My Dad bought this bike around 1984 for $50 bucks. It was leaning up against the side of a friend's house lonely and abandoned for a BMW. I took my license test on this bike thus beginning my streetbike love affair. I think it is a 550cc, probably mid 70's model, but I am not sure. It had some good get up and go!
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Okay, I would have thought by now it would have been positively ID'd it, but I guess not.
Early Suzuki GT550, pic is a bit small, but that looks like drum brakes on the front, which would make it a early 72. If disc, late 72 thru 74. The drum brake models are sorta rare, and a bit more valuable if not switched over. Brake perf on both was nothing to shout about (actually, they both probably caused quite a bit of shouting- or screaming), so best to leave it original.
The early GT's were all three-cylinder, 2-stroke models. Available in air-cooled 185, 350, 550, and a water cooled 750. The air coolers were sport bikes of their day, and scalded-dog quick, due to their 2-stroke motors. The water-cooled 750 was more of a sport-tourer- actually, much like today's Katana, and has earned the nick names "Water buffalo" and "kettle."
I had a 750, for less than ayear- bought it cheap, got it running on all three cylinders, but the end of a relationship forced it's sale- at three times what I had in it. I was happy enough. I now have a 550, which sat for years and needs lots of mechanical work- one day, one day.
Do you or your dad still have the bike? There is a group of enthasuist for these old bikes, have a yahoo group, websites, etc."Stevie B" Boudreaux
I ride: '01 Triumph Sprint ST
Projects: Honda CB650 Bobber projects I, II and III
Take care of: 81 Honda CM400,72 Suzuki GT550
Watch over/advise on: 84 Honda Nighthawk 700S (now my son's bike)
For sale, or soon to be: 89 Katana 1100, 84 Honda V45 Magna, 95 Yamaha SECA II, 99 GSXR600, 95 ZX-6, 84 Kaw. KZ700, 01 Bandit 1200, 74 CB360.
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Originally posted by StevieBOkay, I would have thought by now it would have been positively ID'd it, but I guess not.
The side covers on the 74 are different.
I checked on suzukicycles.org to look into the disk brake thing, and low and behold the same paint scheme is showing in 1972.
so there you have it, it is a 1972
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I like that paint scheme... it's slick!-Steve
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have found the closest I could find "72 gt550 even the same paint style with the tank and no disc brakes hope that helps
'99 Suzuki GSXF
'67 BSA Spitfire
'73 Triumph trident
'35 AJS 350 side valve
'72 XS2 Yamaha 650
'51 BSA A10 Golden Flash
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nope
Do you or your dad still have the bike? There is a group of enthasuist for these old bikes, have a yahoo group, websites, etc.[/quote
awesome guys! Dad could'nt remember either. He got the bike running with new plugs and a carb clean up and sold it for $500.00. I talked to him last night, he said he wished he would have kept it. Afterwords he bought a cb750 honda, a good bike but a little too much for him size wise.
Now he still has a Honda 350 1971 in the garage with abt the same color scheme. The tank is rusty on the inside and the tires dry rotted, otherwise with some carb cleaning I believe it would fire right up. I intend to get it going soon, as soon as I finish building a fence, remodeling my bathrooms, restoring my 67 camaro, (you get the picture)
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my first owned bike
Originally posted by chintoOriginally posted by RangeI love old bikesAttached Files
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Originally posted by chintoIt is a GT 550. I believe it is a 1973.
Originally posted by Rangelooks like a GT around mid 70's
You guys are funny- if CyberPoet had posted the same thing, you would be falling all over each other, praising him for his encyclopedic knowledge of all things motorcycle, whereas I give a quick but fairly thorough rundown of the bike (completly from memory, I didn't google a thing) and you get pissy 'cause you checked in with a little tidbid of half-information."Stevie B" Boudreaux
I ride: '01 Triumph Sprint ST
Projects: Honda CB650 Bobber projects I, II and III
Take care of: 81 Honda CM400,72 Suzuki GT550
Watch over/advise on: 84 Honda Nighthawk 700S (now my son's bike)
For sale, or soon to be: 89 Katana 1100, 84 Honda V45 Magna, 95 Yamaha SECA II, 99 GSXR600, 95 ZX-6, 84 Kaw. KZ700, 01 Bandit 1200, 74 CB360.
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