I came of street riding age in the early 1970's, and grew up on a string of Yamaha RD's and Kawasaki Triples in varying states of tune. Throughout the 70's and 80's, pristine ones with ultra low mileage could be had for very little money, and they were as fast and fun as anything on the road. I have now been an avid motorcyclist for over 50 years, and that era of fast, capable and cheap two strokes were the best years I can remember to have been a biker. I only wish I had kept a few of them.
The Suzuki 2 stroke Triples in the GT Line were Great Bikes, especially the Water Buffalo. They responded very well to basic hot rodding and were stone reliable as well as beautiful.
My mate had a 550 gt suzuki and i loved it so I got my own as soon as I could back in the 70s. Later I got the 750 gt. I really love the sound of the 2 stroke 3 cyl. I've also owned kawa 400 s3 that I restored. I'm so lucky to be born at the right time and being able to enjoy these bikes.
Before 1980’s GSXR’S started following me home, I had a 73 GT-750 Le Mans with smooth bores, expansion chambers and polished ports. It was grey when I bought it but I managed to get the blue bodywork so it looked a lot like the 73 GT-750 in the video. It was heavy and not great at handling but if you snapped the throttle, it would point straight up. What a great bike and it sounded fantastic.
In 1981 I bought a 1972 Kawasaki H2. I could take on anything stoplight to stoplight if I did my part correctly. Never quite mastered it's harsh power band and had difficulty holding the front wheel down as I only weighed 160lbs at the time. A true adrenaline machine.
@@bikerdood1100 when I bought the H2 it had ape hanger bars and a tall sissy bar. I removed the ape hangers and sissy bar and sported it up by installing clubman bars, rear sets and expansion chambers. Looked fast and menacing even when parked. Sitting on the back of the fuel tank helped keep the front wheel from rising too fast. I enjoy your motorcycle content and presentation. Well done Sir!
My blue streak was bran new in 1973, a blue 1972 750 h2 that I quit school at 16 for a yr to buy. Even the police were amazed at it performance, 34 mm carbs, 20 miles to gallon
The H2 was the most exciting bike of all of them in this video. I cried when I sold mine - it was a good one - the crank was nicely balanced and it had heaps of power. With expansion chambers on it - it would power wheel stand at 150 km/hr.
I moved to South Africa as a fifteen year old in 1975. At that time the traffic cops. and there were plenty of them, all rode the GT750. They soon were swapped over to their new rides, Yammie 650 twins and you could buy the old Suzis for next to nothing at auction; there were loads of them available and nobody wanted them. If only I could have my time over again...Interesting video as usual; thanks.
Having been blessed to work in a bikeshop from my early teens way back in 1974 as a trainee mechanic I got to experience and work on just about every bike available then..Two strokes dominated as they where cheaper and many different models available..It hurt when they where phased out due to emissions regulations..even though I still own a few..If the technology that went into developing the 4 stroke went into the 2 stroke further I'm sure emissions would be very similar especially when you consider that we now have very very advanced clean burning practically smokeless diester full synthetic biodegradable 2 cycle lubrication.
Well it wasn’t just emissions in truth They never enjoyed the sales of the equipment four strokes Sometimes it’s about fuel consumption but also I think people assumed that they are less reliable and need more maintenance BS of course but old bias is a hard thing to kill
Yes i had a kh250 Microns and K and Ns sounded lovely and a GT380 which ran for years without the Ram Air cover ,nice to see some have survived the years👍
I never owned a two-stroke triple but had a wee shot on a GT750 once and loved it. My only stroker is my DT3, which unfortunately seized on my way back from a charity Easter run. Another addition to my project line!
The Kawasaki Z1 was the top bike to own in the 1970s and 80 s ,a real head turner .The Honda 750 and 500 were also great bikes to ride .We toured Scotland in the 70s with two 2 stroke motorcycles and one 4 stroke bike .it was hard work for the 2 stroke bikes going up steep hills fully loaded ,great memories,loved the smell of 2 stroke back then .
I had a 380a. Open the throttle and it was like a turbine but it frightened the life out of me when it had a wet front disc. In the rain I had to ride with the front brake on lightly to keep it dry, I believe that the disc was stainless steel which would looked great in California but useless in the wetter UK.
You star..... loved my 380: did 2 up to Scotland and back south, fully loaded. Wanted a 550 but ended up with a GT500......(loved that too....) Thank you.
I have never driven a two stroke triple. That engine configuration must be awesome. I love two stroke bikes and had several single cylinder ones. I also like triples, in fact I own a Yamaha XSR900 first gen and the engine is superb. Those classic two stroke triples seem to me that are stunning motorcycles, real gems, I wish I had one of them.
I used to have a "Water bus" (Suzuiki GT750) IN 1973. Loved it! There used to be so many of the 380s, 550s, and 750s back in those days. They were really popular back then!
Never had that problem got the carbs set right got rid of points that help go for a run and do a plug check engine of and and middle plug a little weak out side plugs perfect and got the middle carb set a little rich and do a plug check middle plug perfect set the oil pump up run a little more and just a little more smoke but it helped never had any middle cylinder problems warm them up and good 2stroke oil and a little in the tank not much egg cup to every full tank mind petrol was cheap them days it never came out on a wet day and not in the winter no salt had a little yamaha 100 just to get to work 3miles and when it was really bad snow had a van to get to work and if was 3ft of snow no work that day the yamaha 100 was washed every night back helped it a lot smaller bikes were fun to top speed about 60 the big bike was in a dry heated garage polished for when the summer came back.
I was always in love with the Yamaha GL750, of course the love affair was never consummated since the bike remained a prototype and was never produced commercially but I can always fantasize about the good times we could have had together!
Loving this channel 👍 back in the day I had a Gt 380, a Kh 250, RD 200 & I used to ride moto X RM 250 , YZ 250 , YZ 465 , Cagiva 250 , & LT 500 Quad All lovely 2 strokes wish I had them all now ☹
Ahh the GT380, brings back memories.....Passed my test at 17 in '77 and went from a Yamaha RS125 to the 380, then in '81 had a Yamaha XS750(the weight on that thing).....Always been unlucky with triples because they both seized up on the middle pot.
I always loved 2-stroke bikes. When I was a senior in high school in 75 I bought a used Brigston 350. Sorry for the spelling!! Anyway, I loved it however I had to always use "racing" grade spark plugs in it. And they only lasted about 1.5 weeks!! And boy they were expensive. Regular plugs would clog up in one day of riding from home to school and back home. I loved this video!!
nothing more chromed and polished than a GT 750 . owned two 380's and a GT750 , my gs 550 and 1000 were streets ahead in all areas but all were great bikes.
I used to babysit for a friend on a Saturday night and stayed over until Sunday morning . My payment was a blast home on his P reg silver gt380 as pillion. Loved the bike, unfortunately, never owned one and too expensive to buy now .
Fun facts about the NS400... While a V3, all three crankpins are aligned, which because it's a two stroke essentially makes it an unequal V-twin with the two outer (bottom) cylinders firing together and the inner (upper) cylinder firing 90 degrees later. Plus, only the bottom cylinders are fitted with an exhaust valve as there's scant room for a valve mechanism in the frame area just underneath the airbox etc. Regardless, they're a smooth, reasonably torquey and sweet little bike - not a lot of HP but a brilliant and neutral handler despite the 16" front wheel.
