Two-stroke classic!!

[JJ]

Always liked these!  This is was a good year for these, with the twin discs up front!

Just LOOK at those expansion chambers!!   I'll bet it sounds GREAT on the pipe!

[ozarquebus]

First bike I ever had the pleasure to fall off. Off the mark like a dirt bike, but stops like a runaway train.

[wymple]

My crush bike, back in the day. Couldn't afford one.

[Roebling3]

Plated, in the basement: RD400 w/chambers, GT500 Cafe`w/Higgspeed chambers, Aprilia RS125 power valve, Gilera CX125 power valve. 
The above and the several preceding them, were all a hoot. Though lovely wafting in the air, there's lots more fun out running the smell.  R3~

[Lannis]

Always liked these!  This is was a good year for these, with the twin discs up front!

Just LOOK at those expansion chambers!!   I'll bet it sounds GREAT on the pipe!

Had one of those too!   Owned it in 1981; one of the nicest touring bikes I've ever had.   Lots of power, smooth as silk, 1000+ miles to a quart of injector oil, no maintenance to do except chain and check tire pressure.   No valves to set, no oil changes, it was really a great idea.   Sounded like a big quiet Evinrude outboard going down the road ...

Bought it with 80,000 miles on it, sold it at 100,000 and bought a BMW R65 ....

Lannis

[JJ]

Had one of those too!   Owned it in 1981; one of the nicest touring bikes I've ever had.   Lots of power, smooth as silk, 1000+ miles to a quart of injector oil, no maintenance to do except chain and check tire pressure.   No valves to set, no oil changes, it was really a great idea.   Sounded like a big quiet Evinrude outboard going down the road ...

Bought it with 80,000 miles on it, sold it at 100,000 and bought a BMW R65 ....

Lannis

Speaking of nice R65 Beemer's that ain't going cheap anymore!!

[Roebling3]

Lannis: I dare not imagine we're related, but.
The minor fleet of 2 strokes alluded to previously - followed w/an R65? That happened to me, but sadly @ no cost - through a long time friends will. After 2 yrs. I needed more 'GO'. And it did. Faster than any other airhead, not on a track. (855cc, valves, cam, carbs, blue printed. frt. brake, suspension, enlarged fuel tk.). A few K bikes and I left it all for a Daytona +.  R3~

[Lannis]

Lannis: I dare not imagine we're related, but.
The minor fleet of 2 strokes alluded to previously - followed w/an R65? That happened to me, but sadly @ no cost - through a long time friends will. After 2 yrs. I needed more 'GO'. And it did. Faster than any other airhead, not on a track. (855cc, valves, cam, carbs, blue printed. frt. brake, suspension, enlarged fuel tk.). A few K bikes and I left it all for a Daytona +.  R3~

No Roeblings in my ancestors that I know of .... Miller, Kline, Selz, Thalheimer, Weimer mostly.

I've always loved 2-strokes for their simplicity and the way they generate power, and the GT750 was the ultimate expression of that.   When we were all teenagers here at home, everyone had Hondas - CB160s, CB350s, CB500s, except me, who had a series of Yamahas - R5, CT3, RD400.   Then the Suzook, then the R65, which like an idiot I sold and bought a '67 Triumph Bonneville with a Joe Hunt magneto where the points use to be .... that was a rough bike ... !

Lannis

[cliffrod]

A friend came over a few days ago with his 73 RD350 cafe project for me to begin making a new aluminum seat while he wraps up the engine detailing.  New Excel rims & spokes, drilled rotor, shocks, bars, engine rebuilt, pretty sure he's got expansion chambers for it, etc. He just painted the frame and reassembled it so we can move forward.  He had a couple of pics of what he likes/wants for a seat so I could start the buck while the bike was here-

















He plans to paint tank, add original decal kit and do the seat to match. 

[JJ]

IMHO, someone got a good deal @ $4600...

[steven c]

 I had a 75 GT380 for my first bike,bought as a leftover in 76. Very smooth running bike, got carp gas mileage though. I put 9K on it the in a year then I bought a XS650 Yamaha and learn about vibration at higher speeds.But that got great MPG. To bad they can't make a EPA friendly two stroke.

[Sasquatch Jim]

Just say Waterboo.

[Lannis]

I had a 75 GT380 for my first bike,bought as a leftover in 76. Very smooth running bike, got carp gas mileage though. I put 9K on it the in a year then I bought a XS650 Yamaha and learn about vibration at higher speeds.But that got great MPG. To bad they can't make a EPA friendly two stroke.

They DO make "EPA-friendly" two strokes.   I rode in England with a young feller who joined our group of old Brit bike on the way to a rally.   He was riding a new, tallish "dual-sport" bike that had great pickup and would cruise down the motorway with us (we had to get on a bit of the M40 to get from Kent to Liverpool) at 60 MPH with plenty of passing power.

When we stopped, I found that it was a new water-cooled 125cc Yamaha two-stroke single, and it (at the time, this was a couple years ago) met all the UK and EU emissions requirements.

Problem is, no manufacturer wants to face the hedges, fire, and dragons that the EPA throws in the way to certify selling the few of these they'd sell in the US ...

Lannis

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

A GT750 was the first "big" bike I ever rode. I was only 15? and it was awesome. Probably why my first street bike was a Yamaha YDS7 250 and the second an RD400 (with Bassani chambers). A friend in high school had a T500 that he couldn't break (and he was good at breaking things).

[JJ]

Just say Waterboo.

Yes..."The Water Buffalo" (USA) or "The Tea Kettle" (UK)

[wymple]

I have a friend's RD350 in my garage for the last couple of years now.  I'm ok with him never coming to get it. I had the earlier R5 and it was a little rocket. I did own a Titan 500 and it was, I believe, on somebody's list as the most bike you could get for the money for many years in a row. That was a great bike. I rode a GT550 and the smoothness and torque were impressive. I grew up on 2 strokes for the street, a YDS3 305 Yamaha from 1967, a 250 DS6 Yamaha from 1969 (maybe the best bike I ever had). I like them all. A buddy had an H2 Kaw, and while scary fast on the pipe, it was not really pleasant and sounded like crap. I never owned any 2 strokes after those except for dirt bikes, mostly 125-175 Yamahas and a 185 Suzuki. My little brother hill climbed on 360 Yamahas and those were beasts.

[huub]

i never owned a 2 stroke , exept my chainsaws,
a friend has a kawasaki 750 H2.
the thing is highly entertaining , wobbly frame , poor brakes , and a engine that tries to spit you off all the time.
i always come off the thing giggling, it is not the safest bike in the world, but definively not boring

 the only thing  preventing me from buying one... over here you are looking at 20.000 $ for a nice one
they are in the ducati bevel price range.

[Roebling3]

If you have enough coin & patience go here   www.langen.com  The newest version of 2 strokes design-built in UK. Faster than stink in church. Apparently/hopefully passing all current restrictions.  R3~

[steven c]

 Beside my GT380 my other road 2 stroke was RZ350 in the mid 90's that I payed $500 for because the kid blew the cultch basket somehow, It had pipes, Boyson reads. I put in one over pistons and milled the head .005 on my friends Bridgeport. Now that was a fun bike comfortable to ride with a Corbin seat. Sold it to buy a MT bike. Still have that.

[JJ]

Now this REALLY dates me!!   Here are the last two-stroke "smokers" that I owned and rode:

* 1975 Kawasaki H1F 500cc triple     * 1977 Yamaha RD400 twin