1974 2-Stroke 750cc Motorcycle First Ride In 30+ Years (The Water Buffalo)

[@cunnings309]

I had one like this, bought brand new in the crate. It was a wonderful motorcycle. Lot of long trips on the road. I could trust that engine. I changed the rear suspension for air shocks to be able to load it more for week long trip on canadian roads and comfort. It was in 1974 and I was 20 years old!

[@ebutuoyebutouy]

Lol! I'm also 70. In 74 all I could afford was a trashed cb350. Was so jealous of the guys who had cb750s. At that time British bikes were being junked. The good days of poverty.

[@joedranschak1057]

I'm also 70 and could only afford a CB350 lol.

[@cunnings309]

@@ebutuoyebutouy May be the difference is because I was a motorcycle mecanic. Many of my friends had the Honda 350cc and they were good motorcycles too. We made nice trips on the road together. At least, you had fun with your motorcycle.

[@cunnings309]

@@ebutuoyebutouy One of my friends had a BSA 650cc ... a real money trap! Always broken on the side of the road.

[@vernonjjf]

Mate, I am from South Africa and the cost of fixing it in my country is mind boggling. So, from all the OLD bikers in the world I implore you to make a series of videos where you restore the crap out of this water buffalo. .....please. Its iconic. Please please bud.

[@riccochet704]

he doesn't do restorations, at least not on video. He has a few bikes that are restoration worthy, whether he's done that is unknown.

[@travisconover4762]

He fixes stuff not detail or restore

[@soggybottom3463]

I'd like to see this too, sport 👍Great machine.

[@Slutparm]

Joe doesn’t even clean his stuff, let alone, restore it. I’d love to see him try

[@pinkcharly9676]

I'm surprised this 750 does not have an electric starter!

[@amykryptonite]

The sound of a triple 2 stroke😮 just amazing.i'm glad you removed the sissy bar

[@nitroneal414]

You should hear it with the top two baffles out of it, it sounds wicked that way

[@amykryptonite]

@@nitroneal414 someone over 20 years ago had a Kawasaki H2 ,it was also a triple 2 stroke.such a special sound

[@stephenbaron5681]

If you plan on riding the bike,new tubes and tires front and back are a must.

[@daveallen8824]

That device on the petcock is not a pump; it is simply a diaphragm that opens the fuel line when the engine is running. Its whole purpose is to avoid filling the crankcase with fuel if the carb floats fail. When the petcock is on, it will only flow fuel when there is vacuum applied to the diaphragm - also on reserve. The prime position is to allow fuel to flow for starting in case the carbs have run dry. You can just run it on prime; just have to be aware that if your floats fail, it will fill the crankcase with fuel. They kept this feature for years - I had it on 2 of my Suzukis - pretty foolproof actually - just have to keep on eye on rotting vacuum lines.

[@talon0863]

Thank you And yeah this guy does not use the repair manuals. Its a shame because good manuals explain why and how things do what they do. troubleshooting something you don't understand is doing it the hard way

[@Texas4x]

@@talon0863 If all else fails, RTFD lol

[@mjrybread]

Who cares😂

[@talon0863]

@@Texas4x Do you mean RTFM? IDK WTF RTFD means

[@talon0863]

@@mjrybread People with an IQ above 80.

[@module79l28]

19:00 - Very useful tip: when pouring liquids from a full container like that one, always start with it turned it on its side. The air goes in to the empty space quicker, making the liquid flow a lot easier. 😉

[@mrmoodster5405]

Most containers are designed to be poured with the spout at the top, not the bottom, for the reasons you describe here. Most people get this wrong and spill fluid everywhere. It's not just oil and coolant: this also applies to juice containers, milk jugs and lots of others.

[@BarryFlo58]

The sound of that bike is just how I remember it and it brought the memories flooding back. Every weekend in the mid 70's we would all get on the bikes and ride out for the day during the warm summer months until winter came back again. One of my friends had a BSA and he would take it to his bedroom where he stripped it down for the winter and on the return of summer, he'd put it all back together and give it a new name of one of his favourite records

[@kenjohnson5498]

I mentioned that punch a while back after seeing it on "Steves small engine saloon" I'm glad to see it used and it actually works.

