Suzuki TS185 Restoration Project – 1973 Model

My latest frame-off restoration project is a 1973 Suzuki TS185.  I bought this bike four or five years and had been looking around for this particular year and model for quite a while.  Though this model was offered in two colors for ’73, yellow and blue, I wanted the yellow version as this is the one I remember from when I was a kid.  The previous owner was intending to restore this bike, so I actually got two bikes at the same time, this one and a 1971 parts bike.  I added the bike to the project queue at the time as I was deeply involved with the Kawasaki 750 H2 and had already planned to do the Honda SL70 after the H2.  Note both of these projects are profiled here on the blog, in case someone missed them.

I actually started on this Suzuki several months ago, and as of this writing, have completed general disassembly and have actually finished rebuilding the engine.  The motor was completely dissembled, the crank sent out for rebuilding, cylinder bored first-over and all new bearings, seals, gaskets and of course, a new piston and rings installed.  I removed and inspected each gear and shaft in the transmission, and using new parts, replaced the kick starter pawl and spring along with the clutch plates and springs.  I soda blasted all external surfaces, and repainted the engine covers, as originally done by the factory.  For all practical purposes, the engine is as-new and is ready to go back into the frame.

Speaking of the frame, I’ve got everything media blasted and ready for powder coat, which I expect to have complete within the next week or so.  I will powder coat the small items myself, the larger items such as the frame and swing arm will go to a commercial coater.  I also have most of the chrome items sorted out, except for the wheels, which are next on the list so I can get these parts off the the chrome shop.

The body tins are already at the painter, and I expect those back before the first of the new calendar year, though there’s no rush on this as these will be the last items to be installed on the project.

When I get a minute, I post a couple of photos of the finished engine… I’m quite happy with the way it turned out.

Finished, Summer 2015, everything works and the bike runs and drives as it should.