Lyon in mid-February - France flocks to the Salon Du 2Roues.
A two-wheeler trade fair of superlatives. 150,000 square meters of exhibition space. Everything here revolves around two-wheelers. For us, the focus is on motorized bikes, but bike freaks also get their money's worth in Lyon. Even those of the vintage faction. Keyword: BMX!
Also to marvel at: news from the world of recumbents, cargo bikes and pedelecs.
General Director of the show is Jack Monchanin - An XT500 collector
The special thing about the trade fair in Lyon is its almost infinite size. In addition to the large manufacturers, there is also room for small clubs and interest groups, collectors and workshops, travelers and sports enthusiasts. Vintage is a huge topic.
So of course there is room for Jack's collection, which includes a neatly restored XT500 from every year of manufacture. Right next to the stand with Corsican specialties. So you can enjoy a raclette baguette and a beer while taking in the history of the XT.
This is the version from 1977, the first XT to come to Europe officially and in large numbers. Later not the most popular tank design among collectors, but today all the more sought-after when it comes to original paint. The strange handlebar indicators are of course also available from us. Under 40372 in the webshop.
Also very nice: The XT500 of 1986, with aluminum tank and gold rim, the epitome of the XT for many riders. The tank emblem in futuristic typography, the top of the tank was painted in midnight blue. In the meantime, the 500 had gained competition from its own company in the form of the XT550 and XT600. Japan at least wanted to look a little fresher in terms of styling. The switch to 12-volt electrics was certainly a little more important in 1986, but less visible.
All variants of the XT500 in one place. A good opportunity for XT fans to take a close look at the details and differences. Especially when it comes to the rarer vintages. A 1976 is no longer to be found every Saturday in front of Louis or the ice cream parlor.
The XT500S from 1988 is also rarely seen in the wild. Here you can clearly see that Yamaha made an effort to sell the remaining material with unconventional styling before the successful model was discontinued. Lamp pots from other model series can be found, often also rectangular indicators. The play with surfaces is particularly striking. Chrome in every nook and cranny where previously there was sporty, functional simplicity: exhaust heat shields, headlights, dashboard brackets, lamp consoles, shock absorber springs. The paintwork was also restyled. The tank was painted in black or blue, matching the plastic parts and the rear mudguard. The fork tubes and hubs were polished instead of coated black.
Very special and particularly rare: The XT500 from 1976.
And so it began: the large single-cylinder engine based on the English model was to be put back on the road. As an alternative to the gigantomania of the ever larger four and six-cylinder models. You can clearly see styling borrowings from the world of Yamaha's DT two-strokes. Incidentally, the French Yamaha importer SONAUTO almost started the Dakar Rally on a DT400 instead of the XT500. Yamaha was still subscribed to two-stroke technology in the seventies, and the DT400 was the off-road flagship at the time. But the fuel requirement would have made huge tanks necessary and the tanks of the four-strokes were already at the limit of what was feasible.
After the XS650, the XT was only the second successful four-stroke design from the brand with the tuning forks. What a good coincidence for Yamaha's success in the off-road sector. For many, the XT is the mother of all four-stroke enduro bikes.
When the Dakar Rally flickered across the screens with great media presence and the magazines printed the many pictures from the Senegalese desert, the general public also became aware of rallying. All participants were immediately heroes and the machines used stood for endurance, performance and power. Ideal conditions for the manufacturers and their marketing activities. From Aprillia to Yamaha, optimized production vehicles were sent into the race. You can see some fine examples in Lyon. Moto Guzzi? Kawasaki? Two-stroke? Four-cylinder? They're all there.
Around the world with the XT500
One of the smaller stands caught our eye. That of Frédérique Meunier and Philippe Cantet. The travel-loving couple drove two years and 80,000 kilometers around the world starting in 1990. As a couple, including all their luggage. On the return journey, Frédérique was pregnant, so they had to forgo the crossing of Africa. The two globetrotters returned home as a threesome, so to speak. We say: Congratulations!
Since returning to France, the faithful 1977 XT has neither been cleaned nor restored. You can see every kilometer, every mile from its condition. This journey thirty years ago left a lasting impression on Frédérique and Philippe and they have recorded the complete story in a 213-page book. "Jusqu'au bout du rêve, deux ans autour du monde à moto" translates as "To the end of the dream, two years around the world on a motorcycle"
Our tip for all those who can read French texts.
Foreword by Éric de Seynes
ISBN: 979-10-699-7059-5
All kinds of self-built luggage solutions can still be seen on Philippe's XT today. The machine on display in Lyon is a time capsule for anyone who traveled the world on a budget back in the 80s and 90s. Patina and home-made solutions tell of the countless kilometers, long before GPS and the Internet. Long before GS1250 and professional carriers.
The Ténéré Friends France have set up a well-stocked and very informative exhibition in Lyon. Probably only the sand here wasn't real. We first noticed the decently used XT500. After the first palm branch, however, it suddenly turned blue. 550s and 600s in the typical Sonauto / Gauloises outfit, T700 Rallye and Word Raid. All optimized for desert sports.
Everything on this 600 was also touched and optimized. Longer suspension travel, shorter seat. The engine has been tuned for performance and endurance, the muffler promises great freedom for the exhaust gases. Light and fast and without superfluous ballast but with several liters of fuel on board, you're ready to go.
SONAUTO was the first Yamaha importer in France and sent the first XT500 to the Dakar race in 1979. Smoking was still very much in vogue, Gauloises was the sponsor. No longer conceivable today. Energy drinks also make more sense in the desert.
The members of the Ténéré Friends France not only show the history of Yamahas in rally sport in the exhibition, but also what they are currently using to tackle the track. Yamaha's wonder weapon, the T700 or XTZ690, can be seen here several times with all kinds of special adaptations. When it comes to the optimum combination of lightness and power, a 550 is a good choice. The frame is lighter than that of the XT500 and a 600cc engine fits "plug and play". Completed with YZ and 660 parts, you ride very well.
We met very nice and highly committed people.
Chapeau!
What the organizers around Jack Monchanin have put together is truly incredible. Racing history without borders. The Lyon trade fair becomes a museum for motorsport on two wheels. The logistical effort is immense, but the effect is fantastic. The huge exhibition of historic racing suits alone leaves you speechless.
Every year in February, a gigantic beach race takes place in the municipality of Le Touquet on the French Channel coast. The Enduropale du Touquet. This race is considered the largest motorsport event in the world - because up to 500,000 spectators come to watch the competition between the 2,000 or so starters. At the Salon Du 2Roues Lyon, examples of the machines, some of which were privately built, were on display. Here, too, you can marvel at a wealth of ingenuity: two-strokes, four-cylinders - anything that can go forward in the sand. The riders can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h. Whoever masters the 16-kilometer lap the most times is the winner. Once again, it was Thierry Sabine who launched this event in 1975. Four years before he became famous for organizing the Paris-Dakar Rally.
It makes you yellow with envy. A huge Suzuki RM collection fantastically presented. Many years, many sizes - ready for use. Even Yamaha people like us get a little nervous.
Just one of the many stands on the subject of "Studded tires in rotation"
It's all about action in the dirt, freedom and adventure. Kick off and go. Many decades, many brands in many countries. That's quite a lot. There is a lot of space in Lyon. There is so much to see.
Plan your visit to the "Salon Du 2Roues" in France for 2026. There is something for everyone. You will return home with new contacts and inspiration. We can highly recommend this trade fair and would like to thank the organizers, our hosts and everyone we met.