[@portergieske]

Works really well if you desire to spider crack a windshield too. Some call that retribution for being cut off in traffic.

[@JohnnieBravo1]

Wow, that brings back memories of my college days early to mid 70's. I had a Norton 650 Nomad (still have it), one buddy bought one of those Suzi 750's, another buddy bought a 1973 Honda 750 (4 cyl, 4-stroke), another buddy bought a 74 Kawasaki Mach IV (750 triple, 2--stroke). That Kawasaki was scary to ride. Over powered, lousy handling, definitely not for inexperienced riders or the faint of heart. Thank you for the trip down Memory Lane Joe. You sir are a gift!

[@staygold902]

The kawasaki is the 2 stroke to have imo.

[@allan9603]

​@@staygold902Agree. The Norton has a long history of issues, and even today it's not a bike I would trust for the long haul; it was OK for putting around tiny England, but not the bike to ride from NY to LA.

[@neutonrenda2303]

You wouldn't think that it stood so long, it runs really well. It definitely deserves to be on the road again.👍

[@privateer0561]

Great to watch, but once again you don't disappoint when it comes to immediately revving the piss out of a bike that has been sitting for decades. I don't know who taught you that, but I can assure you it makes anybody with even a small amount of mechanical sympathy cringe.

[@nhhammer8782]

Yup it’s like jumping out of bed and doing a 100 yd sprint first thing in the morning.

[@al4904]

I'm sure Joe must have read a few of the many comments upon revving the nuts off engines that have not been started for many years, but he just can't seem to help himself.

[@rayrice9060]

I always say the same but KZbin says I'm bullying but he grinds my gears with his super rare bike then abuses it cold revving this tops it tho taking it to a field to test 😂

[@camazar1]

Yeah, personally, doesn’t really matter if the bikes been sitting for that long, it’s not a bad thing because he’s already pre-lubed the rings! The engine is designed to run and rev up as long as it has adequate lubrication, it’s balanced! Also being a two-stroke it just doesn’t have the tighter tolerances like a four stroke would with overhead valves and Cam shafts!! They are designed for abuse!

[@muckle8]

@camazar1. it definitely got the abuse it craved!

[@BretMcIntire]

The spring load center punch is for marking drill locations on metal pieces. It will leave a small indentation on the metal part, making it easier to get a hole started with a drill bit without the bit sliding. When you used it to get the float pin out, you probably introduced a slight flare on one end of the pin, which made the pin not want to insert from one direction.

[@davidrussell3890]

In the UK we call them Kettles. Love all your vids a great source of information plus the fact the 70,s was when I got addicted to two strokes and owned one of these. Incredible machines.

[@Transit67F2]

yeah that buffalo thing gets up my nose ( though they were a bit of a lump :) waterbus in NZ

[@bluoval3481]

Took delivery this week of a fully restored '75 GT750. Incredible machine that loves 70-80 mph runs the best.

[@johnseymour5223]

Back in the early 2000's my Dad bought and completely restored an early Water Buffalo, it was mint when it was finished..this bike is crazy fast, the guy that had the bike previously to my Dad broke the speedo by going past the 160 MPH that the speedo is set for, and I guess it had plenty more to go! out of all of your collection this is by far your biggest gem.. its a keeper and well worth a total restoration.

[@markr.1984]

No way they can go 160!! I had a '76 model and rode it for a couple years, then had a '78 GS1000E and then a '81 GS1100E. The 1100 I had was the fastest production bike in 1980 and 81 and it would only hit around 145 mph!! And the 1000 would only go 130 to 135. They both had loads more HP than the water buffalo did. GT750 was about 70 to 75 HP while my 1000 and 1100 were well over 90 HP. The GT750 was good for 120 mph, that's about it. Google GT750 preformance, you'll see a quoted a top speed of 115 to maybe 120.

[@gmccaffrey47]

I don't mean to be rude my friend but the Suzuki GT 750 could only reach 110 miles and hour so he was either quoting the speed in kph instead of MPH or he was telling you little Porky's to impress his son which it obviously did so unless your DAD had seriously modified his bike that was more than likely the reason to impress you.

