HL500

[Slakewell]

I love to see some TT 500 based bikes in pre 78 but compared to the class leading AW Maico or KTM 400 you are going to be out biked for sure.

[Marc.com]

I love to see some TT 500 based bikes in pre 78 but compared to the class leading AW Maico or KTM 400 you are going to be out biked for sure.

I think that is part of the challenge, I have not ridden them all but ridden a few, no doubt the HL is not a class leader but on the right day with the right rider, I think an RM370 or similar would hose it down without too much effort. The special builders will always be the special builders, Rickman, Clews all bought a little something different to the table.

[Husky500evo]

I love to see some TT 500 based bikes in pre 78 but compared to the class leading AW Maico or KTM 400 you are going to be out biked for sure.

What's this about pre '78 class leading bikes ? I have ridden a couple of AW 400s and in my opinion both the '77 CR390 Husky and VB360 Montesa are better bikes than the Maico . I am not anti Maico either , because I own a few of them in different year classes, but I don't really consider myself to be particularly brand loyal to any manufacturer. I haven't ridden a '77 KTM 400 yet, but I hope to bum a ride off Brad Lewis if he takes one to CD8 . Maybe an unofficial pre '78 open class shootout is required on the Conondale pre '78 track to sort this out. A few different riders opinions on different bikes to their own is a good way to get a consensus. It would also be good to compare a YZ400D and RM370, if their owners were willing to swap rides. I can bring a CR390 and a VB360 and can maybe line up couple of guys with Maico AWs as well .There may well be a dark horse in this class in the '77 AMX 390 Husky automatic  . I have a basket case one of these, but it probably won't be ready until CD9 or 10 . .     
 

[flower pot racing]

I just like the challenge and the skill level it takes to put together a special or custom. Any fool can overhaul a stock bike, even easier if you use NOS bits, but to have the patience and be able to build all the bits required for a quality special is a good test of your trade skills and something not everyone can do. To make it looks factory like the CR/XL in the last VMX magazine is something even trickier.

I'm with you Mark

me too.

[Oppet]

I will build replica becouse I like building things and think this will give me something nice to do, Im doing it from 77 husky frame so quite alot welding will be also there. Ok I could make my own spesial too, but I will make this one first  
Another reason for this build is the spare parts for the engine, as it will be so easy I may think its cheating. Espesially after B50 build parts will be almost free

Somebody can tell me the years of 38mm forks? and when they changed to 43mm.

[flower pot racing]

They are just big heavy, slow chinese style pit bikes.
K 

You must be confused with another bike. Any special will only be as beautiful as the creator sees fit and yes some look better than others.  The same can be said of any two standard bike.  You get some pretty manky Red (blue yellow black white) Rockets at the same meeting as new ones fresh from their photo shoots.  Doesnt mean they are all great or all manky...

Yes they can be slow and heavy, but Chinese style pit bikes, I think not!  (if the chinese are making replica HLs let me know, their stuff is getting quite good)

Slow?  Obviously a lot comes down to the rider.  If you saw 40+ 4 strokes head into the first corner at Farleigh (yes HLs included) the last thing on your mind would how slow they were going!

Rod Spry had a fast chap on one of his JBRs (yes I know it's no a Yamaha HL, but it is a close relative) and people were awestruck (and rightly so) how quick he was on the bike.  

Eating establish fast riders for breakfast on the tricked up, blinged out, read valved 490s was common place.

A fast rider on an well sorted bike is a good receipt for success whether the bike is a 2 stroke or  a 4 stroke.!

[flower pot racing]

Oh and I thought that down under you called the British 'Whinging Poms'  some of you might want to look at that and take a look at yourselves (runs and takes cover....)  and with such venom, sorry passion, as well!

[bigk]

Finally got someone to bite!
Cheers,
K

[flower pot racing]

Finally got someone to bite!
Cheers,
K

Bite?  It's still early up here.  Havent got me teeth in yet!

[Husky500evo]

43mm YZJ forks (tick, as they came from an Evo legal bike)

I take it that this is a typo error Firko, as YZ J models are a linkage bike and are not Evo legal. Not that it seems to matter, as there seems to be a few bikes in the Evo classes fitted with forks from linkage bikes.

[Slakewell]

What's this about pre '78 class leading bikes ? I have ridden a couple of AW 400s and in my opinion both the '77 CR390 Husky and VB360 Montesa are better bikes than the Maico . I am not anti Maico either , because I own a few of them in different year classes, but I don't really consider myself to be particularly brand loyal to any manufacturer. I haven't ridden a '77 KTM 400 yet, but I hope to bum a ride off Brad Lewis if he takes one to CD8 . Maybe an unofficial pre '78 open class shootout is required on the Conondale pre '78 track to sort this out. A few different riders opinions on different bikes to their own is a good way to get a consensus. It would also be good to compare a YZ400D and RM370, if their owners were willing to swap rides. I can bring a CR390 and a VB360 and can maybe line up couple of guys with Maico AWs as well .There may well be a dark horse in this class in the '77 AMX 390 Husky automatic  . I have a basket case one of these, but it probably won't be ready until CD9 or 10 . .     
 

AW Maico's can be shit when not set up correctly, I have owned a VB and it was nice bike , I like the Husky CR, I would buy an 77 Auto if I could find one as I think it could be turned into a great pre 78 race bike. Of all the pre 78 I have owned or ridden the KTM is the best. I took Brads KTM 400 to CD last year and I think I will be taking it again this year as well. I will also have a new KTM 77 250 special that's been fitted with the fastest air cooled 250 engine you will ever ride. I would be up for a ride swap and test season for sure.

[090]

AW Maico's can be shit when not set up correctly

Couldn't you say that about any bike?
I think you are onto something there Mark regarding a shootout at cd. Sounds like fun. I swapped at the last ride day at Nudgee with a yz400. I wasn't impressed , mainly with the light switch power band. He was impressed with my Maico. John Hafey has a super nice 390 Husky, maybe he can be part of the test. This could be something Vmx mag could latch onto. A pre '78 big bore test at CD8?

[Davey Crocket]

Not now Brad as they didnt think of it first.

[brent j]

I must be missing something here. As I understand it HL500's were built and sold by Yamaha in 1978-79.
How can they be legal for pre 78 class racing? EVO? no problems there.

Unless profab frames are legit pre 78, as in available to joe public in 1977. Even then, production HL500 YAMAHAs as sold by Yamaha do not use profab frames. 

[LWC82PE]

Somewhere ive got some magazines on articles of the 4 stroke nationals in USA in the early 80's and they were still racing and building HL500's or should i say 500 Yamaha MX bikes then. Some of them looked pretty trick. There was a Pro-Tec built one that must of had a heap of mods done to the motor by Pro-Tec and it had Pro-Tec written on the seat in big white letters and i think it had Fox suspension on it and a blue tank. Someone here will know the bike im talking about. I dont really know what frame it was though. So it seems that the HL type bikes continued on affer the official HL's were finished in 1979.