It’s hard to believe that we haven’t seen a Suzuki 400 here on Barn Finds; this is the very first one for any configuration – street, trail, on/off, etc. It’s also one of the rarest and most desirable, at least of this era. It’s so close, yet so far, as I have a handful of project bikes already, and am getting rid of most of them. Panned by several reviewers as being too heavy, particularly top-heavy, having bad brakes, and a few other issues, I still think they’re cool. Cycle World said, “Suzuki’s Enduro Big Bore Looks Very Serious, But Is Best Suited For Light-Hearted Riding.” This 1973 Suzuki TS-400K Apache is listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Burnsville, Minnesota, and the seller is asking $1,000. Here is the original listing.
If all were right with the world, I would already own this one, and it would be partially torn down already for the nut-and-bolt restoration it deserves. Dang you, world! (fist in air). Just kidding, it isn’t the world’s fault that I can’t justify buying this rare TS-400K Apache and restoring it. I could have done a better job of finding a career to dig into that wouldn’t have gone almost totally obsolete in 20 years, and then wondered why business was down so much over the last handful of years. Dang you, social media thumbnails! Nobody wants or needs actual nice, big photos anymore. I may as well sell dial home phones. I’ve never owned a blue motorcycle, let alone a Coronado Blue one, or a Suzuki bigger than my ’71 MT50 Trailhopper.
Suzuki made the TS-Series since R. Milhouse Nixon was sworn into office (1969), and that’s a long run. I believe 2015 was their last day of production, 21 years after Mr. Nixon’s last day of production. I can’t think of any motorcycle I want more right now, having just watched a video from motorcycle and ATV guru Joe Weber and his 2Vintage YouTube channel, which I’m addicted to. He took one on and somehow got it running, just to see if he could do it. You can see it here on his YouTube page. I can’t imagine this one being as bad, and it sure looks good in the photos compared to the one Joe got for $150. This TS-400 is only about 35ish minutes from me; I really should at least look at it. Unfortunately, I just got an even rarer two-wheeler, a 1971 Trapper Trail mini bike, a couple of months ago, but still…
The engine is Suzuki’s 396-cc two-stroke oil-injected single, and that’s a big single. It isn’t the biggest, but other than my brother’s former Honda XL600R, which was scary, this would be by far bigger than anything I’d ever need. With 34 horsepower backed by a 5-speed transmission, this would be a fantatsic restoration project. I know, not everything has to be restored, and this one looks nice enough that I’d maybe just “restore” the black bits, maybe get new decals for the tank, new tires, and leave the rest as is. The seller says this Suzuki TS-400 hasn’t been started in several years, so at a bare minimum, the entire fuel system has to be gone through. Have any of you seen a Suzuki TS-400, or better yet, owned one?
Bet these are a blast to ride. 34hp and Suzuki did a great job keeping the weight down. Love it SG 👍
Rare and goooone……most of my buddies had the MX version – Tim was pretty good at staying on the back wheel for blocks…..
No. Had a Bultaco Pursang 370.
Would be quite fun to put 17″ wheels on it, porting job, expansion pipe…
Oh really now, this tears it. You know darn well I had one,,I’ve mentioned it many times. I just never thought I’d see another, much less here. Not sure what to say, still in a bit of shock, mine was a ’73 also, only silver, and had an aftermarket chamber, and some funky potato stuffed on the end, and was basically stripped down, save for headlight and tail light and speedo. In case some don’t know, an expansion chamber on a 2 stroke is the equivalent to headers on a 4 stroke. Adds a lot more HP. It was a powerful motor, and with the chamber open, it straightened your arms out, but was incredibly loud. The spark arrestor cut the power by at least 1/3. I bought the DRZ 400 thinking it was like my TS, and was sorely disappointed. The downside was it didn’t have enough suspension, and old injuries ache once again. Quite a find, SG, I loved that bike,,,quite a find.
It’s 4 am, and there’s a bit more. To most viewers, this is merely another listing, which is sold, by the way, but to me, it reflects a time when the world was indeed a much different place, before the weight of the world crushed my fragile spirit( aka, trucking, house, family, Nixon). It seems all these motorcycle finds are in the North. Why is that? Farms. The upper Midwest had more farms than any other part of the country. Farms had kids, kids needed excitement, and dirt bikes provided all they needed. I’d bet 90% of these were sold in rural areas. While there were some city kids(Me) that had a dirt bike, riding was severely limited, and rural riding was practically endless. You might wonder why I’m such a stickler for a big dirt bike, I started out with this, so naturally anything else is going to be less. Essentially going from a Suzuki 80, to this. It was a fast bike. At the time, I had a (city) friend with a Triumph TT500, and we’d load the bikes into his Dodge custom van, and hit the tracks. At that time( late 70s), there were several MX tracks in the S.Wisconsin/N.Ill area, you could pay your fee, sign a disclaimer, and go breaks a leg. All those memories ( and injuries) come flooding back looking at this thing. I can’t imagine anything else that is able to do that( as I remove another gray hair from the keyboard) and might otherwise never see those images again. Fascinating, Captain.
Apache, I forgot Asian bikes had catchy names, I wonder if the Native Americans took offense to that? There was a TS50 Gaucho, a TS75/80 Colt, a TS90/100 Honcho, a TS125 Duster, a TS185 Sierra, and a TS250 “Savage” too. Weren’t the Apaches the angry ones? Not like the Hekawis from F Troop, the peaceful tribe led by Chief Wild Eagle( Frank De Kova) who was not Native American at all. Have a decent day, all, thanks again, SG.
Wow, Howard. You’re banging some memory strings here all over the brain map. Some really good old bikes, the original Star Trek and the Farm Belt all resonate like the loudspeaker on the patrol car behind us.
Well said!
Ans once more Scotty G. starts off a day exceptionally well.
Terrific Father’s Day gift, Scotty! Thank you from all us dads.
Great bike, love the color. I learned to ride on an old Honda 250, this bike reminds me of it.
Richard Nixon went out with the 1994 Model Year
Arrrgh! You’re right. You’ve had more math’n than I have, Frank. Thanks for catching that. 21 years, not 11 years!
I had a ’72 TS-400, orange,I second Howard’s “no suspension” comment, but I was a 150lb college student at the time…long-travel suspension was in the near future. My “high school” bike was a Kawasaki 100…nothing like a 2-stroke burning Castrol ! …memories
I didn’t have a TS 400 but I did have a TM400 back in the day. No comparison between the two other than the Suzuki brand. That TM400 was a nightmare on speed. Was literally more than I could handle, but damn it was fun finding my limits. Ahh to be 20 again. This TS looks like fun but my 75-year-old body wouldn’t survive another fall. I have come to learn that now when I fall, I don’t bounce, I break.
One thing that I sort of liked about the bike was that it was somewat streetable. I’ve always been partial to two strokes and have had a life long yen for a big single in a road frame that was designed for road work. Some of the Europian manufacturers built that sort of bike but they were all beyond my reach as a teenager. I was surprised to find out that Honda was toying with the idea in the early ’80s and actually built a prototype around it’s CR 500 engine:
https://www.voromv.com/2024/05/motos-nonatas-33-honda-cr-1-500-sports.html
Yes, I had one for about one month in 1980. It was my first and only motorcycle. I realized pretty quickly that I did not have the skill or stomach for trail riding. No regrets, though.
Suzuki 400’s were known for beeing the worst handling dirt bike ever
Only the TM400, THE RACE BIKE, These were awesome, rode mine everywhere !