[@gmccaffrey47]

​@@markr.1984I've just said the same thing his dad was more than likely trying to impress his son which it obviously did and I've just googled it which came back as a top speed of 110mph or 150kph it's the classic fishing trip white tale of the fish was huge and this big lol 😂😂😂

[@gregblack8264]

Had a gt380....at redline I had it wound out trying to get away from a motorcycle gang at 110mph.....in fourth gear Had 2 gears to go....but I kept it in 4th and high revs....they never caught me

[@Transit67F2]

@@markr.1984 yeah the fast story is like the size of fish :D My RD400 had my mates waterbus up to 90

[@grayfool]

Great to see you get this excellent bike back up and running.

[@Liesthroughisteeth]

Keep your eyes peeled on those old cracking tires. Even rear blow outs are not fun on these older street bikes. Had a rear blow on my cafe CB750 (punched to 850, with a Kenny Harmon D grind cam, header, ported, polished, Barnett clutch, airbox, mags dual disks and Dunlop TT100s, fiberglass seat and tail section as well as front fender and clip-ons) in about 1981 at 75 mph. Was wearing cutoff jeans , runners and no shirt......Good thing I had slowed down from about 120. :) One of my school mates had one of these Water Buffalos back in the mid 70s. My best bud had a root beer and orange 1973 Z1 Kawasaki 900. Love the channel and thank you.

[@Swabian90]

when i was like 12 or 13 me and my dad used to get on a ride with his waterbuffalo, and now 20 years later my dad is still driving like no time has passed xD , he got a 3in3 exhaust, sounds insane, like a Banshee

[@mrsmith4662]

I like the bike restoration (it didn't like the grass!), but also like the lovely house & grounds the bikes are tested on - what a nice place to live.

[@michi_danksta]

You should buy a $25 IR thermal gun. Read heat at head pipe to know which cylinders are firing fuel

[@soggybottom3463]

Great to hear it rev out clean on the road. 2 strokes 4ever!!! 🤗🤗🤗

[@theorichter7742]

In Australia, we called them ‘water bottles’ lol. I had the ‘76 air cooled GT550 triple. Such a cool bike! 😊

[@waynemack6833]

I owned a GT 380 many years ago, beautiful and very fast👍🏼 3 Cylinders and 4 Exhaust pipes were always a topic of conversation 😅

[@Transit67F2]

My old RD400 laughed at those lumps dragging extra plumbing around;)

[@johndonlon1611]

Suzuki sold these two strokes from the 185 all the way to the 750 by the boxcar load in the 1970s. They were well made, reliable and priced to move. Be glad you got your hands on this classic. Make more videos, please.

[@muckle8]

Agree completely, the entire Suzuki GT range seemed like 2 wheeled Rolls- Royce’s . Miss those days.

[@citizenseventies6738]

There was also a GT125 which was almost identical to the 185 but the 185 had an electric start like the 550 and 750, all the rest were kick start only. Both the 125 and 185 had a top speed of 80 mph but the 185 had more low end grunt (8500 rpm redline) and the 125 was more peaky (10,000 rpm redline) and so the 125 had to be kept in 'the zone' to get it's maximum performance.

[@gregblack8264]

Think they made a TC125 also

[@BRI33NOR]

Ap50.A100. Gp100. Gp125.Gt 185. X5200.X7250. Gt200/250/325/350/500/750 RG 250/RG500 4 cylinder.Almost the last two stroke range. Of course the Ts range trail bikes from 50 to400 cc. Plus the RM moto cross range. I built from the crate, prepared, sold, serviced, repaired most of them over the years. Plus of course many other older models. B100p etc. Good all round bikes. That GT750 sounds horrible, looks OK, but needs putting back to standard, cards fixing,, timing set up, exhaust baffles cleaning and so on

[@daveallen8824]

Make sure that oil pump is working - Suzuki had a completely different oil injection system to anybody else. You can't count on premix working to lube bottom end. It really needs the direct feed from the pump.

[@SirOsisofLiver]

I came here to post this. Running on pre-mix will take the bottom end out of Suzuki GTs. Having said that, their system does work well and is reliable. Just keep an eye on the condition of the oil lines.

