1977 Yamaha XT500 Enduro. Owner: Mike Harper, Atascadero, California.
With this model the Yamaha boys at Hamamatsu took a good long look at the trail-riding concept, which had become a profitable piece of the motorcycling pie. This new type of motorcycle, often called an enduro, was adequate on the pavement, OK on a dirt road?a play bike that extended one?s horizons.
The current description would be dual-purpose, as these were not full-on competition machines by any stretch of a rider?s imagination. Yamaha had actually broken new ground in this essentially untapped market back in 1968 when it introduced its bestselling DT-1 250cc two-stroke single…but two-strokes were on their way out.
In 1974 Honda came out with its four-valve, OHC XL350 single, and that was attracting buyers among riders who wanted a fun bike that could happily go along the highways and byways until the turnoff onto the million or more miles of dirt roads the country had to offer. Yamaha America told Japan it wanted in on that market, and the engineers back in Japan had to decide whether to go forward with impressive technical advancement, or stay with good, understated design. Decisions! 1977 Yamaha XT500 Enduro.
Basic won out! The single cylinder used a two-valve head and a chain-driven overhead camshaft, letting the engine run up to 7,500 rpm?although maximum power, some 28 rear-wheel horses, was found around 6,000 rpm. The engine design was almost square, with a bore of 87mm, stroke, 84mm; 499cc...