Hey Dean, it was referred to as the Water Buffalo here. They were really cool bikes, If I could find one at a decent price I would love one. I am just always scared to even buy a water-cooled dirt bike; I am afraid it will be cracked because someone didn't mix the antifreeze right.
these small suzi triples were panned for being detuned and overweight, a misapplication of the 2 stroke platform, but they can really be transformed into a fun sporting machine with lightening the chassis, and moderate porting with the correspoding expansion chambers for street use around 1000mm long. enjoyed the video
Yes, I remember some of the magazines weren't very kind to these bikes. But they were just good transportation. I am looking forward to doing something really fun with this engine.
This brought back many good memories Dale. As a teenager I owned a silver GT380, I think it was a '76. It had single front disc. Bike was easy to start, could use my hand to press the kickstarter. It went onto 2 cyls one day, a contact tip had broken off one of the set of points. Never seen that before or since. Looking forward to your plans for this engine.
Thanks Darren, they were really good bikes, was working at a Suzuki dealership, when they came out. That is an unusual thing with the points......never seen it either.
Love these Suzuki triple s, I had a 380 in 1977, great sports tourer and very reliable. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it in the future, always fancied building a flat tracker with one of these triple 's.
I've done a gt380 and 2550 triples and they are kind of fun to work on it after you're done now you got quite a motor there quite a bit of horsepower. The 550 was also nice to work on. They were both very smooth
Thanks Jeff, I am very humble and don't think that myself. I'm just having fun and hope it will be some help to others, if not.... some entertainment at least.
I certainly agree with you Jeff. Dale is so thorough with everything he tackles ,very explanitive and the best on the Web. Love his videos. Thanks again Dale ,you're a surgeon at work. Best rgds,Roy. 🇦🇺👍👍
Really good stuff. When these first came out ,we sold all we could get in and the 550 They had great colors,with that deep metallic green being one of them Merry Christmas to you and family
Hey, Wally, I was working at a Suzuki dealership in the 70's, we sold a ton of all the triples. They were really nice bikes. Merry Christmas to you folks too.
Great carb synk trick, had me doing a double take🤗👍 I have a few survivors here as well , I figure if I watch you enough maybe I will get inspired. 1976 GT750 water buffalo, locally 10,5 $$$ for non restored survivor looks nice but like you said "collector" values. People are shocked when I say I want 17K for my 1984 H-D XR1000, 3500 miles. KBB value less than 3000 made over 2 year production.
Hey Russel, I am all about inspiration. Just love messing with these old bikes. Your right about the 750's folks go nuts over them. They were great bikes, just about the smoothest one I ever rode. Yes I believe that about the XR.
The carbs have screws in the sides of the carbs that you remove and the slides have dot marks that you bring up to the holes to balance them all together, did it loads of times in the 70’s, also you bring the slide up till it just shows slightly on the hole then line the two marks up on the oil pump to set that
Yep, I am aware of the dots and the screws, however one of the carb screws was rounded off and I didn't what to mess with it at the time. I have since got it removed. But you have to admit the tongue depressor synchro is pretty cool.
Man Dale You are a genius with the tongue depressor carb sinking technique . I have never seen that , what a great idea ! Hey Dale just think what a kick in the butt short tracker it would make in a Yami jt1 frame with nice open pipes it would sound like big old pack of bumble bees down the straight , I can hear it now .
Hey thanks, yes, they can be synced by using the hole in the slide and side of the carb or with vacuum tubes, but what fun is that. I like the flat tracker idea, it would be awesome, probably not practical, but hey practical isn't fun.
great video dale i had one of theseas a youth set up right it woz silky smooth yhay had a problem with the middle cylinder seizing up probaly due to the heat from left and right cylinders i too have a fetish 4 engines mainly 2 strokes i have many in the garage just love them next video please
What oil in with my if you replace those Center seals there's two of them you're going to have to press that crank apart to put them on Dale and it's kind of trying but they definitely would have to be changed out. Those triple Suzuki's are kind of fun to work on Dale you'll enjoy this one
Of course it will run, the only true reasons for an engine not running are lack of money or lack of information. Otherwise, just replace what is available and make or have made what isn't. Physics haven't changed since the engine was made, so as long as the engine has the same materials and dimensions it will run like the first day.
I had trouble with my head gaskets leaking, so I removed the head, milled .030 from the top and then took it to the bandsaw to cut it into three separate heads as EACH head has four bolts to secure it. It was the cylinders that would grow, or lean affecting the gaskets.
