For the home fiddler, the SR500 became so
popular that today, finding one in original
specification is quite rare.
Fast forward
In Australia the SR500 Club is an energetic group
of enthusiasts who share a common enthusiasm for
the model, and its close cousins – the TT and XT500,
SRX600, SZR660 and even the MuZ Skorpion.
The SR500 Club has in its ranks members who
have taken the basic machine and created highly
individualistic renditions of the 500 single theme;
everything from Salt Racers to Flat Track replicas,
innumerable café racer concepts, and, yes, even
standard originals from the various years. Canberra-
based member Stew Ross has cooked up some very
tasty versions, and has also produced a
comprehensive history of the model; the result of➢“Yamaha could not have
foreseen just how popular
and durable the SR500 was
to become, remaining
in production from
1978 to 1999.”
ABOVE Stew Ross’ 125mph Dry Lake racer
SR500 at the 2015 VJMC Rally in Canberra.
RIGHT At first glance, a BSA Spitfire, but no,
it’s Naime Elder on her SR500 at the
2010 Broadford Bonanza.A 1980 Australian model
SR500 ‘G’, ridden with
beard-flailing verve in
the 2018 Bathurst
Easter Rally.