Manky Monkey Motors

Bike insurance is due for renewal and i just realised that my newest bike is now twenty years old and the little Suzuki is thirty eight years old ! Made in 79 but first registered in 83, I have owned it since 1985.
With that in mind I think it's time to give the TS a little refurb. I want to get it as close to showroom condition as I can. It's generally in excellent condition but items such as the tail light and indicators were replaced with non stock units as they tended to get broken while off roading.
Had some trouble finding a tail light lens as it seems they were only used for a couple of years, but tracked down a supposedly new old stock one in Bangkok. Original indicators are proving to be a problem though as the plastic body ages and cracks easily so I may have to make do with finding some that are close in appearance.
Would like to give the tank a respray as it's not totally dent free but graphics for this year/model are unobtainable and the tank isn't that bad.
At least this is a small project that will keep me busy without too much physical effort required.

Photos!  :)

 :) OK will do.
Couldn't sleep last night so I made a start. Rear lights frame/lifting handle, number plate mount and tail light body.
This has been knocking around at the back of the garage for the last twenty odd years, so it needed stripping repainting and putting back together with new bolts. Luckily it was small enough to get in the oven.

Two bits of luck.
 Managed to find the original indicators stashed away in a box in the loft. Only took two hours of searching. Lenses are good and so is the chrome on the shafts but one has a cracked body. It's not bad so perhaps epoxy on the inside will sort it until I find a good one.
 I hate trying to match red paint, It has got to be the worst. The trike (Ford radiant red) is very close in colour to the bike,(that's why I chose it) but not quite. The Halfrauds radiant red spray cans don't match the trike, but are an almost a perfect match to the Suzuki red. :o
Side panel got cracked and the mounting lug broken off. Now repaired and resprayed. The centre section is the original paint because of the decals. Not a bad match at all.

Damn near perfect. :)

Not so much restored as returned to spec. Still waiting on the new tail lamp lens and need to refinish the lower fork legs but it's not looking too bad for a 79 bike. Most of these were turned into field bikes by about 1985.

Nice :)

Thanks Andy. It's not a an old Brit or a custom. just my old green laner but it is special to me.
Forks refinished. As original brushed aluminium finish. Would have been easier attack them with the buffing wheel and polish them but it wouldn't look right.

LOVELY!  had a 1978 back in the day  - was a fantastic bike

I have looked for another from time to time.

Well the TS passed it's mot yesterday but has developed a small problem. It doesn't want to tick over when warmed up. Looks like a carb clean is next on the list of things I need to do. It's not been done since I changed the reeds about twenty years ago, so perhaps it's about time.

 :D How's your back Dave? You fit for riding again now?

Not too bad. I can ride as far as Basingstoke and back, so that's an improvement.  :)

 :)

Been having running problems with the bike. Would start and run perfectly, but after a few miles, just cut out !  >:( After ten minutes it would run again but only for a short while. Not a fuel problem so reasoned that it was something electrical breaking down when hot.
 Usual suspect for this is the condenser(capacitor), but figured that if I was going to remove the flywheel, which meant buying a puller, as I've no idea where mine are, I might as well change the points. Sod the expense, I'll change the HT coil, lead and plug cap at the same time.
 Did all this and went for a test ride. Running like an absolute dream. ;D  
Five miles out and d'oh ! It cuts out again ! >:( Getting back home was, ride - cut out, let it cool a bit, ride - cut out, let it cool a bit, ride.......................
 Problem turned out to be really simple and the one thing I hadn't changed.  The damned spark plug !

it is often the simplest thing innit.  ;D

Ha ha!
I had similar symptoms with one of my old Bonnevilles years ago -ride, stop, check everything, ride again, stop again. Turned out to be chrome cleaner blocking the vent hole in the fuel cap!

Oh  :D

And I had a similar problem with my little 2-stroke, had it in the workshop twice and they couldn't find it, in the end it was a mate of my daughters who told me to take it out and ride it till it happened then phone him - he came straight out and checked all the electrical stuff and it was the generator failing when it got hot.  It checked out perfectly alright when cold, which was why no-one could find the fault.

Old chain was somewhat knackered, which is not surprising as the bike has been used almost entirely off road, so time for a new one, plus sprockets naturally. Thought I'd try upping the front sprocket from the std. 14 T to a 16 T as it's no longer used for green lanes (we don't have many here  :'() Bike is actually better for it as it's dropped the rpm down to 6000 at 60 mph with no noticeable change in acceleration. Makes keeping up with in traffic less frantic.