[@MrRikko951]

@@SirOsisofLiver actually, I broke the crankshaft on mine (1973 J model) while crashing of a dijk in 1985 and that made the oil pump not running (because that part broke off) , still went on holiday with it running on premix through europe.... it survived fine!

[@markr.1984]

You are correct, I hope he sees this!! You can burn up the crank on these if you try to run premix too long. They are not made for Pre mix!! I had a 1976 blue colored one and I remember well the warning to keep the auto oil injection system working at all times and never to premix!!

[@mjrybread]

Took a spin on one back in the 80s scared the crap out of me ,hit just over 100 in no time no bike for a young moto guy😅

[@aaronspratt267]

Awesome video! This bike is worthy of a full restoration.

[@neutonrenda2303]

You are the carb whisperer lol, most of us battle even when they are working properly. It's amazing that you got them back to working again.👍

[@ronsherfy6291]

Nothing sounds better than a 2 stroke street bike! Nice job bringing her back to life!

[@richardstone5241]

Great idea on the spring loaded punch! I have used a punch many times but never thought of using a spring loaded one. Tank sealer on metal tanks is a MUST (Eastwood Gas Tank Sealer). This channel has helped me MANY TIMES!!!

[@thaddeuslevandoski5492]

Spring punch is a terrible idea. you will end up breaking the carb post right off. Trust me i have done it.

[@walbrzych9975]

We used to call this bike "The Kettle" Lovely sound and smell when run on Castrol R

[@willythewave]

I cant believe there`s someone on ebay that can make a key for a 50 year old Japanese motorcycle. That`s incredibly AMAZING.

[@steveperyer4850]

When I saw those water Buffalo GT 750’s out on the showroom floor, brand new sitting at F&L outdoor center, in Plattsburgh, NY, I was salivating. I had a Kawasaki S2 350 triple at the time, and at 19 years old, I wanted one bad. What a great and beautiful bike. Real good running bike!😊

[@staygold902]

The kawasakis were the better bike

[@trevorcmorris]

as an old bike fan bought my first one in "67, 175 cc"kega saki"....dumped it numerous times....thank you for sharing this pc. o' history!

[@joealexander7533]

It looked like you towed the bike strapped down with the sidestand out. I did that once and it pounded the sidestand up and tore part of the frame tube it was attatched to. Love two-stroke tripples. I have an NS and a KH 400 , a buffalo, a gt550 and a gt380. You ve inspired me to make all of them rideable again. Great work

[@richxts1357]

Hey Bud, no criticism intended, you might think about investing in a sandblast cabinet with glas beads/walnut shells or other light media to clean those aluminum/white metal parts and finish clean with your ultrasonic cleaner. Can be used to remove rust and corrosion on other parts. Just a suggestion! You do excellent work, keep the videos coming. Hope you or your buyer will do a complete restoration on the bike!

[@keithlawton1234]

Great video. That bike is a testament to the engineers who built it.

[@billymania11]

I had a silver-grey buffalo and it was a great machine. Once I drove it from Denver to Lawton, Oklahoma. It was smooth-running and covered the distance effortlessly. I wish I still had it.

[@ohwell2790]

As a mechanic in the 1970's at a Suzuki Dealer in Santa Maria CA. My favorites where the 380 and 550 triples, they are so smooth and made good power and oil injection. I rode a 500 cc Titan 2 stroke twin. The first one had a drum front and the next year they had a disc brake. fine bikes but fuel milage was not all that good. Very reliable motorcycles. v

[@mcross320]

Too bad Suzuki didn't make more power, compared to an air cooled Kawasaki screaming with 75hp.

[@DanielHatt-o2o]

Hi, nice find heavy but they have plenty of torque and ran forever even if they were used hard. I see a lot of comments about 2 stroke triples being widow makers. The Widow maker was the H1 500 Kawasaki (69/70) because it was dead below 5k and made 70 hp above, it was like a switch. In 71 the 500 was detuned and the 750 was released, it had torque and power everywhere ( more on top 75 hp ) but it wasn’t a surprise. Neither bike handled well. I road raced against them on a track and you wouldn’t believe what the the swing arm and rear tire were doing in tight corners, scared me and I was on a 350 Yamaha. Oh the good old days :)

[@gravitationaleddie5611]

Ohhh the memories... This was my first BIG bike way back, 50 years. There's a whole lot I forgot about this machine and Yes, this is a genuine 100% keeper. Hoard this. Mech tip. Under #3 carb is a oil pump cover/manifold which goes to all those micro skinny white oil lines. Manifold and those oil lines are all one piece (!) and manifold side has tiny o-rings. you replace dried out o-rings with new. If the cover doesn't look wet you don't have a leak, as long as there's oil in the lines.

