Rode bikes through the mid 70s to 1990 now almost 63 years old and this one of two bikes I wanted to own but never did, the other one was the kawasaki z650
I had a little Suzuki twin two-stroke 6 speed 250 Hustler back in 81 and 82. It was a perfect bike except was a little under powered. It was actually pretty fast from like 0 to 55. You could easily ride it at 70 mph all day in sixth gear but if you started going uphill or against the wind even a little bit you had to shift down to 5th cause that little 250 just couldn't pull that sixth gear if you met any resistance at all. Consequently, I always wanted the 380 or the 500 Titian. I have had 13 or 14 different motorcycles in my life and I liked them all. They all have pros and cons. The water buffalo was one of my dream bikes.
Having been a teen in the 70s I remember seeing this bike getting around the country town I grew up in. Around 10,000 population. This bike was not as popular as the 750 Honda and other Japanese bikes but it always intrigued me. Now at 64yrs old I see it as a very beautifully designed bike. Symmetry etc near perfect . As usual I say Thanks for posting video of a gorgeous example of this model. All the best from Australia. PS I too hate litter bugs.
Jeez so many memories. Not to sound repetitive or anything, but a friend of mine back inna day had the 550WB, almost the same color as that one. While everyone else had H1's and H2's this guy was the only one had a Suzook...
I own three of these great bikes. Since 1972 i have travelt alot through out Europa. On one of the three i have put on a sidecar in 1976. I have made now over 60000km on it with no bigger problems. I live in Switzerland and have made many Trips over mountainpasses . Never had any heating problems with it at all. Great bike. The Squire sidecar from Greatbritain fits perfect. I am now 75 and would like to sell the whole thing for a fair price. Peter
I purchased a 74 GT 750 new in Odessa Tx, I had a full Vetters fairing on it. I road it until the late 80’s when I empaled it on the rear quarter panel of a Caddy . I loved that bike. Even with the fairing it would top 100 mph.
Missing the rear grab bar ....... I owned one , hopped it up , bored 60 over , cyclinders milled 18 thousand ...... extended intake by one inch, hp was close to 85 hp on pump gas ....loved that bike it was smooth.
I had a 73, loved it.. $1550 brand new... rode it from Iowa to Spokane for the worlds fair in 1974.. went the distance without a hitch. The other guy had a CB750 and it kilt is ass after a few hours... the GT not so bad. Sold it in 1977 and that guy wrecked it after merely 2 weeks of riding it. I wish I still had this red beauty
@@deborahchesser7375 I just missed out on one in Victoria, Aus. It sold for $3.300 USD. Needed restoration. facebook.com/marketplace/item/883247508970825/?ref=saved&referral_code=null
Daddy had one just like it in the 70s different color. It became my daily driver when I got my license. Loved that bike and never once broke down. Daddy had a friends son killed on a motorcycle and I thought he was going to take it. I ask him not so he let me keep it and bought a new back tire for it. I opened it up on interstate once and at top speed my helmet flew back and think that was the most I've ever feared dying but stay focused slowing it down and not crashing. Also I drove it an entire winter in the snow and it handled very well. Great times on that bike.
First time seeing this video. You guys should bring back the POV rides with Sr. It really does convey very well what it’s actually like to be riding that particular motorcycle. Plus Sr.’s commentary is interesting from the rider’s position.
Owner of the shop who sponsored me had one as a daily driver (all weather) for 10 years. Bulletproof. Could never kill it. He called it Pig Dog. Boy would he love that bike.
Wow!! Original grips and seat... nearly impossible to find these days. I remember sitting on one in my friend's driveway when I was like 10 yrs. old. When his dad started it up, I couldn't believe how it sounded like a thousand dirt-bikes, all at once. I was hooked...
@mnpd3 Well, you are wrong. From experience with THIS model, a 3 into one chamber added low end torque, but didn't remove any top end power. 3 individual chambers added top end power and took away some torque down low.
I had a '73 that was a converted Cafe' racer. The engine was rebuilt to 900cc's. It had Spec II chambers, rear sets, clip-on handlebars and it scared the hell out of me every time I rode it hard. I wish I still had that bike, man it was fast!! Great video guys, it brought back some fond memories from my past.
