The 1966 Suzuki T20 was a landmark motorcycle that helped transform Suzuki’s image from a manufacturer of practical lightweight machines into a serious builder of high-performance motorcycles.

First launched in Japan in 1965 and introduced internationally as a 1966 model, the T20 took the humble 250cc class firmly into sports-bike territory. Its 247cc air-cooled two-stroke parallel twin produced around 29hp, while its light weight and close-ratio six-speed gearbox gave it sparkling acceleration and a claimed top speed approaching 100mph (160km/h) – remarkable performance from a 250 in the mid-1960s.

Known as the Super Six in Britain and the X6 Hustler in America, the T20’s six-speed transmission was particularly significant at a time when four-speed gearboxes were still commonplace. Combined with its double-cradle frame, twin carburetors, automatic oiling system and large twin-leading-shoe front brake, it gave riders a level of specification and performance normally associated with considerably larger motorcycles. The T20 quickly earned an international reputation as one of the hottest quarter-litre machines available and became an important foundation for Suzuki’s later generation of high-performance two-stroke road bikes.

Such was the T20’s reputation that an enduring story claims its performance helped persuade British authorities to eventually reduce the capacity permitted for learner motorcycles from 250cc to 125cc. That particular connection is best regarded as motorcycling folklore rather than established fact, but its persistence says plenty about the reputation the little Suzuki acquired. Fast, lightweight and technically advanced, the T20 was one of the motorcycles that demonstrated just how formidable the emerging Japanese industry had become, and today it stands as an important milestone in Suzuki’s performance history.

• This Suzuki T20 is a two stroke, twin cylinder engine and six speed gearbox.
• It was first manufactured in 1965 (but introduced as a 1966 model) and was produced until the end of the 1968 model year. Production peaked at more than 5000 units per month.
• In the UK the T20 was called the ‘Super Six’ (which refers to the motorcycle’s very unusual six speed transmission, since most motorcycles had only four speeds or, rarely, five speeds) in that era. In the USA the bike was designated the X6 with the advertising department tacking on the “Hustler” name.
• The T20 is equipped with a 247 cc. Simple two-stroke designs combined oil and gas together (a solution known as pre-mix) before filling the fuel tank. However, in an advanced system like the T20, which was expected to operate for longer periods at higher RPMs, this would have been unsuitable. An excess amount of oil would be burned using pre-mix under these conditions, resulting in reduced performance and dirtier emissions, which in turn would cause the exhaust system to become laden with deposits, further reducing performance. The T20 solved this problem by incorporating a once-through oil injection system known as Posi-Force, which consists of an engine-driven oil pump coupled to the throttle, which is designed to provide the proper amount of oil needed at the current RPM and throttle opening. Posi Force was renamed CCI (Crankcase-Cylinder-Injection) in the early 1970s and was used until the end of two stroke street bike production in the late 1990s.
• This NZ New bike was restored in 2017 and is in exceptional order.

The T20 enjoyed some genuine racing success, too, especially in the UK. In the Production class at the 1967 Isle of Man TT, Aussie riders Barry Smith and Kel Carruthers finished third and fifth respectively. A number of impressive performances in circuit and endurance events throughout Europe followed.

As the T20s offered more performance than the T10s, they are generally considered more collectable. Also, as with a lot of early Japanese bikes, the styling that was so “weird” when new now has a quirky retro appeal that is growing amongst enthusiasts.

The 1966 Suzuki T20 250, better known as the Super Six in Britain and X6 Hustler in America, has become one of the more historically significant and collectible small-capacity Japanese motorcycles of the 1960s. Its combination of a lively 247cc two-stroke twin, light weight and then-unusual six-speed gearbox made it an exceptionally sporting machine for its time and helped establish Suzuki as a serious performance motorcycle manufacturer.

