First timer in Slovakia

So I'm an American living in Slovakia Never had an older bike, and I've only owned one bike previously haha. I'll be learning how to do this all on my own, and with your help I have a 1979 Lada 2101 that I've also been learning to work on myself. I had a Yamaha R6, but have always been out to make a cafe racer style, maybe not the "true" meaning of that but something along those lines. Just recently I was able to find a decent deal it seems on a Yamaha XJ500. It's been hard to find any info on the bike considering the XJ500 I guess wasn't everywhere and I can't find if it has same carb and stuff as the 550 or not and so on. So i'll be searching for that info It starts with spray, and then will start right back up, but the guy said he thinks the carb just needs cleaned up. Here are some pics of it. I have a video as well but not sure how to post that. So I'll probably be asking a lot of questions and for resources about it, since like I said I'm having a hard time finding info to be able to order parts. Specifically carburetor parts.

 

Welcome to the site, lots of other will be chiming in soon. You look to have a nice looking bike there, in good shape for the year. I would start to read here :
https://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/read-this-first.110898/
I wish I knew how to make that a link for you, but copy and paste that in your browser and start to read....and read...and learn...and read more.

Taking your carbs to "Church" will be a must...take your time when you do this and to it right the first time, will save a lot of nonsense work down the line.

Good luck and keep on posting.

Tim

 

looks just like a euro 550.

cleaning the carbs is the same for the mikuni carbs


XJ500 Models

1981 XJ500 MODELS:

COUNTRY: EUROPE

MODEL NAME: XJ500
STREET NAME: 1981 XJ500
MODEL ID CODE: 5N4
FRAME ID: 5N4
SERIAL NUMBER STARTS AT: 000101


1983 XJ500 MODELS:

COUNTRY: EUROPE

MODEL NAME: XJ500
STREET NAME: 1983 XJ500
MODEL ID CODE: 27E
FRAME ID: 5N4
SERIAL NUMBER STARTS AT: 005101

 

Thanks so much! I started reading the thing about taking carbs to church haha, so much going on there! Sounds like quite a bit, but that its the biggest issue with these bikes. So my biggest question at the moment is, are they the same carbs as the 550? Can i get the same repair kits and other parts for the carb as a 550? Or will I have to try and find the 500 somewhere? Also here is a video of the guy starting up the bike.

 

I would start with a service manual here is one from germany I think you will find it is the same as a 550 except for bore or stroke of the cylinders.
the carb jets will have the sizes on them

https://www.ebay.de/itm/Werkstattha...m=352000961364&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

here is a parts manual

https://www.ebay.de/itm/YAMAHA-XJ50...=item5b04d55f46:g:c7AAAOSw7NNUBOKi:rk:27:pf:0

 

assembly manual and parts list has carb parts written in English

I have a seca 550 parts manual I can upload to you and you can compare part numbers


https://www.ebay.de/itm/Yamaha-XJ50...h=item5469ac3a0e:g:NtcAAOSwlThcMhQV:rk:2:pf:0

 

My worry is they will all be in German haha.

 

all indicate sprache englisch

 

So if the Serial Number on my Bike is 5N4-000843 then it is a 1981 and not a 1983 correct?

 

Correct.