Feed Back

FEED BACK

Readers, as well as those involved in the motorcycle industry, are invited to have their say about motorcycles they own or have owned. Anything is fair game: performance, handling, reliability, service, parts availability, lovability, you name it. Suggestions: be objective, be fair, no wildly emotional but ill-founded invectives; include useful facts like mileage on odometer, time owned, model year, special equipment and accessories bought, etc.

TOURING TITAN

My love affair began one chilly November afternoon. Considering a trip to California with a buddy, my eyes were constantly looking at used motorcycles. And, lo and behold, I lucked out! I looked at one dealer’s used machines and ran across a 1972 Suzuki Titan 500 completely built for touring! Right to the last detail. I gave the man my Kawasaki 350 S2 (generally a headache), and $225.

Among other options, the bike was housed with a windshield, saddlebags, luggage rack, sissy bar, custom crash bars, custom horns, auxiliary lights (which really lit up the road), a special front fender specifically designed to keep out rain, floorboards for a passenger as well as the rider, and still more. The bike had 4650 miles at time of purchase and appeared to be in good condition.

Primary word for the bike? Praise, without hesitation. The bike’s acceleration wasn’t particularly outstanding, but the machine had an amazing amount of torque and for distance traveling ran a low 3600 rpm at 60 mph. Vibration was present all the way up the scale, but at no time was it overpowering.

Handling was fair, considering the bulk of the machine with all its options. The handlebars were rubber-mounted, which I felt was a real mistake. When cornering, the bike constantly felt like it was “wallowing” through the turns, as the handlebars flexed in your palms.

This gave a rather insecure feeling while cornering at any kind of real speed.

I guess my real love of the bike was for its reliability and durability. Not once did it EVER leave me stranded, and that includes all my riding during the winter months. Some mornings the thermometer read 0 and it still turned over and ran on the second or third kick. It never complained. Two or three minutes were necessary for warmup, even in the most severe conditions. The only work I ever needed to perform on the engine was a change of spark plugs prior to my selling the bike in March with an odometer reading of 8700 miles. My Suzi and I were in an accident that canceled any trip to the West Coast. However, I believe she could have carried me anywhere, anytime, my confidence in her never faltering for even a minute. Super reliable.

In conclusion, I would recommend a 500 Titan to anyone who isn’t going to push the bike to its limits of acceleration and handling. The Suzuki is king in neither of these fields. It is reliable, predictable and very likable. Know what to expect before you buy. Want acceleration? Buy a Kawasaki. Want handling? Buy a Norton. Want reliable transportation in a machine that’s a pleasure to own and maintain? Consider the Suzuki Titan 500. Finally, its bargain-basement prices are still another pat on the back for Suzuki. I dare you to try to find more bike for the money.

Mark Hering Midland Park, N.J.

IMPARTS A PARTS PROBLEM

In March of 1974 I purchased a brand-new Triumph 750 Bonneville. I had dreamed of owning a large displacement road burner for some time, and the larger engine and five-speed gearbox attracted me to the Triumph.

I was happy with my new machine, no problems at all until three months later when I needed to replace the hydraulic brake reservoir cap. It was not in stock and I was told it would take some time to get one. However, O. & E. Mercury, the local Triumph dealer, had a slightly damaged cap that they let me have. This marred my perfect machine, but was no great problem. However, I was worried about parts availability. I was assured the situation would soon improve.

Six months later a zener diode ceased to function and my bike was down. Keep in mind that this machine is my sole transportation. Three months and $20 later O. & E. received the diode and I was no longer a hitchhiker.

At this point my bike was beginning to smoke, especially when first started. I logged a few more miles and finally put valve guides in and ground the valves. I thought of my pocket (not much money) and did not put rings in at this time. The bike then had about 11,000 miles.

Presently, at 13,500 miles, one year and four months after buying this beast, I have had a collision with a suicidal dog. This wreck destroyed the hydraulic brake fluid reservoir, scraped both mufflers and the front fender, maimed the headlight assembly along with many miscellaneous pieces needed for a sanitary bike. In short, my bike is wrecked and the parts are impossible to get here in Humboldt County. Most of the parts are “back-ordered” according to O. & E. Also the prices are unreal. For instance: $90 for a headlight assembly.

I have decided that if it is going to take so long to get these parts I will tear my bike down and do it right. I went down south and was able, by shopping around, to pick up one-third of my parts and order the rest C.O.D.ed up to Areata.

