Finally got one after 50 years!

[Steve Swan]

This came in the mail today; a 1968 Bridgestone 350 GTR !!!! i have wanted one since i was 15, Dad had bought a 175 BS from the implement dealer in Wayne, Nebraska who sold Bridgestones, and i outgrew the bike in short order. We went back down to Wayne to trade in the 175 for a GTR, but the implement dealer had quit handling Bridgestones, so we were out of luck. i was definitely more disappointed than Dad, we got a 1965 Yamaha YDS-3, and i never saw a GTR until this morning! What a treat!!!! The GTR was a trend-setter, Six speeds DOWN, the only bike quicker was the Kawasaki 350, both bikes rotary valves. Bridgestone's timing was ill-fated, the factory missed a golden opportunity for a national distributorship, and then later, story has it, Honda told Bridgestone if they did not quit making motorcycles, Honda would quit buying Bridgestone tires........ So, Bridgestones were no longer produced after around 1971, i believe. This one is a 6,400 mile unmolested survivor, just what i wanted, so i don't have to worry about trashing out a restoration. It is a very nice "10 foot bike." Started first kick, i need to re-jet as it lived in New Hampshire and i am at 5000 feet, but it runs unbelievably well in spite of its coming up to my altitude.

1968 Bridgestone 350 GTR.jpg1968 Bridgestone 350GTR.jpg

[duffeycycles]

Nice bike.A lady fiend has a 1973 350..last year for Bridgestone.I had a huge bridgestone sign with the lion crest,last known to be in a Daytona museum.

[Jim]

Very NICE Bridgestone!!! I also owned and "junked" a 1965 Yamaha YDS-3... Oh well, at the time it got scrapped, it wasn't worth anything. You said it came in the mail... must have been a huge bubble envelope! HAHA!!

[Steve Swan]

Thanks guys, the GTR will be fun!

[TechNoir]

Wow Steve, the Bridgestone is awesome !

I remember you mentioning a while ago that you had a Bridgestone itch that you wanted to scratch and boy have you scratched it.

All I can say is wow its fabulous.


John

[pem]

That is a nice looking bike. I just love 1960's motorcycles. A lot of people don't like 2-strokes but not me.
I see you mention Wayne, Nebraska. Perry Mack grew up not far from Wayne in the late 1800's. Closer to Pender.

[Rubone]

Steve, I rode a Kawasaki 350 Avenger for a period in the late '60s. While I was building my first Knucklehead "Chopper"! I used to regularly outrun Triumphs and 450 Hondas on it, it was quite fast at the time!

[Steve Swan]

Thanks, all you guys! i need to clear a lift (i have 2), to get the BS up in the air to pull carbs to drop main jets to a bit lower size, but right now the kid's 2 race bikes are taking ownership of both lifts.... fwiw, here's a pic of the lad a couple weekends ago, he races at club level http://www.mra-racing.org/ in the 250 class.

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[Jim]

Great photo!! That kind of racing boggles my mind how a guy can hang off a bike like that. I can't figure out why the bike doesn't slide out from under the rider on those curves!

[exeric]

You should be proud, and happy, Steve. You have a talented Son, and a beautiful Bridgestone.

[Steve Swan]

Thanks Eric. Corbin (my son) was really scary to watch when he started racing 2003, he was 19 then, lotsa testosterone and immaturity, and did more crashing than he did improving. he quit when he nasty busted his right clavicle in 2006, and then life took over. but he made his return in 2017, and has been a thrill to watch, so much improvement, and how he does it so naturally is beyond on me. he's set lap records at two different tracks and during practices has set new lap times at the remaining 2 tracks he probably will set records at. here's a pic taken in 2005, it's cool to see his face so clearly. the way he is hanging off now, he could not even begin to come close to that during 2003-2006.

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