Wicked! Had a GT380 as my first bike and took her on a 600mile trip....oiling lines airlocked unknowing and lost a cylinder midway through a big sweeper. Limped her home and tore her down. Great dang memories great vid Kap and crew!
@@joemooreplays that’s awesome! I’ve only been working on engines for maybe 3 years now and what I used to think was impossible is now my therapy. I’ve resurrected a couple atvs, atc’s, and some dirt bikes and my kids starting to help and work on his with me. Gotta love the way bikes bond!
The Kettle. Sounds awesome. Old skool 2 strokes. Back to the good times of the 70's. You lucky guy riding this beauty. Another great video. 🏍🏴🏴
Yeah, that's right. The GT550 had that mechanical flaw. It would constantly seize the clutch plates while travelling fast on a highway. I got rid of mine, since I had no warranty... Bad bike.
I had 2 of these bikes in th 70s/80s in th UK, the M model then the B model. Great bikes. Traded one in for a Laverda Jota. The other I sold in 2007 wish I kept it.
In 1975, I purchased a new 1975 GT750! same color as in this video. Great bike. Previous bike was a blue/white 1973 GT380 that I shipped from Japan (had to cut a few inches off of the rear frame so it would fit in a shipping crate, bike shop welded it back together). Fair winds and following seas to all.
The GT750 was one of my all time favourite bikes back in the 70's when I was a teenager. I always loved the look and the sound of these two stroke triples. I lusted after owning one, but never did get one. My brother bought one back in 1986 and I got to ride it around the block, and wow it felt and handled great considering the weight of the machine. He sold it to some "Moron" who had it wrecked in only a matter of weeks which was such a shame. All you guys, if you own one of these, look after it, they sell for big money now, and good ones are now hard to find. My ultimate bike of all time was the Kawasaki 900 Z1. A truly awesome machine.
Every time I hear any GT 70’s bike, I immediately travel back to my teenage years and think of all the Japanese classics that were around back then but for me out of the CB,Z & RD the GT was the one’s to own. No smoke No poke.
Beautiful bike and also what a beautiful town you have very very clean i love the way Americans love America 🇺🇸 great patriotism , in England 🏴 where i live not so these days very sad Keep bringing back those old Japanese two strokes to life i love them all. Cheers mate,John
A blue 74 passed me this morning on the m25 on kent/Surrey border.it looked as nice as this one.then tonight you release this yt vid. Feeling spoiled coz I love these 2 stroke gt bikes.thanks for making these vids guys .from the UK.
I purchased my first street bike in 1975, an orange 1974 Suzuki GT750L. Great handling, performance and balance. This was the only bike that I've ever owned where I could stop for a stop sign or traffic light and not put my foot down.
I have seen the price tags in 2023. I think it is going to be a GT550 for me. Or the first generation Yamaha RD350LC. Hard to choose. I love them both. This GT750 is awesome.
I had one of these. During the ‘90’s parts were getting hard to come by. I eventually sold it and wish I never had. It was a great bike and turned alot of heads. Miss my water buffalo!
Love it Ken, my brother Jon, RIP, had one that looked exactly like that when he bought it in 79. He bought 2 sets of chrome expansion chambers for it, a 3 into one set that was better on the low end, and a 3 into 3 or individual set that was better on the top end. Those bikes sound like a Ferrari V12 with chambers on them. Thanks for the memories. Great vid and info as usual buddy!
Ken I really like your helmet cam to give us a much better experience on the bikes you take out. Well done. Greetings from Canada and a new owner of a 1979 Yamaha XS750 special
Ah the one that got away story... there was one of these in a corner of the motorcycle workshop I worked at after school in the 1980s It was covered dust but complete I could have owned it for $1800 but for a school kid in those days that was not achievable ! My God what would it be worth now ??? I also sold a mint 1978 CBX1000 in 1998 for $5000........ If we only knew then what we know now right ?
My remembrance of these when they came out, the bikes sat on dealers floors and they couldn't give them away. I was pretty much into the road bikes then and this was in the Black Hills area.
@@rocket2811 Oh it'll wheelie alright, first and second gear. Back in 79 I sold my 70 Electra Glide because my older brother that had a bike exactly like Ken is riding here would drag race me, and I got sick of him pulling away from me with the front end of the water buffalo about a foot off the ground in second gear. I fixed that situation by trading for a 75 Kawasaki Z1B 903. Then he was looking over or at the back of me.
