[TimT]

I had one when I lived in the sand box. I came home for R&R in 1980, bought it, bought an oil cooler kit for it, opened the crate, tossed the oil cooler kit in the crate and re=banded it and had it shipped to me....Rode it for close to 4 years and then sold it a local for what I paid for it in NY

Kick starting it... if you tried on the wrong part of the stroke it could toss you...One night I was taking a shortcut through the desert to Eilat and ran out of gas, so Instead of walking blindly through the desert looking for a road, I decided to shelter in place and would try and get gas in the morning...

Then I realized how the eff am I going to find the bike when I get back with gas....So I couldn't really sleep..... about 30 minutes later, I see a lantern approaching... and then when It go closer, I noticed a guy holding the lantern walking towards me... So I got pretty nervous thinking I would be vulture food in the morning...

Turns out it was a Beduin who had watched me picking my way through the desert, and he noticed my headlight go out.. so he came to investigate.. he spoke some English, I opened the gas tank and gave him a look... he laughed!!

We then took turns pushing the bike to his camp, where he and his family gave me tea and dates, fed me dinner, and pointed at me and talked about me until we fell asleep...

When we all woke up.... they gave me more tea, some bread for breakfast, and then we siphoned gas out of a ratty old Land Cruiser they had.. and I was on my way again...

While in Eilat I picked up a bunch of fruit for them.... and was lucky enough to find them when I was on my way back the the airbase...

Beduins are some super friendly people...That guy possibly saved my life..

I had some good times riding that XT-500, good times.