In the early 70s you either went down the 2 stroke or 4 stroke route it was 2 strokes for me right up to having a kettle which I wish I'd not sold. Loved the sound smell the gear indicater. The boys always stuck me at the back coz of the smoke and oil slick. Good fun though
Great footage 🎥🎞️🎞️🎬 I've been building and riding motorcycles for most of my life , The 500 cc 3 cylinder 2 stroke engine , built by Kawasaki, was a blast to ride When I was stationed in Hawaii , 🌴⛱️🤙 IT handle the hills and mountains with no problem at any speed , Great design ‼️ ♦️♦️♦️
My 2nd bike was an NS400R. I thought it was pretty powerful (relatively speaking). It would lift the front wheel at 80km/hr when you hit the 2 stroke powerband with no trouble.
Lusted after a GT380 in Castle Sports, Dagenham after passing my test in April 1977 but Mum said "NO". She did eventually give in though and loaned me the cash for an RD400 in 1978 (From Eddie Grimstead, Eastern Ave, Newbury Park) the partial remains of which came back to my shed in 2020. If anyone out there knows the whereabouts of engine 1479 please give me shout. So, after Mum saying no 46 years ago and 23 years after she passed away I finally got my hands on a 380 in 2020. Lovely.
@@bikerdood1100 Yeah I know, but I can but dream. My mate 'stored' my RD (sans engine) in his back garden. Uncovered for 41 years. I'm suprised there is any metal left............
My brother has a gt 750 I got it running for him we rode it for awhile now he’s given it to his son who is slowly rebuilding it but parts are hard to find
My stepson ran a nice GT750 Water-bottle, back in the late 70's. I've always been partial to 2-strokes (first bike I rode was a 98cc James Comet, the second a 125cc Bantam D1) and have had 175cc Bantam D14/4, 250 and 350 Jawa's - kept the 350 for 15 years; wish I still had it - and a Yamaha RD250, the last of the air-cooled models. Had lots of 4-strokes, of course. Still riding at 77; a little Suzuki VL250.
Thanks for nice video! I’ve been wrenching & riding Kawi triples & big fours since the early 70’s and at 67yrs YOUNG still have 2 74H1 500 triples & a 78 kz1000 LTD. All 3 of those bikes ate up & running well registered & ridden oftenvby me & a friend of mine. The wife & I go out on a big v-twin cruiser because the older classic Kawi’s scare the crap out her & aren’t very comfy for her either.
I bought new and rode in 1976 the “King Killer”, the 1976 Yamaha RD 400c ( Canadian version ), second best bike I’ve had in my life. #1 would have to be the 1983 Honda CB 900 F Super Sport that a did a road trip with my brother down through New Brunswick by way of the Gaspe, down to Halifax and back home (Montreal) by way of Maine, quite a ride.
great range of bikes, pity scott didnt survive, i remember the silk 700 being sold but i think they were expensive, these are a generation of machines we will never see again, no retro kh triples anytime soon, just visited the royal enfield dealer here and saw an electric bike for the first time, not too bad
A friend of mine had a GT380, there was a Water Buffalo in the neighborhood, but the one that really stands out (never heard it run though) was the Mach IV (which was the US designation for the Kawi 750 triple) owned by a guy who worked in the same building I worked in. What you could see were the black expansion chambers and the velocity stacks on the carbs; what didn't show was the porting and polishing done to it. He had time cards from a local track with runs in the 10's. Some time back I ran across a story about the sub-par handling of the early Mack III's; according to the story, it was due to the front and rear wheels not tracking on the same line because of the frames.
As a kid I worked my way through the Suzuki GT family - started with the 380, then the 550 and eventualy got a ratty 750. After that I jumped onto a 1100 Katana - happy days!
@@bikerdood1100 aye! For some wierd reason I decided to turn mine (brand new!) into a rat-bike and sprayed it matt black (a fist full of rattle cans, several beers and a wet weekend in my Mums garage!)
I had a GT750 in the 80s and everything about it was mental. On the day I'd bought it another interested buyer who just arrived a few minutes after I handed over the money was so dissapointed, a preview of people's reaction. Almost everywhere I parked it I came back to find notes attached to the seat offer to buy it. I would throw the bike around like a dirt bike and I was told 'sacrilege!'. Impressive machine to look for the onlooker at and a shock as started up, a crazy sound of three oversized lambretta scooters ziiiiiiing-dingdingdingding-ziiiiiiiingdingdingdingding and then pulling away into distance going through the gears sound like a demonic angry wasp followed by a trail of blue smoke. Crazy 100%. Red JRO 190 P or something I think the registration was. I left it in a locked garage of ex GF and never returned
I had a 76 GT380. Great bike - It had auto oiling, and it had a problem - It never could run without making a blue streak everywhere it went. It was a thirsty engine - 23 mpg -- Imperial - 4.55 lt. I sold it the day I pushed it a mile - to a gas station - for the third time.
I had a S1 250 Kawasaki and 2 Suzuki's GT750s back in the day. Great bikes. Love triples also had a Triumph Trident 750v and a Laverda Jota. Now got a MV Agusta 800 brutale.
Learn a lot from the 'dood'. Love that Scott 3S. Only rode the Kawi 500 (H1 ?)once and not the 750. I was surprised at the amount of buzz through the bars and the pegs. I was disappointed but that's just me. Locally on 'kijiji ontario' an H1 is for sale for $18,999 Canadian dollars ! The seller does say "it vibrates, smokes, drinks gas wildly, is temperamental but NO other bike offers such an experience". I think I'll keep the Norton. I haven't checked lately to see if the H1 has sold.
My experience with these bikes is around a mates GT 380 I have seen 2 of the 3 surviving Scott’s the motor is very impressive on the flesh. The Sammy Miller museum in the south of England has the only runner
I have a 76 RD400.. I was born in 70 so it was before my time.. and when i actually got into motorcycles the two-strokes were gone.... but for some damn reason I love 2-stroke engines and Ive always owned one or another. few rz350's and all the motocross bikes are two strokes. Just bought a Husqvarana 150 efi and its amazing. My RD400 is completely stock and makes good power off idle into the mid then starts to tap out.. all my other two strokes were modified or with aftermarket chambers and were all peaky and totally gutless off idle into the mid... lemme tell you.. after riding the RD its a FAR better road bike. I can leave it in 6th gear and leave it there as I go around sharp corners.. open the throttle and it just starts to build speed without much fuss. I tell every I talk to online with these old bikes to put everything back to stock cause they will be amazed how good it becomes as a street bike commuter.
The scoyt made watercooled 2 strokes. I saw one classic racing at brands hatch. I was shocked at how competative and reliable they were. One of the greatest old 2 strokes ever made. Styling was very subjective.
Oh I’ve covered Scott in a few videos and ridden a couple He also invented kick stat and tele forks Some races used disc valve induction too Amazing things
Kawasakis last triple two stroke, stayed on sale because it was the only one that could get through emissions. Sounded great although twins like the Rd and X7 were faster, but less cool
Hi guys. I own and still ride the Suzuki RF900Rt. I'd love to see what you think about these much overlooked bikes. Also, to say thanks so much for all the great videos you've already done.Great job.Thanks.
Had a GT550A Suzuki for 18 months, lovely bike to ride. Was going to get the 750A but Suzuki had just released the GS1000 at the time and I went for one of them instead. Looking back I should have saved my cash and looked for a GT750 as well. Always regret not owning one, they were great bikes.
Still got my 77 B model and will never let it go. It was the dealers demo bike and being replaced due to the GS750 I bought it with 300 miles on the clock. In 1979. Just love it and all the oil burners.
I was lucky enough to have a Suzuki GT 750 B. I just loved the acceleration, with Avon road runners on it did the twisty bit a little better but if you had a full tank of fuel it could be a handful in the bends. I loved the look of the thing aswell. I wish i never sold it.
