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Difference between revisions of "Category:Suzuki GT series"
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Another marketing anomaly concerned the GT380. The actual engine displacement as introduced in the 1972 MY was 371cc and the 380 stayed this way until the end of production for most market areas. However, for the Italian market only, the GT380 received a displacement increase to 384cc starting with the 1975 MY. This engine size was continued through to the end of production for Italy alone. This was a counter to an Italian government import ban on bikes less than 380cc and less than 170 kg. Suzuki simply increased the bore of the GT380 to 55mm thus making the engine capacity now 384cc. Suzuki also made sure that the data plate riveted to the frame showed a weight of 171 kg. | Another marketing anomaly concerned the GT380. The actual engine displacement as introduced in the 1972 MY was 371cc and the 380 stayed this way until the end of production for most market areas. However, for the Italian market only, the GT380 received a displacement increase to 384cc starting with the 1975 MY. This engine size was continued through to the end of production for Italy alone. This was a counter to an Italian government import ban on bikes less than 380cc and less than 170 kg. Suzuki simply increased the bore of the GT380 to 55mm thus making the engine capacity now 384cc. Suzuki also made sure that the data plate riveted to the frame showed a weight of 171 kg. | ||
An additional anomaly concerned the GT550. Like all engines of this period, the 550 started life with chrome-plated [[piston ring]]s running in | An additional anomaly concerned the GT550. Like all engines of this period, the 550 started life with chrome-plated [[piston ring]]s running in cast iron cylinder bores. However, for the 1976 MY, the 550 received a very forward thinking design change that featured cast iron rings running in chrome-plated cylinder bores. This change MAY have had something to do with Suzuki's recent venture into the snow machine market in North America starting in the 1973 MY. For whatever reason, the only market to receive this innovation was continental Europe i.e. France, Germany, Italy. The rest of the world continued on with the original 550 design. The Japanese home market MAY have received this same modification but this is unclear. | ||
Production and sales went along quite successfully from the initial 1972 introduction, no doubt helped by periodic updates and the introduction of the smaller capacity models for beginners. | Production and sales went along quite successfully from the initial 1972 introduction, no doubt helped by periodic updates and the introduction of the smaller capacity models for beginners. | ||