Pictures of
visitors' Suzuki motorcycles
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38
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1972 Suzuki GT 750 J
1973 Suzuki GT 750 S Vallelunga replica
Owner: Mario Galieni, Sant'Elpidio a Mare, Italy
Mods: The original bike was a GT750J,
manufactured in December 1971 for the USA market. Transformed
into a '73 GT750S Vallelunga.
The front end is from a GT750K (wheel included). When I purchased
it, there was fitted a 3 into 1 exhaust system. Very noisy! I
still have it.
Comments: My bike is not a true Vallelunga, but it is like
them. My bike was a GT750J. Frame number 14,461. There are almost
no differences between mine and the true Vallelunga. My exhausts
are black and the Blue colour is slightly pale.
I bought my bike in February 2000. I already had a GT750J (1971,
frame n.14004) for my daily use (I sold it just one month ago),
and since that time I was very busy to find the fairing to made
a Vallelunga (very hard to find). Then I found it, new, rough,
without paint, without side panels.
When I purchased both side panels I kept on build the bike. I
painted it. At last I found the front glass. You know the result.
What I think of the bike? It's heavy, heavy, heavy! Too heavy!
Technically, I think the linkage frame-fairing is thin. First
to mount mine, I wanted to see how it was done. I saw it last
June in Misano (the race track) where I saw the other bike on
the pictures (racing version, number
45). It was a rough linkage, but
I can't find a better way. This other bike I saw in Misano was
also a replica of a GT750S Vallelunga; another GT750J (frame number
18,000). It's owner had two other bikes, one of them was an original
(and documented) Vallelunga. Unfortunately I hadn't an opportunity
to take a picture of it.
Overall, I think it is a nice bike to have, but not to race with.
I think the original Vallelunga had to be lighter than mine. Otherwise
I can't understand how they could be winning bikes! They did.
Another problem: my bike has not got an electric starter. The
original kick starter lever is useless in presence of rear setting
footpegs. I was lucky to find a lever modified to fit my bike
better. It is not "elegant", but it works (it's not
on the attached pictures).
Some facts about the model:
GT750S Vallelunga is a special version of GT750K. It was a model
made by the Italian importer (SAIAD s.r.l.), only 150 to 200 units
were made so that the model could be included in the Italian championship
races for production bikes in 1973. Some sources say the exact
figure is 150, others 200. An old rider told to Mario
that it is possible that Saiad made only 85 true Vallelunga Suzuki.
As the Vallelunga brochure shows,
it uses the same exhaust system as the GT750J and K, and even
the footpegs. Yes, althought it has a single passenger racing
seat, it still has rear footpegs!
All the electrical equipment is the same as the standard street
bike. It is so easy to make a self-made Vallelunga!
The bikes used in the races had usually a different exhaust system:
Riders used to mount the TR750 system, with expansion chambers.
They also used to mount a Krober ignition.
The Suzuki T500TT was another special edition bike made by the
Italian importer: SAIAD s.r.l. in Turin. The bike was also called
Suzuki SAIAD.
Here's more
Suzuki GT750 info.
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Updated: October 10, 2003
More:
Pictures of visitors' other motorcycles (not Suzuki)
More: Pictures of visitors' Suzuki GSX1400
More: Pictures of my own Suzuki GSX1400
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