Suzuki will be 100 years old soon and Visordown.com have just released this.
https://www.visordown.com/features/top-10s/top-ten-best-suzuki-motorcycles-all-time
They missed the gs750&1000
Without them in the 70's Suzuki wouldn't be anything.
:cheers:
They also missed gsx1400 :8:
Credibility score of nil.
What a shallow article. I wonder what criteria they were thinking of? No idea!
My version would have read, (in no particular order), based on popularity, and/or my own preferences:-
GT250
GT550
GT750
RG500
GS1000
GSX-R750
GSX-R1100
GSX-R1000
Bandit 1200 (Naked)
1400
Of those i`ve listed, i`ve only owned four of them, but have ridden them all - some regularly in the past, and if I had to choose my all-time top three, here they are:-
GT750
RG500
Bandit 1200 (Naked K3)
:stir:
T250/315 not there. Big miss.
Agreed grog, a good mate had a blue T250J back in `75. It was a really great bike - but I personally preferred the ride of the GT, even though it wasn`t quite as lively. Can`t comment on the T350. Never ridden one, always were as rare as hens teeth in my neck of the woods! :cheers:
Never tried the GT version, mine was 68 Hustler. Rebel had diff porting as well as bigger donk. Much more low down grunt, both rev flat out all day. Never had one prob with that bike.
My first bike back in the 60s was a Suzuki 100, I was on L plates of course, nearly killed myself 3 times in the first day :rolleyes: in the end I got side swiped by a car changing lanes, I accelerated to get around him but nuthing happened :happy1:
My next bike was a Norton coz they were cheap, everyone was getting into the Honda four, eventually I got one of them on the 3 year never never :facepalm:
Anyway, I preferred the 100 to the 1250 K7 bandit, not really :mwink:
It's nice to see all these road type bikes but ....
The PE range of trail bikes. A great way to learn my craft and a lot safer falling off and getting back up and going again. :onya:
One of many trail bikes to burn around on and learn.
Quote from: grog on Sunday, 22 March 2020, 08:12 AM
T250/315 not there. Big miss.
I have a couple of Hustlers stashed away and even an X7 but no Gt's (I'm not counting the X7 as GT).
1969 Suzuki AS50 with my L plates on :smile2:
Irish, just had a read. Didnt even know about x7.
I bought a fairly new blue X7 back in the day. Didn`t keep it long. Felt tiny, went well though. The quickest 250 of its day, until the LC spoilt it all! Doh, another one I should have kept i suppose :rolleyes:!
So many great Suzuki. GS 1000 G i loved, GSX1100 also. Hustler, GT550 brillant. Had 4 GT750. K, L, M and A. I seized L first week end. Fixed under wrty, was my fault. Dealer gave us 2 weeks with barrels, wouldnt happen now. Ported it to some USA flat trAck specs we had. Built expansion chambers. Went like a rocket, could flog H2 and Z1, that was pretty special on 1974. Only fault was its drinking problem, sucked more juice than my H1. Loved that bike, metallic blue with silver pin stripes. M & A were let down after it.
My first was TS90 with dual range gearbox. Click your heal and ratios changed :onya: :onya:
Then PE175 road registered rode it everywhere. :boogie:
Katana 550 first road bike :worshippy:
Katana 1100 next than GSX1100FJ (electric windscreen) :imrgreen:
TL1000s good ducati copy. :whatever:
GSXR1000 K4 great track bike :laughsign:
GSX1400 the best all rounder ever. :1400spray:
B-King just awesome :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :wheelie:
Suzuki have always built bikes with awesome gearboxes and quality of motors is without question. IMHO. :salute: :hat:
My first Suzuki (hidden in all the stroke yamaha's at the time) was a not new but mint gt250 ramair great bike but strange oil mixed in the crank so when the cable broke it blow up a lot. Ended up with an X7 motor before I killed it and took it to a breakers in the end .
Wish I still had it .
😎
Quote from: grog on Sunday, 22 March 2020, 06:53 PM
Irish, just had a read. Didnt even know about x7.
Becoming collectable especially in the UK, the X7 comes from the Hustler also known as X6. Difference with X7 is they have reed valves and CDI.