KH 250 bikes in the 70’s would very often be used and abused by learners, so a little dodgy as a secondhand prospect. Also I think (I could be wrong) that they shared the same chassis with the 400 so were always going to be comparatively overweight/underpowered. Cracking looking bike though…and a nice sunny Sunday classic these days.
Well they would certainly have been rebuilt by now. I always think that 250’is the perfect capacity for a two stroke. I’ve always fancied the KH for that reason, compared to the Rd and x7 twins the KH is indeed a little slower and heavier but they sound great and are a lot more fun than four stroke twins of the period
Awesome Video..im old enough to have been a UK learner pre 1983..i had so many excellent Jap 250cc two strokes between 1979-83 i had a Suzuki GT250, a Yamaha RD250 and and Suzuki X7 when you are a young rider those 250's seemed like full size much bigger bikes especially the RD250 it had quite some road presence..its kind of unfortunate these days that bikes that were popular in the 70's and 80's are mega expensive because there are so many people in their 50's and 60's who really want to relive their youth by buying a bike they owned around that period like the bikes mentioned above..I was looking to buy a Kawasaki Z650 possibly my favourite bike i owned in the 1980's bu the prices for a good one are astronomically high even for a 50,000 miler..its strange that bikes from the 1990 rarely suffer the same fate and are definitely a better second hand buy
There was also the french built Motobecane 350 triple from the 1970s,and also a long defunct Japanese brand called Olympus made a two stroke triiple in the early 1960s
In the late 60s Suzuki had a monster 500 twin two stroke.They were EVIL FAST.if you tweaked them larger carbs cleaned up and polished the ports and do the piston skirts too and a set of chamber pipes and it was ready to go beat on the Honda 4s on the road courses of the time ..I think it was called a TITAN
The gs1000 red and white had one sound lovely back in 1979 King of the road crome back at back of bike ,Always got the lok from people in the towns ,have you got a view on one Gs1000 kevin
I had a 1975 Kawasaki S3 (400 cc) for a couple of years and it would match the 1974 Z-1B I bought a couple of years later up to about 60-65 mph in an all-out drag race, at less than half the displacement of the big 4-stroke 4 cylinder. It was a fun little bike, but like the other 3 cylinder 2 strokes, didn't handle all that well on a twisty road. For that matter, the Z-1B needed some frame and swingarm tweaks to make it a good canyon carver.
Well the nature of two strokes is that they feel fast, Sometimes the math can tell a different story however. The impression from the saddle isn’t always a true reflection.
@@bikerdood1100 I know my comparison is accurate because I raced the Z-1B I later bought against the S3 I owned at the time. I could hang with him up to about 65 until greater displacement and torque took over and he'd pull away. The fact that the S3 was about 75 pounds lighter also helped.
You are right about the gt 380 and 550. Had one. Very reliable. Not quite as fast as Kawasaki or Yamaha but better handling. Road the Blueridge Parkway, I 40, and I 85 with mine. Did quite well and had didital gear read.
Back in the 70s and 80s, I noticed usually around 8 k miles, many of the 2 strokes were worn out. Folks downshifted for engine braking. With the throttle closed, they starved for oil. Too much of this wore them out early. I bought every used Kawasaki triple I could til they were all gone. The Suzukis were most reliable though. Loved 2 stroke power.
Doesn’t quite fit as many used oil direct into the crankcase Quality of oils in the 70s plus inaccurate combustion from points ignition etc played a part too
@@markosborne9558well there’s a split cable which controls flow from the pump On 20s Scott’s there was no throttle link but the pump did get faster of course and was adjustable. Have stripped the odd stroker in my time Not a Scott sadly
I started riding in 1970, I remember these machines quite well. I always loved and still love 2-strokes. To me they are killed off for no good reason. I still own and ride a 125cc Peugeot motorscooter next to my 4-stroke bikes. Especially the GT750 was and is a great bike. A good effort from Suzuki to create a civilised 2-stroke. I have ridden a H2 once. Scary, senseless bike. To me not a serious machine and till this day I cannot look upon Kawasaki as a serious brand...
Well for me two strokes lose their advantages as they get bigger. By the late 70s and even before really the four stroke 750s were out performing them so I think even without the emissions they wouldn’t have survived. In the 70s emissions regs were very much a US thing but in the rest of the world they were very much on the way out poor fuel consumption did not help at all after the fuel crisis
@@bikerdood1100 It is not just about performance, at least not to me. Multi cilinder 2-strokes run very smooth, the GT750 probably the best of all in this respect. If you look at the yearly mileage most bikes make, neither emissions nor fuel consumption is really an issue. The green fascists do not seem to get that... I just got myself a '96 XJ900S Diversion from its first owner who rode about 1000 km... Mileages under 5000 km a year are quite common... I ride a lot more, yet I seem to be an exception...
In my teens & twenty's you could by any of the Kawasaki 3cyl.-2strokes for a 5-8 hundred dollors. I owned them all Kawi. S1-350 , S2-400 H1-500 & the " Widow maker " H-2 750 S- Signified Street & the H- Highway . And I had a Yamaha RD-350 & RD-400 The RD-400 was SICK , it would easily wheelie in the first 3 gears . My favorite Jap. Bike was my Screening Yellow Honda CB-400FSS SuperSport , 4Cylinder with a 4into one Factory header & a 5 speed gearbox . Everyone loved that bike , except the police . 👮🏍️🐷🏍️😱🚁
A mate had a GT 380, though it could not keep up with RD400's it was better at pillion duty, personal experience. Another mate, a big lad had a GT 550, he could not keep up with my brother on his RD 400, which had different reed valves & expansion chambers. It was a real jekyll & hyde bike.
A lot of Japanese market bikes made it there 250 is a bit small to need 3 cylinders A lot of complexity for 0 gain . Was true of the Kh250 it sounded great but was slower than the twin cylinder competition
Had a GT550A, the best top end I ever got was 105 mph on the speedo so not very quick. It felt faster than it actually was. Tried a piper 3 into 1 on it, sounded great but killed the power. Used it daily to get me to work but sold it as my 1.6 car was better on fuel and kept me dry through the winter. Did buy a GT 750 and totally rebuilt it. Finished the chassis and was half way through the engine when my marriage went tits up and she wanted half the value of the bike ! Put the thing on my drive and punctured the bottom of the tank and put a match to it, a very sad end to what would have been a immaculate vintage bike. Think what I regret the most there was not only the couple of grand I put into it but that I never got to ride it. Shame I only have that tainted memory of it.
I remember reading a UK road test on a Bridgestone (yes, the Japanese tyre company I believe) 350 two-stroke triple. Rotary-valve induction made for a wide motor. Are there any around now, I wonder?
Ho posseduto il 750 e il 500 mach Kawasaki negli anni 70.Accellerazioni da infarto...lasciavo indietro i miei amici su Honda, Laverda, Suzuki e Jamaha, avvolti in una bellissima nuvola di fumo azzurro...altri tempi che nostalgia 😊❤.
From South Africa... MY MAN ! 💪 Suzukie GT' s all of them.. what I aspired to when I was cutting my teeth on the T 500 & later the GT 500... I can smell.that 2 stroke oil 🛢 in my screen.. Thanks "a ton" for them memories what's gonna sit with me all day this Sunday... Mostly we called the 750 as "the kettle" & the "water-buff" PLEASE 🙏 🙏 review the titan from the famous hideous purple color, and excessive crome badging, onto the GT 500
Yes I remember the Suski. Gt 550 it was smooth enough to put a coin on the motor and it would stay there. I was riding an XS 650 yummie Of course it surprised me Two of my pals had H 1 and H 2s crazy fast. No brakes No chassis. 😅. Oh well we where young.........
