Bike of the Month for December 1999

1967 Suzuki T500 Cobra

Yes, I know it's a 33 year old two-stroke. Still, it's the bike I most want this month. Let's have a little history lesson. In the early '60's, two-strokes were cheap transportation, and nothing more. Nobody really understood how to make horsepower from a two-stroke. No one except Walter Kaaden. He was the racing director of MZ in East Germany. He began experimenting with port openings, both in size and duration, as well as expansion pipes. Without computers or budget, he struggled though the long years of trial and error, eventually building up an amazing wealth of knowledge. He shared this knowledge with his star rider, Ernst Degner. The two began winning races in the 50cc and 125cc Grans Prix, showing everyone what two-strokes could do. Then Degner defected to Japan and Suzuki. He took everything he knew about two-strokes and gave it to Suszuki. Soon, Suzuki became a real force in Grand Prix racing. They applied their new knowledge to street bikes as well, creating the T20 Super Six. It was a revelation in 250cc street bikes. Powerful, light, beautiful and reliable. The rest of the motorcycling world didn't know what hit them. Then they moved up market in a big way by producing the T500 Cobra (Titan in some countries) two-stroke twin. Before the T500, there was a belief that a 350 was about the largest you could make a two-stroke that wouldn't overheat and seize. Suzuki knew better, and the Cobra was the result. I think it is the most beautiful Suzuki ever built, coming out at the height of Japan's "chrome tank" period. Every Japanese manufacturer in the '60's made motorcycles with chrome panels on the gas tank. The style varied from sublime to audacious. From aggressive Bridgestones to demure Hondas, everyone swam in a sea of chrome. It was an inspiring era in motorcycle design that died around 1970 or '71. Suzuki's T500 stands at the pinnacle of this design movement, and would make a magnificent template for a modern cruiser. I believe Suzuki lost a great opportunity when they decided to release the rather lackluster 1500 Intruder. If they had looked to their own past, instead of everyone else's interpretation of Harley's past, they could have created something truly unique, as well as beautiful. Oh well, maybe next time.