The X7 was built from the ground up especially for the vertically incompetent :whistling:
Quote from: mjgt on Monday, 23 March 2020, 07:37 PM
The X7 was built from the ground up especially for the vertically incompetent :whistling:
Shame they don't still make them says the 5 foot 5 biker :)
Quote from: Irish in Oz on Monday, 23 March 2020, 01:17 AM
Quote from: grog on Sunday, 22 March 2020, 06:53 PM
Irish, just had a read. Didnt even know about x7.
Becoming collectable especially in the UK, the X7 comes from the Hustler also known as X6. Difference with X7 is they have reed valves and CDI.
I dun it up, didn't like it so I sold it for £500.00, the guy sold it on days later, don't know for how much though!!
This one was always big fun :grin:
There used to be a bloke called Nitrous who would of liked that.
It took me the best part of a year to find one in those colours and in that condition. If ever there was a sports muscle bike, that was it! A sunday morning thrashing around the Cotswolds was as good as a weeks worth of gym sessions.
It was really rapid and would just manage to lift the front end even in 3rd, holding the throttle on the stop, no clutch! Great power to weight ratio for such a heavy bike. Well done Suzuki for that.
Sold her in the end in around 2004 to a guy up near Doncaster for £1000. I must have been mad :furious:!!!
Maybe not the best but a very good touring bike is my 1981 GS1000G.
A great motor and comfortable seat.
Requires minimal maintenance. Regular fluid changes and valve adjustments.
Carbs cleaned once in 39 years.
I've done 76000kms since new and now about 2000 per year on club runs.
73 T350J in pick but I had the first T350 in 70 I think?
ooooww, twin leading shoes! :stir: Bet that pulled up nicely, yeah right! :whistling: Think my T250 had the same as well.
Quote from: Johno on Tuesday, 24 March 2020, 12:03 PM
Maybe not the best but a very good touring bike is my 1981 GS1000G.
A great motor and comfortable seat.
Requires minimal maintenance. Regular fluid changes and valve adjustments.
Carbs cleaned once in 39 years.
I've done 76000kms since new and now about 2000 per year on club runs.
Lovely bike the 'G', I had a GS1000 at the same time, but I find the 'G' far nicer to ride, I still have mine as well.
Johno, I think the front brake splitter needs re-attaching!!
Totally agree on 1000G, one bike i shouldve kept. Just a brilliant machine. Rode it forever, no failures except clutch stuck if left for a month. Photo it has Ace bars on low, other way up were very good. I bought it orange but re painted black, had sun sparkles in paint.Was so nice. Modified head bearings, think i changed to tapered rollers. Marzochi shocks fitted. Exhaust custom made with Conti mufflers, deep growly sound, still think the best sound ive heard on a Suzuki. Such a great bike.
I have a GS1000G in Oz, I should do a resto on it when I go back, it's a blue one which I like. Bike complete cost me $300 but didn't have a seat, picked one up while on holiday in UK from the Hairy Breakers took it home in my suitcase cost $200 but at least it was refurbished with nice patterned seat cover like original.
I'm going to give a shout out to my Suzuki GP 125, because it got me and two others through our bike test. The two others had gamma 125's and they didn't have the steering lock for the handling course so they borrowed mine. My second choice is the Suzuki x5 (200), couldn't get the x7 as they were all trashed or thrashed , electric starter ( only if the bike was fully warmed up ). I wish I still had that one, lovely little bike. :riding:
One vote to GS 1000 G. I rode 199 000 km with that during 25 years.
Notice my old (and present) top box :facepalm:
Pic is from '88 or '89
Quote from: Irish in Oz on Tuesday, 24 March 2020, 06:39 PM
I have a GS1000G in Oz, I should do a resto on it when I go back, it's a blue one which I like. Bike complete cost me $300 but didn't have a seat, picked one up while on holiday in UK from the Hairy Breakers took it home in my suitcase cost $200 but at least it was refurbished with nice patterned seat cover like original.
Irish,
When you get the resto done you can ride both and confirm that " red ones" definitely go faster.
Even Pops Yoshimura painted most of his Suzukis red and the Heron Suzuki Formula one machines were mainly red. I rest my case.
