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• The steam hammer
• Facelift
• Technical data Yamaha SR 500

Photo:

20th photos

1/20
Young and old: the last year of construction of the Yamaha SR 500 (1999, left) and the first (1978, right).

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Yamaha SR 500 (1978).

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Yamaha SR 500 (1978).

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Yamaha SR 500 (1978).

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Yamaha SR 500 (1978).

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Comparison: tank of the Yamaha SR 500 (1978).

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Comparison: tank of the Yamaha SR 500 (1999).

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Comparison: Yamaha SR 500 (1999).

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Comparison: Yamaha SR 500 (1978).

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… of one’s own past.

11/20
Encounter at eye level? The 1999 Yamaha SR 500 beckons …

12/20
Yamaha SR 500 (1999).

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Yamaha SR 500 (1999).

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Yamaha SR 500 (1999).

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Yamaha SR 500 (1999).

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Yamaha SR 500 (1999).

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Yamaha SR 500 (1999).

Gargolov

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The analog round instruments of the Yamaha SR 500, here on …

Gargolov

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… 1998 model.

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Yamaha SR 500 (1999 left, 1978 right).

Yamaha SR 500 fished from the slide archive

The steam hammer

It is one of the motorcycles that shaped an era and continues to polarize it today: the Yamaha SR 500. MOTORRAD fished the most beautiful shots of the classic from the slide archive.

It lacked nicknames Yamaha SR 500 never: “The steam hammer” it was called at the beginning. After that, it was considered the VW Beetle among motorcycles. But not because she ran and ran and ran. On the contrary: after around 45,000 kilometers, the “steam hammer” often ran out of steam. Rather, the Beetle image was correct because the SR was just as simple and functional as the ball from Wolfsburg, and it soon became an integral part of the German street scene. Anyone who started riding a motorcycle at the beginning of the 80s also rode an SR at some point.

With hardly any motorcycle, opinions are as divided as with the SR 500. Some people no longer want to see them: low-tech iron piles or student cliches are what they call it, and legends of kickstarters kicking back and horrific oil consumption are spun on forever. And yet – honor where honor is due. MOTORRAD has pulled out the most beautiful images of the Yamaha SR 500 from the first (1978) and last (1999) model year.

classic

On the move with the Yamaha SR 400 and SR 500

Little performance, lots of charm

read more

All articles about the Yamaha SR 500

Facelift

Yamaha SR 500

1978: Sales start of the original model type 2J4 with 27 or open 33 hp

1979: On request, cast wheels (150 marks surcharge), new, large headlights with a diameter of 200 millimeters, modified engine side cover to secure the shaft sealing ring, cover of the oil pump housing with five instead of three screws, installation clearance of the crankshaft reduced, separate pulse coil for low speed range

1980: Thicker lower cooling ribs to stiffen the cylinder, reinforcement of the kick starter freewheel, additional frame plates between the control head and oil filler neck, turn signals attached to the taillight holder

1981: Double-walled elbow

1984: The model 48T, with 27 or open 34 hp, has been thoroughly revised. 18- instead of 19-inch front wheel with slotted brake disc, rear rim widened to 2.15 inches, oil riser pipe to the thermally more heavily loaded outlet-
valve, narrower handlebars, now 170 millimeter headlights, grease nipple on the swing arm axle, O-ring chain, elimination of the plastic flange on the seat, piston 25 grams lighter and with a modified oil control ring, metal cylinder head gasket, camshaft with 0.5 millimeters more stroke , hardened rocker arms including shafts, reinforced timing chain tensioner, larger volume of air filter and exhaust

1987: Tank volume increased to 14 liters

1988: Optional duplex drum brake at the front for an additional charge

1991: Stricter exhaust and noise limits require a reduction in output to 23 HP through changes to the piston and camshaft as well as a reduction in compression to 8.3: 1, new flat slide carburetor without jump start button, shorter secondary ratio; Dethrottling to 27 HP possible with TÜV certificate

1992: Only available with a drum brake at the front

1993: Side stand with ignition switch

1998: Limited anniversary model

1999: Sale of the last copies

Technical data Yamaha SR 500

Data (Yamaha SR 500 Typ 48T)

Engine: Air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine, an overhead camshaft, two valves, actuated via rocker arms, displacement 499 cm³, output 20 kW (27 HP) at 6000 rpm (open), constant pressure carburetor, Ø 34 mm

Power transmission: Multi-disc oil bath clutch, five-speed gearbox, chain drive

Landing gear: Single-loop tubular steel frame with simple, forked support, telescopic fork at the front, Ø 35 mm, two-arm swing arm made of steel, two spring struts, wire-spoke wheels, tires 3.50 S18 front, 4.00 S18 rear, duplex drum brake front, Ø 200 mm, simplex drum brake rear, Ø 150 mm

Mass and weight: Wheelbase 1405 mm, weight with a full tank 170 kg

Driving performance: Top speed 135 km / h

Specialists

Electrics / alternators
Motorcycle technology Munich,
Telephone 089/50 63 63,
www.motorradtechnik-muenchen.de

Parts / accessories / conversions
KEDO in Hamburg,
Telephone 040/40 17 02 00,
www.kedo.de

Grossmotorik company,
Tel: 0 22 02/24 34 49,
www.grobmotorik.org

Engine overhaul / parts

Motorbike Muller in Beverungen,
Telephone 0 52 73/3 56 70,
www.motorrad-mueller.net

Clubs and forums

www.sr500.de

www.sr-xt-500.de

Tests in MOTORCYCLE

5/1978 (T); 7/1979 (VT); 8/1979 (VT); 5/1982 (LT); 8/1982 (VT); 7/1983 (VT); 9/1984 (T); 16/1984 (VT); 13/1985 (VT); 9/1986 (VT); 12/1987 (VT); 5/1988 (MR); 8/1991 (T); 8/1992 (VT); 16/1992 (VT); 21/1993 (VT); 10/1995 (VT); 26/1998 (MR)
T = test, VT = comparison test, LT = long-distance test, MR = model report

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