Classic Suzuki Two Stroke Buying Guide and Motorbikes For Sale (UK)

As with Yamaha and Kawasaki, from the late 1960's and through the 1970's Suzuki put a lot of emphasis on its range of two-stroke motorbikes. In the late 1960's when motorbikes from UK manufacturers (BSA, Triumph & Norton) were still clinging on to market share and respectability, Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuki were newcomers in Europe and did not yet have a strong foothold in the market. While Honda favored the 4-stroke engine design, the other three Japanese manufacturers saw the two-stroke as a great opportunity to deliver much lighter-weight, smaller capacity bikes than the British lumps but with equal or better power. They did this successfully and delivered 250cc and 350cc bikes that would run rings round British 500's and 500cc two-strokes that delivered the power of British 750's but were a lot lighter and more compact. Suzuki offered a range of air-cooled twins and triples in 250cc, 380cc and 500cc capacities and later developed the world's first water-cooled 750, the GT750 two-stroke triple and their range of RG and RGV water-cooled two-stroke twin and four cylinder race replica's which took them through the 1980's and right up until 1996 in the UK when the last RGV250's were sold. All these models will be reviewed below along with real-time listings from Ebay UK of examples for sale.

SUZUKI GT250 X7: AIR-COOLED 250 cc PARRALEL TWIN

PERFORMANCE & SPECIFICATION: Max Power: 29 bhp @ 8000 rpm, Max Torque: 18.9 lb-ft @ 7500 rpm, Dry Weight: 128 kg, Top Speed: 95 mph, Standing 1/4 mile: 14.8 seconds.

Suzuki started their 250 cc Two-Stroke sports bike program with the launch of the T20 "Super Six" or "Hustler" (more of which later) in 1965. The T20 progressed through to the slightly modified T250 then the better known GT250 in 1971. With Kawasaki's KH250 (see Kawasaki Section) and Yamaha's RD250 on the scene however, Suzuki needed a hotter model to compete and so the GT250 X7 was launched in 1978. For in depth, detailed information about the X7, got to the Homepage and other pages of this website. As a summary however, the X7 was the last of the sporty air-cooled two stroke 250cc bikes on the market before water-cooled models (starting with Yamaha's RD250LC) were introduced in the early 80's and changed the game altogether. Compared to it's competitors, the X7 was remarkably light which gave it with very keen acceleration and quick handling. It became infamous for being the first 250cc production bike to achieve 100 mph in UK road-tests.

The is a great bike for the first time or experienced classic bike owner. They are readily available for sale, inexpensive, very easy to work on and parts are quite readily available. To ride they are still a lot of fun on B and some A-roads, will chase modern 1000 cc sports bikes on roundabouts (if you fit decent tyres) and are great fund to ride with a group of other riders on similar machines. Get one before prices rise over the next 5 years which they will.

To find parts for sale for the Suzuki X7, click on this link: Suzuki X7 Spares For Sale

Any Suzuki X7's for sale on Ebay in the UK right now will be listed below. You can see more details of the bikes shown directly from these listings:

SUZUKI RG250 Gamma: WATER-COOLED 250 cc PARRALEL TWIN

Specification: Engine: 247cc Water-cooled 2-stroke parallel twin. Power: 45 bhp @ 8500 rpm. Torque: 3.6 kg-m @ 8500 rpm. Dry Weight: 130 kg (287 lbs). Standing 1/4 mile: 14.4 seconds, Top Speed: 110 mph.

By the early 1980's Suzuki's great X7 was beginning to get a little dated. The market moved on in 1980 with the launch of Yamaha's RD250LC which set the standard in the 250cc sports bike market with water-cooling and single shock absorber. Suzuki's response to the RD250LC was the RG250 Gamma, launched in 1983. The 250cc standard was reset once again and Yamaha's LC made obsolete and out-of-date. Whilst the claimed power of 45bhp from the RG250 was optimistic, it certainly equaled the power of the Yamaha but more important was the massive leap in chassis design. The RG250 was the first production road bike in the world to feature a lightweight aluminium box section frame. This was complemented with a rising rate single shock absorber rear suspension, adjustable front forks up front fitted with anti-dive and twin brake discs and a racing style half-fairing. This chassis specification was cutting-edge technology at the time for any motorbike, let alone a 250, so the RG250 was special.