You're getting some snow probably up there daily you need to drag in an old Arctic Cat not old a cheetah or something and restore it. Those old Kawasaki engines are pretty easy to work on and kind of fun it's the season for it up there surely
Sorry about the annoying texts but we're two of the same people I'm just down here in Georgia where there's no snow. I've done a lot of sleds and restore them. I always like the Arctic Cat and the Yamahas
They should have had three separate heads three to fit them three separate cylinders. Your snowmobile engines do. I believe that what's the main problem of Leaning out
On each carburetor they have a bolt on the side. Take out the bolts and give full throttle and look in the holes all the dots should be at the top of the holes if not adjust the cable
Yes I am aware of the slide dimples, problem I have is one of the access bolts is frozen, so I am going to have to get some heat on it, hope that will break it loose. That is why I did the tongue depressor trick, besides it just being kind of cool.
@@montana2strokeracer its dreary, sunlight deprivation can be horrible & makes people imbalanced because their bodies can’t uptake vitamin D . I have a special light I put on my treadmill that helps. Counting down the days to summer .
Everything is just times three Dale. You'll get used to it when you get into the big triple cylinders. The big snowmobile Arctic cat zrt 800 triple is fun to work on to. It's it's 154 horsepower stock
Crank seals? I wonder how long the motor will run ok without these being replaced? By the way, there's a guy in England races a bike with a 380 bottom end with RG250 cylinders grafted on, that bike is so fast.
seems folks like this type of video as most of us have had bikes that don't run when we get them. its a process to get the job done, but when it starts, what a RUSH!
It came from the same salvage that I found the engine in, along with a lot of other parts, tried to pick up everything I would need to build a bike and run it. But I didn't want the bike itself.
It's a 250 C2, boy I need a lot of parts. I had a 79 400N, sold about 15 years ago, wish now that I hadn't. The engine and frame both denote a C2. Will need to rebuild the crank,
@@montana2strokeracer I have a few parts . I have a decent spare tank and a lower but no top end I’m afraid . You have my contact info if you need anything.
Thanks James, might need to pick your brain some too, seems C2 is different in many ways to A,B,C. Drop me an email at dsweger@bresnan.net. we can talk about it. Thanks for the offer.
I always admired the Suzuki triples. The GT750 was knick named the Kettle here, due to the water cooling.
Best wishes, Dean.
Hey Dean, it was referred to as the Water Buffalo here. They were really cool bikes, If I could find one at a decent price I would love one. I am just always scared to even buy a water-cooled dirt bike; I am afraid it will be cracked because someone didn't mix the antifreeze right.
I like your methodical approach to working through everything. Thanks Dale.
Thanks Chris, sure enjoying your new Yamaha series. Hope you can save the crank
@@montana2strokeracer I am keeping an eye on your TS400 video(s)…
these small suzi triples were panned for being detuned and overweight, a misapplication of the 2 stroke platform, but they can really be transformed into a fun sporting machine with lightening the chassis, and moderate porting with the correspoding expansion chambers for street use around 1000mm long. enjoyed the video
Yes, I remember some of the magazines weren't very kind to these bikes. But they were just good transportation. I am looking forward to doing something really fun with this engine.
This brought back many good memories Dale. As a teenager I owned a silver GT380, I think it was a '76. It had single front disc. Bike was easy to start, could use my hand to press the kickstarter. It went onto 2 cyls one day, a contact tip had broken off one of the set of points. Never seen that before or since. Looking forward to your plans for this engine.
Thanks Darren, they were really good bikes, was working at a Suzuki dealership, when they came out. That is an unusual thing with the points......never seen it either.
Love these Suzuki triple s, I had a 380 in 1977, great sports tourer and very reliable. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it in the future, always fancied building a flat tracker with one of these triple 's.
Hey Alan, yeah these are just cool. I like the flat tracker idea for sure. I am looking forward to doing something fun with this engine.
Well that was very cool!! Have not seen a triple Suzuki in many years. What an interesting project! Way to keep things always moving ahead
Thanks Jim, I hadn't either till this one, had to have it. Not sure what I will do with it, but here when I decide.
I've done a gt380 and 2550 triples and they are kind of fun to work on it after you're done now you got quite a motor there quite a bit of horsepower. The 550 was also nice to work on. They were both very smooth
Great subject matter Dale. Yours is the best motorcycle channel on the web, thanks as always for your videos.
Thanks Jeff, I am very humble and don't think that myself. I'm just having fun and hope it will be some help to others, if not.... some entertainment at least.
I certainly agree with you Jeff. Dale is so thorough with everything he tackles ,very explanitive and the best on the Web. Love his videos.