Blue and white 1400s are fast enough for me.
Quote from: KiwiCol on Tuesday, 24 March 2020, 05:05 PM
ooooww, twin leading shoes! :stir: Bet that pulled up nicely, yeah right! :whistling: Think my T250 had the same as well.
Before the RD's arrived(like pre 72) we used to put AM4 linings on the shoes, turned the hubs gold with the heat.....Stopped as good as discs we reckoned.
Quote from: Johno on Wednesday, 25 March 2020, 07:29 AM
Irish,
When you get the resto done you can ride both and confirm that " red ones" definitely go faster.
Even Pops Yoshimura painted most of his Suzukis red and the Heron Suzuki Formula one machines were mainly red. I rest my case.
Blue and white 1400s are fast enough for me.
Well Johno,
Red must make even more difference to a Yamaha because the XJ at 150cc less capacity shits all over a 1000G.
As for 1400s my black 1200S is quicker :stir:
Jeff,
When it comes to getting serious I think it's at least 80% rider.
I'm sure you have scared a few sports bike riders on one of your Vintage bikes.
The 1000G is at least 255kgs before fluids and a rider. The unsprung weight, especially the mag wheels are a killer.
But as a long distance tourer hard to beat.
Don't know much about XJ900s except the red one goes faster.
Hope to see you back on it before too long.
Had a red XJ750 for a while, great bike. Wish I had got to ride the 900.
I had 3 900's, 2f's and a diversion, brilliant courier bikes. :riding:
"Best Suzuki" is the topic gentlemen and others. :whatever: :whatever: :whatever:
WTF are you talking about these other brand bikes FFS :stir: :stir: :stir:
My three favourite Suzuki's were GT500 (never owned), GT750 (had one for a little while in 84) and the mighty GSX1100 (owned one for three years 82-85).
Owned lots. GSX 1400 is the best.
Owned lots. Yamaha's are the best. :stir:
Quote from: grog on Thursday, 26 March 2020, 09:21 PM
Owned lots. GSX 1400 is the best.
The last four bikes I purchased:
1976 GS400 - my first road bike. I had owned unmentionable trail bikes before that. But not manufactured bu the piano makers.
1978 GS1000HC - it was red and white. Going from the GS400 to the 1000 was like the difference between night and day. Some great trips to Cairns, Alice Springs and South Australia. The wire wheeled production racing version won a lot of races here before the release of the GSX1100s.
1981 GS1000G - great motor combined with shaft drive. Have I mentioned it is red! It was my only bike from 1981 to 2015.
I spent a few years following behind a black 1400.
So when it was time to buy a modern bike the GSX1400 was an obvious option.
With an Irish Forum member and his trailer in tow we brought home a blue and white K5 with 45000 kms on the clock. No history on the bike but an original with a Staitune muffler. As you would expect the motor is perfect and the only requirements in the last four years have been oil and filter changes, new chain and sprockets and brake pads.
The seat is not as comfortable as the GS1000G but just about everything else is better.
The 6 pot front brakes lack feel and progression you get with modern European cars but you are not going to get this from turn of the century technology.
Overall couldn't be happier with my Suzuki's.
Quote from: Irish in Oz on Friday, 27 March 2020, 06:04 AM
Owned lots. Yamaha's are the best. :stir:
You're a master baiter :stir: :stir: :stir:
'best' - hmmm.
Quotebest - (n) that which is the most excellent, outstanding, or desirable.
Nope still doesn't help - too many to choose from.
Assuming the GSX1400 is the best of the best - you know, without any form of bias here... what else.
The original Katana (not the modern pisstake) certainly has to be a contender. Iconic? Absolutely!
(https://static1.hotcarsimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/6-The-Suzuki-Katana.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&h=370)
The best? Yea.. no. Close though.
I do like Hayabusas for some reason, but certainly not an aesthetic one :lol:
Be cool to have an original one from '99
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/lbaJQuVnw60AGHN_1-608JMiTfJTX_5KXjujzi-fFKF99FCMc6vRigWhHHYPP9D6KlTBPMR8kL7NI2A6lbj-kI3SCWwu2B-6KWfl8UCnMA)
Iconic? Yep. The best? No.