With the fantastic chassis, the engine was a relative let-down, being essentially the X7 engine modified with the addition of water-cooling to allow higher revs and more power, but the motor still had enough power to work with the standard setting chassis and make a giant killing motorbike. The Mark 2 and Mark 3 versions were updated with four piston brake calipers up-front replacing the single piston models of the Mark 1 and also a power-valve system that altered the shape of the exhaust port at about 7000 rpm allowing the porting to be optimised for both mid-range and top-end power. The fairings grew to the extensively faired-in Mark 3. Seen top left is the Mk I, top right the Mk II and bottom left the Mk III.

Prices in the UK for these bikes vary from around £ 500 for a fairly tatty example to over £ 1500 for a nice one. These bikes tended to be ridden hard and cared for little. It is not uncommon for examples for sale in the UK today to be used imports from Japan or Italy which is not a bad thing as they seem to have suffered a little less abuse by owners in these countries. The RG250 has not yet reached collectable classic status but i think it will be in the next generation of bikes to do so. The model did well in production racing in its day and having made such a leap in chassis design in the early 80's is of definite technological significance. Buy now before prices start going up.

To find parts for sale for the Suzuki RG250, click on this link: Suzuki RG250 Spares For Sale

Any Suzuki RG250's for sale on Ebay in the UK right now will be listed below. You can see more details of the bikes shown directly from these listings.

SUZUKI RGV250: WATER-COOLED 250 cc V-TWIN

Specification: Engine: 247cc Water-cooled 2-stroke parallel twin. Power: 58 bhp - 62 bhp @ 11,000 rpm. Torque: 39 Nm @ 11,00 rpm. Dry Weight: 128 kg. 0 - 60 mph / 100 kph: 3.7 seconds, Top Speed: 130 mph.

The 250cc two-stroke market was hotly contended in the early and mid 1980's and technological development was rapid. In the same way that the Suzuki X7 was totally eclipsed and outclassed by the Yamaha RD250LC in 1980 which itself was completely outclassed by the Suzuki RG250 in 1983, the RG250 was demoted to 2nd best in 1986 with the arrival of Yamaha's TZR250. While suzuki struggled-on for another year with the Mark 3 RG250 they could not accept being outclassed by Yamaha and cam back in 1988 with a new class-leader, the RGV250 which blew the TZR250 into the weeds, making it look practical by comparison. With Honda's NSR250 not officialy imported into the Uk, the RGV250 was unique amongst the 250 cc two strokes available here in that it had a 90-degree V-twin motor. The V-twin configuration was derived from the 250 GP bikes of the time and has advantages over the parralel twin configuration in that it has excellent primary balance which massively reduces vibration and the separate cylinder heads make it easier to keep the motor cool which is critical with two strokes which suffer significant power loss as the temperature rises over a certain level.

The RGV250 was way ahead of the TZR250 in terms of performance, handling and styling. It looked just like a GP-bike and featured a huge alloy beam frame and swingarm and massive brakes compared to the single front disc on the TZR. This was quite simply the best handling bike on the market in 1988 and gave 130 mph performance thanks to a healthy 58 bhp punting along just 130 kg of metal. The first VJ21 models (see picture above left) can be identified by the exhausts that are mounted each side of the bike, the conventional right-way-up front forks and the more raked angle of the front fairing. The later VG22 model (see above right) was introduced in 1991 to keep ahead of the game, specifically Kawasaki's massively quick KR1S. This second generation RGV250 can be identified by its upside-down forks, 'banana' swingarm and stacked exhausts on the right hand side just like Kevin's (Schwantz that is, not Kevin down the road). Power on the later model was up to 62 bhp and with the better suspension and a more reliable motor, these are the ones to pick. The RGV motors, being in a high state of tune, are not the worlds most reliable. In particular, problems were experinces with the powervalves falling into the cylinders which causes mechanical mayhem. The later bikes were less prone to this and more reliable in general but still require sympathetic care and maintenance and the highest quality synthetic two-stroke oil. A top-end rebuild should be performed as frequently as every 10,000 miles with new pistons and bearings etc. When choosing which one to buy, go for as late a model as possible but also for one that has clearly been cared for in respect to service intervals. A well maintained one is probably a better prospect than one showing a lower milage that has not been cared for.

