A remarkably preserved 1981 Yamaha XT500, showing a scarcely believable 47 kilometres from new, is on the virtual auction block at Bonhams’ Online Summer Sale until 15 June with an estimate of £8,000–£12,000.
For enthusiasts of classic trail bikes, opportunities like this rarely come along. The XT500 isn’t merely an important motorcycle; it’s one of the machines that helped define an entire genre. Long before manufacturers began marketing “adventure bikes”, Yamaha’s rugged single-cylinder XT was proving its worth in deserts, on trails and in city streets across the world.
What makes this particular example extraordinary is its apparent originality and microscopic mileage.
According to Bonhams, the machine was originally delivered to Hatfield Yamaha in South Africa, where it spent years as a showroom display before being purchased by a private owner. That owner reportedly rode the XT only a couple of kilometres before retiring it to a life indoors as what was described as a “work of art”.
Years later, the motorcycle changed hands within South Africa. By then it still displayed just 2km on the odometer. Its next custodian added around 40km before selling it to the current owner, who imported the Yamaha to the UK in 2017. Since then, it has remained part of a private collection and has seen virtually no use.
“Considering the Japanese preoccupation with technology, the appearance from the Orient of a motorcycle so traditionally British in concept as a 500cc four-stroke single seemed nothing short of amazing.” – Bill Haylock, Bike magazine
The bike was serviced earlier this year, with the carburettor and fuel tap cleaned and a new battery fitted. Bonhams notes that the original carburettor jetting has been replaced with settings more suitable for UK use.
Introduced in 1976, the XT500 arrived at a time when large-capacity four-stroke singles were all but extinct. Its combination of simplicity, reliability and versatility quickly won admirers, while competition success in events such as the Paris-Dakar Rally cemented its reputation. Production continued until 1989, and the model now enjoys cult status among collectors and riders alike.
Finding an XT500 in excellent condition is difficult enough. Finding one that appears to have covered less distance than many owners would ride before lunch is something else entirely.
Whether it becomes a museum piece, a centrepiece of a private collection or finally receives the gentle running-in it never really had, this Yamaha represents a fascinating snapshot of motorcycling history frozen in time.
