… MotoWasabi … Vintage Japanese Ring-Dings A Go-Go » T500 II Titan

First run of the Titan

admin — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:43:53 +0000

Well, All I had to do was to reset the ignition, and replace the plugs and plug caps and set the clutch cable.
The bike had an annoying tendency to go only on one cylinder… It’s a good thing they’re so large and well-built: You can actually limp home forever on one cylinder B)
I also had to replace the Cobra handlebar we fitted with Valentino, as they were bent, so now it sports lower handlebars.
The noise from the intake side is really something on the large carburetted Suzukis… something that got lost with the later models.

Post delivery assessment

admin — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:43:09 +0000

Well it ain’t too bad.

The LH sidecover is missing, classic, they all do that. The front fender looks like it comes from a Cobra, this could be some bartering argument in the future. It basically needs sorting out with a good tune-up.
I also want to install the turn signals, I have them in stock. Paint is bit faded and the saddle needs the correct cover (that might be difficult).

The Brake spring seems strangely located…

The Titan arrives.

admin — Sun, 25 May 2008 08:42:30 +0000

The Titan’s seller, Valentino, offered to deliver the bike to my front door. Bloody nice of him you if you think of all the travel implied. Ticino is the italian-speaking part of switzerland (south close to Milano and Italy) and I’m living close to Geneva, in the french-speaking region.

Of course, it was pissing down the day he came, what I didn’t expect was to see that:

A Smart… I wondered where the trailer was… until he told me the bike was INSIDE! 88|
You will see, it is possible to fit a T500 inside a Smart, although it is not as easy as it seems.

Of course it was dissambled a bit…

Here it is, Valentino had to remove a seat to fit the whole thing inside.

We had to hook up a sling to tow outside the car and then we just reassembled it, kickstart 2 times and it runs.

These are the details I really like… somebody forgot to “wipe off face after break-in”.

All in all, good was had by everybody. I suspect there is still a bit of work to be done, but according to valentino, the motor was real clean inside, a host of seals changed and he also left me a parcel of new parts.

Couldn’t resist.

admin — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:41:58 +0000

There was a T500 IIfor sale in Ticino on ricardo… Description sounded good and the price was right too. Trigger-happy Spike. I now need to organize how to get the bike to my place.