This Suzuki is rarely seen in the US as it was only offered here in ’83 and ’84. In other markets it was called the GR650 (and available until ’89), for some reason it was called the Tempter in America. It’s a fairly straightforward UJM but it featured one interesting innovation: a ‘dual-stage’ flywheel with an centrifugal clutch that would basically lighten the flywheel once the engine spinned above 3,000 RPM. The idea was that you’d get easier starts at low RPM with a heavier flywheel, and then more responsiveness once you got moving with a lighter flywheel.
According to a ’83 review from Cycle World, the GR650 produced 50 horsepower and could hit 110 miles per hour. MSRP was $2,399, and they called the Zook a “good and faithful servant” after a long-term review. For more on the Tempter, check out this short article from Motorcycle Classics.
The Tempter was available in two trim levels. X was the base model – this bike is a D, which means you got two-tone paint, adjustable front air forks, and alloy wheels (as opposed to the spoked units on the X). It has 9,000 miles and is claimed to start every time, however the tires are old and there’s an oil leak “when the engine is hot.” The asking price is quite reasonable so you could snap this up and then replace the offending gasket and still have yourself a decent buy. Or just go cheap and slap some high temp sealant and ride this on a budget! Either way, find this Tempter for sale here on Craigslist in Oakland, California for $1,300.
This bike-uriousity brought to you by Dan D!