Suzuki T series
Encyclopedia
The Suzuki T series was a series of motorcycle
manufactured by Suzuki
that ran from approximately 1963 through 1977 in various engine displacements between 90 and 500 cc.
type. Lubrication was provided via premix or automatic oil injection
depending on the year and model. All models through the 1965 model year were of the premix type while all models from 1966 onwards used automatic oil injection. Models above 250 cc were fitted with large twin leading shoe drum brakes until 1975 when disc front brakes were introduced. Models under 250 cc had single leading shoe brakes. Most models had six-speed gearboxes, enabling the factory tuner to raise engine speed with the consequent narrowing of the power band.
In late 1967, building on their success with the T20, Suzuki introduced the T500/5 (Cobra in the US/Canada markets and Titan elsewhere) as a 1968 model. This was a 500 cc twin-cylinder air-cooled bike with a five-speed transmission. It was able to do over 100 mph, durable, handled reasonably well, especially on motorways and sweeping bends and went on to be produced in the tens of thousands until the end of the 1977 model year. The "Cobra" model name was dropped at the end of the first year of production, apparently after Suzuki received a letter from the Ford Motor Company's legal department. Ford at that time had an agreement to market the Shelby Mustang "Cobra"
automobile so they took offense at Suzuki's use of the name. From that time on, the T500 was known as the "Titan" in all markets until the 1976 model year.
In 1976, the Titan was given a facelift and gained a single disc front brake. The "Titan" name was dropped and the designation became, simply, GT500 for both the 1976 and 1977 model years. At the end of the 1977 model year, the 500 was dropped from Suzuki's model line after a production run of ten model years and well over 100,000 examples produced.
In Australasia the T350 Rebel developed legendary status after the triumph of racer Joe Eastmure over much larger super bikes in both the 1972 and 1973 6 hour race at Amaroo, Australia. Although only 315 cc and having drum brakes, the bike was able to out race bikes with twice the engine capacity using the quick but stable handling of the bike, especially the ground clearance.
The T125 was a popular, cheap and robust commuter in New Zealand. During the 1971 oil shock and recession, large numbers of Japanese home market Wolf models where imported into New Zealand and underpriced the normal export model. The key differences were a less well finished petrol tank which had a narrow raised seam running along the centre top and black painted exhaust instead of all chrome. Most of those imported were the high pipe street scrambler style.A T90 model was also imported.It did not have a tachometer.
Suzuki also produced some of these models in a "high pipe" or "street scrambler" version. These models were sometimes prefixed as "TC". Specific TC models included:
The TC models listed above had nothing in common with the later off-road models that Suzuki built under the same (TC) model designation. Those later bikes were all single-cylinder machines with dual range transmissions and proper knobby-type off-road tires. The T125 was produced in both high and low pipes -both using the same model number T125.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
manufactured by Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
that ran from approximately 1963 through 1977 in various engine displacements between 90 and 500 cc.
Construction
All engines were of the kick start,piston-ported, air-cooled, two-stroke, two-cylinderStraight-two
A straight-two engine, is a two-cylinder piston engine that has its cylinders arranged side by side....
type. Lubrication was provided via premix or automatic oil injection
Automatic lubrication
Automatic lubrication refers to a lubrication system where 2 stroke oil is automatically mixed with fuel and manual pre-mixing of fuel and 2 stroke oil is not needed...
depending on the year and model. All models through the 1965 model year were of the premix type while all models from 1966 onwards used automatic oil injection. Models above 250 cc were fitted with large twin leading shoe drum brakes until 1975 when disc front brakes were introduced. Models under 250 cc had single leading shoe brakes. Most models had six-speed gearboxes, enabling the factory tuner to raise engine speed with the consequent narrowing of the power band.
History
During the 1960s, Suzuki showed that it was serious about staying at the forefront of the motorcycle business. In the fall of 1965, they introduced the T20 Hustler twin (aka X6 or Super Six) as a 1966 model with 250 cc displacement, automatic oil injection and the world's first six-speed transmission in a production motorcycle.In late 1967, building on their success with the T20, Suzuki introduced the T500/5 (Cobra in the US/Canada markets and Titan elsewhere) as a 1968 model. This was a 500 cc twin-cylinder air-cooled bike with a five-speed transmission. It was able to do over 100 mph, durable, handled reasonably well, especially on motorways and sweeping bends and went on to be produced in the tens of thousands until the end of the 1977 model year. The "Cobra" model name was dropped at the end of the first year of production, apparently after Suzuki received a letter from the Ford Motor Company's legal department. Ford at that time had an agreement to market the Shelby Mustang "Cobra"
Shelby Mustang
The Shelby Mustang is a high performance variant of the Ford Mustang which was built by Shelby American from 1965 through 1970. Following the introduction of the fifth generation Ford Mustang, the Shelby nameplate was revived in 2007 for new high performance versions of the Mustang.- 1965–1966 :The...
automobile so they took offense at Suzuki's use of the name. From that time on, the T500 was known as the "Titan" in all markets until the 1976 model year.
In 1976, the Titan was given a facelift and gained a single disc front brake. The "Titan" name was dropped and the designation became, simply, GT500 for both the 1976 and 1977 model years. At the end of the 1977 model year, the 500 was dropped from Suzuki's model line after a production run of ten model years and well over 100,000 examples produced.
In Australasia the T350 Rebel developed legendary status after the triumph of racer Joe Eastmure over much larger super bikes in both the 1972 and 1973 6 hour race at Amaroo, Australia. Although only 315 cc and having drum brakes, the bike was able to out race bikes with twice the engine capacity using the quick but stable handling of the bike, especially the ground clearance.
The T125 was a popular, cheap and robust commuter in New Zealand. During the 1971 oil shock and recession, large numbers of Japanese home market Wolf models where imported into New Zealand and underpriced the normal export model. The key differences were a less well finished petrol tank which had a narrow raised seam running along the centre top and black painted exhaust instead of all chrome. Most of those imported were the high pipe street scrambler style.A T90 model was also imported.It did not have a tachometer.
Models
All engines had two parallel cylinders with air cooling.- T90 Wolf
- T125 Stinger (or Flying Leopard/Wolf in the Japanese home market)
- T200 Invader (also known as the X5 in the North American market)
- T10 (no marketing name known; 250 cc engine with premix oiling system)
- T20 "Hustler"Suzuki T20thumb|right|A 1967 Suzuki T20The Suzuki T20 was the first production six speed motorcycle in the world. It was first manufactured in 1965 and was produced until the end of the 1968 model year. It was superseded by an updated version which was designated the T250-1...
(also known as the X6 in the North American market; successor to the T10) - T250 Hustler (successor to the T20 starting with the 1969 model year)
- T305 Raider (only actually produced for about one year ca. 1968)
- T350 Rebel (outgrowth of the T250; actual engine displacement was 315 cc)
- T500 Titan
Suzuki also produced some of these models in a "high pipe" or "street scrambler" version. These models were sometimes prefixed as "TC". Specific TC models included:
- TC200 (marketed as "Stingray" in North America)
- TC250 (two versions available; one based on the T20 and one based on the T250)
- TC305 (marketed as "Laredo" in North America)
The TC models listed above had nothing in common with the later off-road models that Suzuki built under the same (TC) model designation. Those later bikes were all single-cylinder machines with dual range transmissions and proper knobby-type off-road tires. The T125 was produced in both high and low pipes -both using the same model number T125.