rally in 1979.

The XT500 is a bike with great resources and it is very fun to ride. The bike handles very well and it also has a satisfying acceleration and great suspension. This is the kind of bike that you would encounter at the entering of a ranch and believe me: it belongs there. The bike was created to be exploited and it will give a very exciting off road experience.

The Yamaha XT500 is an icon and a very enjoyable bike to ride. Many people still put some real miles into their XT500’s and they have a big smile on their faces.

The Yamaha XT500 is a twin-valve single-cylinder enduro-adventure motorcycle made by Yamaha from 1975 until 1989. It shares its power plant with the street version SR500 and its off-road brother, the Yamaha TT500. All parts such as the transmission and chassis were produced in Japan.

The first XT 500 was shown at the US dealer convention in September 1975, and in Europe in the summer of 1976. The bike became an instant success and was produced until 1981 when it was replaced by four-valve engines. It laid the ground for the later range of XT bikes ranging from 125 cc (XT125) to the current 660 cc (Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré) and contributed largely to Yamaha's image. In France alone, 62,000 XT 500s were sold from 1976 to 1990.

The XT won the first big African rallies, which were on the rise in the late seventies. It started with Paris–Abidjan-Nice and then the Paris–Dakar Rally, which confirmed the supremacy of the XT 500. Bengt Åberg competed in the 1977 500cc Motocross World Championship on a highly modified Yamaha XT500 built in collaboration with former world champions Torsten Hallman and Sten Lundin. Åberg rode the bike to a victory in the first moto of the 1977 500cc Luxembourg Grand Prix and ended the season ranked 9th in the final world championship standings.

The 21-inch front wheel and the 18-inch rear with enduro-style tires make it fit for both on- and off-road use. Seat height and ground clearance are adequate citation needed]and the machine has the typical dual-purpose handling characteristics, which makes it suitable for a wide range of duties, from crossing rough city roads to country lanes or paths.