@@bikerdood1100 - I don't know anyone who kept those high bars on. Even with flat bars you couldn't keep the front wheel down on an H2 so actually they were hopeless at drag racing as you had to keep throttling off.
I had a '76 GT750 exactly like that one, the same blue color and everything. But the previous owner had put one of those huge Windjammer fairings on it and since my dad had the title to it and I was a minor, he made me keep the fairing on it. It was really nice on the usually straight interstate highways of America. But it handled like an overloaded wheelbarrow. I almost got killed on it when I went into a curve faster than it was able to lean into the curve. I had to carefully hit the brakes just right and get her slowed down or I would have hit an oncoming car. I kept her much slower in curves and corners after that!! A horrendously bad handling motorcycle, especially compared to the GS750 that replaced it in short order, which handled like a dream. I rode a friends GS750 and couldn't believe it was the same brand motorcycle! I then bought a GS1000E in '78 which also was a great handler.
I had a GT550 in my 20s Love the bike but that was the only way I could get to work and it was winter time working off sift the people that I lived around didn’t like me when I fired the 550 off😂
I've seen a Scott triple and it's a truly superb looking bike. Next , the Suzuki 2 stoke triples were a bit to sensible compared to the bonkers Kawasaki triples. Back in the dim and distant past the Kawasaki kh 250 was not the fastest but it was the best sounding. Oh dear now the Honda ns 400 , it sounded like 3 old men farting in the garden shed and had similar performance. If you really want a good air cooled two stroke triple park a dt 175 next to an x7....
Was involved in a bit of club road racing when the Honda ns 400 came out.. it was such a disappointment compared to the Suzuki rg 500. ( forget the dreadful Yamaha rd 500 ypvs) . Your right Kawasaki triples went around corners like a three legged camel but the sound of one with at set of expansion chambers...
My Army buddy in 1975 had a Suzuki 380 triple two stroke while I had a Honda 550 four cylinder four stroke. I could out accelerate and beat him on top speed but really they were very comparable. In the early 1980s I got a Suzuki Titan 500 two cylinder two stroke that I loved. I loved it so much I bought another Titan in the mid 2000s. Motorcycles have always been my daily commuter but my wife and I are older now and live in America so we have a Harley Davidson Electra Glide Classic.
I owned an H2 back in the '70's. Of all the bikes I've ever owned, I hated this one the most. In addition to the lousy handling and the dreadful brakes, the vibration on this bike was so bad, I would lose parts when flying down the highway. I stuck with it for two riding seasons and finally swapped it for a Honda CB750 - a much more proper handling bike that I still own to this day.
I came of street riding age in the early 1970's, and grew up on a string of Yamaha RD's and Kawasaki Triples in varying states of tune. Throughout the 70's and 80's, pristine ones with ultra low mileage could be had for very little money, and they were as fast and fun as anything on the road. I have now been an avid motorcyclist for over 50 years, and that era of fast, capable and cheap two strokes were the best years I can remember to have been a biker. I only wish I had kept a few of them.
Cheap two strokes are at the moment at least a thing of the past
We are now in the era of the Bloody expensive very old 2 stroke
@@bikerdood1100 Very true.
Yes the seventies were a great time to be a biker.
Just imagine what a big bore 2 stroke could produce if it underwent the development of the 4 stroke over the last 30 years.
Two stroke development has been going on but. By car companies farther than bike makers
The Suzuki 2 stroke Triples in the GT Line were Great Bikes, especially the Water Buffalo. They responded very well to basic hot rodding and were stone reliable as well as beautiful.
I always thought it looked like the future
I had A750 water Buffalo in the early 80s it was bad ass
I also had a t500 titan
My mate had a 550 gt suzuki and i loved it so I got my own as soon as I could back in the 70s. Later I got the 750 gt. I really love the sound of the 2 stroke 3 cyl. I've also owned kawa 400 s3 that I restored. I'm so lucky to be born at the right time and being able to enjoy these bikes.
Well they do still exist
Although they are becoming very collectible unfortunately so up go those prices
Your right I thought 2 strokes
Had a suzuki 125,380,550 ,750 boiler😂
Before 1980’s GSXR’S started following me home, I had a 73 GT-750 Le Mans with smooth bores, expansion chambers and polished ports. It was grey when I bought it but I managed to get the blue bodywork so it looked a lot like the 73 GT-750 in the video. It was heavy and not great at handling but if you snapped the throttle, it would point straight up. What a great bike and it sounded fantastic.
In 1981 I bought a 1972 Kawasaki H2. I could take on anything stoplight to stoplight if I did my part correctly. Never quite mastered it's harsh power band and had difficulty holding the front wheel down as I only weighed 160lbs at the time. A true adrenaline machine.
Well part of that was those high bars they fitted to the things
Almost they designed it to lift the wheel
@@bikerdood1100 when I bought the H2 it had ape hanger bars and a tall sissy bar. I removed the ape hangers and sissy bar and sported it up by installing clubman bars, rear sets and expansion chambers. Looked fast and menacing even when parked. Sitting on the back of the fuel tank helped keep the front wheel from rising too fast. I enjoy your motorcycle content and presentation. Well done Sir!
@@mikewysko2268 had a 72 h2 had to ride the tank too. Shifted without using the clutch to keep the front wheel down. I loved my widowmaker.
@@joeprevost1991 Good memories of care free and somewhat dangerous days on two wheels. 🏍
My blue streak was bran new in 1973, a blue 1972 750 h2 that I quit school at 16 for a yr to buy. Even the police were amazed at it performance, 34 mm carbs, 20 miles to gallon
The H2 was the most exciting bike of all of them in this video.
I cried when I sold mine - it was a good one -
the crank was nicely balanced and it had heaps of power.
With expansion chambers on it - it would power wheel stand at 150 km/hr.
Nutter 😂
Great stuff. Would love to see an episode on 70's Trail bikes - DT's, TS's, ER's, SP's, XL's, XT's please, maybe even a PE.
Good idea 🤔
I moved to South Africa as a fifteen year old in 1975. At that time the traffic cops. and there were plenty of them, all rode the GT750. They soon were swapped over to their new rides, Yammie 650 twins and you could buy the old Suzis for next to nothing at auction; there were loads of them available and nobody wanted them. If only I could have my time over again...Interesting video as usual; thanks.
Dam
If only
That GT750 has huge collector's value in England. They have a massive club there called the Kettle Club. To me it is a Johannesburg speed cops bike.
Having been blessed to work in a bikeshop from my early teens way back in 1974 as a trainee mechanic I got to experience and work on just about every bike available then..Two strokes dominated as they where cheaper and many different models available..It hurt when they where phased out due to emissions regulations..even though I still own a few..If the technology that went into developing the 4 stroke went into the 2 stroke further I'm sure emissions would be very similar especially when you consider that we now have very very advanced clean burning practically smokeless diester full synthetic biodegradable 2 cycle lubrication.
Well it wasn’t just emissions in truth
They never enjoyed the sales of the equipment four strokes
Sometimes it’s about fuel consumption but also I think people assumed that they are less reliable and need more maintenance
BS of course but old bias is a hard thing to kill
Yes i had a kh250 Microns and K and Ns sounded lovely and a GT380 which ran for years without the Ram Air cover ,nice to see some have survived the years👍
Well you do see them
See more Suzukis than Kawasaki’s though
So either Kawasaki owners hold on to em or more Suzukis survived 🤔
I never owned a two-stroke triple but had a wee shot on a GT750 once and loved it. My only stroker is my DT3, which unfortunately seized on my way back from a charity Easter run.
Another addition to my project line!
Not a great history with strokers then
I have lot's of great memories of 70's triples, Kawasaki's mainly. Thanks I enjoyed seeing them again.
