Suzuki GT750 Water Buffalo Smoker Modified

[GS ace]

A close friend and fellow restorer of mine wants my '75 and made me a really nice offer. He said that I would be the first person to have a shot at it if he were to ever let it go. I'm in an awkward position because it has sentimental value as I had one identical to it '75-'77 but am pondering getting rid of some two strokes.

 

[viperg]

A close friend and fellow restorer of mine wants my '75 and made me a really nice offer. He said that I would be the first person to have a shot at it if he were to ever let it go. I'm in an awkward position because it has sentimental value as I had one identical to it '75-'77 but am pondering getting rid of some two strokes.

GSace your GT sounds valuable to you in ways money cannot express!

Yes, they are getting harder & harder to find in any year. The main problem average guys run into is understanding (or knowing) that after 35 years the motor/crank seals will need a rebuild regardless of milage. You can easily spend $1200 in the price of motor parts/prep alone. The job is not rocket science, but requires meticulous attention to detail.

Current running bikes with higher milage and regular use history make for a better bet & purchase candidates. They are great, albeit wonky, strange motorcycles that are very rewarding when finished properly.

My 76 GT only had 14k miles when the project started & had been neglected mechanically. Read: "rebuild everything"! That is why it was a great Restomod project. I have been offered stupid money for Bad Buffalo by non-purists that love the build. I am not sure I could ever sell just because of the history I with have the bike so I can sympathize with your position GSace.

Selling a life long friend is a tough decision.

 

[amxsteve]

GSace your GT sounds valuable to you in ways money cannot express!

Yes, they are getting harder & harder to find in any year. The main problem average guys run into is understanding (or knowing) that after 35 years the motor/crank seals will need a rebuild regardless of milage. You can easily spend $1200 in the price of motor parts/prep alone. The job is not rocket science, but requires meticulous attention to detail.

Current running bikes with higher milage and regular use history make for a better bet & purchase candidates. They are great, albeit wonky, strange motorcycles that are very rewarding when finished properly.

My 76 GT only had 14k miles when the project started & had been neglected mechanically. Read: "rebuild everything"! That is why it was a great Restomod project. I have been offered stupid money for Bad Buffalo by non-purists that love the build. I am not sure I could ever sell just because of the history I with have the bike so I can sympathize with your position GSace.

Selling a life long friend is a tough decision.

Just sold mine to a collector in florida good deal for both of us. He has some cool stuff check his website. Vintagemusclemotorcycles.com

 

[viperg]

Just sold mine to a collector in florida good deal for both of us. He has some cool stuff check his website. Vintagemusclemotorcycles.com

Steve which one did you sell?

 

[Rob S.]

It's dirty. It's loud. It's oily. Gas milage worse than my truck. It smokes... A LOT. But it is so F'n fun to ride.

The Buffalo emerges from it's winter slumber.

I've got to hand it to you, viperg. You took a bike that never attracted me (in stock form) and made it very desirable and sexy.

Of course if you repeat that to my 1100EZ, I'll deny, deny, deny.

 

[steve murdoch]

Just sold mine to a collector in florida good deal for both of us. He has some cool stuff check his website. Vintagemusclemotorcycles.com

Looking at the website i am guessing the race Buffalo is heading to Florida.
He has an amazing collection of hot rod bikes.
http://www.vintagemusclemotorcycles.com/

 

[viperg]

I've got to hand it to you, viperg. You took a bike that never attracted me (in stock form) and made it very desirable and sexy.

Of course if you repeat that to my 1100EZ, I'll deny, deny, deny.

Thanks Rob S,

I love the 1100EZ so mums the word. The GT is a pure toy although I have ridden for a fair range of around 250 miles in a day without wanting to kill myself.

 

[viperg]

Looking at the website i am guessing the race Buffalo is heading to Florida.
He has an amazing collection of hot rod bikes.
http://www.vintagemusclemotorcycles.com/

Well if that is the case his GT will have a good new home in good company. I hope amxSteve got a fair price for a great bike.

 

[amxsteve]

Steve which one did you sell?

The cafe buffalo

 

[amxsteve]

Well if that is the case his GT will have a good new home in good company. I hope amxSteve got a fair price for a great bike.