Collector interest today is driven as much by nostalgia and historical importance as performance. Many T20s were ridden hard, modified or simply disappeared when they had little monetary value, making complete, original or accurately restored examples increasingly desirable. Its distinctive early Japanese styling, chrome detailing and unmistakable two-stroke character have also aged remarkably well, giving the T20 considerable appeal among collectors seeking something less commonplace than the better-known Hondas and Kawasakis of the period.

Values vary considerably according to condition and provenance. Recent 2026 international auction results for 1966 examples demonstrates how strongly the market rewards quality, originality and presentation rather than simply the model badge itself.

With early Japanese motorcycles now firmly established as a recognised collecting category, the T20 has all the ingredients enthusiasts look for: rarity, innovative engineering, period performance, motorsport heritage and strong nostalgic appeal. While still relatively affordable compared with the most valuable Japanese classics, an exceptional T20 represents an increasingly interesting and distinctive piece of 1960s motorcycling history.

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Unless otherwise stated, vehicles sold for use in New Zealand will be supplied with a new Warrant of Fitness (WoF) and 12 months New Zealand registration at the time of sale.

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For more information about this vehicle, please contact us Monday to Friday between 9:00am and 6:00pm (New Zealand Standard Time) on +64 (0) 3 310-6485. Alternatively, you may email us at [email protected] anytime, or contact us through the form below.

The Purchaser is encouraged to personally fully inspect the vehicle and also to have the vehicle inspected, and fully assessed by an experienced, independent, specialist garage - before committing to purchase. While the Purchaser is entitled to rely on statements given by Waimak Group Ltd as being correct, where goods such as vehicles are concerned, with so many moving parts and rust being an issue with older vehicles; a Purchaser who chooses not to seek independent professional assistance when assessing the quality of what they propose to buy is considered as buying at their own risk, and if the vehicle then turns out to be of less than the represented quality, or not up to the Purchaser's expectation, or in the Purchaser opinion not fit for purpose; then the Purchaser is considered to have contributed to their own loss and should not expect any refunds or betterment from Waimak.

NOTIFICATION AS TO NATURE OF GOODS IN TERMS OF THE CONSUMER GUARANTEES ACT 1993

Waimak Group Ltd is a New Zealand registered company and accepts that the vehicle being sold must be of “acceptable quality” in terms of section 7 of the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (the Act) having regard to “the nature of the goods”. Waimak Group Ltd is not aware of any specific defects with the vehicle, however (a) such a vehicle being a classic vehicle may have mechanical breakdowns, electrical failures at inconvenient times and maintenance costs being part of and parcel of ownership of a classic vehicle; (b) reliability is a combination of the particular nature of the classic vehicle, how it is being driven, how it has been maintained, and to a certain extent luck; (c) because of the age of the vehicle, and its propensity to rust, it is likely that the vehicle would have been fully or partially restored, or at least repainted at some point in its life, maybe even more than once. Waimak Group Ltd does not know, and cannot give advice on how good any restoration work on the vehicle had been.

The Purchaser acknowledges that the vehicle is being sold as a classic car; that in terms of the Act and the nature of the goods, the vehicle is an old car, bike or boat, that may have visual and hidden faults, unlike a new motor vehicle.

The Purchaser is encouraged to personally fully inspect the vehicle and also to have the vehicle inspected, and fully assessed by an experienced, independent, specialist garage - before committing to purchase. While the Purchaser is entitled to rely on statements given by Waimak Group Ltd as being correct, where goods such as vehicles are concerned, with so many moving parts and rust being an issue with older vehicles; a Purchaser who chooses not to seek independent professional assistance when assessing the quality of what they propose to buy is considered as buying at their own risk, and if the vehicle then turns out to be of less than the represented quality, or not up to the Purchaser's expectation, or in the Purchaser opinion not fit for purpose; then the Purchaser is considered to have contributed to their own loss and should not expect any refunds or betterment from Waimak Group Ltd.

The Purchaser acknowledges that they have read and fully understand this notification and the nature of a car which is many years old.