Faults:

Unfortunately I left this bike in storage for a year without using it at all. This resulted in the little remaining fuel in the tank evaporating and causing the float needle to perish. When I decided to put the bike back on the road, I filled the tank to find that when I started it, fuel started to leak out of the drain tubes that come out of the bottom of the air filter box. The float needle was letting fuel pass continuously through the carb. I then repaired the carb. After this and some other maintenance, I started the bike. Fine, until the bike began to stall, so I increase the throttle. Again it lost power. And so on.

After some thought, I decided that I would check the oil, which I had intended changing, believing that the labouring engine could be short of oil. Upon inspection, I could not find the level in the oil level inspection glass. HHHM, strange. I proceeded to drain the oil to find that it contained nearly double the quantity that it should have had, and it also stank of petrol. The fuel had drained through the defective float needle and into the crank case. Fortunately no real damage was caused. A luck escape.

General Comments:

With a straight through exhaust and re-jetted, plus the addition of a high flow cone air filter, I have turn this tame thumper into a raging rocket. The acceleration is now incredible. It is however incredibly noisy.

It is a very simple bike to maintain, and quite simple to modify with plenty more power available with the right tweaks and some knowledge of adjusting the carb. I will comment more in the following months, as I am about to begin work on it to restore and customize this 24 year old machine.

Please note that this bike was imported from Japan, and was manufactured in 1986 before becoming available worldwide.

Faults:

Indicator electrics, have had to replace the flasher can several times.

In wet weather, sometimes a screeching sound comes from the belt at the front engine pulley.

General Comments:

This motorcycle is very comfortable to ride.

It is very reliable.

Handles extremely well on straight roads and cornering.

Although top speed is not high, this bike accelerates well and can maintain a good 80-90 MPH.

Mechanically easy to service.

Because it is an open bike, it is fun and enjoyable to ride, especially in the summer months on those open roads.

Certainly an eye catcher and a topic for conversation because of its unique design.

Please Mr Suzuki, build a new model.