Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause

Photos and progress of your restorations, even bikes you had but no longer own.

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Hush
Around the block
Posts: 73
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:31 pm
Country: New Zealand
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 74 GT550 L 73 GT250K

Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause

Post by Hush »

Well there you go, final hurdle jumped, bike has been through the compliance tests by the local agent AA, total cost to get bike put back legally on the road with new plates: $184 to ask the people at "Exemptions" which is a Government department if I can register the bike as it had no previous ownership history, no plates, no paper work, all I had was the email from the guy I purchased off. Then $100 to The Vintage Car Club NZ for them to vouch that the bike was indeed a Suzuki GT550 and had been sold new in New Zealand. Finally the compliance check which is like a more thorough warrant check, new plates are issued, ownership is placed in my name, brakes are tried, all electrics checked. $363. So to get an abandoned or purchased bike with no history your costs here in New Zealand will be $647. I will just add that to the $14000 already spent lol. I haven't been riding lately due to a serious back injury so when they rang and told me the bike was ready to be picked up I had no choice but to grab my helmet and jacket and go get her. Compliance guys were very cool dudes, they explained that the rear tire had gone down 4 times on them so we pumped it up one more time and I jumped aboard. I told my partner that if the bike fired I would just boot it out of there and try to get it home before the tire deflated. Turned on the key, lifted the choke and hit the button, fired up first time (big grin on my face) I toed it into 1st and headed for the gate, behind me a huge cloud of smoke and the wonderful smell of two stroke filled the garage lol. The bike was amazing, even though I was panicking about the rear tire I still couldn't believe how strong it pulled, I had 7 sets of traffic lights to get through and all I got to were red so lots of stopping, more worry from me about rear tire. Got bike home to my own surprise and rear tire still fully inflated? Next morning tire flat as so off it comes, I am guessing it was my error in fitting that some how the valve had a rip in the rubber right next to it. New tube $27 and all good again. Can't stop smiling, bike is a good one. :D :D :D :D I guess it's no longer a lost cause lol.
Cliff56
On the street
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 5:29 pm
Country: Canada
Suzuki 2-Strokes: Original owner GT550L

Re: Suzuki GT550 L 1974 Lost cause

Post by Cliff56 »

Good job Rick!!
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