A final major update was given to the model in 1997 with the launch of the VJ23 but this was a Japan market only model, never being imported into the UK. This model is picture below left and was a completely new design with a 70-degree V-twin motor producing as much as 70 bhp in unrestricted form (they were restricted to 45 bhp for the road in Japan). These last model VJ23's are ultra rare in the UK and will cost at least £ 4000 to £ 5000 if you were to find one. Given that spares are not available in the UK a bike like this would be a serious luxury to own. Given the price difference, unless you specifically want something extra rare and exotic then you are much better off going for the VJ22 which are widely available in the UK. These came in some pretty lurid colour schemes (blue & pink and black & pink) but also some great classic Suzuki racing blue/white colours and a very good looking black & grey scheme. These bikes will still take on allcomers including current model fireblades etc on a twisty B or A road. The RGV250 hasn't yet reached classic status which is a good thing as it means that you can still get a good one for around £ 1500. But things are changing in the classic 250 two-strokes market. I predict a shift in interest from Yamaha's RD models to bikes like the RG and RGV over the next 5 - 10 years. The RGV250 is as small, light and compact as today's 125's. Suspension and brakes are excellent and with a small wheelbase and steep steering angle nothing short of a race-bike handles quicker and still does 130 mph. In terms of bikes officialy imported into the UK and aside from the Aprilia RS250 which used the RGV's engine, the RGV250 was the most advanced two-stroke ever sold. The culmination of over 25 years' of two-stroke 250cc development, few bikes can be as exhilarating or focused to ride as the RGV250. Get one cheap before its too late !

To find parts for sale for the Suzuki RGV250, click on this link: Suzuki RGV250 Spares For Sale

Any Suzuki RGV250's for sale on Ebay in the UK right now will be listed below. You can see more details of the bikes shown and buy directly from these listings.

SUZUKI GT380: Air-COOLED 371 cc INLINE TRIPLE. 1972 - 1978.

Specification: Engine: 371cc Air-cooled 2-stroke inline triple. Power: 38 bhp @ 7500 rpm. Torque: 3.9 kg-m @ 6500 rpm. Dry Weight: 183 kg (402 lbs). 0 - 60 mph: 10.5 seconds, Top Speed: 90 mph.

Suzuki's GT380 just makes it into this section as a classic bike. I say this as the model was a bit of an odd-ball as it wasn't really clear what role it was meant to fulfil. Whilst most other two-strokes over 250cc of the time were sports bikes, the GT380 certainly could not be considered as one of them. For its displacement it was quite heavy, looked quite ungainly and had a pretty un-impressive 38 horsepower meaning it struggled (if not failed) to achieve 100 mph. In fact, Suzuki's own 250 cc sports two-strokes of the time were probably quicker. Fuel consumption was also pretty poor with mpg in the mid-30's. The Bike also had an odd exhaust styling arrangement in that two-strokes usually have a dedicated exhaust pipe and expansion chamber for each cylinder whilst the GT380 had a 3-into-four system with the three pipes merging into four silencers (2 on each side).

Not only was the 3-into-4 exhaust design purely a styling exercise (a dedicated exhaust for each cylinder is the norm for two-strokes so that back pressure can be optimised to tune the engine performance) but it compromised engine performance, ground clearance and added unnecessary weight. Finally, the bike was also prone to overheating and resulting power loss which was a particular issue on air-cooled inline triple cylinder two-strokes in which the middle cylinder got hot, being sandwiched between the two outer pots. Suzuki attempted to deal with this on the GT380 with the much vaunted "Ram Air System" which simply referred to the oversized and angled cylinder-head fins forcing (or directing) cool air across the cylinder head. Despite this, the GT380 was still known to suffer from seizures of the middle cylinder.

So far the GT380 doesn't sound all that appealing then, but as there is not much going for it they are pretty cheap and with their classic 70's styling if you are looking for a budget classic with a civilised engine to cruise around on in a relaxed fashion then perhaps this wouldn't be such a bad choice. While it wasn't a big seller in the UK the model ran for 6 years so there are examples out there that do come up for sale. Earlier models had a drum front brake as in the picture on the left. This was replaced by a single disc from brake on later examples - see picture on the right.

