Old 2 stroke Suzukis - what to look for on a GT250?

If you really must have a 2-stroke I wouldn't consider a GT250 if I were you. Most parts to make it look halfway decent are now unobtainable. They weren't as well built as Yamahas of the day and consequently things broke regularly and they corroded far more. Tinware like mudguards etc are impossible to find and as the bikes aren't that well loved no-one is making much in the aftermarket for them. Just about anything you can find is a New Old Stock item, and you'll pay through the nose for it.

As a bike they weren't that good compared to the Yamaha strokers and even the Kawasaki triples, that's why so many people restore the RDs and KHs as opposed to the GTs. The engines are fragile, even more so than the KH and the handling/braking is pitiful when compared to others of the era.

If you really must own one then be very careful what you buy and buy the very best you can afford. Don't buy a dog thinking you'll restore it - you'll be bankrupted trying to do so. Buy one already mostly restored that's had new mudguards etc and finish it off. Check the engine for any crank noise (rumbling or knocking) and for knackered crank seals. Rev it up and look for more smoke from the right pipe (knackered seal letting gearbox oil into crankcase), and see if the revs die down evenly and quickly . If there are no knocking sounds and the revs pick up and die down quickly/evenly then it sounds ok crankwise. They all had noisy top ends - piston slap was common and normal to some extent. That's an aircooled stroker trait, but GTs were noisy from factory. Alot of it is resonance through the cooling fins because the rubber dampers (if they are still there) were useless at quietening the vibrating fins down. Don't be alarmed if the front brake feels like you're squeezing a wooden block, but you'll surprise me if you think the brakes work at all... they never did when new.

Personally I'd avoid one like the plague, but hope this helps if you're determined to get one.

Originally Posted by The Actor

I had an X7 years ago, black it was, and thin. Some X5 parts will fit at a push. Two things I remember about it, always to carry a spare set of plugs and don't worry about a lumpy shin.

I had an X7 too - it got stolen from my driveway one night. I went out and got drunk to celebrate because I'd never have sold it.