In 1978, a Harley-Davidson dealership in Kansas traded for this lime-green Suzuki GT550 Indy. Forty-four climate-controlled years later, it was still there, drawing admiring glances from visitors but unavailable to buy—until it showed up on eBay in 2023.
Brains Over Brawn
Suzukis of this era traded outright performance for a moderate approach. These machines provided reliable, comfortable, yet sporty touring. The 550-cc three-cylinder motor in the Indy provided the best part of 50 horsepower, which could have whisked you to the far side of 110 mph. This was not shabby for the early 1970s, but it was also not in the same bracket as Kawasaki’s H1 - opens in new window or tab.. Cycle World measured that bike’s top speed at a hair shy of 120 mph.
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However, the Suzuki GT550 Indy’s engine was tuned to give a surprising amount of performance from lower in the rev range. That made it a more usable, almost torquey alternative.
Quite a Looker
These were still early days for Japanese manufacturers. Like the contemporary British bikes, there’s minimal front fork rake angle to help respond in the twisties and zero concession to aerodynamics.
The Japanese separated themselves from the Brits (and everyone else) with that light and powerful 550-cc two-stroke motor. Unusually for a three-cylinder, it divides its exhaust into four pipes to give a balanced look from the rear. This was achieved by splitting the center pipe into two smaller pipes beneath the two outer pipes on each side. This must have taken some doing back then, but the visual payoff is enormous.
The tinware on top of the motor is Suzuki’s Ram Air cooling system, which was lifted straight from its T500 racer - opens in new window or tab.. It proved to the world that it was possible to keep a two-stroke engine larger than 350 cc cool.
Essentially, it’s an aluminum shroud to direct air over the cooling fins of the cylinder head, with some trick work done to encourage much-needed extra cooling to the center cylinder. Not only did it work beautifully, it added another attractive element to an already pretty bike.
The “Indy” moniker identified the 550 for the North American market, while the 380-cc version was dubbed “Sebring,” and the range-topping 750 was called “Le Mans.” The Indy soon earned a reputation as a reliable and lively bike, equally adept at touring or spirited canyon-carving. Suzuki sold around 14,000 units for the 1973 model year, although very few of those will be in the same fine condition as this one.
Almost Perfect Preservation
Back to that Kansas Harley-Davidson - opens in new window or tab. dealership where the Suzuki GT550 Indy was traded in. The dealer was an ex-racer who fancied keeping the bike on display, where it stayed for 44 years. It had rolled up 7,090 miles to that point, which has not increased since.
The description highlights the minor yet sadly inevitable dings over the decades. Each imperfection is visible in the images, and none are beyond the abilities of a professional dent-and-ding technician. Compression is good, and preserving the machine in a controlled environment has done wonders for the lines, hoses, and wiring.
If you are thinking about running the Indy again, it would be best to entrust that process to an expert after all these years of inactivity.
Ride It or Rest It?
We love highlighting rare survivors like this Suzuki GT550 Indy as much as we enjoy pondering what its next owner will do with the bike.
There’s no wrong answer, but these were fine-riding machines, and the values aren’t yet in the stratosphere. Perhaps this one warrants a sympathetic recommissioning, followed by outings to local shows. What would you do?
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.