Sweet bike! I have a frame and half an engine just waiting to be build in to something badass in the future. Those roads/ town looks so nice. Beautifull area
A friend bought one when we were seniors. I had a honda CB450. I later on got into dirt bikes and owned a couple of honda CR250s. I can hardly imagine how fast this bike was. CR250 x 3 = tooooo fast. This was the style of motorcycle that was popular at the time. And the style I expected to see for a long time. Now the rear tire looks like like it came from a ten speed bicycle.
My first two bikes were two-strokes. An MZ 150 I inherited after my uncle when I was 17 and then a GT 500. I always wanted a Kettle, but alas, my purse didn't allow it back in the day. Gorgeous bike. :)
Wow! The only time I've seen a three cylinder two stroke in Maine is in a snowmobile! Cool looking and sounding machine! I really love the nixie tube gear indicator as well.
The entire Suzuki GT Line up in this era were just Great Motorcycles and I wish I owned one of each. These Water Buffalo 750’s are still running today in original build state and are so smooth you can ride them all day from sun up to sun down without getting the Japanese high frequency vibe hands.
I'm from UK they were fondly called a kettle.
I had two of these bad boys 72 in blue and one in white ,) fantastic bike!
Rode bikes through the mid 70s to 1990 now almost 63 years old and this one of two bikes I wanted to own but never did, the other one was the kawasaki z650
I had a little Suzuki twin two-stroke 6 speed 250 Hustler back in 81 and 82. It was a perfect bike except was a little under powered. It was actually pretty fast from like 0 to 55. You could easily ride it at 70 mph all day in sixth gear but if you started going uphill or against the wind even a little bit you had to shift down to 5th cause that little 250 just couldn't pull that sixth gear if you met any resistance at all. Consequently, I always wanted the 380 or the 500 Titian. I have had 13 or 14 different motorcycles in my life and I liked them all. They all have pros and cons. The water buffalo was one of my dream bikes.
Having been a teen in the 70s I remember seeing this bike getting around the country town I grew up in. Around 10,000 population. This bike was not as popular as the 750 Honda and other Japanese bikes but it always intrigued me. Now at 64yrs old I see it as a very beautifully designed bike. Symmetry etc near perfect . As usual I say Thanks for posting video of a gorgeous example of this model. All the best from Australia. PS I too hate litter bugs.
Jeez so many memories. Not to sound repetitive or anything, but a friend of mine back inna day had the 550WB, almost the same color as that one. While everyone else had H1's and H2's this guy was the only one had a Suzook...
I own three of these great bikes. Since 1972 i have travelt alot through out Europa. On one of the three i have put on a sidecar in 1976. I have made now over 60000km on it with no bigger problems. I live in Switzerland and have made many Trips over mountainpasses . Never had any heating problems with it at all. Great bike. The Squire sidecar from Greatbritain fits perfect. I am now 75 and would like to sell the whole thing for a fair price. Peter
Absolutely loved mine. Never rode better all around bike. I even pulled a trailer when camping
I purchased a 74 GT 750 new in Odessa Tx, I had a full Vetters fairing on it. I road it until the late 80’s when I empaled it on the rear quarter panel of a Caddy . I loved that bike. Even with the fairing it would top 100 mph.
Missing the rear grab bar ....... I owned one , hopped it up , bored 60 over , cyclinders milled 18 thousand ...... extended intake by one inch, hp was close to 85 hp on pump gas ....loved that bike it was smooth.
Beautiful Buffalo!
I had a 73, loved it.. $1550 brand new... rode it from Iowa to Spokane for the worlds fair in 1974.. went the distance without a hitch. The other guy had a CB750 and it kilt is ass after a few hours... the GT not so bad. Sold it in 1977 and that guy wrecked it after merely 2 weeks of riding it. I wish I still had this red beauty
Suzuki - simply the best!
I had the 74 with a full race fairing, flat black exhaust with expansion chambers. Loved late night rides on a hot summer night, my neighbors didn't.
My father bought one of these in 1973, truly one of my most desirable motorcycles of all time, you guys Rock...Time capsule....
