The TC50 Story
Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2021 6:28 pm
I was the summer of 1971, I was a 13 year old boy living with my family on the west side of Little Rock, Arkansas. Back then, the State of Arkansas would allow those under 16 years to drive motorcycle up I think 500cc. So there were lots of kids with smaller motorcycles everywhere.
One day, sitting on front steps of our home I hear a 2 stroke motorcycle coming up our street. When it came closer, I saw what may have been the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was a fairly new, Suzuki, but smaller than my friend across the street had, as his was a 1970 TS90 Honcho.
This motorcycle would be perfect for me, size and performance. I found out a day or two later it was a 1971 TS50 Gaucho. It was the the only thing in the world i wanted. I felt as If I already had everything else in life. But this was different, I yearned for it, laid awake at night wanting it. I will never forget that day in Little Rock when I was 13.
So a couple of days ago I was looking to sell a Vespa Moped I had purchased from a neighbor for $200. It ran really good, looked ok for a 1978. But it didn't really trip my trigger. I had never owned a motorcycle after all these years, and I had owned the Vespa for 8 days but I always had a soft spot in my heart for the Suzuki 2 stroke street/trail bikes made from 1969 to 1976, 250 cc and under.
While looking on Facebook Marketplace last Thursday to sell the Vespa, I type in Suzuki and BINGO......I found a 1972 Suzuki TS50 "for Trade"!!!!! A guy had it listed, said it would run but no throttle cable and rusted fuel tank. After 50 years I finally got my first motorcycle...and the dream I had as a 13 year old boy. Its in the garage now, and I think getting it running and restoring it may be more fun than riding it. Maybe tomorrow I will push it out into my front yard and I will sit on my front steps and just admire it. And feel 13 again.
One day, sitting on front steps of our home I hear a 2 stroke motorcycle coming up our street. When it came closer, I saw what may have been the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was a fairly new, Suzuki, but smaller than my friend across the street had, as his was a 1970 TS90 Honcho.
This motorcycle would be perfect for me, size and performance. I found out a day or two later it was a 1971 TS50 Gaucho. It was the the only thing in the world i wanted. I felt as If I already had everything else in life. But this was different, I yearned for it, laid awake at night wanting it. I will never forget that day in Little Rock when I was 13.
So a couple of days ago I was looking to sell a Vespa Moped I had purchased from a neighbor for $200. It ran really good, looked ok for a 1978. But it didn't really trip my trigger. I had never owned a motorcycle after all these years, and I had owned the Vespa for 8 days but I always had a soft spot in my heart for the Suzuki 2 stroke street/trail bikes made from 1969 to 1976, 250 cc and under.
While looking on Facebook Marketplace last Thursday to sell the Vespa, I type in Suzuki and BINGO......I found a 1972 Suzuki TS50 "for Trade"!!!!! A guy had it listed, said it would run but no throttle cable and rusted fuel tank. After 50 years I finally got my first motorcycle...and the dream I had as a 13 year old boy. Its in the garage now, and I think getting it running and restoring it may be more fun than riding it. Maybe tomorrow I will push it out into my front yard and I will sit on my front steps and just admire it. And feel 13 again.