To find parts for sale for the Suzuki GT380, click on this link: Suzuki GT380 Spares For Sale

Any Suzuki GT380's for sale on Ebay in the UK right now will be listed below. To buy, make a bid or see more details of the bikes shown, click on the advert.

SUZUKI GT550: Air-COOLED 543 cc INLINE TRIPLE. 1972 - 1977.

Specification: Engine: 543cc Air-cooled 2-stroke inline triple. Power: 53 bhp @ 7500 rpm. Torque: 5.5 kg-m @ 6000 rpm. Dry Weight: 215 kg (477 lbs). Top Speed: 110 mph.

Suzuki's GT380 above had a 550 cc bigger brother - the GT550. The layout was very similar to the GT380 but was certainly better suited to the bigger model which stretched out a bit and looked a little less bulky. While the bigger 550cc version was obviously heavier at 215 kg it did have a good power increase to just over 50 bhp which for the day was very respectable for a motorbike of this size.

As described above, the GT 380 and in the same way the GT 550 were not really intended as fire-breathing sportsbikes but were more true to their GT (Grand Tourer) acronym. At the time, these two-stroke engines were as reliable if not more so than some of their four-stroke counterparts. The extra capacity and power of the GT550 just made a lot more sense for the concept and the bike was better looking than the smaller GT380 which was a bit dumpy by comparison.

As with the GT380, the GT550 does not have significant collectable status so is a good buy for a nice looking classic bike which I would certainly recommend over the smaller model. However, read-on if you want something more sporty from Suzuki in the 1970's.

To find parts for sale for the Suzuki GT550, click on this link: Suzuki GT550 Spares For Sale

See Suzuki GT550's for sale in the UK on Ebay listed below:

SUZUKI T500: Air-COOLED 492 cc TWIN. 1968 - 1975 / GT500: Air-COOLED 492 cc TWIN. 1975 - 1977.

Specification: Engine: 492cc Air-cooled 2-stroke Twin. Power: 47 bhp @ 7000 rpm. Torque: 5.7 kg-m @ 6000 rpm. Dry Weight: 187 kg (412 lbs). Top Speed: 110 - 120 mph.

In my opinion the , the T500/GT500 is a much better choice of medium capacity Suzuki 2-stroke from the 1970's than the triple cylinder GT380 and GT550 reviewed above. As described above the positioning of the GT-triples was a bet unclear. It seems the triples were aimed as easy going tourer type bikes but the poor fuel consumption and short tank range were at odds with this role and positioning and with their relatively high weight and low power the Suzuki triples didn't really set the world on fire. BUT the T500/GT500 series were a different matter. With these motorbikes Suzuki kept things simple and focused on producing sporty and lightweight motorbikes with good power.

The 1968 first model T500 was known as the Cobra and was a pretty impressive bike for the time with good stable handling and performance equal to 650 cc British Four-Stroke Twins of the day. Unfortunately the styling of this first released model was not so good (see above left), with the bike looking like it had been squashed in a head-on accident. However, in 1969 the model received some updates to become the T500 Titan. The Titan (see above right and below left) was extensively restyled with a longer, leaner tank, seat and overall stance. The result was a very good looking motorbike. The relatively long wheelbase gave the bike stable handling at the expense of flickability but this married well to the bikes useful power meaning it could cruise happily at 70 - 80 mph and even return pretty good fuel consumption at those speeds. Rung out to its full potential, the motor could propel the bike to 110 mph and more which was pretty impressive in 1971. The relatively simple engine was impressively reliable and robust for a two-stroke and being a twin did not suffer from the overheating middle piston problems of the GT Triples.

In 1976 the T500 was updated and relaunched as the GT500 (see below right). In an attempt to keep up with technological developments, the front brake was upgraded to a hydraulic single disc but this did little to boost the now aged and dated machine. Other modifications from the previous model were the addition of the bigger fuel tank from the GT750 which ruined the svelte purposeful looks of the bike. This model didn't sell very well and was not a highly regarded as the T500.