[@shadow7796]

I like the automatic-style punch from Spring tools. It's a 2-piece center shaft connected by a coil spring wrapped around the outside. Todd from Project Farm tested it and was impressed. If I remember correctly, it doesn't cost that much either. I love that bike, Joe. around 25 years ago, before my father died, he gave my brother an old Yamaha 1100 that I would have loved to get going. Of course, he thought he knew how to work on things and just took it completely apart to "rebuild" it himself. After realizing he was in over his head, he parted everything out without ever asking for advice or offering a single word of explanation. That bike just reminds me of it. I love older Japanese bikes like that, I'm not big on crotch rockets, though.

[@rodcoulter997]

What a “sweet sound”…my first bike was Kawasaki 1971 A1 SS…amazing sound. It was quick and great fun to ride.

[@perustc9158]

I worked on a "TM400" once that had a fuel problem. After taking the carb off I found a finishing nail where the "Needle" should be. Customer stated "Well. it looked just like it so I thought it would work. Uh... yeah! Great vid and thank you. I have many memories of riding a friends "Buffalo" down A1A in "Daytona" with "Wirges" chambers on it. Moved pretty well for a heavy bike. Thanks again!

[@bjh5766]

Back in 1977 I owned a GT380 and absolutely loved it basically the same bike just a little less hp. Brings back memories!

[@markhensley9378]

Great job getting it going. This bike is a good candidate for a partial restoration. New tires, new brakes, polish up the wheels and fenders, etc. Really enjoyed this one.

[@JustPlaneNutzRC]

The old girl runs/sounds really good. Great job with the video. 👍👍

[@donalddonovan2220]

I had one in the 78 and I loved it not much power but a smooth ride

[@greathornedowl3644]

Great Job, you brought life to a classic that could have been sold for scrap. Yikes, I'd be wary of taking on the road. Who needs brakes you've got feet (Flintstones). Thanks for taking us along for the ride

[@damianbutterworth2434]

We call them "kettles" in the UK. I got one for £250 in the 1980`s and sold it a week later for £400. Thought I had done the right thing at the time. Now they are worth a fortune.

[@oscr_zen]

Omg, as if 2vintage have heard me. He made an amazing 'previously' intro. Love it!!!

[@vindejon7097]

It runs great, no ticking or rattles from the engine, just thought it ran a bit rich is all. Great work again. Big Up!

[@torque-aholic5039]

I love these old bikes and really enjoy watching you get them back up and running🎉

[@vmontijo]

Great Video! - thanks for posting. This is good motivation for me to get my own 1972 GT750 back on the road... it has been napping for about 30 years, but fortunately I have been able to store it indoors with my other more valuable bikes, so its rate of decomposition was slowed to almost zero! Bravo!

[@riccochet704]

If you didn't know you can reuse those rust remover products. Put it back in the jug and save it. I've been using the same bottle now for almost a year, cleaned a ton of tanks and parts with it. I use CRC Evapo-Rust, but it's all the same. I also throw steel shot in my tanks with the rust remover and strap it to vertical turn table and let it run for an hour at a slow speed, maybe 20 RPM. That helps break up/off all the loose scale. Then I'll use a coffee filter in a strainer basket to recover the shot and strain out particulate matter before rebottling it.

[@stanRmeyer]

I use glass marbles not affected by the cleaner

[@minnesotatomcat]

Yeah he said it right in the video as he was dumping it in that you could reuse it multiple times.

[@richardkilb8305]

That triple has such a unique sound with 3 carbs and 3 pipes, soooooo cool. What a sweet ride. Good work Joe!!!

