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1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 9:14 pm
by mario03srt
All,
Here is my semi completed Cafe conversion of a 1969 T500 Mk II Titan. I scored this late summer 2012 from a picker/barn horder in the southern Ohio area. Restoration took many hours but the bike has turned out to be pretty solid with 16k on the odometer. I have not rode it yet as I have no liscense and it is not regestered etc. Still to complete is mirrors w/ signals, tail light/licence, rear sets, tires, fork service, ebc b-shoes, etc. Seat need some tweaking as I just put it on the other day. BTW it came from Ho Chi Mihn City Viet Nam! It's made on a NOS Titan seat pan.
Keeping it classic with some cafe touches! I owned this same year model in 1976 while stationed in Panama with the US ARMY.
Marion

Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:03 am
by Zunspec4
Hi Marion,
A good looking bike, well done

.
Cheers Geoff
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:10 pm
by Arne
Very nice!
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 5:51 am
by titan performance
What are you going to do with the rear lamp Mario?
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:04 am
by mario03srt
Hi,
I am open to selling it. It works great and has minimal issues with some local light rust. I have a DTT Lucas replacement due at the house today.
Also I have the original seat, chain guard, pipes and 1 baffle. All in good condition.
Would do a trade for some credit towards some rearsets!
Can take and post some pics. I was going to post them soon on the FS board anyway.
Let me know,
Thanks,
Marion
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 2:15 pm
by titan performance
OOoops, sorry mate, slight misunderstanding. I meant what are you doing for a rear light on your special ?
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 1:09 pm
by mario03srt
OK,
Well, I bought a light from DCCycles but it will not fit. I bought one with a hooded bracket like a dummy and should have got one with no bracket and fabbed one up out of some alum stock.
After looking closely at the seat assy arrangement, a light with a license is going to be impossible. So I'm thinking, and looking, and thinking. I have seen some bikes with a shock mounted light and plate, but someone I know tells me that is illegal in my state.
So if anyone has an idea or product let me know. I'lll be scanning the cafe sites all weekend looking at the arse of all the bikes.
Marion
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 3:23 pm
by tz375
Do you still have the mid section of the original rear fender? It doesn't have to be as long as stock - just long enough to mount a light and plate on.
Another possibility is a street tracker type seat which give you a place to mount a decent light and plate.
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:01 am
by Suzukidave
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Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:52 pm
by mario03srt
Update,
So after looking at the situation and deciding that a return of my new light was not going to be feasable, I made the best of the situation. But now I still need a license plate bracket attached somewhere. I removed the mounting tabs on the light assy for the license plate to get it in there as close as possible.
I basically inverted the Light Assy to the seat pan since I have no rear fender. It fit surprisingly tight and the rear light tucks in decent.

Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 7:17 pm
by zk0ot
Some red tail light tape over the white lens. Or better yet get some VHT lens paint (red) to paint it. So we can't see the license plate light
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:23 pm
by titan performance
It doesn't look like you have a great deal of clearance to the rear wheel....if you hit a bump are you sure the tyre wont smash it to bits?
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 1:53 pm
by mario03srt
You are right on the min clearance issue.
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 4:00 pm
by Suzukidave
tz375 wrote:Do you still have the mid section of the original rear fender? It doesn't have to be as long as stock - just long enough to mount a light and plate on.
+1
Re: 1969 T500 Cafe
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 1:29 pm
by mario03srt