Glad you enjoyed it
The Kawasaki Z1 was the top bike to own in the 1970s and 80 s ,a real head turner .The Honda 750 and 500 were also great bikes to ride .We toured Scotland in the 70s with two 2 stroke motorcycles and one 4 stroke bike .it was hard work for the 2 stroke bikes going up steep hills fully loaded ,great memories,loved the smell of 2 stroke back then .
I think two strokes were usually of smaller capacity and the Japanese tended to tune em for top end
Not what u want for touring
I had a GT380J, which was great fun to ride & handled quite well.
A friend of mine ran one for years
Handling was ok and it went pretty well, nicer than a Cb400/4 I think
I had a 380a. Open the throttle and it was like a turbine but it frightened the life out of me when it had a wet front disc. In the rain I had to ride with the front brake on lightly to keep it dry, I believe that the disc was stainless steel which would looked great in California but useless in the wetter UK.
You star..... loved my 380: did 2 up to Scotland and back south, fully loaded. Wanted a 550 but ended up with a GT500......(loved that too....)
Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
I have never driven a two stroke triple. That engine configuration must be awesome. I love two stroke bikes and had several single cylinder ones. I also like triples, in fact I own a Yamaha XSR900 first gen and the engine is superb. Those classic two stroke triples seem to me that are stunning motorcycles, real gems, I wish I had one of them.
My experience was on a Suzuki a few years back, lots of smoke and a great exhaust note
I used to have a "Water bus" (Suzuiki GT750) IN 1973. Loved it! There used to be so many of the 380s, 550s, and 750s back in those days. They were really popular back then!
Everyone has become big Cc obsessed these days unfortunately
Called the Kettle in England.
@@patrickcannell2258 😂😂
Went from a KH250 to a GT750 back in the mid-seventies. Both excellent bikes.
Indeed
That’s I’m putting the little KH in the next video
Never had that problem got the carbs set right got rid of points that help go for a run and do a plug check engine of and and middle plug a little weak out side plugs perfect and got the middle carb set a little rich and do a plug check middle plug perfect set the oil pump up run a little more and just a little more smoke but it helped never had any middle cylinder problems warm them up and good 2stroke oil and a little in the tank not much egg cup to every full tank mind petrol was cheap them days it never came out on a wet day and not in the winter no salt had a little yamaha 100 just to get to work 3miles and when it was really bad snow had a van to get to work and if was 3ft of snow no work that day the yamaha 100 was washed every night back helped it a lot smaller bikes were fun to top speed about 60 the big bike was in a dry heated garage polished for when the summer came back.
What a great topic for a video! Beautiful sounds. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
I was always in love with the Yamaha GL750, of course the love affair was never consummated since the bike remained a prototype and was never produced commercially but I can always fantasize about the good times we could have had together!
Ah unrequited love
Really am loving your recent posts, taking me back to my early days of biking, thanks for the memories! DINO.
Glad your enjoying them
Excellent walk down memory lane. Well done! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
Loving this channel 👍 back in the day I had a Gt 380, a Kh 250, RD 200 & I used to ride moto X RM 250 , YZ 250 , YZ 465 , Cagiva 250 , & LT 500 Quad All lovely 2 strokes wish I had them all now ☹
Bit of a two stroke man then by the sounds of things
Ahh the GT380, brings back memories.....Passed my test at 17 in '77 and went from a Yamaha RS125 to the 380, then in '81 had a Yamaha XS750(the weight on that thing).....Always been unlucky with triples because they both seized up on the middle pot.
Mine both did as well👍
High school Dan loved his in 1981, but yeah it seized too.
Middle pot trouble was always a thing with early triples of all makes
That Miele pot gets toasty
@@bikerdood1100 Makes you wonder if electronic ignition would have helped🤔👍
@@derekdingwall I had problems with my GT380 but I fitted Lucas Rita contactless electronic ignition and it ran brilliantly.
Very well presented.
Thanks
I always loved 2-stroke bikes. When I was a senior in high school in 75 I bought a used Brigston 350. Sorry for the spelling!! Anyway, I loved it however I had to always use "racing" grade spark plugs in it. And they only lasted about 1.5 weeks!! And boy they were expensive. Regular plugs would clog up in one day of riding from home to school and back home. I loved this video!!
A sadly very rare bike now
my dad had a GT380 when he was in his 20's, still has the pictures to show it (and also his hair), maybe one day can get one again for him
Better start saving
nothing more chromed and polished than a GT 750 . owned two 380's and a GT750 , my gs 550 and 1000 were streets ahead in all areas but all were great bikes.
I’ve always felt that the two stroke is king as long as it’s below 250 after that the pendulum swings towards four strokes
I used to babysit for a friend on a Saturday night and stayed over until Sunday morning . My payment was a blast home on his P reg silver gt380 as pillion. Loved the bike, unfortunately, never owned one and too expensive to buy now .
Cheaper than a Kawasaki though
Fun facts about the NS400...
While a V3, all three crankpins are aligned, which because it's a two stroke essentially makes it an unequal V-twin with the two outer (bottom) cylinders firing together and the inner (upper) cylinder firing 90 degrees later.
Plus, only the bottom cylinders are fitted with an exhaust valve as there's scant room for a valve mechanism in the frame area just underneath the airbox etc.
Regardless, they're a smooth, reasonably torquey and sweet little bike - not a lot of HP but a brilliant and neutral handler despite the 16" front wheel.
Typical Honda then
User friendly and well built
In the early 70s you either went down the 2 stroke or 4 stroke route it was 2 strokes for me right up to having a kettle which I wish I'd not sold. Loved the sound smell the gear indicater. The boys always stuck me at the back coz of the smoke and oil slick. Good fun though
You’d have thought they would enjoyed the two stroke odour 😂
Great footage 🎥🎞️🎞️🎬 I've been building and riding motorcycles for most of my life , The 500 cc 3 cylinder 2 stroke engine , built by Kawasaki, was a blast to ride When I was stationed in Hawaii , 🌴⛱️🤙 IT handle the hills and mountains with no problem at any speed , Great design ‼️ ♦️♦️♦️
Cool
Great video as always! Thanks!!!
Glad you enjoyed it
Some fascinating machines in this 1 I thought
There is nothing more stunning to look at than a Suzuki GT750 in blue.
It is pretty
Well a very slim naked woman would steal away my attention. Did own a Gt750 new in 1975. Still dream about it.
These featured machines look absolutely NEW!
I know someone has put a lot of time and effort into these bikes
Hooligans of the world unite!!!!!! I miss the smell of 2 stroke in the morning lol
Young people 😂
Yes a very young 65 lmao
My 2nd bike was an NS400R. I thought it was pretty powerful (relatively speaking). It would lift the front wheel at 80km/hr when you hit the 2 stroke powerband with no trouble.
Oh the NSR was plenty powerful
The GT750 was called the water bus in NZ
I wonder how many other names the poor thing had ?
Lusted after a GT380 in Castle Sports, Dagenham after passing my test in April 1977 but Mum said "NO". She did eventually give in though and loaned me the cash for an RD400 in 1978 (From Eddie Grimstead, Eastern Ave, Newbury Park) the partial remains of which came back to my shed in 2020. If anyone out there knows the whereabouts of engine 1479 please give me shout. So, after Mum saying no 46 years ago and 23 years after she passed away I finally got my hands on a 380 in 2020. Lovely.
Good luck
@@bikerdood1100 Yeah I know, but I can but dream. My mate 'stored' my RD (sans engine) in his back garden. Uncovered for 41 years. I'm suprised there is any metal left............
