Topic: '76 Suzuki GT500 (What do ya think)

[country joe]

I know this bike has nothing to do Honda sohc4's, but a guy who lives a few miles from me has this bike for sale on Craigslist in the Chicagoland section. 1976 Suzuki GT 500. I don't even know if he has a title for it, but it was a farm bike that he claims belonged to his grandfather. He has no listing for a price, but says it probably just needs the carbs cleaned and it would run. (You all know how these stories go though). Should I even bother. I try to steer clear of two strokes, and I already have my '78 CB550 I'm messing with. Anyone out there ever had one of these things? I know nothing about them other than they were 2 cycle twins. What do ya think?

[ekpent]

Everybody should have an old 2-stroke road bike in the stable. The sound ,smell and ride is a blast. 2 strokes were the dominant bike when I was comeing up through the ranks. If it was cheap and did not look to trashed I would buy it.I loved my old GT750 Water Buffalo,would buy another. Hey no valves to mess with    

[Stev-o]

Those are great old bikes, if you can get it for $500-600, I'd buy it.
I have a Suzuki TS250, [trail/street] and after not running it for a couple years, just needed the carb cleaned and it now runs great.

[HondaMan]

It's name is "Titan". They were my roadracing nemesis: if they showed up on the Production Racing tracks of my day, I knew I wasn't going to be ahead of them in that race. They weigh about 385 lbs. and put 50 HP on the ground. They're a riot to ride, very torquey and the vibration isn't bad for a 2-stroke.

Just get the crankcase cleaned out (pull the little valves out of the bottom if you must, to get it cleaned out) of the old gas & oil crud, and if the crankshaft seals are good and the carbs cleaned, it will probably run. It will smoke like a crop dusting airplane at first. Make sure you keep the oil tank full of "2-stroke injection oil" type lube.

You should be able to buy it for around $300. New in 1970-76 they were $895 when the CB750 was $1795. Lots of folks toured with them, on open (non-fairing'd) bikes: the fairings would pull the oil smoke up around the rider - kinda nasty. They are illegal to ride in many cities today where 2-strokes are banned: L.A. is one, Chicago another, I think Phoenix, too. I don't know how well the laws are enforced today, but in the late 1970s it was a big deal.

Neat little bikes! I think they use B7E sparkplugs: you're gonna need a few. My Ignition is running on half a dozen Titans today!

[country joe]

I decided to not go look at it. I've got one bike I'm doing now, and just need to concentrate on that. Hopefully I'll have my title soon. I just don't have the space or time for another one yet. I've got 2 bikes (technically three) already.