[@joelboutier1736]

Love that street legal 2 stroke. Such a crazy sound... 3 cylinder 2 stroke. Nothing like it

[@petertate8366]

Can't beat an old Suzi Kettle , great sounds and memories mate. Well done.😊

[@eduardomenchaca1916]

It's absolutely beautiful love the orange color and the seat stitching. Three cylinder water cooled two stroke is also insane! Didn't know these bikes existed!

[@mjl1132]

Braver man than me,on tarmac, with shorts, on 30 year old rubber 😮😬😬

[@richardthingsilike9562]

He must have a death wish!

[@GGarrigan]

Exactly

[@Chrisjude100]

I'm an ATGATT guy, too.

[@robworrall6832]

Also called "The Kettle" in the UK, love these old GT750's and wish I had one to play with! I think this is the same bike that people used to describe the swinging arm as being like a UJ - universal joint 😆

[@JeffHill-zh2be]

My Buddy had a water buffalo back in the 80s. Great bike. I had a GT380 ( air cooled triple ). Just a heads up, not certain but I think the oil pump on these bikes may pump oil through galleries in the crank, same as a four stroke would. Check it out to be sure, I'm only going by memory and I'm older than that bike. Enjoy your channel, keep up the good work.

[@Kq750.]

Thanks for respecting your neighbors

[@BRI33NOR]

Fuel tap is vacuum operated from the intake manifold when in the ON position. Carb. and intake system need the genuine air filter etc. fitted to operate correctly. Need correct intake vacuum etc. Built these up new from the crate, rebuilt them after owners partially destroyed them. Cylinder barrels fun to fit with engine in frame. Good old touring bike as standard.

[@pgilb70]

That engine really came good. My bro had gt550 in Oz in 80s. It was already clapped out. A beast.

[@GNX157]

Joe, I once saw James Condon take a tank and fill it with the rust chemical and add a bunch of nuts and bolts, then mount it long ways to a home made motorized rotisserie type gadget, and rotate the tank for an hour or two, maybe more? And got excellent rust removal results.

[@rintin1874]

Great video Joe watching from Edinburgh Scotland UK 🇬🇧

[@PurpleripplerTTV]

Watching from Gloucestershire South West England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🇬🇧 love this channel!

[@Antony_Pt]

Great...i watchin from Portugal 🇵🇹 Sintra. Great video from this guy.

[@PurpleripplerTTV]

​@@Antony_Ptawesome!

[@chariotrider1641]

Stockholm, Sweden (originally from Maryland 😉)

[@thisisus.504]

Bournemouth, Dorset!😅😅

[@timothyma8358]

I took a 1972 model (front drum brake) across the country to the west and then returned to head to the east. The crank seals failed and sucked all its oil into the cylinders so watch the tranny oil carefully. The cure...complete tare down and disassembly of the crankshaft to replace the seals. If your tranny oil is low, suspect the crankshaft seals.

[@chriswablington7118]

That’s a great bike! Great job! I couldn’t find new brake lines for my ‘82 Sabre, so I used the copper line from a length of coax cable to clean out the brake lines. It was a perfect fit.

[@sheltdog8463]

I’ve got a trick that may help you on those rusted gas tanks. So I was in the process of restoring a antique 5hp Goodyear Seabee out board motor. I believe it was from the late 40’s early 50’s and it had rust in the gas tank. So what I done is buy a large box of BB’s and dumped them jokers in the gas tank and put the cap on and just shake the crap out of it and it knocked down a pretty good bit of it. I had read that this tank could not be split into from the factory press along with the sealant they used to bond them together. Well I had to prove them wrong by getting out my 199k btu burner and my heat proof gloves and a sharp 5 in 1 and proceeded to head this bad boy up and in 10 minutes or less I had both sections separated! Good luck.

[@Yo-mamashouse]

I like how you explain things ,please do a video on jetting and needles for dummies!!!

[@alrad5686]

Good to see the Water Buffalo being ridden again. A very fun bike to ride, indeed. Wish I still had mine.

[@bobkelaher5841]

I’m glad my suggestion of the spring centre punch worked. Another great video. These “Water Bottles” were very popular in Australia when I was a kid.

