Post Sale Update: This GT550 sold for $5,350 after 5 bids on eBay.
While Honda and Kawasaki launched a 4-stroke revolution, Suzuki kept going strong with two-stroke engines, but they needed to replace the aging T500 Titan. So, in 1971 at the Tokyo motorcycle show, Suzuki launched its new model, the GT. The first to be presented was the flagship of the GTs, the 750, featuring 3 cylinders. The “Water Buffalo”, as it was called in the US, was joined by two little brothers the next year, the GT380 and the middleweight GT550 Indy.
Unlike the GT750 and its interesting compact water cooling system, the 380 and the 550 inherited the “Ram Air” cooling system, consisting in the presence of a cast shield over the cylinders that allowed more air to cool the engine. The GT550 was exactly 544cc with a compression ratio of 6.8:1, which helped it reach 50hp at 6500rpm. The bike was pretty advanced in terms of technology, featuring automatic oil injection, an electric starter, and rubber engine mounts to reduce the vibrations. The GT550 suffered from “too perfect” syndrome. The bike did not have any important issues but struggled to give as much pleasure to the rider as a CB750 or Z1 for instance. In 1976, the bike still won Cycle Magazine’s shootout thanks to its consistency. To get more information about the GT550, please read Motorcycle Classics.
The GT (VIN: GT550-56755) presented here is in superb condition showing only 9.5k miles. The bike has just been serviced, receiving a new battery and a carb cleaning. It is fully original and has never been restored, a true survivor, however it will not come with a title, just a bill of sale. Find this GT550 in Anaheim, California with an unmet opening bid of $4,000