Dirty Deeds, Done Well: A Honda XL500 Flat Tracker by Gas & Oil

Taking on someone else’s motorcycle project is a gamble. Low prices can lull you into a false sense of security, especially when you’re motivated and capable—two qualities that Gas & Oil Bespoke Motorcycles have in abundance.

Polished, high-end custom motorcycles are Gas & Oil’s usual fare, so this fantastically filthy Honda XL500 flat tracker is a little left field for them. It was originally delivered to their Prague workshop in numerous boxes, but because it was an XL500 and the price was right, shop boss Matěj Sysel bought it.

As soon as the basket case was spread out on the workshop floor, the team experienced the more painful side of buying an unfinished project; numerous parts were broken or missing. With this realization, the excitement of a new project waned, and the Honda XL500 was mothballed until they could decide what to do with it.

One thing was certain, though—the bike was destined for race use only. “A: we were drawn to flat track racing,” explains Matěj, “and B: the bike didn’t have registration papers. Progress was slow, and we used leftover parts from customer builds, because we didn’t want to put too much money into it.”

Choosing a flat track race bike made the build process simpler, since many of the parts that were missing or broken were now obsolete. Working between more pressing projects, the Gas & Oil crew gradually transformed the ratty Honda into a dirt track-ready machine.

Their first step was to adjust the XL500’s geometry to suit flat track racing better. That meant changes to the subframe, suspension, and wheels.

BMW K100 front forks were lowered and fitted with a new steering stem. The rear shocks are basic units that were sourced from the Gas & Oil spare parts pile, but Matěj suggests that they’ll likely be upgraded soon.

A shiny set of 19” Excel rims was bought from a friend of the shop (finished in gold, as is the law for vintage Honda enduro bikes). The front hub came from a Honda CRF250, so a custom front axle was made to slide into the BMW forks. The front brakes were removed too, so the only stopping power now comes from the XL500’s OEM rear drum brake. Shinko flat track tires were spooned onto the new rims, ready for action.

The front end also sports a custom flat track number plate and a set of fork boots to keep the dirt out of the seals. But other than that, there isn’t much to it.

Tall Renthal flat track bars sit further back, with squishy Progrip grips at each end. A tethered killswitch was installed, along with a new throttle assembly and clutch lever.

The short, narrow tank came from a Yamaha RD, and was slightly customized to fit the Honda. It’s attached to the backbone via custom brackets, and sits ahead of a custom-made Alcantara seat.

Gas & Oil modified the subframe to suit the new shocks, which are mounted lower and further forward to optimize the rear geometry for racing. The combination of the kicked and looped subframe and the skinny aluminum fender creates a great mix of classic enduro and flat track styles, while simple number plates double up as side covers.

The engine that’s currently in the bike is an amalgam of three different XL500 units—so the team is keeping a close eye on it. But since it’s a single-cylinder Honda, it’s safe to assume that it will stand up to the constant abuse that comes from racing.

The burly stainless steel exhaust was built in-house, with the twin exhaust ports coming together in front of the bottom end, before terminating in an upswept Sharon muffler.

Since Gas & Oil’s Honda XL500 flat tracker was unlikely to stay clean, the crew picked a livery that they knew would look good when filthy. They painted it in a classy black and gold scheme, complemented by Honda-stylized Gas & Oil logos on the tank. Then they took it to the track to finish it off in layers of hard-fought dirt.

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