[@kdskdkdkdk]

I bought a 1976 Suzuki GT new. Loved the bike. Only thing I didn't like was the chain lurch when idling around town.

[@camazar1]

You’re welcome about the automatic centre punch! They are a lifesaver for situations like that. I have been using them for years for all types of little pins but carburetter floats pins! Hell yeah!! It’s really too bad. You couldn’t get that little dent that gas tank on the right side that thing would be flawless!

[@wesleypulkka7447]

2V, great revival! If those tires are 30 years old and it's a keeper you'd better go for new rubber on both ends! I rode a brand new 71 Suzuki 500 twin back then and the carb sounds were louder than the mufflers. Looks like you've found a really great liquid cooled rocket! Congrats!

[@3rdGenCoyota]

I had a Suzuki 750 triple and when it was running good it would leave a little black mark every time I shifted gears. It had crazy torque! Me and a buddy ended up putting the engine on a Suzuki 230 quad runner frame because we didn’t have the title to the bike. That was a crazy machine!

[@aarongrabowski3775]

That is a clean bike for a 1974. Nice score.

[@chuckyz2]

I'm 63. I was around when people had these in my area. SoCal. These and the Kawasaki 750's. We had Rd350's and RD400's. Never rode one but was given a ride a ride on one and a Kawi 750. I remember it well. Let me tell you, your bike is not running anywhere near as good as should. They are extreme torque monsters when they get on the pipe. In other words, when it kicks in, the front end comes up and wants to put you on your back. The guy that gave me ride was pulling the front wheel up at like 80mph. That was just from the powerband coming in. No help with clutch. I love 2 strokes. My last one was a built Banshee. Had it ported and matched to Shearer Hand made pipes. It put 80 hp to the back wheels on a dyno. And it was only a stock 350 cylinders. So much fun with paddles and a stretched 6" swingarm. I would invest in getting those carbs synchronized by a pro. And if you do get it running properly, be prepared for it to want to flip. These are scary powerful. And please put some good tires on it before you go fast. I have been down twice. It is hell. Road rash is not fun. You will be crying like a baby for a week or more. And on serious pain meds. It's like 3rd degree burns. Have had those too. Be careful.

[@Harfinou]

Yeah, I think you're right. His bike runs like a sh!t. A 750 two-strokes will kick you up to the sky in the @ss 😆

[@chuckyz2]

@@Harfinou I did some research on this bike after making that comment and found that they designed with a smooth powerband. Also that the bike was very heavy. So it may not have been as jumpy as I first imagined it should be. The one I was on was though. The Kawi even more so. With all that said, I still can hear it was not running properly. I hope he gets it sorted out.

[@Harfinou]

@@chuckyz2 My second thought was : "this guy is afraid of this bike".

[@chuckyz2]

@@Harfinou Pretty brave to take it out with all the shit that can go wrong. Especially the tires.

[@johnwhan7288]

You one crazy guy. Reminds me of my 84 450L. Ended up giving it to a friend. For 50 yr old bike looked better than mine when I got done with it. That and the dirt bikes I had never had to work on 1 of em. My buddy snapped the Kick start of my HD 350 sprint so I gave that one to Teds cycle shop. Keep pumpn the vids there great.

[@twobarrells]

Had one same model and had the first one in New Zealand with a 3 into 1 built by Dennis Foran.Pacific motorcycles in North Beach Christchurch. Better sound, much much lighter than the original pipes, up 5 on the main jets ran like a charm. About 1977 I think. Dennis is in Sydney now. talented guy.

[@JHaircutt]

I own a 1975 GT , I bought it in 1980. I put a wind shield on it. Loved the Bike , A Blue one . sold it in 1986 , when O moved from southern Ohio to NC . They fly , but pretty heavy

[@scorpio9578]

It's vital to set carbs up exactly to the makers settings. The sliders on yours appear to be at different heights as well, ideally these should be identical also. I've rebuilt hundreds of carbs over the last 45 years, it's a dark art! Great to watch your work, doing well 👍

[@MM_in_Havasu]

Great score! Sounds like it is running just fine. You can run straight gas in it if the oil injection pump is working. Thanks Joe!