The TL1000R is a personal favourite for no good reason. But not the best.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Suzuki_TL1000R.jpg/521px-Suzuki_TL1000R.jpg)
The Bandit was revolutionary of course, but that doesn't make it the best. GSX1400s are better, for a start!
I LOVE this 1972 GT750, it's gorgeous.
(https://autowise.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Suzuki-GT750.jpg)
But ultimately I come back to the GSX1400.
After all, I own one for a good reason!
The Original Katana, I have owned until recently and wouldn't have another unless for display purposes.
I thought you were buying it back from Snapey after he fixed it all up for ya?
Quote from: KiwiCol on Friday, 27 March 2020, 06:34 PM
I thought you were buying it back from Snapey after he fixed it all up for ya?
He has left it to me in his will.
He has tarted it up, and modified everything on it just so he can sit on it.
Anyone who rode one of those big Katanas 100ks and said he enjoyed, either masochist or a liar. Just never found them fun. Looked amazing. Other hand, GSX1100, what a bike.
@grog I did quite a few 300-400K rides on it, reliability wise brilliant but bloody uncomfortable even the missus only went on short runs.
Suzuki made a big mistake, in fact, they made quite a few of them. They were called Katana`s. Oh, and there was that thing they called the RE5 as well wasn`t there...... :rofl2:
XN85
http://www.motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic-bikes-2/suzuki-xn85-road-test.php
Irish, that turbo lag mustve made life interesting. Drove some super powerfull rear engine Porsche way back, foot down and count to 3, all hell. Get the timing wrong in a corner, you know the rest.
Was that the whale tail widow maker Grog?
Something like that Col. Porsche didnt make it easy, the clutch was a mongrel, either in or out. Imagine that power, that lag and clutch on wet windy NZ roads.
I heard it would randomly even break traction on straight, wet roads if you were driving with 'gusto' or in an 'exuberant' manner. That'd be because of the lag & inexperienced driver. I'd assume you'd get used to it, if you lived long enough.
Quote from: DP1400 on Saturday, 28 March 2020, 06:43 AM
Suzuki made a big mistake, in fact, they made quite a few of them. They were called Katana`s. Oh, and there was that thing they called the RE5 as well wasn`t there...... :rofl2:
Not true. :devil: I owned one like Vlads photo earlier. I rode it from Brisbane to Cairns and back. I needed chiropractic treatment for a month afterwards but it sure was fun riding in the hinterland west of Cairns and the road to Port Douglas (follows the coastline most of the way). :onya: :onya:
Quote from: GSXKING on Sunday, 29 March 2020, 08:22 PM
Quote from: DP1400 on Saturday, 28 March 2020, 06:43 AM
Suzuki made a big mistake, in fact, they made quite a few of them. They were called Katana`s. Oh, and there was that thing they called the RE5 as well wasn`t there...... :rofl2:
Not true. :devil: I owned one like Vlads photo earlier. I rode it from Brisbane to Cairns and back. I needed chiropractic treatment for a month afterwards but it sure was fun riding in the hinterland west of Cairns and the road to Port Douglas (follows the coastline most of the way). :onya: :onya:
As Grog said "Anyone who rode one of those big Katanas 100ks and said he enjoyed, either masochist or a liar. "
So that makes you a masochist.
Quote from: Irish in Oz on Monday, 30 March 2020, 06:54 AM
Quote from: GSXKING on Sunday, 29 March 2020, 08:22 PM
Quote from: DP1400 on Saturday, 28 March 2020, 06:43 AM
Suzuki made a big mistake, in fact, they made quite a few of them. They were called Katana`s. Oh, and there was that thing they called the RE5 as well wasn`t there...... :rofl2:
Not true. :devil: I owned one like Vlads photo earlier. I rode it from Brisbane to Cairns and back. I needed chiropractic treatment for a month afterwards but it sure was fun riding in the hinterland west of Cairns and the road to Port Douglas (follows the coastline most of the way). :onya: :onya:
As Grog said "Anyone who rode one of those big Katanas 100ks and said he enjoyed, either masochist or a liar. "
So that makes you a masochist.
whip me, beat me . . . . :happy1:
The sadist says to the masochist whip me and he said NO :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2: