1972 Suzuki GT380, collectible three-cylinder two-stroke-Triple-Survivor

Here we have a garage-sale find with a complete mechanical rebuild by myself. a retired motorcycle mechanic and restoration specialist. I don't buy them to flip. I buy them to fix and enjoy myself. This bike had obviously been stored for years and had the appearance of a bike that would be easy to do a make-run without a major teardown. The reality varied somewhat. as it became quickly apparent that I was looking at a complete engine strip. First thing needed was to acquire all the deep engine parts to get it done. Every single crankshaft wear item. that is. rods. bearings. crankpins. seals. oil slingers. thrust washers; Everything. Next. a complete top-end; pistons. rings. wrist pins and bearings; Everything. I handled all the dis-assembly and re-assembly and employed a machinist to rebuild the crankshaft and bore the cylinders. Sorting the basic engine assembly I spent over $2000So that handled the long-block. Next came the fuel system; new carburetor floats. new needle-and-seat assemblies. new intake manifolds. new fuel hose. rebuilt petcock. and fuel tank cleaned and sealed. We're talking all OEM parts here. and none of them are cheap. To wit: the rubber intake manifolds; $35. x3. Factor in the carburetor parts at another $35. x3. That got it running. Next came fork rebuild. new fork boots. new steering bearings. new brake shoes. new cables (front brake and speedo). Electricals were not up to par. so it got a new alternator rotor. new brushes. new rectifier. and battery. of course. Couldn't stop there. so on went new chain and sprockets. new IRC tires. new throttle cable. clutch cable. rear brake cable. and rear brake shoes. That created a running Driver. So I rode it. Then I started to dial it in and perfect it. On go the alloy rims with Buchanan stainless steel spokes. That modification lends the bike a more stable. big-bike feel. This year's additions include a Boyer-Brandsen electronic ignition and a set of Progressive brand rear shocks. These two mods serve to create a real-world. daily-use motorcycle that does not feel forty-plus years old. The electronic ignition combined with carburetor tuning resulted in a MPG increase from 32. up to 40MPG. While the engine was apart. I diligently wet-sanded all the engine cases. fork legs. and hubs. then put a gentle hand-buff to finish. I restored the tank badges and cleaned the paint and chrome as best I could. The paint and chrome have a defined Patina as follows; some fading and hazing of the paint. and hazy scratches with a bit of acid-damage to the exhaust. I like an original finish on bikes. IF it doesn't detract from the vibe. My big contribution to cosmetics was to replace the horrible hazy instrument lenses. Royal Pain in the neck. that. but I did it. New grips. new mirrors. new seat as well. The OEM seat: over $200. The bike has been running since 2011. and I've put a little over 2500 miles on it. I have more in parts alone than the reserve price. and there's more story than I have room to tell here. Any specific question will be answered. and if a bidder needs more photos. or an inspection. I welcome it. The sheep skin seat pad is NOT included. nor is the windscreen. This is the sweetest running GT380 that you are going to find anywhere. I'm constrained by an illness which prevents me enjoying two-wheel sport. hence I'm willing to part with all this goodness at below my cost. Bike is priced with a reserve that will attract the discerning collector. You could not duplicate this bike for the reserve price. Ride it. Show it. Enjoy it. Of course I will help you coordinate shipping.

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