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1976 Suzuki GT750 Some Assembly Required
I grew up riding two strokes down on the farm in Indiana. It all started with dirt bikes of course, Yamaha, Husky, Bultaco and many others. My first street bike a 1976 RD200 Smoker came in a box that my grandfather had gotten in a trade. My dad and I put that bike back together during the winter when I was 12 years old. By spring I dreamt of nothing more than getting on that bike and cruising the country back roads. Once the RD was sorted I did just that, often.
Fast forward, to my 19th summer in 1989 I found a 1972 GT 750 Buffalo in a barn with 60,000 miles showing and bird droppings two inches thick. Yeah, it was the rare hot pink/purple with white stripes model that sported the drum front brakes. After negotiating a $125.00 price with the farmer I hauled the bike home and hosed it off. After a good cleaning, flushing and points adjustment the old GT fired up. I continued on with painting the GT metallic mid-night blue, adding a cafe fairing, jetted carbs, filters and expansion chambers. I pretty much unknowingly ruined a future classic!!! But this was my first real venture into modified bikes. Little did I know the disease had settled deep into my bones.
I road that GT until I found my 82 GS1100 the next summer. Consequently, the poor GT ridden infrequently sat until I decided to sell it when I was moving out west. The GS1100 became my canvas and is still with me to this day. Fast forward again to 2012 my 43rd summer a good friend of mine contacts me about selling his unfinished project 1976 Suzuki GT 750. My friend and I came to an agreement and I hauled the non-runner home 18 hours round trip to Indiana from Georgia.
After roughly 120 hours of assembly, rewiring, adding electronic ignition, countless hours of carb testing, tuning, painting, polishing, buffing and general bonding I have a fantastic running and thoroughly beta tested GT750. NOT STOCK! The GT became my ride of choice this summer among the Ducatis, Triumphs, Suzukis, and Hondas in my garage. This bike just pushes all of my motorcycling hot buttons, although it is a noisy hot rod and completely impractical.
The smoker made its maiden road trip to the 2012 Indianapolis Moto GP where it lapped the track in all its smokey glory. At the Cycle World Rolling Concourse the GT750 was a hit evident by the thumbs up and crowds it drew. Editor Mark Hoyer Published a rolling photo of the Buffalo on the Cycle World Magazine Face Book page, perhaps the best compliment this Smoker could ever receive.
Not bad for another dubious project two-stroke. Unfortunately, this time I not only managed to ruin a perfectly good GT750, but also contributed to the demise of (at least partially) one Suzuki RE5 that donated its parts to make the Buffalo Smoker Cafe come to life.
Suzuki GT 750 Cafe Build List:
Frame up Resto
150 PSI Hi Comp fully built motor
Copper Head Gasket
GSXR Rear swing arm
Hayabusa Front forks and triples
Busa 17” Wheels with 6” rear
Tokico 6 pot Brakes
Braided lines
KYB Shocks
New wiring harnesss
GS 1100E Head Light
Newtronic Ignition
Keihin Oval Slide Carbs
Custom 3 pot fuel rail
Jemco Pipes
Performance Machine Wheels (Bling)
Tarozzi Custom Rear Sets
Suzuki RE5 Tank
Custom RE5 tail
Custom seat pan & seat
Paint: PPG Blue metal flake
Winter plans include custom digital dash with integrated GPS.
Morning Mist
Carb Bank
Indianapolis Moto GP 2012 Cycle World Rolling Concourse
Back End
Rear Wheel
Indy
Cycle World Rolling Concourse
I grew up riding two strokes down on the farm in Indiana. It all started with dirt bikes of course, Yamaha, Husky, Bultaco and many others. My first street bike a 1976 RD200 Smoker came in a box that my grandfather had gotten in a trade. My dad and I put that bike back together during the winter when I was 12 years old. By spring I dreamt of nothing more than getting on that bike and cruising the country back roads. Once the RD was sorted I did just that, often.
Fast forward, to my 19th summer in 1989 I found a 1972 GT 750 Buffalo in a barn with 60,000 miles showing and bird droppings two inches thick. Yeah, it was the rare hot pink/purple with white stripes model that sported the drum front brakes. After negotiating a $125.00 price with the farmer I hauled the bike home and hosed it off. After a good cleaning, flushing and points adjustment the old GT fired up. I continued on with painting the GT metallic mid-night blue, adding a cafe fairing, jetted carbs, filters and expansion chambers. I pretty much unknowingly ruined a future classic!!! But this was my first real venture into modified bikes. Little did I know the disease had settled deep into my bones.
I road that GT until I found my 82 GS1100 the next summer. Consequently, the poor GT ridden infrequently sat until I decided to sell it when I was moving out west. The GS1100 became my canvas and is still with me to this day. Fast forward again to 2012 my 43rd summer a good friend of mine contacts me about selling his unfinished project 1976 Suzuki GT 750. My friend and I came to an agreement and I hauled the non-runner home 18 hours round trip to Indiana from Georgia.
After roughly 120 hours of assembly, rewiring, adding electronic ignition, countless hours of carb testing, tuning, painting, polishing, buffing and general bonding I have a fantastic running and thoroughly beta tested GT750. NOT STOCK! The GT became my ride of choice this summer among the Ducatis, Triumphs, Suzukis, and Hondas in my garage. This bike just pushes all of my motorcycling hot buttons, although it is a noisy hot rod and completely impractical.
The smoker made its maiden road trip to the 2012 Indianapolis Moto GP where it lapped the track in all its smokey glory. At the Cycle World Rolling Concourse the GT750 was a hit evident by the thumbs up and crowds it drew. Editor Mark Hoyer Published a rolling photo of the Buffalo on the Cycle World Magazine Face Book page, perhaps the best compliment this Smoker could ever receive.
Not bad for another dubious project two-stroke. Unfortunately, this time I not only managed to ruin a perfectly good GT750, but also contributed to the demise of (at least partially) one Suzuki RE5 that donated its parts to make the Buffalo Smoker Cafe come to life.
Suzuki GT 750 Cafe Build List:
Frame up Resto
150 PSI Hi Comp fully built motor
Copper Head Gasket
GSXR Rear swing arm
Hayabusa Front forks and triples
Busa 17” Wheels with 6” rear
Tokico 6 pot Brakes
Braided lines
KYB Shocks
New wiring harnesss
GS 1100E Head Light
Newtronic Ignition
Keihin Oval Slide Carbs
Custom 3 pot fuel rail
Jemco Pipes
Performance Machine Wheels (Bling)
Tarozzi Custom Rear Sets
Suzuki RE5 Tank
Custom RE5 tail
Custom seat pan & seat
Paint: PPG Blue metal flake
Winter plans include custom digital dash with integrated GPS.
Morning Mist
Carb Bank
Indianapolis Moto GP 2012 Cycle World Rolling Concourse
Back End
Rear Wheel
Indy
Cycle World Rolling Concourse
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