Thanks again Dale ,you're a surgeon at work. Best rgds,Roy. 🇦🇺👍👍
Really good stuff. When these first came out ,we sold all we could get in and the 550
They had great colors,with that deep metallic green being one of them
Merry Christmas to you and family
Hey, Wally, I was working at a Suzuki dealership in the 70's, we sold a ton of all the triples. They were really nice bikes. Merry Christmas to you folks too.
Another great show Mr. Dale. Keep up the good work. 🏁💯👍
Thanks Bill, working on another
Late to the party! More good stuff. Thanks Dale, looking forward to the next episode.
Cheers, Peter.
No one cares if your late Peter, just enjoy having you along for the ride.
@@montana2strokeracer Thanks mate.
lots of new folks here today, frank here from las Vegas.
Nice to see ya Frank
Fun video Dale. Can't wait to see it run.
Thanks Jack, me too, think it will be a hoot.
Great carb synk trick, had me doing a double take🤗👍 I have a few survivors here as well , I figure if I watch you enough maybe I will get inspired. 1976 GT750 water buffalo, locally 10,5 $$$ for non restored survivor looks nice but like you said "collector" values. People are shocked when I say I want 17K for my 1984 H-D XR1000, 3500 miles. KBB value less than 3000 made over 2 year production.
Hey Russel, I am all about inspiration. Just love messing with these old bikes. Your right about the 750's folks go nuts over them. They were great bikes, just about the smoothest one I ever rode. Yes I believe that about the XR.
I like the sticks in the carb slides will check my 81 Yamaha RD350lc with that technique from my Yamaha collection
It's just a lot of fun Vincent.
Crank seals are very important as there's four of them
Keep up the great work Dale 😊
Thanks Debbie and Barry, it's a bunch of fun doing this stuff. Thanks for taking the time to watch.
The carbs have screws in the sides of the carbs that you remove and the slides have dot marks that you bring up to the holes to balance them all together, did it loads of times in the 70’s, also you bring the slide up till it just shows slightly on the hole then line the two marks up on the oil pump to set that
Yep, I am aware of the dots and the screws, however one of the carb screws was rounded off and I didn't what to mess with it at the time. I have since got it removed. But you have to admit the tongue depressor synchro is pretty cool.
Lots of good information. Can't wait to see you fire her up.
Shouldnt be long now
Waiting for the next video Dale!
Me too, lets see if she runs.
To be Poppin like firecrackers when you get it running
Man Dale You are a genius with the tongue depressor carb sinking technique . I have never seen that , what a great idea !
Hey Dale just think what a kick in the butt short tracker it would make in a Yami jt1 frame with nice open pipes it would sound like big old pack of bumble bees down the straight , I can hear it now .
Hey thanks, yes, they can be synced by using the hole in the slide and side of the carb or with vacuum tubes, but what fun is that. I like the flat tracker idea, it would be awesome, probably not practical, but hey practical isn't fun.
@@montana2strokeracer Just think they’ll be spending that tire all the way down the street away and the sound would be amazing
Dale, salt flat engine if I ever seen one. remember fallow your dreams. LOL
I hear ya Frank, I like it too.
great video dale i had one of theseas a youth set up right it woz silky smooth yhay had a problem with the middle cylinder seizing up probaly due to the heat from left and right cylinders i too have a fetish 4 engines mainly 2 strokes i have many in the garage just love them next video please
I knew it Mark, we are a lot alike. I drag home every two stroke I find......heck I drag home every engine I find. It's probably a sickness.
Another cool project.
Thanks brother
What oil in with my if you replace those Center seals there's two of them you're going to have to press that crank apart to put them on Dale and it's kind of trying but they definitely would have to be changed out. Those triple Suzuki's are kind of fun to work on Dale you'll enjoy this one
Of course it will run, the only true reasons for an engine not running are lack of money or lack of information. Otherwise, just replace what is available and make or have made what isn't. Physics haven't changed since the engine was made, so as long as the engine has the same materials and dimensions it will run like the first day.
I love this motor 😊
Its just cool, right!
That 380 would be neat to drop into a Rickman chassis or another Suzuki enduro chassis.
Wouldn't it though, not sure what I will do with it, I am open to ideas.
@@montana2strokeracer What ever you decide, I cant wait to see it.
I had trouble with my head gaskets leaking, so I removed the head, milled .030 from the top and then took it to the bandsaw to cut it into three separate heads as EACH head has four bolts to secure it. It was the cylinders that would grow, or lean affecting the gaskets.
Interesting, and a good fix I believe. I will have to keep that in mind when I start this project.