So the pick of the bunch is the T500 Titan model that ran from 1969 to 1975. These are very nice looking, simple, reliable and fairly quick machines that are still great to ride today. They also have a genuine racing pedigree as the bikes (at least the engines) were the basis for the Suzuki Factory Racer 500 GP bikes of the early 1970's which were raced by the late great Barry Sheene and many others (see black & white picture of Barry on TR500 racer on left). The early air-cooled versions produced about 71 bhp and took the bikes to over 150 mph. These GP bikes, named TR500's (R for racing) were basically tuned versions of the same engine used in the road bike. As more power was sought, later versions were modified to have watercooled cylinders and produced up to 80 bhp giving them a top speed of 160 mph. The Australian racer Jack Findlay scored Suzuki's first ever 500 Grand Prix win on a road-based TR500 at the 1971 Ulster Grand Prix. This was probably the closest ever bike to a production road machine ever to win a Grand Prix. This gives some idea of the potential of the road bike engines should they be given some mild tuning work as in standard form they are in a pretty low state of tune. Some T500's on the road today will have been given the race-replica treatment to mimic the GP racers and they look great with drop bars and expansion type exhausts. As more power was required from the racers the factory added water-cooling before they had finally developed the engine as far as it would go and went to the new concept of water-cooled square-four cylinder engine on the RG500 racers. All this adds to the credibility of the T500 and with prices very reasonable at the moment this is a bit of a hidden jewel amongst classic Japanese Bikes. Get one for pocket money (less than £ 1500) while you can and before everyone else wakes up and realises what a great bike this is ! The T500 is definitely on my shopping list.

To find parts for sale for the Suzuki GT500 and T500, click on this link: Suzuki GT500 & T500 Spares For Sale

See listed below any T500 and GT500's for sale on Ebay in the UK today. Click on the adds to see more information about the bike or to make a bid or buy.

SUZUKI GT750: WATER-COOLED 739 cc INLINE TRIPLE. 1972 - 1977.

Specification: Engine: 739 cc Water-cooled 2-stroke Triple. Power: 70 bhp @ 6500 rpm. Torque: 8.5 kg-m @ 5500 rpm. Dry Weight: 214 kg ( lbs). Top Speed: 110 mph.

This was Suzuki's big-boy 2-stroke of the 1970's and a much sought after, well established classic today. The GT750 was advanced for its day with its water-cooled motor and as with most Japanese bikes of the day the motor was the talking point of the bike as the chassis wasn't much to write home about. The novel water-cooling was the source of the nickname "Kettle" given to the bike in the UK and "Water Buffalo" in the USA. The Buffalo part of the USA nickname drawing attention to the other notable feature of the bike which is its substantial size and weight - this is a sizeable bike ! As with the air-cooled GT380/550 series described earlier, the exhuasts from the 3-cylinder engine were split into 4 silencers as as styling exercise that added weight and bulk with little in return. Fortunately the centre of gravity was low so once on the move the weight was not too much of a hindrance. The GT750 was positioned by Suzuki as a tourer, as with it's smaller capacity GT and T-series bikes but the engine did have racing pedigree: this was the engine that was the basis for Suzuki's wild TR750 racers that made 107 bhp and were piloted by hard, big-balled racers of the day like Barry Sheene against Yamaha's notorious TZ750's; nasty and evil machines with legendary status today.

Some amazing specials have been made using the GT750 as a basis, with modern day front and back suspension from GSXR1000's. While I do appreciate these, the genuine original condition example shown here and modified examples with period performance exhausts and styling are the ones I like. These beasts aren't cheap but they are the only 750cc two-stroke triples in the world and have historic links to legends like Bazza. One for the well heeled connoisseur ?

To find parts for sale for the Suzuki GT750, click on this link: Suzuki GT750 Spares For Sale

There are a fair amount of GT750's in the UK and they come up for sale on Ebay more than anywhere else. Any currently on Ebay will be listed below. Click on the add for more information or to bid or buy.

SUZUKI RG500: WATER-COOLED 498 cc SQUARE-FOUR. 1985 - 1987.

Specification: Engine: 498 cc Water-cooled 2-stroke Square-Four. Power: 95 bhp @ 9500 rpm. Torque: 7.3 kg-m @ 8000 rpm. Dry Weight: 156 kg (343 lbs). Top Speed: 150 mph.

