T/GT500 Page

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Link to the Ozebook Site - T500 Parts manual (MKI through T500M)

Link to the Ozebook Site - GT500 Parts manual (1976 and 1977)

This page prepared with thanks by Ian Sandy

Exploded View of Oil Pump


From the Author's Photo Collection



Robert Bond's Home Brew CDI for GT500 A and B Models

Robert, with some assistance from Phil C. in the UK came up with this home brew replacement for the Suzuki PEI unit -
cost in the USA for the components runs a bit less than $30.

Schematic and parts list

Note: the 'G', 'A' and 'K' are the accepted terms for gate, anode and cathode connections on the SCR.


Photo supplied by R. Bond

The above circuit replaces the area in the box labelled 'CDI unit' in the diagram below which is taken from the Suzuki shop manual




Breadboard demo circuit for testing


Photo supplied by R. Bond

Per Norstedt has a good GT500 ignition trouble shooting guide on his site located here which is worth bookmarking.



Tool Kits

The early kits included with the T500 models, up to the 1973 K models (to be confirmed) included a box wrench having a
universal joint and a removable handle.which were items 2 and 3 in the left photo below. These were definitely no longer
included by the 1975 M series tool kits. The contact points file (part 09813-00001) appears to have been included up
until the R series in 1971, and as an option in 1972  - beyond that the parts manuals I have do not list them. The points
wrench (09930-20111) appears to have been included up to the J models (to be confirmed) and then as an option
beginning with the K in 1973.

Below are photos of the tools from an early tool kit - I have yet to confirm whether the original screw driver handles were black or red (I suspect red).
On the right I have included a photo of two of the universal box wrenches (part number 09816-00018) as they differ. One has a longer shank, and as
well the shoulder where the shank meets the universal fitting is smaller. There are no visible manufacturer's marks on the ones I have - presumably
different suppliers were used, or it may be that one is an earlier one than the other.

 

Tire Pumps
Contributed by Eric in North Virginia, USA

There were at least two style of tire pump fitted to the early T500's - the one at the top of the photo has 'Made in Japan' printed length ways
on the pump handle and came from a first year T500, and the one in the lower part of the photo has 'Made in Japan' printed on the end of the
handle , wrapped around where the nozzle is stored. Both pumps are the same length of 20 cm, uncompressed with the nozzle protruding
another 1 cm. The pump casings were made of aluminium.

Photo supplied by 'ericsattic'

The pumps were both about 45 cm when fully extended. Below are close-ups of the printing on the handles of the two types - left is early, right is later.

A photo of the nozzle removed from the pump end - relative to a bicycle tire pump, the nozzle is quite long.


Photo supplied by 'ericsattic'



Early T500 Turn Signals
Contributed by Eric in North Virginia, USA

Four types are shown - the very early style having a stem clamp and flattened rear housing, no stem clamp but with flattened rear housing,
round back and no stem clamp, and then the ones commonly sold as NOS having long stems and incorrect wire routing.

The photo below is of the front signal from a 1969 T500-II. Notice that the back of the signal housing is flat, there is no stem clamp, and
that the stem is quite short - about 1 inch long, excluding the threads.


Photo supplied by 'ericsattic'

A similar front signal, but with a rounded end. The stem is about the same length as the one having the flat end, an no stem clamp.


Photo supplied by 'ericsattic'

In the photos below, on the left is what is commonly sold as NOS and has a long stem - about 2.25 inches long - and no stem clamp.
Below that is the correct signal for the early T500's having the short stem, stem clamp and flat end (photos courtesy of Torgeir in Norway).

Likewise for the rear signals - the photo on the lower left is of what is commonly sold as NOS and has the
long 2.25 inch stem with the wire on the outside, rear of housing is round, and no stem clamp. Below that
is a photo of the correct signal for the early T500's with the wire threaded inside the stem and the
external stem clamp (photos courtesy of Torgeir in Norway).

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VIN Labels

North American style VIN labels are available for the later model years  from Jerry in the USA
(his email is jrure@aol.com). If you supply him with your frame number the label will be pre-printed
which is a nice touch.


From the author's photo collection 

Tyler Tech was supplying labels for both non-North American styles as well as North American but at the time of writing shutting down his business. Best to check to see what stock he may still have.



Colour Chart - Mk I, Mk II, Mk III, R and J



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The 500/5 and T500 Question
Material contributed by Eric from North Virginia

The December 1967 issue of Cycle World, presented the  new 500/5 model and listed its specifications. A collection of Cycle World road tests were gathered together and re-published by Suzuki as an advertising handout, also with a December 1967 cover date, that included a letter from Suzuki detailing the changes made to the design since the original road test had been done.

Here are scans of the two covers - the Cycle World December 1967 magazine on the left, and the Suzuki advertising brochure on the right.

That letter included in the brochure appears below, and a close-up of it below that.


Photo supplied by 'ericsattic'


Photo supplied by 'ericsattic'

These then are the specifications for the T500 Mk I. What is unclear is the length of elapsed time between the original Cycle World article
appearing, and the release of the reprint as both carry the same date of December 1967. If they were published close together, then it raises
the question of whether 500/5's actually were ever 'officially' sold.

Not mentioned in the letter are what other changes were also made - one obvious one is that the exhausts were now longer to accommodate
the change in length of the swing arm. Looking at the parts listings, it is interesting (at least to anoraks like myself !) to note that the first part
number listed for the mufflers are 14301-15002 and 14302-15002 for the right and left on the Mk I which changed to 14301-15003 and
14302-15003 for the right and left at engine number 11520, or part the way through the Mk I production.  Normal Suzuki practice was to
change the last digit of a part number if it was a version change so presumably there were two previous muffler styles prior to the first one
(the 15002's) listed for the Mk I. Possibly more documentation and/or original examples will surface over time.

With help from many other owners, I am recording 'starting' and 'ending' frame numbers - not to create a registry, but to try and nail down
actual production numbers. The list is available at this link. At the moment we have yet to confirm a 500/5, and as well there appears to be a
gap in production between the Mk I and the Mk II models of about 4000 units. If you have in your possession a bike with a higher or lower
 frame number than we have recorded so far, ideally with a photo, I would like to hear from you !

A persistent urban myth, which is regularly  repeated in the press (see this fairly recent write-up as an example), is that the 500/5 had a
10 fin barrel. None of the early news photos or photos in the Suzuki shop manuals show this - they all clearly show 11 fins. A possible
explanation for the origin of the myth may be the ad that also ran in the December 1967 Cycle World issue showing the 500/5 - the fin
just even with the top of the exhaust collar is in shadow, and so not clearly visible unless the photo is enlarged and so gives the
appearance of being a 10 fin barrel. It is also possible that some reporter just couldn't count !


Photo from the author's collection

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