Author Topic: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?  (Read 1408 times)

Online chuck peterson

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69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« on: September 22, 2020, 08:17:58 AM »
Checks all of my boxes for vintage, price and patina...

No Nope

How far is Freeport?

Stop Stopping Stopped

But i could MAKE room in the garage...

Shouldn’t Won’t Can’t

If I tap this bank account then move this over there...it’ll work

Must not Can not

Sigh.....

Fits in perfectly with the fleet

It’s tough being a classified ad junkie...


https://maine.craigslist.org/mcy/d/danville-1969-suzuki-t350-rebel/7199810460.html



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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2020, 08:27:13 AM »
Make a Coastal Rt 1 trip out of it, check out the Bath Navy shipyard and Desert of Maine, grab a bite at that supposedly TV-famous / oft-overcrowded food stand, then make your way back south and high-five me from a distance to celebrate your (new-to-you) vintage purchase!
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Offline Groover

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2020, 08:40:43 AM »
« Last Edit: September 22, 2020, 08:42:20 AM by Groover »
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Offline Roebling3

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2020, 09:11:05 AM »
CRIPES GUYS! Lets meet there. It's only ~ a buck and a 1/2 from my house. If that's a push for you Chuck, sleep over accommodations are here.
Why do these things happen every time I'm trying to thin the herd.
There's always room for another 2 stroke.  R3~

Wildguzzi.com

Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2020, 09:11:05 AM »

Offline brider

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2020, 09:26:09 AM »
Wow, that IS a straight classic, think of how proud you'd be riding it to the café (or bar) of a summer evening! Would be a great ride for me, also, in one of the coolest corridors on the East Coast.
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Offline Canuck750

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2020, 02:05:54 PM »
Definitely worth the trip, plenty of 500’s. It far fewer of the 350’s. And very hard to find one as nice as this one, gas up and get going before it’s gone!
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Offline Motormike

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2020, 07:14:17 PM »
Suzuki 350 Rebel.  (really a up-badged 305, if I remember).  A friend in high school had one.  He could ride a wheelie like nobody else on that bike or any other at the time. 
https://classic-motorbikes.net/suzuki-t350-rebel/

Offline radguzzi

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2020, 09:00:23 PM »

Happy to run down there and have a peek for ya Chuck... not far away at all.  :popcorn:

Best,
Rob

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Offline Cdn850T5NT

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2020, 12:03:49 AM »
I 'hafta admit that I am interested in road-going 2 strokes. Looks like a nice bike. The practical side of me asks a few questions...

1) it's a twin... and it has a crankshaft seal between cylinders. To renew same you need to split the built-up crank... and that is a task that benefits from an alignment jig... and is not for the faint-hearted. Can be done with care and attention to detail. Are seals available for that old a bike?  Not new-old-stock (NOS) that will have perished... but new elastomer / new production seals.  BTW a single cyl 2 stroke is an easier proposition... but parts availability still is a question to be answered.

2) seems to me that the (single /combined) barrel would be aluminum... with factory shrunk-fit cast iron liners...? If so each bore can be machined oversize... which leads me to...

3) is an oversized piston (actually... 2) c/w oversized rings available?

4) if a conn rod is poor can you find a replacement std crankpin... ? Likewise... can you source piston pins? What about roller bearings (?) for renewing the conn rod? Is the old conn rod itself typically chucked... or can they be machined to "goodness"??

Now I assume the gaskets are all still available..

But on to the transmission + clutch???? Parts Availability...???

Maybe I am unnecessarily worried, but...?
« Last Edit: September 23, 2020, 06:57:34 PM by Cdn850T5NT »
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Offline Cdn850T5NT

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2020, 06:53:55 PM »
No comments? I'm genuinely interested in how one would go about any repair if needed or in general engine restoration of an obscure two-stroke (aren't all 2 strokes - except Vespa's - obscure at this point)?
1985 Eurospec 850 T5 NT (Nuovo Tipo - New Type... i.e. Series III)

Offline mobiker

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2020, 07:49:22 PM »
I 'hafta admit that I am interested in road-going 2 strokes. Looks like a nice bike. The practical side of me asks a few questions...

1) it's a twin... and it has a crankshaft seal between cylinders. To renew same you need to split the built-up crank... and that is a task that benefits from an alignment jig... and is not for the faint-hearted. Can be done with care and attention to detail. Are seals available for that old a bike?  Not new-old-stock (NOS) that will have perished... but new elastomer / new production seals.  BTW a single cyl 2 stroke is an easier proposition... but parts availability still is a question to be answered.

