...forty years ago [Suzuki T-500 content; not Guzzi]

[brlawson]

Is that an old shot or have you still got it ?

It's an old shot. After several years of riding the guy I bought it from wanted it back so I sold it for the same price I paid for it. Sweet deal actually.

These Days I sport an RD400. I was always looking at their tail lights when I had the Suzuki.

[Tom]

Proof that handling trumps engine size.   

[pete roper]

Proof that handling trumps engine size.   

Two very different design philosophies though showing just how *Different* you can make simple two strokes behave. The Suzuki, although using Ernst Degner's ideas, was always meant to be a robust, softly tuned, comfortable, tool with bags of midrange torque. The Yamaha was a much more hard edged device with porting and a reed pack that was made to deliver a blistering top end at the expense of bottom end and midrange.

The 400 was the last of the air cooled Yamahas and the precursor of the RD/RZ 250-350LC's. Undoubtably one of the greatest motorcycles of all time.

Pete

[Arizona Wayne]

Two very different design philosophies though showing just how *Different* you can make simple two strokes behave. The Suzuki, although using Ernst Degner's ideas, was always meant to be a robust, softly tuned, comfortable, tool with bags of midrange torque. The Yamaha was a much more hard edged device with porting and a reed pack that was made to deliver a blistering top end at the expense of bottom end and midrange.

The 400 was the last of the air cooled Yamahas and the precursor of the RD/RZ 250-350LC's. Undoubtably one of the greatest motorcycles of all time.

Pete

I road raced a new `69 R5 350 Yamaha and later bought a used RD350 w/reed valves.  The RD had 3 more hp (36 vs. 39)but got less mpg but it handled better than the R5.  Both bikes were bulletproof mechanically and the R5 got 40 mpg on touring vs. the RD got 32 mpg going the same speeds touring.  Neither had to be revved to top rpms for acceleration unless you added expansion chambers, which are designed for specific higher output rpm ranges. 

[mgmark]

This is my second T500, a 1974 that I swapped the front end out for a '76 GT500 unit to get the better forks and disc brake. Excellent all around riding bike, but my RD400 will leave it behind. Apples and oranges really.
My first T was a really nice original '71, which was sold along to pay for the next bike. One of the few I regretted selling so I recently bought the '74.
Nice long bikes, big enough for a tall person to fit comfortably.
Mark




picture sharing

[Arizona Wayne]

What kind of mpg did/do you guys get with them?

[JACoH]

I had a 1974 T-500 with the dual disc GT750 front end and a 5 gallon English aluminium petrol tank on it. Always got about 40 mpg, nothing ever went wrong with it. My favorite Guzzi dealer back then liked the model too. They were selling the front ends to replace the drum front ends on the 550/750's for $300.