My brother has a gt 750 I got it running for him we rode it for awhile now he’s given it to his son who is slowly rebuilding it but parts are hard to find
That’s the big problem with Japanese bikes unfortunately
My stepson ran a nice GT750 Water-bottle, back in the late 70's. I've always been partial to 2-strokes (first bike I rode was a 98cc James Comet, the second a 125cc Bantam D1) and have had 175cc Bantam D14/4, 250 and 350 Jawa's - kept the 350 for 15 years; wish I still had it - and a Yamaha RD250, the last of the air-cooled models. Had lots of 4-strokes, of course. Still riding at 77; a little Suzuki VL250.
I like 2 strokes myself but I must say
Thanks for nice video!
I’ve been wrenching & riding Kawi triples & big fours since the early 70’s and at 67yrs YOUNG still have 2 74H1 500 triples & a 78 kz1000 LTD. All 3 of those bikes ate up & running well registered & ridden oftenvby me & a friend of mine. The wife & I go out on a big v-twin cruiser because the older classic Kawi’s scare the crap out her & aren’t very comfy for her either.
Keep up the good work sir
I bought new and rode in 1976 the “King Killer”, the 1976 Yamaha RD 400c ( Canadian version ), second best bike I’ve had in my life. #1 would have to be the 1983 Honda CB 900 F Super Sport that a did a road trip with my brother down through New Brunswick by way of the Gaspe, down to Halifax and back home (Montreal) by way of Maine, quite a ride.
Much underrated bike the 900f
Great to see all these old machines again.
Glad you enjoyed it
I had a 1971Kaw 500
I had a GT380 and loved it . That two stroke engine tone and the smell of a two stroke engine wow . Used strawberry oil very nice
Strawberry ?
@@bikerdood1100 Hi the two stroke oil had a strawberry smell added to it . Cool idea .
great range of bikes, pity scott didnt survive, i remember the silk 700 being sold but i think they were expensive, these are a generation of machines we will never see again, no retro kh triples anytime soon, just visited the royal enfield dealer here and saw an electric bike for the first time, not too bad
They were expensive and even then they sold each bike at a loss
Had a 76 GT750A, beast of a bike.
Strange they seemed massive then but I saw one recently and it was quite small and compact
A friend of mine had a GT380, there was a Water Buffalo in the neighborhood, but the one that really stands out (never heard it run though) was the Mach IV (which was the US designation for the Kawi 750 triple) owned by a guy who worked in the same building I worked in. What you could see were the black expansion chambers and the velocity stacks on the carbs; what didn't show was the porting and polishing done to it. He had time cards from a local track with runs in the 10's. Some time back I ran across a story about the sub-par handling of the early Mack III's; according to the story, it was due to the front and rear wheels not tracking on the same line because of the frames.
If he’s running sub 10s it was most definitely not standard
It ran a 10.2 as I recall, and definitely not stock.
As a kid I worked my way through the Suzuki GT family - started with the 380, then the 550 and eventualy got a ratty 750. After that I jumped onto a 1100 Katana - happy days!
Katana there’s a bike I’d like to try, loved the styling
@@bikerdood1100 aye! For some wierd reason I decided to turn mine (brand new!) into a rat-bike and sprayed it matt black (a fist full of rattle cans, several beers and a wet weekend in my Mums garage!)
Honda MVX250F was also sold in Australia, alongside the VT250
I owned a VT myself
Never seen an MVX in the flesh, there may be one in the UK somewhere
GT380 was a belter of a bike.
My mates was lovely and a great spud too
I had a GT750 in the 80s and everything about it was mental. On the day I'd bought it another interested buyer who just arrived a few minutes after I handed over the money was so dissapointed, a preview of people's reaction. Almost everywhere I parked it I came back to find notes attached to the seat offer to buy it. I would throw the bike around like a dirt bike and I was told 'sacrilege!'. Impressive machine to look for the onlooker at and a shock as started up, a crazy sound of three oversized lambretta scooters ziiiiiiing-dingdingdingding-ziiiiiiiingdingdingdingding and then pulling away into distance going through the gears sound like a demonic angry wasp followed by a trail of blue smoke. Crazy 100%. Red JRO 190 P or something I think the registration was. I left it in a locked garage of ex GF and never returned
They should be on everyone’s bucket list I think
The stop oil goons would love these bikes !
Oh for sure
Yeh we will all buy EVs
Because they are cleaner
Aren’t they ? 😂😂
@@bikerdood1100 EVs are shite !
I had a 73 GT750, and it was amazing. I would love to have another.
I can imagine
In addition, I had a gt380 that I gave my son when I got the water buffalo.
I had a 76 GT380. Great bike - It had auto oiling, and it had a problem - It never could run without making a blue streak everywhere it went. It was a thirsty engine - 23 mpg -- Imperial - 4.55 lt. I sold it the day I pushed it a mile - to a gas station - for the third time.
Two strokes can be thirsty beasts
Good videos 👍😎 I still have my 1979 RD 400 F Daytona special
Glad you enjoyed them
I had a S1 250 Kawasaki and 2 Suzuki's GT750s back in the day. Great bikes. Love triples also had a Triumph Trident 750v and a Laverda Jota. Now got a MV Agusta 800 brutale.
A group of very different triples
Learn a lot from the 'dood'. Love that Scott 3S. Only rode the Kawi 500 (H1 ?)once and not the 750. I was surprised at the amount of buzz through the bars and the pegs. I was disappointed but that's just me. Locally on 'kijiji ontario' an H1 is for sale for $18,999 Canadian dollars ! The seller does say "it vibrates, smokes, drinks gas wildly, is temperamental but NO other bike offers such an experience". I think I'll keep the Norton. I haven't checked lately to see if the H1 has sold.
My experience with these bikes is around a mates GT 380
I have seen 2 of the 3 surviving Scott’s the motor is very impressive on the flesh. The Sammy Miller museum in the south of England has the only runner
Superb history lesson as always. Thanks 👍
Glad you enjoyed it
In New Zealand the GT750 was known as the Water Bucket
Not very flattering 😂
Water bus in South Africa. Used by Johannesburg traffic cops.
MVX250 was also available here in Australia, if I recall correctly. I can certainly remember them being around in the mid-eighties.
So I heard from another Aussie, not a bike seen here unfortunately
@@bikerdood1100 -- Sometimes Poms miss out. Just think of all the amazing mopeds we don't get down here!! 😆😆
@@couttsy222 oh woopie
🤣😂🤣😂
The Valley Of The Rocks, near Lynton ?
Correct 👍
I have a 76 RD400.. I was born in 70 so it was before my time.. and when i actually got into motorcycles the two-strokes were gone.... but for some damn reason I love 2-stroke engines and Ive always owned one or another. few rz350's and all the motocross bikes are two strokes. Just bought a Husqvarana 150 efi and its amazing. My RD400 is completely stock and makes good power off idle into the mid then starts to tap out.. all my other two strokes were modified or with aftermarket chambers and were all peaky and totally gutless off idle into the mid... lemme tell you.. after riding the RD its a FAR better road bike. I can leave it in 6th gear and leave it there as I go around sharp corners.. open the throttle and it just starts to build speed without much fuss. I tell every I talk to online with these old bikes to put everything back to stock cause they will be amazed how good it becomes as a street bike commuter.
I am generally a 4 stroke man but I do like a good 2 stroker especially smaller ones
The scoyt made watercooled 2 strokes. I saw one classic racing at brands hatch. I was shocked at how competative and reliable they were. One of the greatest old 2 strokes ever made. Styling was very subjective.
