Whatever happened to the SP370?

[Graeme M]

You never see them around. I've spotted a few DR400s and a DR500, but the SP? Nope. The only ones I know of are Tony T's in SA. But they weren't a bad old bike, even if they were God awful ugly. I even owned one once.

Anyways, here's proof that they can still do their thing. This photo is from Siege's site in the 'States, and apparently this guy wins his races:

[mx250]

God awful ugly.

Wash your mouth out  .

I had one and I love the shape of the tank. I would love to have one today as a basis of a 'minimalist' look roadie. Bog stock the rest made it look like an overweight road toad (which would be a fair description  ). Piss off the overweight ugly rear muffler, remove the instruments and I thought it looked after decent.

I removed the rear muffler and I use to purposely go through corners one gear too low just to hear and feel that chuff chuff chuff as it came off the corner - loved it  . Why go for performance  just to destroy this audial sensation and delight  .

On the trail it was an excellent trail bike. Handled well, reasonable good suspension (given weight and intended purpose). Power wasn't exciting but it had bottom end, mid range and would rev out. I would rated it far above the DT400 of the period - on the road and the trail. On the trail I would rate it far above the XT500 - on the road the XT500 rate above because of the extra cc's - but not by much.

Handling was typical Suzuki - great. If the suspension let you down and you were crossed up bouncing everywhere the chassis seemed to work with you rather than against you. It was more likely you would recover rather than crash your brains out. With the Yammies I found the opposite. 

The SP dropped under the radar then and now because they were neither fish nor fowl - not a small 'lightweight' 250 or an overweight but powerfull 500.

[Doc]

I know of an SP400 unearthed just last week. Seems the man on the land liked them and there are more to be found out central west and further up north I rode an SP400 a few times when 20ish and the only real fault I had was in the dirt,the steering angle or lack thereof..it didn't want to turn and tended to plow straight when pushed into corners especially with the trials tyres fitted..needless to say Ray the Baker who owned this bike bit the dust literally on more than the odd occasion but the SP remained unbreakable. On the street it was different and very nice. I'll be getting my DR500Z back later this month and the plan was to sell to fund my vmx ventures but I'll keep it if I can't get decent $ 

[mx250]

..it didn't want to turn and tended to plow straight when pushed into corners especially with the trials tyres fitted..

The  SP wasn't happy 'between the tree' - nor intended, get a PE. It was at its best on a car width trail, short straights, 50-100m between 45 degree corners, constant rising and falling, a couple of ledges to 'get some air' and moderate rocks, sand and potholes - for Sydney locals, Wheelborrow ridge track  , the Old Convict road Wisemans , Garden of Stones and the Commisioners track Putty . 

[Quicksilver]

I had an SP370 back in 90s. Never thought much of it. overweight underpower slug was my opinion in the day.
Went out riding with my son in about 1995 I think, the SP shit itself in the state forest about 10 kms from town. I just left it their. Maybe its still their. 

[Suzbulvarna]

Graeme,
Most of the missing SPs are at the bottom of baron Von Shicklegrubbers pool in bananaland and its good to see that you have seen the light and got on to the yellow peril....forget those Huskies the house of the rising sun is where its at.
Regards
You know who

[dkupf]

There used to be a bike in Gladstone a few years ago. It was a Sp 370 motor in a 1978 Rm 250 frame. Must try and find out what ever happened to it . Darcy

[Doc]

contrary to popular belief SP stood for SPeshul not Stump Puller! and they were 

[Graeme M]

Suzbulvarna... that does show a certain confusion about loyalties doesn't it?  At least you put the Suzuki part first. What you need is a good dose of big TM, eh? I can believe you when it comes to the Baron tho, he always has had a penchant for collecting strays.

As for SPs, well, I always really liked the white DR400. But before they appeared I owned a red SP370, one of the first around my hometown. In fact I got to ride the local Suzuki dealer's bike which was a very early one and that was what sold me on it (for anyone from Qld back then the man's name was 'Chad' Burgess and he co-owned KB Suzuki in Bundy - wonder whatever happened to him and his remarkably attractive wife?).

I did a lot of work to my SP - cam, hi-comp piston, 36mm carb, valve springs, ported head, modded airbox, fork kit, Boge shocks etc. It ended up almost as fast a stock TT500, but a very nice bike to ride surprisingly. A set of RM forks would have been a big help though. Still holds a warm spot in my memories. Of course, like any 4-stroke from back then it was a real handful in tight stuff and I insisted in riding it in enduros...

Here's a couple of pics of the mighty beast.

[Tony T]

Ah, my beloved SP's. 
No idea why I like them so much. They're not a particularly good bike................
An interesting story I got from Carl Fuller ex-Suzuki Australia rep, the first SP "370" to arrive in Australia for the press to ride seemed to go very, very well. So Carl and his boys pulled the top end off for a look to find it was a full 500cc.
That the trouble the Japanese would go to to get good press back then.
Apparently, the bike still exists somewhere around Albury I think he said. Anyone know of a particularly fast SP?
I think I should make more of an effort to track it down.
Here's a couple of pics of one of mine on a trip around Alice Springs a couple of years ago.

[YSS]

If anyone needs piston kits for them , I still have  all the sizes  . New in original packaging. I used those 85 mm pistons to build the sidecar engines, because of their low weight and durability.

[Tony T]

That might be useful info one day.
I've still got one more basket case that will be put together.
One day........................ 

[David Lahey]

There used to be a bike in Gladstone a few years ago. It was a Sp 370 motor in a 1978 Rm 250 frame. Must try and find out what ever happened to it . Darcy

That would be mine Darcy.
It's still here in my shed and it still rips up the grass nicely at my place once a year.
I did ride it as an SP370 for a while before doing the frame thing and it was quite pleasant for trail riding and incredibly light on fuel. It did over 90MPG riding to work while I was running it in. No way was I buying one of those TT500s. They were even more crap than the SP370 in the tight stuff we usually rode.
I bought it brand new from John Walmsley Suzuki at Cabalaba for $1400 in 1979. It had sat around for ages in the showroom and John was pretty happy to sell it at last.
The 36mm Dell Orto pumper carby from the Fast Fatso at Toowoomba fixed the cough and die behaviour, a proper exhaust allowed it to breathe, and the RM250C frame and suspension made it much more user-friendly overall. Later on it got a DR400 piston which increased the bottom end power a bit.
It was my enduro/trail riding/ride-to-work and practice-on-the-MX track bike till the early 1990s.
David Lahey

[mx250]

An interesting story I got from Carl Fuller excise Australia rep, the first SP "370" to arrive in Australia for the press to ride seemed to go very, very well. So Carl and his boys pulled the top end off for a look to find it was a full 500cc.

Is that the explanation. I thought Juno's were abject winkers who wrote road tests with one hand on the keyboard and the other holding on to their 'privates'  . You mean to say they were purposely lead astray by those devious Marketing Managers?

[David Lahey]

Here are the photos of my SP370 from new to being quite a nice off-road bike. Time span of these photos is 1979-1980.
The KLX250 (John Zordan's) was brand new in the photo and went on its first ride that day.

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