2) seems to me that the (single /combined) barrel would be aluminum... with factory shrunk-fit cast iron liners...? If so each bore can be machined oversize... which leads me to...

3) is an oversized piston (actually... 2) c/w oversized rings available?

4) if a conn rod is poor can you find a replacement std crankpin... ? Likewise... can you source piston pins? What about roller bearings (?) for renewing the conn rod? Is the old conn rod itself typically chucked... or can they be machined to "goodness"??

Now I assume the gaskets are all still available..

But on to the transmission + clutch???? Parts Availability...???

Maybe I am unnecessarily worried, but...?
Parts availability is always a valid concern with vintage equipment, so no I don't think you're unnecessarily worried, but you certainly are a buzzkill :cheesy: :boozing:
Mike

'88 BMW R100GS

Offline lucky phil

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #11 on: September 23, 2020, 10:04:14 PM »
I can help you with this addiction...  :evil:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ8QXgDgVX4

and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzeMSP8DIbI
Wow that first one is really nice. Great resto. Those Suzukis were quite a decent looking little bike.

Ciao
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Online Moparnut72

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2020, 10:15:36 PM »
Suzuki should have taken a clue from Mercury Marine. They used a one piece crank and a red cage that fed each crankcase side independently.  The two were separated by a labyrinth seal that was in two pieces and bolted together around the crank. The 4 and 6 cylinders were constructed the way. The red cage design was somewhat restrictive but allowed a one piece crank. Mercury was a very innovative company.
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Offline Cdn850T5NT

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #13 on: September 23, 2020, 10:43:32 PM »
I have heard that Mercury Marine is brilliant with their aluminum precision casting work too... Yeah, built-up cranks are a PITA. A 2 stroke having seals forming a sealed crankcase for ea. individual cyl. is mind-blowingly complex / brain surgery to work on. Splitting a case on a single cyl. 2 stroke with a built up crank is an exercise in patience and caution and tecnique.
« Last Edit: September 24, 2020, 11:06:46 AM by Cdn850T5NT »
1985 Eurospec 850 T5 NT (Nuovo Tipo - New Type... i.e. Series III)

Offline LowRyter

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #14 on: September 24, 2020, 08:08:26 PM »
So long as we're on the subject, my best bud from grade school got this one.  Perhaps the best of the breed through the early 70s.



I was pretty jealous.  Then the Kaw triples came out and yesterday's news.
John L 
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Offline lucky phil

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #15 on: September 24, 2020, 10:35:07 PM »
So long as we're on the subject, my best bud from grade school got this one.  Perhaps the best of the breed through the early 70s.



I was pretty jealous.  Then the Kaw triples came out and yesterday's news.

Yes the Mach111 came out towards the end of my Hi school days. Every local Hooligan had to have one:) A friend of mine actually did quite well in a production race at Bathurst on one. If you want any idea what a feat that was on a bike that handled like a Mach11 take look at some images of the Bathurst mountain course from the 70s.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-07/motorcycles-racing-at-bathurst-nsw/9023864?nw=0

Ciao
« Last Edit: September 24, 2020, 10:37:21 PM by lucky phil »
If you're not living on the edge you're taking up to much room.

Offline lucky phil

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #16 on: September 25, 2020, 08:40:19 PM »
Glad I kept my Mach IV.  :thumb:



Oh yea, thats the way everyone rode them:) Of course it was a mandatory act with an audience on the footpath, even if they were toddlers. These days they'd lock you up for even thinking about that sort of behaviour:)
Imagine, 2am and Knock,Knock on the front door. Two 18 year old Police women, standing there, Sir its been draw to our attention you have been dreaming of doing Mono's in the street in front of your house, could you please escort us to the station:)

Ciao
« Last Edit: September 25, 2020, 08:48:17 PM by lucky phil »
If you're not living on the edge you're taking up to much room.

Offline lucky phil

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Re: 69 Suzuki 350 2 stroke, cl, Maine eh?
« Reply #17 on: September 26, 2020, 09:18:58 PM »
Those kids could be grandparents by now, that is an old pic and those days long gone (My daily driver at the time was a 390 4 speed Mustang)
I kept that bike (and picked up a couple more in the 1990's (H2A's) along with a couple more bevels)

The 'Cops were very lenient back then and old bikes from your youth are expensive.
They could be but thats an XY Falcon parked there sin't it so no earlier than about about 1970.

Ciao 
If you're not living on the edge you're taking up to much room.

 

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