Oh I’ve covered Scott in a few videos and ridden a couple
He also invented kick stat and tele forks
Some races used disc valve induction too
Amazing things
YES!!The mighty Water Buffalo 750 Suzuki, I got to ride one in the early 80s :)
Lucky you
In Enyit was always known as the kettle because it boiled water
Someone on our estate had a KH250 in light metallic blue , it was really cool 😮
Kawasakis last triple two stroke, stayed on sale because it was the only one that could get through emissions. Sounded great although twins like the Rd and X7 were faster, but less cool
A light blue KH will be a 76 B1 model.
I had a red one for a 250 it really moved ! Mate had a honda CB 400 couldn't keep up with it !
Hi guys. I own and still ride the Suzuki RF900Rt. I'd love to see what you think about these much overlooked bikes. Also, to say thanks so much for all the great videos you've already done.Great job.Thanks.
Would definitely merit as underrated along side the 600 too
They just never really took off
Think the styling was a bit polarising
Would
Love to test one at some point
Had a GT550A Suzuki for 18 months, lovely bike to ride. Was going to get the 750A but Suzuki had just released the GS1000 at the time and I went for one of them instead. Looking back I should have saved my cash and looked for a GT750 as well. Always regret not owning one, they were great bikes.
I would love to get my hangs on one I must admit
Still got my 77 B model and will never let it go. It was the dealers demo bike and being replaced due to the GS750 I bought it with 300 miles on the clock. In 1979. Just love it and all the oil burners.
@@clivegretton4535 nice
Had a silver GT380, loved it. I'd buy another now if the prices weren't so crazy.
Yes they are but I have a feeling with the age of most bikers the high prices won’t last
I was lucky enough to have a Suzuki GT 750 B. I just loved the acceleration, with Avon road runners on it did the twisty bit a little better but if you had a full tank of fuel it could be a handful in the bends. I loved the look of the thing aswell. I wish i never sold it.
It’s a bike I’d love to test ride, only every ridden the air cooled 380
My most favorable 3 cylinder two stroke would be the Suzuki 750 gt . I had one and to me still the best bike I ever owned.
I was always fascinated by the GT, that water cooling seemed so futuristic
What are your thoughts in the Kawasaki KH250
?
KH 250 bikes in the 70’s would very often be used and abused by learners, so a little dodgy as a secondhand prospect. Also I think (I could be wrong) that they shared the same chassis with the 400 so were always going to be comparatively overweight/underpowered. Cracking looking bike though…and a nice sunny Sunday classic these days.
Well they would certainly have been rebuilt by now.
I always think that 250’is the perfect capacity for a two stroke.
I’ve always fancied the KH for that reason, compared to the Rd and x7 twins the KH is indeed a little slower and heavier but they sound great and are a lot more fun than four stroke twins of the period
Awesome Video..im old enough to have been a UK learner pre 1983..i had so many excellent Jap 250cc two strokes between 1979-83 i had a Suzuki GT250, a Yamaha RD250 and and Suzuki X7 when you are a young rider those 250's seemed like full size much bigger bikes especially the RD250 it had quite some road presence..its kind of unfortunate these days that bikes that were popular in the 70's and 80's are mega expensive because there are so many people in their 50's and 60's who really want to relive their youth by buying a bike they owned around that period like the bikes mentioned above..I was looking to buy a Kawasaki Z650 possibly my favourite bike i owned in the 1980's bu the prices for a good one are astronomically high even for a 50,000 miler..its strange that bikes from the 1990 rarely suffer the same fate and are definitely a better second hand buy
Yes mid 80s bikes too don’t seem to go for the same crazy prices either
I'd love to see a Honda CD175. You;ve covered the GT380 which I had many years ago now 🙂
Ah the Cd a surprising big bike for a 175
@@bikerdood1100 the gearbox had the widest ratios ever and the engine was unkillable.
There was also the french built Motobecane 350 triple from the 1970s,and also a long defunct Japanese brand called Olympus made a two stroke triiple in the early 1960s
Well tue but I did want to get these particular bikes in
Well tue but I did want to get these particular bikes in
In the late 60s Suzuki had a monster 500 twin two stroke.They were EVIL FAST.if you tweaked them larger carbs cleaned up and polished the ports and do the piston skirts too and a set of chamber pipes and it was ready to go beat on the Honda 4s on the road courses of the time ..I think it was called a TITAN
Not enough cylinders for this particular video However
But worth a mention in a planned 500 video
The gs1000 red and white had one sound lovely back in 1979 King of the road crome back at back of bike ,Always got the lok from people in the towns ,have you got a view on one Gs1000 kevin
The GS is very much an underrated classic
I had a 1975 Kawasaki S3 (400 cc) for a couple of years and it would match the 1974 Z-1B I bought a couple of years later up to about 60-65 mph in an all-out drag race, at less than half the displacement of the big 4-stroke 4 cylinder. It was a fun little bike, but like the other 3 cylinder 2 strokes, didn't handle all that well on a twisty road. For that matter, the Z-1B needed some frame and swingarm tweaks to make it a good canyon carver.
Well the nature of two strokes is that they feel fast,
Sometimes the math can tell a different story however. The impression from the saddle isn’t always a true reflection.
@@bikerdood1100 I know my comparison is accurate because I raced the Z-1B I later bought against the S3 I owned at the time. I could hang with him up to about 65 until greater displacement and torque took over and he'd pull away. The fact that the S3 was about 75 pounds lighter also helped.
You are right about the gt 380 and 550. Had one. Very reliable. Not quite as fast as Kawasaki or Yamaha but better handling. Road the Blueridge Parkway, I 40, and I 85 with mine. Did quite well and had didital gear read.
The Suzukis did offer a very balanced package
Back in the 70s and 80s, I noticed usually around 8 k miles, many of the 2 strokes were worn out. Folks downshifted for engine braking. With the throttle closed, they starved for oil. Too much of this wore them out early. I bought every used Kawasaki triple I could til they were all gone. The Suzukis were most reliable though. Loved 2 stroke power.
Doesn’t quite fit as many used oil direct into the crankcase
Quality of oils in the 70s plus inaccurate combustion from points ignition etc played a part too
Oil injection pump works from a cable from the throttle. Down a long hill at 4 k rpm , they starve a bit. Worked at Suzuki dealership in 70s.
@@markosborne9558well there’s a split cable which controls flow from the pump
On 20s Scott’s there was no throttle link but the pump did get faster of course and was adjustable.
Have stripped the odd stroker in my time
Not a Scott sadly
I started riding in 1970, I remember these machines quite well. I always loved and still love 2-strokes. To me they are killed off for no good reason. I still own and ride a 125cc Peugeot motorscooter next to my 4-stroke bikes. Especially the GT750 was and is a great bike. A good effort from Suzuki to create a civilised 2-stroke. I have ridden a H2 once. Scary, senseless bike. To me not a serious machine and till this day I cannot look upon Kawasaki as a serious brand...
Well for me two strokes lose their advantages as they get bigger. By the late 70s and even before really the four stroke 750s were out performing them so I think even without the emissions they wouldn’t have survived.
In the 70s emissions regs were very much a US thing but in the rest of the world they were very much on the way out poor fuel consumption did not help at all after the fuel crisis
@@bikerdood1100 It is not just about performance, at least not to me. Multi cilinder 2-strokes run very smooth, the GT750 probably the best of all in this respect. If you look at the yearly mileage most bikes make, neither emissions nor fuel consumption is really an issue. The green fascists do not seem to get that... I just got myself a '96 XJ900S Diversion from its first owner who rode about 1000 km... Mileages under 5000 km a year are quite common... I ride a lot more, yet I seem to be an exception...
