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Hello all, from northern Massachusetts here with a new project. Was looking for the typical small bore Honda twin to build, when this bike just pretty much fell in my lap. Was out with my father and some of his friends for dinner a few weeks back when the conversation turned to my looking for a vintage small bike, his friend Rick started telling the tale of a '66 Suzuki that he had bought BRAND NEW in 66! After talking about the bike for a while he mentioned that he had still had it in his shed. Now I was very interested and wanted to at least see it. About a week later out to dinner again he offered it to me in exchange for me buying dinner. Did not have to ask me twice!! As of last night, it is now in my basement patiently awaiting this weekend when it gets torn into. Plans for this are a mild cafe style. Its a rare bike and once it is done I want to be able to swap things back to stock if neccesary. Probably not much more than clip ons, rear sets and maybe a seat. Other than that pretty much a resto.
Enough chatting.... on to the pics!
Picking it up, thats the original owner on the right.
Heading to its new home...
At its new home for the next few months.......
Front brake. That will polish up real nice!
Same with the rear...
Carbs still open and close nice...
Just under 14k on the clock. That black dial is the OEM steering dampner. Big time stuff in '66!
Tank and seat in place to get an idea of the look....
Some goodies that came with it.
Original owners manual, service manual, a copy of the Cycle World 1966 Annual bike test issue and a copy of the October of 1966 issue of 'Cycle' with an article on modifying the X6.
A few of the parts needed to finish the bike. Air box, right side cover, left side oil tank, a few original tools and chrome tank panels. Notice the chrome on the tank trim on the right is half polished. They clean up real nice!
And here is the best part.... the ORIGINAL plates from 1966! In mass you can register an antique car or bike if you have plates from the tear the bike was made with the old plates. Ummm, yes please!
Thanks for the offer, my neighbor has a spray booth in his basement and does custom choppers right at his house, he is excited to work on something different and has offered to help with the build so hopefully I will be able to do it right at home!
Thanks VonYinzer, one of my favorites too....oh wait, I might be a bit biased!
I hope to go through this pretty quick, late spring if possible. If not then by the time Japanese Car and Motorcycle day happens in late summer. Its a big show in Brookline Ma that my father myself and another guy run for vintage Japanese stuff.
I Love how some projects just fall into your lap! That's how I got my 350F and my 350K. I'm waiting for the M/C gods to drop another sweet ride into my lap.
Resto Mod.... mild cafe. Just bars and rear sets. The original bars are long gone and the front fender was trimmed back long ago after what I am told was a meeting with a VW Beetle in traffic. I want to keep it very period looking, like a mild bike someone would have built when it was new. When it comes to old cars and bikes unless I were to go all out I dont like to do things that cant be undone, so I will keep all the stock stuff for a conversion back to stock if need be.
If you have the need to tear it down to the cases, it is quite easy and doesn't need any special tools. When I got my gt250 I got it running but the rightside seal blew out after a few days. If this happens to you, a 26 or 27mm socket is all you'll need along with the regular tools to get it down to the crankshaft. If it keeps dumping gas into the cylinders and the carb is clean and adjusted correctly, theres a vent tube going from inside the carb leading to the outside. Its probably clogged and a thin wire and carb cleaner is the only way. These two "problems" was what I spent the most amount of time and frustration on. Good luck. Joe
I have read in a few places that the crank seal is a problem. And worse so it can lead to air in the combustion chamber, leaning it out and blowing a holes in the pistons. I plan on changing that preventitivly. Thanks for the heads up on how to do it!
Cool bike. I used to own it's twin. They are a riot and you will not be disappointed in the performance.
The front brake plate can be used in the rear drum to give you a trick twin leading shoe rear brake. I would do that and find a gt550 or gt750 drum for the front, that way you wouldn't have to worry about the crap stock brakes causing anymore run ins with Volkswagens.
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