Suzuki's RG500 was and is something very special for a number of reasons. This is the closest ever production bike manufactured to a genuine GP bike, equaled only by Ducati's awesome Desmoseidici in 2008. Consider this: in 1980 the full-factory Suzuki GP bikes raced by the likes of Barry Sheene produced about 110 bhp, were housed in frames made of tubular steel and had a dry weight of about 150kg . Production racing versions of these bikes kept the 500 GP class going and enabled privateer teams to run competitively. The 500cc Square-Four two-stroke suzuki was a dominant force in racing from club racing to GP's and then Suzuki made the boldest and most genuine move of the big four with their road-going version, launched in 1985.

The RG500 burnt bright and died young. It was a remarkably close replica of the real thing . Whilst the officially quoted power figure of 95bhp (at the crankshaft) was a little optimistic, with a little tuning 100 bhp at the wheel could easily be achieved, delivering a road-legal bike with almost as much power and nearly as light as the bikes winning in the world's premier class of racing just 5 years previous and with a more advanced square section alloy chassis. The later GP models as race by Barry Sheene in 1983 - 85 (see below right) featured the same style alloy box section frame as the road bike. This was a genuine racer on the road and many of them were stripped of their few road going necessities, tuned-up and raced successfuly. I remember going to the Scarborough Gold Cup as late as 1992 and seeing converted road going machines running competitively in the open-class events against 750cc and 1000cc four-strokes including the likes of Honda's RC-30.

Unfortunately the timing of the release of the RG500 was just a bit too late for it to have a good model run and it was the the top sports bike on the market for a very brief period. In fact it was Suzuki's own brand new GSXR 750, launched just a few months after the RG500 that made the RG500 obsolete. The four stroke GSXR delivered slightly more power with a better power delivery and a more reliable motor with greater longevity and less maintenance. This Suzuki GSXR 750 of 1985 was one of the bikes that started the modern era of four-stroke Sportsbike development, killing off the previous norm of powerful but heavy engines in bendy but heavy steel tubular chassis and also killing off the need and relevance for large capacity two-stroke sports bikes like the RG500. After 1985, development of road-going two-stroke sports bikes over 250cc ceased. Suzuki's RG500 was the last of the big capacity two-stroke sports bikes and arguably the best.

If you are going to buy an RG500 today you are going to need a fairly deep wallet to buy it and keep it running. Prices for these bikes have soared in the last 5 - 10 years and good condition original models go for £ 6000 and more. Then to keep it running, petrol will be consumed at anything from 18 mpg to about 30 mpg along with expensive synthetic two sroke oil, spares are expensive and increasingly hard to come by and you'll have to keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't blow-up which these thinks do have a tendency to do. If it doesn't seize or hole a piston then perhaps a piston ring will fail or and exhaust valve drop into the barrel and with four cylinders there's a greater chance of this happening than on a twin and when it does the complex motor won't be cheap to fix.

I don't want to put any-one off because if you do fancy an awesome occasional Sunday afternoon bike then the RG500 could be one of the most rewarding, intoxicating machines out there. I confess to never having ridden one of these but I've known plenty who have, seen many on the road and had a brief tussle with one on a dual carriageway with roundabouts between Kidderminster and Birmingham. I was on my Honda Firestorm, not a slow bike with 100 bhp and 150 mph top speed. I saw the RG coming in my mirrors and allowed it to pass with the intention of keeping up to enjoy the experience of watching it go. To keep up I needed max throttle and revs and on the roundabouts it left me for dead, eventualy loosing me altogether. This may have been as much to do with rider skill as anything else but from this experience I know first-hand that these bikes are genuinly quick. Don't expect to be able to beat modern sports-bike of 600cc or more but also don't forget that the RG500 is now 25 years old ! It will still give you a chance to severely embarrass less committed or competent riders on modern machines. If this appeals to you and you have a thick-wedge get one now before prices or rarity make them unobtainable. There are still specialists out there that are happy to work on these engines when the need arises. These bikes are only going to get more and more special.

To find parts for sale for the Suzuki RG500, click on this link: Suzuki RG500 Spares For Sale

Any RG500's currently for sale on Ebay UK will be listed below