I am presently detailing and painting the bike so that it will be a nice bike when put back together. Unfortunately, by the time it is complete the rainy season will be in full swing. So, I’m going to sell this thing and buy a nice dependable work car. Maybe later when I have a better job I can afford to buy a Yamaha 350 Twin to tinker with.

For now I’m sick of pouring time and money into a bike that won’t run for the lack of parts. This is the last Norton-Triumph product I’ll own.

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Larry Edwards Areata, Calif.

MINIMAL MODS

Two months ago I bought a Suzuki TM250 ’74 model. I bought it as something to hack around on the trails with and to take to the local tracks every once in a while; really just something to have fun with.

When I first rode the bike it had problems pulling itself in first gear up the slightest of hills. I found that this was because the stock gearing seemed to be all wrong. The stock gearing for the bike was 12 on the countershaft and 45 on the rear wheel. This was, to say the least, all too high. It would really fly on the straights, but when you would come on a hill you had to go over screaming in first gear or slipping the clutch all the way up if you planned to get up. I found that a 12 on the countershaft and a 52 on the rear wheel corrected this problem completely. Now I have no problem going up any hill even at low rpm.

Another problem I found with the bike was the stock hand grips. They are made out of very slick rubber and have very few cleats; the ones they do have are very poor. I found that the best grips to replace the old ones are Preston Petty Hex grips. They really do the job.

The footpegs have the same problem. They are made of slick steel with no knobs or anything to keep your feet on the pegs. It seemed like every time I rode when it was muddy I came back with the sorest ankles in town. MX footpegs seem to really hold your feet on. They are worth their weight in gold.

The handling of the bike really isn’t all that bad. I had expected a rock the way some of my friends had talked before I bought the bike. Well, I found that the back suspension left a lot to be desired the way it wobbled around, but I turned the stock shocks upside-down, which helped the problem quite a bit.

I really like the bike. I think for the kind of riding I do I couldn’t have made a better decision, for it is very economical to run and it’s very dependable. Every time I’m ready to ride, it is too. And with these few modifications it really is a good bike.

Robert Chatfield Ashland, Ky.

YANKEE DEALER’S NOT DANDY

I recently had trouble with my Yankee 500Z. The right cylinder kept dying. When I couldn’t fix it, I took it to the dealer I bought it from, Meadowbrook Sales, Inc. of Hempstead, Long Island. (I also bought an SL125, all my parts, tools, helmet, boots and had a friend buy his F6 from them). I told them I didn’t know what was wrong but the spark was weak. After they checked it, they said the problem was dirty carbs and worn rings; they said everything else was good, including the spark. After I paid them I took the bike out and it happened again, the right cylinder died.

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Now Meadowbrook says it’s the Motoplat and wants more money to fix it. They won’t give me anything toward what I’ve already paid. I’ve since taken the bike to another dealer. Also, they can’t know it’s the Motoplat and not the magneto, since Yankee and Penton have the only machines to test them.

I always thought Meadowbrook was awfully interested in the money it made. Now it seems to me the money is what counts, more than the people who give it to them.

John T. Devlin Long Island City, N.Y.

BEST OF THE LOT

I would like to start with the usual praise of your magazine; afterall, “Experience makes the difference.” I especially enjoy “Feedback.” I’ve been riding (and reading) for 12 years and have owned two Yamahas, two Hondas, two Kawasakis, two Harleys, a Matchless and a Triumph, but not in that order. I’m presently riding the Triumph, a 1972 TR6 RV (five-speed). It is the best bike I’ve ever owned.

I acquired the Tiger with 3500 miles on it and it presently has 8000. The only modifications have been the removal of the choke and rejetting of the carb upon installation of “shorties.” The performance is super, comparable to that of my stock lOOOcc Sportster. Of course, the handling is something else. I ride with .two 850 Nortons and I give ’em fits on the back roads. They have the power but I lose them on the turns. I should add here that the stock K70 tires were replaced with K81s and the difference was remarkable. The only other maintenance planned is a new chain, although I’ve had no problems in this area. This is the only bike I’ve ever ridden that always feels like it’s on your side. The sophisticated multi-cylinder Japanese machinery is technologically magnificent, but I feel sorry for the riders who will never experience the simplicity, handling, and gut-rumbling “motorcycleness” of a classic British 650 Twin. My Triumph doesn’t vibrate, it pulsates, and that’s half the fun!

Paul Manwaring El Bristol, Ct.