Will you get to review a Sanglas 500 (with original engine not yamaha version) and the WSK 175. Thanks
Well I’m toying with a European big singles video
In my teens & twenty's you could by any of the Kawasaki 3cyl.-2strokes for a 5-8 hundred dollors.
I owned them all Kawi. S1-350 , S2-400
H1-500 & the " Widow maker " H-2 750
S- Signified Street & the H- Highway .
And I had a Yamaha RD-350 & RD-400
The RD-400 was SICK , it would easily wheelie in the first 3 gears .
My favorite Jap. Bike was my Screening Yellow Honda CB-400FSS
SuperSport , 4Cylinder with a 4into one
Factory header & a 5 speed gearbox .
Everyone loved that bike , except the police . 👮🏍️🐷🏍️😱🚁
Sounds like you like a bike that needs thrashing
Definitely not a cruiser kind of guy
A mate had a GT 380, though it could not keep up with RD400's it was better at pillion duty, personal experience. Another mate, a big lad had a GT 550, he could not keep up with my brother on his RD 400, which had different reed valves & expansion chambers. It was a real jekyll & hyde bike.
That’s the thing with two strokes
Fit an expansion chamber and yeh it goes faster but it’s much harder work
Nice to see the Scott on your list, but surprised that you didn't mention the Motobecane 350 triple.
Can only fit so many in I suppose
The MVX250 was also sold in Australia. A bit of a lemon though..
A lot of Japanese market bikes made it there
250 is a bit small to need 3 cylinders
A lot of complexity for 0 gain . Was true of the Kh250 it sounded great but was slower than the twin cylinder competition
I got my MVX from Japan where they were sold, been in storage for 14 years, pleasant thing to ride but a bit peaky
Had a GT550A, the best top end I ever got was 105 mph on the speedo so not very quick. It felt faster than it actually was. Tried a piper 3 into 1 on it, sounded great but killed the power. Used it daily to get me to work but sold it as my 1.6 car was better on fuel and kept me dry through the winter. Did buy a GT 750 and totally rebuilt it. Finished the chassis and was half way through the engine when my marriage went tits up and she wanted half the value of the bike !
Put the thing on my drive and punctured the bottom of the tank and put a match to it, a very sad end to what would have been a immaculate vintage bike. Think what I regret the most there was not only the couple of grand I put into it but that I never got to ride it. Shame I only have that tainted memory of it.
Shit how things go sometimes
I remember reading a UK road test on a Bridgestone (yes, the Japanese tyre company I believe) 350 two-stroke triple. Rotary-valve induction made for a wide motor. Are there any around now, I wonder?
They stopped making bikes after pressure from other Japanese bike companies to stop bike production if they wanted them to use their tyres
I see. Well, I guess all's fair in love and business.
I like this video😊😉👍
Thanks 🙏
the H1F was far better then the H2 , it was directly used in racing
Oh that would need a stand alone kwaker video to sort that out
Faster not always better though I’d ad
That water bottle is ace.
GT ?
I’ll add to the list of names used for the bikes
Ho posseduto il 750 e il 500 mach Kawasaki negli anni 70.Accellerazioni da infarto...lasciavo indietro i miei amici su Honda, Laverda, Suzuki e Jamaha, avvolti in una bellissima nuvola di fumo azzurro...altri tempi che nostalgia
😊❤.
Ok ma
1971 Norton Commando SS 12.1 secondi 1/4 do miglio
1973 Kawasaki 750 m3
12.3 secondi 1/4 do miglio
Veloce ma non velocissimo
Storia
Lo Adoro
@@bikerdood1100 il centesimo di secondo dipendeva ovviamente dal "manico" del pilota
From South Africa... MY MAN ! 💪 Suzukie GT' s all of them.. what I aspired to when I was cutting my teeth on the T 500 & later the GT 500... I can smell.that 2 stroke oil 🛢 in my screen.. Thanks "a ton" for them memories what's gonna sit with me all day this Sunday...
Mostly we called the 750 as "the kettle" & the "water-buff"
PLEASE 🙏 🙏 review the titan from the famous hideous purple color, and excessive crome badging, onto the GT 500
Glad you enjoyed it
Yes I remember the Suski. Gt 550 it was smooth enough to put a coin on the motor and it would stay there. I was riding an XS 650 yummie Of course it surprised me
Two of my pals had H 1 and H 2s crazy fast. No brakes No chassis. 😅. Oh well we where young.........
Have to say the Kawasaki never made an ounce of sense to me
Lots of power, vibes and stupid high bars just to make the handling even worse
@@bikerdood1100 -
I don't know anyone who kept those high bars on.
Even with flat bars you couldn't keep the front wheel down on an H2
so actually they were hopeless at drag racing as you had to keep throttling off.
@@Bobby-fj8mk I would hope not
Stupid bit of design for the American market of course
@@bikerdood1100 - yes - the H2 750 would have to be respected even today
by riders of much more powerful bikes.
I had a '76 GT750 exactly like that one, the same blue color and everything. But the previous owner had put one of those huge Windjammer fairings on it and since my dad had the title to it and I was a minor, he made me keep the fairing on it. It was really nice on the usually straight interstate highways of America. But it handled like an overloaded wheelbarrow. I almost got killed on it when I went into a curve faster than it was able to lean into the curve. I had to carefully hit the brakes just right and get her slowed down or I would have hit an oncoming car. I kept her much slower in curves and corners after that!! A horrendously bad handling motorcycle, especially compared to the GS750 that replaced it in short order, which handled like a dream. I rode a friends GS750 and couldn't believe it was the same brand motorcycle! I then bought a GS1000E in '78 which also was a great handler.
To be fair few Japanese bikes did handle well before the GS
I had a GT550 in my 20s Love the bike but that was the only way I could get to work and it was winter time working off sift the people that I lived around didn’t like me when I fired the 550 off😂
Shame 😂
I've seen a Scott triple and it's a truly superb looking bike. Next , the Suzuki 2 stoke triples were a bit to sensible compared to the bonkers Kawasaki triples. Back in the dim and distant past the Kawasaki kh 250 was not the fastest but it was the best sounding. Oh dear now the Honda ns 400 , it sounded like 3 old men farting in the garden shed and had similar performance. If you really want a good air cooled two stroke triple park a dt 175 next to an x7....
Bit harsh on the Honda, Kawasaki bonkers or just shite handling with poorly engineered chassis and stupid high bars 🤔
Was involved in a bit of club road racing when the Honda ns 400 came out.. it was such a disappointment compared to the Suzuki rg 500. ( forget the dreadful Yamaha rd 500 ypvs) . Your right Kawasaki triples went around corners like a three legged camel but the sound of one with at set of expansion chambers...
My Army buddy in 1975 had a Suzuki 380 triple two stroke while I had a Honda 550 four cylinder four stroke. I could out accelerate and beat him on top speed but really they were very comparable. In the early 1980s I got a Suzuki Titan 500 two cylinder two stroke that I loved. I loved it so much I bought another Titan in the mid 2000s. Motorcycles have always been my daily commuter but my wife and I are older now and live in America so we have a Harley Davidson Electra Glide Classic.
Good to hear from a guy who rides daily on not just a weekend hero
I owned an H2 back in the '70's. Of all the bikes I've ever owned, I hated this one the most. In addition to the lousy handling and the dreadful brakes, the vibration on this bike was so bad, I would lose parts when flying down the highway. I stuck with it for two riding seasons and finally swapped it for a Honda CB750 - a much more proper handling bike that I still own to this day.
They definitely weren’t going for refinement
The cranks weren't balanced properly on many H2s -
it was luck of the draw.
I used to be 🤣but now have four 4 strokes 2 v twins & 2 in line fours
We mostly live in V Twin land