Darren Corl they are as rare as hens teeth now, I had a purple one
@@deborahchesser7375 t! 3he
@@deborahchesser7375 I just missed out on one in Victoria, Aus. It sold for $3.300 USD. Needed restoration. facebook.com/marketplace/item/883247508970825/?ref=saved&referral_code=null
That thing is sweet. not bad for 48 years old!
when i was 16 (1979) that was my dream bike man. in my head it had drop bars expansion pipes rear sets and a half fairing
Daddy had one just like it in the 70s different color. It became my daily driver when I got my license. Loved that bike and never once broke down. Daddy had a friends son killed on a motorcycle and I thought he was going to take it. I ask him not so he let me keep it and bought a new back tire for it. I opened it up on interstate once and at top speed my helmet flew back and think that was the most I've ever feared dying but stay focused slowing it down and not crashing. Also I drove it an entire winter in the snow and it handled very well. Great times on that bike.
First time seeing this video. You guys should bring back the POV rides with Sr. It really does convey very well what it’s actually like to be riding that particular motorcycle. Plus Sr.’s commentary is interesting from the rider’s position.
Even in 2021, riding this bike would be amazing.
What a piece. !! So techie for back in the day.
Memories! Step mom snap photo of me passing them in a 3rd gear wheelie pulling my trailer
Greatest era of motorcycling. The two stroke days !! 😎😎😎😎
the good old ,,Samovar,, fine bike and strong🇩🇰
Are the water bottle buetiful bike that's a nice example. As a kid I thought this was the best cheers
Owner of the shop who sponsored me had one as a daily driver (all weather) for 10 years. Bulletproof. Could never kill it. He called it Pig Dog. Boy would he love that bike.
SUZUKI GT 750 The Best Motocycles Japan 🇯🇵👍👍
I just finished restoring my 76, new swing arm bushes, & head race bearings, feels like a new bike,
My favorite Suzuki road bike. I worked on many of these as a Suzuki mechanic back in Ohio in the 70's. I LOVE these bikes.
Wow!! Original grips and seat... nearly impossible to find these days. I remember sitting on one in my friend's driveway when I was like 10 yrs. old. When his dad started it up, I couldn't believe how it sounded like a thousand dirt-bikes, all at once. I was hooked...
We called this bike the Kettle in the UK and I really miss my old GT, never had anything go wrong. Lovely to see one again.
Excellent review thanks, and good on you calling out the litterbug
A testament to quality. Just beautiful.
Sounds the best with stock exhaust; great to hear an original go through the gears!
Yep, dickering with the exhaust on a two-cycle engine usually results in reduced performance.
@mnpd3 Well, you are wrong. From experience with THIS model, a 3 into one chamber added low end torque, but didn't remove any top end power. 3 individual chambers added top end power and took away some torque down low.
I had a '73 that was a converted Cafe' racer. The engine was rebuilt to 900cc's. It had Spec II chambers, rear sets, clip-on handlebars and it scared the hell out of me every time I rode it hard. I wish I still had that bike, man it was fast!! Great video guys, it brought back some fond memories from my past.
I had one in 1976 bought it with 30k miles and road it 1000s of miles all over the US.
The best bikes ever i had one sold my z1akawi to buy ono i have t500j now 66 years old me that is
Wicked! Had a GT380 as my first bike and took her on a 600mile trip....oiling lines airlocked unknowing and lost a cylinder midway through a big sweeper. Limped her home and tore her down. Great dang memories great vid Kap and crew!
Dang that sucks but hey at least you got to really get to know the bike!
@@hhstarwars that was the best part! Tear her down and build it back up. She’s still running today almost 18years later.
@@joemooreplays that’s awesome! I’ve only been working on engines for maybe 3 years now and what I used to think was impossible is now my therapy. I’ve resurrected a couple atvs, atc’s, and some dirt bikes and my kids starting to help and work on his with me. Gotta love the way bikes bond!
The Kettle. Sounds awesome. Old skool 2 strokes. Back to the good times of the 70's. You lucky guy riding this beauty. Another great video. 🏍🏴🏴
You hate litterbugs. We can be friends. Cool video too dude.
one cool machine
August of 76 before starting my senior year of high school got mine a 76 model. It was blue and cost $1825. My all time favorite ride.
