1972 TS185J

[jaderd]

Hi All,


Starting another project, Dads first bike, 1972 TS185.


He sold it to my uncle in 75 when he got the Kawasaki F11, now F11 is complete i chatted to my uncle and he let me have dads orig bike.


1972 Suzuki TS185J


Basically all orig except for different rear tail light (from a diff year i think) as dad went a bit too far with a mono once .


Had not been started in 12 years, put some oil down spark plug hole, checked gearbox oil, some fuel in, second kick on choke and it started for a few seconds, then afew kicks later and it ran, so atleast now i know it went before pulled apart. Only slight concerning bit i swear it was normal oil not 2 stroke oil in CCI reservoir :unsure:


Only actual damage is top triple tree right side cracked so need new top triple tree. Needs the usual other stuff, new levers, cables etc. Carby was crazy clean when apart. Exhaust fingers crossed looks like it has no pin holes at all


pulled apart bits to bring back to melbourne from mildura, uncle will bring rest of bike in July, grabbed all the staff i can rebuild, clean and polish.


At moment my plan is to strip all unnecessary items off chuck them in a box for incase ever want to restore to stock, and setup for Vinduro use, thinking 1973 rear guard as straight and flat, aftermarket plastic front guard, alternate rear shocks (honda XL 185 or something (bit more height) rebuild stock front shocks (come stock with 3 way front adjustment).


rear wheel 18" front is 19", will chuck on some nice knobbys


Anyone know of other triple tree fork setups that fit 1972 TS185 ?

was thinking seeing top triple tree broken should i update to some other triples, forks and front tyre bringing up to 21" rim etc....would cost a little though i think and looking at budget build so this may be a later option.


some pics below




Dad in 1972

May 2012

Whats left for uncle to drop to Melbourne in July

 

[smvirili]

sweet dude. looking forward to see another resto

did you figure out your wheel wobble issue on the F11?

 

[jaderd]

cheers mate, yeah loose spokes really : went around and checked them all and felt better after that

 

[andycafe]

Hey great to see you back, I remember you talking about this bike, i'm sure this will come up great. if you want to get rest of it down sooner i always have the trailer?

 

[andycafe]

parts on ebay

Suzuki TF100 motor bike Built 1981 - parts or project bike

put this in the search bar, its in eltham ?

 

[jaderd]

Hey Andy,


Cheers mate, added bike to watch list on ebay, would be good for a fair few parts i'd think, cant find a 1981 TF 100 in google images that looks anything like the ebay add? not too worried what it is, good enough for guards, levers, perches, possible forks, yolk n triples.


Thanks for pointing it out

 

[jaderd]

Cheers Swivel, i was just coming back on to post that it is a TF100, as the ebay seller states : .


Yeah not alot would swap across, cant find the fork stats on the TF100 as yet.


i like the idea of the stock TS185 forks having the 3 way adjustment and that therefore keeping the bike more era and stock / able to run standard front wheel.


guy on OZVMX may have a spare top triple available. What i would want then is the optional fork brace they had available / have a go at making one.


My uncle has said i can borrow his MIG welder whenever i want for a few months so am keen to gain some knowledge on how to weld and practice on some scrap metal etc.


So in the next few months if anyone local who can weld wants to share their knowledge i would appreciate it greatly.


cheers

 

[jaderd]

Brilliant Swivel, thanks for the info.


i sourced an orig factory "off road brace" for my F11 from america cheap!, it is like the bottom brace you showed, it is wider as the kawasaki has two mount holes in the horizontal plane on each side around 50mm apart. Unfortunately the suzukis holes seem to be directly above each other, so need to go like the version you said to have a go at making


cheers mate

 

[jaderd]

Quick update


tank was clean as inside, which was good, outside has done dings and scratches, also rear near seat looks like petrol stain as if leaking at some point, will see how it goes once on, if leaking will fix / get another tank. Cleaned and polished / waxed tank, like the look of the aged tank though shiny n waxed. polished up cap.


started pulling carby apart, so clean every jet perfectly clean, so surprised as never opened in 40 years, needle perfect etc.


also bought:
New cap for oil tank, did have an old milk cap on it
New chain buffer
1985 TS185 rear shocks, they are exactly the same as the ones i used on the kawasaki F11 resto, though the ones i bought for F11 were sold as KL250 shocks, either they were sold with wrong identity or KL250 and TS185 had same shocks at one point ?, either way happy as cheap and good upgrade from stock, firmer, stronger and longer

 

[andycafe]

Haha, your hooked! gee you love a carb rebuild good work as always

 

[jaderd]

cheers mate, missus is all sweet too, once i pave the outside area i can put a small shed up at home that backs onto rear garage roller door to store extra bike

 

[andycafe]

sweet , give us a yell if you need a hand with that, I'll be working on my workshop this weekend since it's a long one, feel free to drop by if your around.

 

[jaderd]

very keen to check out your workshop, this weekend im heading away sampling some wineries in yarrawonga for the long weekend.


and the following weekend back in mildura again for a mates going away party, might smuggle some bike parts back on the plane...allowed 20kg


will def drop by soon though.


cheers

 

[jaderd]

Some more expenditure this morning.


