I recently purchased a 1976 XS 500 with only 6,700 miles on it off Craigslist for just $700 (the same model bike I rode 25 years in college). The bike did not have a battery in it. I did a bit of research & decided to by a 14-A2 battery.

The battery I bought has the positive terminal on the left side when it sits in the battery box. See photo below.

When I hooked up the wires though nothing came on and I think it blew the 20amp fuse. When I trace the battery wires I draw the conclusion that the left wire is the negative lead as it appears to be connected to the frame.

For anyone with a working XS 500, can you please look at your battery and tell me if the positive terminal is on the left or the right? Can you tell me what model or size battery you have so I can make sure I have the right battery?

I found a German XS500 website at www.XS500.com and while I don't read German it appears that some XS500 models take a 14-3A battery which has the negative post on the left side.

Also, can some one tell me if the 1976 XS 500 is a model "B" or "C"?

Thanks!

Dan Baldwin

951-251-5155

as far as the letter after your "cc" number all that denotes is the year of the bike for yamaha internal use, as you already know the year what letter it is is kind of futile.

That's a nice looking bike, I saw a similar one for sale in Minniapolis a few months back.

Bikebandit.com has a schematic of your battery with the negative being on the left side of the bike. It also lists the proper battery as YB14L-A2 YUASA. Hope that helps.

Negative terminal on the left, positive on the right. I don't have any info in front of me, but that model number looks right.

Dan

The body work ells me that is a c model the b models had rounder shaped tanks

merv