Uncle had the 550. I was small and in awe of the sound. Rode on it once. Later on in time it locked up on the freeway on him.
Yeah, that's right. The GT550 had that mechanical flaw. It would constantly seize the clutch plates while travelling fast on a highway. I got rid of mine, since I had no warranty... Bad bike.
I had 2 of these bikes in th 70s/80s in th UK, the M model then the B model. Great bikes. Traded one in for a Laverda Jota. The other I sold in 2007 wish I kept it.
In 1975, I purchased a new 1975 GT750! same color as in this video. Great bike. Previous bike was a blue/white 1973 GT380 that I shipped from Japan (had to cut a few inches off of the rear frame so it would fit in a shipping crate, bike shop welded it back together).
Fair winds and following seas to all.
when was that
@@rocket2811 it was yesterday
What a machine.I used to ride the gt550 with expansion chambers as a teen(my dads bike)what a howl.Legendary bikes.Much respect from New Zealand!!!
Here in the UK we call them "Kettles", lovely bikes and very sought after.
Or water cooled👍
Suzuki were truly excellent engineers at motorcycle design and weren't afraid to try new things such as the rotory motored bike
The GT750 was one of my all time favourite bikes back in the 70's when I was
a teenager. I always loved the look and the sound of these two stroke triples.
I lusted after owning one, but never did get one. My brother bought one back
in 1986 and I got to ride it around the block, and wow it felt and handled great
considering the weight of the machine. He sold it to some "Moron" who had
it wrecked in only a matter of weeks which was such a shame. All you guys,
if you own one of these, look after it, they sell for big money now, and good
ones are now hard to find. My ultimate bike of all time was the Kawasaki 900
Z1. A truly awesome machine.
The Kawasaki Z900RS is an upgraded version of the old Z1 motorcycle. The old Z1 was nice but the new model is better.
I had the exact bike in the 80’s with a 3 into one exhaust. It was a fun bike.
Every time I hear any GT 70’s bike, I immediately travel back to my teenage years and think of all the Japanese classics that were around back then but for me out of the CB,Z & RD the GT was the one’s to own. No smoke No poke.
Beautiful bike and also what a beautiful town you have very very clean i love the way Americans love America 🇺🇸 great patriotism , in England 🏴 where i live not so these days very sad
Keep bringing back those old Japanese two strokes to life i love them all.
Cheers mate,John
A blue 74 passed me this morning on the m25 on kent/Surrey border.it looked as nice as this one.then tonight you release this yt vid.
Feeling spoiled coz I love these 2 stroke gt bikes.thanks for making these vids guys .from the UK.
That is an absolutely beautiful example! Here in Australia they were known as the Water Bottle!
I purchased my first street bike in 1975, an orange 1974 Suzuki GT750L. Great handling, performance and balance. This was the only bike that I've ever owned where I could stop for a stop sign or traffic light and not put my foot down.
Massive radiator amazing 70s moto art and attitude..maybe first gen naked?no radiator covers.man u do have best job on earth
First motorbike to come out with twin-discs ..this is a stunner, ‘Water Bucket,’ one of the few 2 strokes you could ride around the world on.
I have seen the price tags in 2023. I think it is going to be a GT550 for me. Or the first generation Yamaha RD350LC. Hard to choose. I love them both. This GT750 is awesome.
I had a red one (a 74). It was blinding fast and sounded like an Indy racer.
Absolute cream puff! What a beautiful example of a gorgeous motorcycle. Love Suzuki's I have owned several.
I had one of these. During the ‘90’s parts were getting hard to come by. I eventually sold it and wish I never had. It was a great bike and turned alot of heads. Miss my water buffalo!
it sounds sick
I love that 2 stroke sound.I wish that bike was mine.
The 72' GT 750 J was my first street bike, I loved that thing.
the 1975 was mine also,at 16 years old I didnt know how lucky I was at the time and it did do 125mph.quick 120mph
I had one. Great bike. Great memories!
Love it Ken, my brother Jon, RIP, had one that looked exactly like that when he bought it in 79. He bought 2 sets of chrome expansion chambers for it, a 3 into one set that was better on the low end, and a 3 into 3 or individual set that was better on the top end. Those bikes sound like a Ferrari V12 with chambers on them. Thanks for the memories. Great vid and info as usual buddy!