Bit the bullet and grapped some MX VINTAGE OEM HONDA BEND 7/8" bars, will see how they go, if anything i may need some 1-2 inch risers as lower than stock bars.


Also grabbed a headlight,chromed steel, smaller trials style, comes as 12V so globe change back to 6V as cant be bothered converting bike to 12V and its really only there for purpose of gaining club reg / rec reg. Still not sure which reg type i will aim for. At the moment im thinking Rec reg so that i can reduce excess controls, wiring and ancillaries like indicators and really only run a kill switch and a converted hi/lo beam switch positioned elsewhere, can even ditch the horn and run a bicycle style horn/bell - ofcourse brake light required etc

 

[jaderd]

Quick Update.


Have ordered some more parts from Ebay, after looking at complete bikes for parts bikes, not many around VIC and prices get too high and logistics of picking up etc, and also looking at a few nice completed bikes i have decided its more fun to source the parts and build bike myself.


recently got


NOS sprocket washer set
TS 250 savage foot pegs, appear as if should fit from part numbers
Rear TS plastic fender
Front TS plastic fender
Top yolk, bottom yolk and steering stem (my top yoke one side cracked)
Wiring Harness.
Grips


Everything except the grips and sprocket washers were off one guy in US, let me buy it all them he did a total for postage combining all which was great, postage came to $70 which i was happy with as individually each item had around $25 postage on them.


Best purchase so far was the triples and steering stem $47 incl postage from US, on ebay AUS ppl want $40 + just for top triple.


so happy with whats on its way. Will prob get some 7/8" 30mm risers for handlebars as new ones are only 70m high as opposed to 100m of stock.


Hopefully within the next few weeks my uncle will be doing a trip to melb so i can get the rest of the bike and start getting stuck in. I want to have atleast a semi restored roller by Jap Classic day in late Nov this year.


On another note my twincam corolla is being inspected Sat 8am for club reg so very soon that will be nice n cheap to use throughout the year.


cheers

 

[jaderd]

Update,


My uncle who gave me the bike came down from Mildura for a holiday and bought down the bike.


He and my other uncle bob ( one who recovered kawasaki seat n will do same with Suzuki) came for a drive out to Doreen from Richmond to drop it off.....I shouted them breakfast out for their troubles .


Put together a small table I found in the rubbish area at work ( our office is in a residential complex in hawthorn east, sounds racist, but I'm not, seems majority of residents are Asians and they have a massive throwaway mentality, apparently in Asian culture second hand is seen as bad and poor etc). So I scored the table, strapped on my garage crawler added an old cutlery drying container & pegboard container and I now have a nice mobile bench, wheel away when pull car back into garage.


Started removing bits and pieces and moved the kawasaki outside not enough space to both in garage, once Suzuki built might be ok but during building need more space. Rigged up a tarp and bought a motorbike cover, works well as had rain straight after finished, cover hardly gets wet thanks to tarps.


My parts from america should arrive very soon. Happy I have the entire bike at home now


Also happy to now have my twincam on club reg, nice n cheap now, this car will be used as tow car for getting to vinduros.....eventually.

 

[andycafe]

nice score with the new work bench ;D , i'm looking forward to seeing another great build. Thanks for calling by too, it was great to talk bikes and show them for a change

 

[jaderd]

Cheers Andy,


looking forward to popping back in soon to see your progress, bet your glad you got the roof complete when you did as we have had some decent rain the last 10 days

 

[jaderd]

Quick update.


Sideburn mag issue 11 arrived and also my bulk parcel from eBay, from USA.


To my surprise the guards are Preston Petty couldn't tell from pics in for sale and were sold as TS185 1972 model, I figured might be 73/74 model plastic ones so to be Preston petty I'm very happy, a few scuffs, a few drill holes and in need of light sand, paint etc but very happy.


The foot pegs appear to be a direct bolt in which is great too, bought them hoping would fit, wasn't sure. Triples and steering stem looks great, wiring harness I haven't bothered unwrapping yet, I just added that to purchase as a backup so I can remove what I don't need and be able to take back to stock road version one day if want.

 

[jaderd]

Ahhh bloody iPad lost all the text I had written.


I'll shorten it.


Piston shagged - barrel looks ok
Connecting rod has some movement left to right etc, needle bearing shagged ?


I'll out more detailed pics and vids in time.


Any advice would be great, obviously top end rebuild, I've never done that before, how does it work re. What oversize do I get, I'm guessing you go standard if haven't had barrel machine if have you got up to the first level of oversize ?


Any advice for home tool to get piston pin out? C clamp ?


Also bike resto is on a little cash as possible, bike will be used in vinduros and get thrashed I guess, what would you do if yo were in my shoes regarding rebuilding the top end, any porting ? Should I crack the cases, once again I've never done this before.




Now I know engine needs some work I'll wait to get advice off pp, do some research and get all the rest or the bike sorted.




Cheers in advance for any advice.