Unlike your gt mine was horrible to ride and a museum piece is not my cup of tea. It was my favorite to look at but was too high strung and uncomfortable to be enjoyed. It will be in some pretty fine company

 

[viperg]

Ride or Rot Vintage MC Event 2014 Fort Wayne Indiana

Ride or Rot Vintage MC Event 2014 Fort Wayne Indiana

Many of you who have read my reports know that I love vintage bikes, all vintage bikes. Suzukis above all else are reserved for that special place in my heart. Any events I can participate in with my vintage GT750 smoker resto/mod are always welcome. This year a new event took place right in my back yard "Ride or Rot". I always make it a point to get Bad Buffalo out for at least 1 show per year and this was a good one since it included many vintage Japanese built motorcycles (mainly Hondas per the norm).

The day began with a 40 mile ride for the show participants & a solid threat of rain. To appease the rain gods I took along my rain suit to ensure a dry day, it was.. With rain gear I actually enjoy riding in the rain, thankfully for the rest of the participants it stayed dry.

These are a few shots from the photo portfolio that I took for this first year event. Roughly 100 motorcycles showed up.

Smoke'N

Honda C160

The line-up

Vintage HD

Racer

Keeping the rain gods appeased

Kaw 400 Smoker

National Cycle Board Bike.

Wide rear-end!

Love this Guzzi Eldo, so much patina, so real.

 

[dorkburger]

Aaaah the Bad Buffalo.....Always a pleasure to behold....
I dig that unrestored Guzzi. As much as I like pretty bikes, an unrestored survivor wearing its history on its sleeve speaks to me as well.

 

[steve murdoch]

"Ride or Rot" looks like a fun event.
While i don't mind looking at trailer-queen vintage bikes i don't understand the appeal of ownership. Ride 'em.
Your Buffalo is still bad and is still beautiful.

 

[viperg]

Aaaah the Bad Buffalo.....Always a pleasure to behold....
I dig that unrestored Guzzi. As much as I like pretty bikes, an unrestored survivor wearing its history on its sleeve speaks to me as well.

Glen the Eldo was soo cool! He was riding in front of me burning race gas on the ride to. Smelled almost as good as two stroke.

 

[viperg]

"Ride or Rot" looks like a fun event.
While i don't mind looking at trailer-queen vintage bikes i don't understand the appeal of ownership. Ride 'em.
Your Buffalo is still bad and is still beautiful.

My sentiments exactly Steve. I ride Bad Buffalo in any weather. Did a 200 mile weekend on him last year in a storm and I would do the same on any of my bikes. I have become a firm believer in showing original, unrestored vintage bikes. A little patina from years of use only adds to the cool factor for a machine in my opinion. It seems as though many collectors now are moving towards original unrestored examples as having a premium over pristine, restored models. My version of a GT750 is NOT collectible but merely a novelty rider.

Bad Buffalo is my Mr. Hyde!

 

[amxsteve]

It's a killer ride.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Just to wet my appetite, can you estimate your's HP?
Wanted one for some years.

 

[viperg]

Just to wet my appetite, can you estimate your's HP?
Wanted one for some years.

Thanks for the question. In stock form these bikes on average pull 55-57WHP. My GT is estimated at 85HP to the wheel with the motor setup running perfect & with the street tune. A few weeks ago I did a dyno run and found a severely leaking head gasket during the run and still pulled 70WHP. The smoker is faster than my 900CC fuel injected Ducati 907 that has put down 90whp but the Duc weighs a little more so on the street it's a different story. Building a GT 750 approaching 90+ HP on the street, they become unridable, peaky beasts. So taking them too far on the street is not much fun. My GT is also faster than my GS1000S Cooley. The motor is rebuilt & ported with copper head gasket, flat slide carbs, electronic ignition and some other stuff. Compression is broken in at 160 PSI on all the Cylinders.

 

[viperg]

Rode Bad Buffalo 260 miles to Indy for the annual Rocker's Reunion event.





Worked the VJMC tent with some nice bikes on display.


It rained hard for 15 minutes and then cleared up!


1000 bikes on Fountain Square




Wild Wings!






Vintage Daytona Race Bike

 

[dorkburger]

Very cool, thanks for thr pics. LOVE that Honda race bike.