Ken I really like your helmet cam to give us a much better experience on the bikes you take out. Well done. Greetings from Canada and a new owner of a 1979 Yamaha XS750 special
Time machine back to 1971. GT750 and Plymouth Hemi Cuda please. PS In 15 years most of us who remember these bikes when they were new will be dead.
All i can say is WOW UNREAL ..SO NICE ..
Badass bike. I love how SR. Has a outfit for every bike.
The sound and smoke is so exhilarating for me 😄 my pops just picked up one to restore.
GORGEOUS 😍
My first street bike was a get 380 I miss that bike
Beautiful piece of history.
Hi Kaplan! Sorry I forgot! Beautifull bike! Mine was red with Black and silver stripes! 👍👍👍👍Hans-Jørn, Denmark!
Beautiful machine, sounds fantastic..!! Alex.
Bought a GT 250 a few weeks ago...sweet bikes
God bless America and the KaplanKrew#
I had one from 1975-1977! And then I went 4-stroke! GS750 and later GS 850!
The Kettle.
Down in Australia it was the waterbucket.
@@Biggus63 🇬🇧 water buffalo 🐃 here
If i had this bike and your 79 fox CR250, my life would be complete. Yes i would ride them.
Ah the one that got away story... there was one of these in a corner of the motorcycle workshop I worked at after school in the 1980s
It was covered dust but complete I could have owned it for $1800 but for a school kid in those days that was not achievable !
My God what would it be worth now ???
I also sold a mint 1978 CBX1000 in 1998 for $5000........ If we only knew then what we know now right ?
My remembrance of these when they came out, the bikes sat on dealers floors and they couldn't give them away. I was pretty much into the road bikes then and this was in the Black Hills area.
I I own the blue one of these. L Model. Beautiful bike.
Still got my 76 A model and am actually looking at it whilst writing this...
Speechless, just drool
Wow! This is amazing. This is one of a kind.👍🇺🇸
DAMN THAT SOUNDS GOOD
Sweet, but I was expecting a Wheelie going up the driveway."Man I hate Litter Bugs. " +2
I doubt if the buffalo would wheelie..The kawa triple so easy to wheelie.
@@rocket2811 Oh it'll wheelie alright, first and second gear. Back in 79 I sold my 70 Electra Glide because my older brother that had a bike exactly like Ken is riding here would drag race me, and I got sick of him pulling away from me with the front end of the water buffalo about a foot off the ground in second gear. I fixed that situation by trading for a 75 Kawasaki Z1B 903. Then he was looking over or at the back of me.
Sweet bike! I have a frame and half an engine just waiting to be build in to something badass in the future. Those roads/ town looks so nice. Beautifull area
I just came across your channel about a week ago ,I love it.
A friend bought one when we were seniors. I had a honda CB450.
I later on got into dirt bikes and owned a couple of honda CR250s. I can hardly imagine how fast this bike was. CR250 x 3 = tooooo fast.
This was the style of motorcycle that was popular at the time. And the style I expected to see for a long time. Now the rear tire looks like like it came from a ten speed bicycle.
My first two bikes were two-strokes. An MZ 150 I inherited after my uncle when I was 17 and then a GT 500. I always wanted a Kettle, but alas, my purse didn't allow it back in the day. Gorgeous bike. :)
I had one of these in my younger days , also had a Kawasaki 350 s2 and to keep in the 3 cylinder line I now have a triumph rocket
Beautiful bike!!
Would Love to see you get some Yamaha RD 350's or 400's. What a cool screamer.. Would love to see senior put one thru its paces.!
Wow! The only time I've seen a three cylinder two stroke in Maine is in a snowmobile! Cool looking and sounding machine! I really love the nixie tube gear indicator as well.
The entire Suzuki GT Line up in this era were just Great Motorcycles and I wish I owned one of each. These Water Buffalo 750’s are still running today in original build state and are so smooth you can ride them all day from sun up to sun down without getting the Japanese high frequency vibe hands.
That was my first street bike
You said it classic fantastic, stay safe, from Staffordshire UK 🇬🇧