[@BrentGarrison-ec7qh]

I owned a water buffalo new and did a 10,000 mile tour and one of the things that a mechanic told me that really helped was to put a hotter rated spark plug in the middle cylinder. It works wonders to keep the center cylinder running.

[@maxryder1723]

My old man used to have a pink one and recently just brought the same colour as this, beautiful bikes that’s for sure! Very cool video, sent it to him to watch!

[@Steve-Cross]

We called them Kettles in the uk. My mate had one in the Suzuki racing colours. Blue and white. Full faring, clip on handlebars. Single seat. And a 3 into 1 piper exhaust. It was a beast. 😃

[@NevilleStyke]

Also known as Teasmades.

[@Steve-Cross]

@@NevilleStyke That’s a good one. I haven’t heard it called that before. 👍

[@AnthonyRufo-py4yr]

Seems like it's running pretty good for 50 years old, as usual nice job fixing this one.

[@jimmcclurg9885]

I have a 73 GT380 that I've owned for 42 years. If you put a rebuild kit in each carb and be sure to measure everything to spec, main seat gasket height and everything, make sure everything is adjusted and the same in each carb, and you'll be amazed at how smooth you can get that to run - no popping, smooth effortless acceleration - I've out accelerated much higher CC bikes and the numbers on the speedo are not wishful thinking. I know today's bikes are in another league but the 2 stroke Suzuki stayed competitive long after most people had forgotten about them.

[@RicardoValdes-r6w]

Great work in bringing this bike back from a deep sleep to life.. Suggestion my friend to clean up the handle bars assembly, new tires and front rear sprockets replacement. New chain and mirrors. A good all around frame and all other components with a polisher Meguiar’s ultimate compound and then carnuba wax to make the paint pop with shine. !! Thank you for your always outstanding work..!! Rick.

[@tymothy_m9r]

I like the immediate move to the tear down vs all the walk around

[@lorcandonohoe1881]

Bought one new in Belfast ( 75 ) loved it, Sounders awesome - a real head turner for sure. Sold me XS650 Yamaha to buy it . Found out the hard way that dropping gears on a two stroke is like pissing against the wind . Yes ended up in the ditch . Luckily no damage. Lesson learned .

[@Transit67F2]

I liked that about 2 strokes, they didn't interfere with entry speed :)

[@thebigguy8306]

Great Job! Got her humming along. That is a classic. Most of that era were going for the Honda 750. Congrats, your knowledge, and patience pays off.

[@donscott6431]

Or the Virago….

[@thebigguy8306]

@@donscott6431 Or in the midwest, Harley Davidson, dreaded AMF ownership years

[@donscott6431]

@@thebigguy8306 yeah…AMF shoulda stuck to bowling balls

[@dcxplant]

You know what I love your content? You're not part of the KZbin "free-sh__t army" looking for free motorcycles to ride, free gear to wear, telling us where to go for mental health etc. Thanks man!

[@russellyoung6498]

Happy memories of mine! Thanks from the UK!!

[@matthewfrancis8825]

Watcha' Over here in the UK the Suzuki GT 750 was sometimes called the water buffalo but was widely known as THE KETTLE . I own a 1978 BLUE GT 750 With ALLSPEED EXPANSION PIPES IT GOES AND SOUNDS LIKE A SCOULDED CAT and I have a GT 380 IN LOADS OF BITS. Greatvlog .Matt HASTINGS SUSSEX UK

[@jasonrutherford4453]

I was one of your early fans and am so proud of you brother keep up the awesome work your truly blessed !

[@BigWhiteGuitar]

That bike looks identical to the one I had in the 1980's. Very cool!

[@samwalton4598]

Put those carbs in your ultra sonic cleaner and replace your fuel lines. I just bought a 73’ GT 550 in about the same condition as your bike. My bike has no ignition key, your EBay tip for buying a set of keys made my day. Great video. Get the header leak fixed and it will sound even better!!!

[@ejsman36]

That's definitely the coolest 2 strokes you have ever had! Being 50 years old can't believe the functionality of it! Closest thing I have ever come to that was a Polaris 600 triple sled. Was a 96 and had been sitting in storage for over 5 years. Bought it for $400 and cleaned the carbs and started hitting the trails.