Kawasaki's triples always melted down in the center cylinder Suzuki's design of the ram air did away with that problem
You're getting some snow probably up there daily you need to drag in an old Arctic Cat not old a cheetah or something and restore it. Those old Kawasaki engines are pretty easy to work on and kind of fun it's the season for it up there surely
Try to find a water-cooled one they're really good to work on
Sorry about the annoying texts but we're two of the same people I'm just down here in Georgia where there's no snow. I've done a lot of sleds and restore them. I always like the Arctic Cat and the Yamahas
In the video I see you got cans of metric nuts so do I
When you get it running if the throttles up and seems kind of windy it's leaning itself out you know that. It's going into self-destruction. Hahaha
Later it's good to watch your videos I'll keep on give me your hand points up
the big 500cc water cooled Suzuki was often referred to as the, ( water buffalo).
750
Yeah Frank it was the 750!!
what's in a few CC`s LOL .my 80 year old memory needs a recalibration.@@montana2strokeracer
They should have had three separate heads three to fit them three separate cylinders. Your snowmobile engines do. I believe that what's the main problem of Leaning out
On each carburetor they have a bolt on the side. Take out the bolts and give full throttle and look in the holes all the dots should be at the top of the holes if not adjust the cable
Yes I am aware of the slide dimples, problem I have is one of the access bolts is frozen, so I am going to have to get some heat on it, hope that will break it loose. That is why I did the tongue depressor trick, besides it just being kind of cool.
@@montana2strokeracer that was a cool trick. I will try it myself
Good work🤩🤩🤩🤩👍👏👌👌
Thanks buddy, glad to have you here.
👍
3 cylinder engine!!! 👀🖖 unique
Right on Vinny, how is all that dark up there right now. Our days are short but not like yours.
@@montana2strokeracer its dreary, sunlight deprivation can be horrible & makes people imbalanced because their bodies can’t uptake vitamin D . I have a special light I put on my treadmill that helps. Counting down the days to summer .
Everything is just times three Dale. You'll get used to it when you get into the big triple cylinders. The big snowmobile Arctic cat zrt 800 triple is fun to work on to. It's it's 154 horsepower stock
And they resell pretty good too if you need to keep going
You got to rotate it pretty fast and get the mag to get a good charge to the coils
It's like a good kick or the electric start
You got a good spark there. Just doing a contact test
The condensers might be a little weak you might want to change them out or go to a pointless ignition
Crank seals?
I wonder how long the motor will run ok without these being replaced?
By the way, there's a guy in England races a bike with a 380 bottom end with RG250 cylinders grafted on, that bike is so fast.
When I get ready to use it for a project, I know I will have to go through it. That sounds like a really fast bike, they were fast to start with.
I'm here Dale
Hey Larry, your welcome any time.
where are people finding these old 2 stroke street bikes, i've seen 2 in the last 20 years and they were both going down the road.........
Man, you just can't kill them, they are great old bikes.
Be an awesome go kart engine or dune buggy
Right on Thomas, would be a kick in the pants 2 inches off the ground...that's for sure.
I have a 72 380 I need to get to.
By all means, do it Vic. They are just cool.
The 72 and possibly 73 have different carbs than the later models
Yes, this is a 76, it should have the rail carbs, think these are for a 72, they are round slide. I'm not looking to restore just have fun with it.
seems folks like this type of video as most of us have had bikes that don't run when we get them. its a process to get the job done, but when it starts, what a RUSH!
Your right brother, sure like it when they fire up.
where did you get the throttle cable 3 in 1??
It came from the same salvage that I found the engine in, along with a lot of other parts, tried to pick up everything I would need to build a bike and run it. But I didn't want the bike itself.
I'm using my Google verbal text it's not always coming out right
Here
Hey buddy
I thought these were twins. Never saw a triple.
This was Suzuki's little triple. Everything smaller was a twin.
RM in a box should be RM380 triple. LOL.
Yeah man I know, wouldn't that be a screamer.
Rm400 C or Rm250C2?
It's a 250 C2, boy I need a lot of parts. I had a 79 400N, sold about 15 years ago, wish now that I hadn't. The engine and frame both denote a C2. Will need to rebuild the crank,
@@montana2strokeracer I have a few parts . I have a decent spare tank and a lower but no top end I’m afraid . You have my contact info if you need anything.
Thanks James, might need to pick your brain some too, seems C2 is different in many ways to A,B,C. Drop me an email at dsweger@bresnan.net. we can talk about it. Thanks for the offer.
@@montana2strokeracer my email is acting up on my phone. My wife works IT and she’ll get it sorted
@jamessharp9790 No problem, no hurry. Lucky you having a wife that can fix these gadgets. I have to find some youngster to work on mine.
wanna make it go faster switch to rm125 pisons
Yeah why not, I think it has like TC/TS 125 pistons, but not for sure.
@@montana2strokeracer i had one and could not get stock piston but if yu measure the fit and give higher compression and less rings