Just got rid of the last blue one and this one popped up near me for $250 so I figured it would be a good parts bike or maybe it'll run. The seller's pictures were terrible, in reality it's a more interesting bike, someone was good at welding and I'd assume the bike was raced considering the effort put into relocating the rear shocks and making it possible to put on ones that are 1" longer. It also has a decompression release, odd for a 185cc bike. It has compression so I may have to get it run to see how it rides.

Is the head stock?, That will be a nice project.

Lotta good parts there, if nothing else. But it looks like it should run with a little effort!
Another good find. Nice to see you having a run of good fortune lately. You deserve it!

Now that's a cool score. Nice looking pipe on it! Bummer the rear light is gone, those units are pricey, but on that TS the lens is a "double bubble" so to speak, used on some street bikes too, so get creative in your eBay searches and you'll find one for the right price if you want one.

Head fins look stock, Suzuki did some funny fins starting in '71.

Possibility I have a front fender for it. Need to root around the garage. It certainly doesn't need the compression release!

Head looks stock, and it's a unique pipe, no markings anywhere. Heat shield welded on.. Curious to see how loud it is.

The front fender is funny, it must have been sitting for years with just the front fender in the sun, you can see through parts of it the UV degradation is so bad, yet the rear fender is fine.

Not sure how much I'll do with it, may just get it running and sell it if it runs ok, or keep it tucked away for parts, at the same time it's in too good of shape for just parts, though most the wiring is gone, as obviously are the gauges too. Then again to get it running well and street legal, even with a cheap tail light since the red one is all stock...now if I could only find some similar $250 Yamahas

Being a man of few enduros, and all of them from the same family, I shouldn’t enjoy your daliances here. But I do. Next I’ll have to admit that a 4 stroke xt500 has always caught my attention.
I say, fix it up, but keep as close to how it is now. Reminds me of pre PE/IT time.

The XT500 can look just beautiful as a custom build too, something about it is just handsome and it can look good in many different shapes.

How is it one gas tank can get this much crud in it? This is just what I was able to shake out in five minutes.

Yikes! Looks like a leftover plate of ground beef nachos!!

Better not strip the paint off. Probably what’s holding it together.