This little beastie was going for a song in the middle of that blasted COVID lockdown (thanks for nothing, Xi... you really do need to work on your lab security, but I digress). I was nevertheless able to do a beneath-the-radar trip to Collie and pick it up. Motor was running, tank was there, a couple of tyres and the remnants of a wiring loom, and that was about it.
I went on to fabricate a load of bits for this... aluminium instrument cowling, seat base, side covers (modelled off a GS1000 profile), wiring, front brake line, chain guard. Installed indicators, speedo and tach from goodness-knows-what, 6V battery, reg-rectifier, headlight, tail light, new rubber bits everywhere, new rear shockies, front fork seals and brake pads, reconditioned the oil pump, new piston and rings, air filter setup, etc. Then got it registered first try, which is always a bit of a coup.
I had so much fun with this thing. On the freeway you really have to plan your overtaking manoeuvres... flat to the tank, little donk zinging like a beserk giant mosquito, it was insanely addictive. And such a light little machine, handled sweet as a nut. In the early stages I managed to blow a hole in the piston, thanks to the jetting being too lean at wide open throttle.
Anyway, I had to downsize the collection (can only really afford to have two registered machines at the one time), and I sold off the little beauty to a collector of Suzuki 2-strokes. He also bought the TC120 trail bike at the same time.
This sum of money then paid for some crown work on the wife's molars. That's right, two entire pieces of classic Suzuki 2-stroke iron got converted into a couple of tiny bits of metal for my good lady's chompers. I have the vague feeling that I got diddled somewhere...
