It followed me home, I swear.

That was excellent! Boy that reminded my of why I used to have so many motorcycle magazine subscriptions in the 70’s and 80’s! Road tests and comparisons used to be so thorough and comprehensive, I used to love reading those articles.
The multi bike shoot outs, motorcycle of the year comparisons, the racing coverage, the editorials……all of it.

I dropped all my subscriptions about 10 years ago, they were nothing but empty fluff. Big glossy photos with maybe a paragraph to go with it. They dumbed them down.
I absolutely agree. I had quite the magazine archive at one time but gave it up last time we moved, about 17 years ago.
 
First shop - $375 to bore both cylinders!

Second shop $270 - still ouch!

Unless I’m shipping that’s all I got for options.

Went with second shop. Pistons are on order. Cruzininage said it should be a few days.

Machine shop quoted 3 day turn around.

In the meantime, tank is soaking in evaporust. - I’ll give it a day and check what’s going on inside.
 
Not the clearest of pictures but my friends Rebel in the background. My 73 XS2 in front.
He bought the rebel in 69/70 still has it.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0690.jpeg
    IMG_0690.jpeg
    347.8 KB · Views: 27
Not the clearest of pictures but my friends Rebel in the background. My 73 XS2 in front.
He bought the rebel in 69/70 still has it.


That’s pretty awesome. Based off the chrome headlight ears and no fork gators… 70.

Very cool he still has it.

I feel there are very few things left that are made today that are worth keeping 50+ years.
 
Well I’m gonna go ahead and call the tank clear of sealer and rust free.

IMG_8313.jpeg
IMG_8316.jpeg


And why not coat the oil tank with a bad sealer job too!!!!

IMG_8319.jpeg


Ugh!! Haha.

Gonna have to figure out a couple plugs to do the top half but I got the bottom half soaking in acetone.

Carbs are apart and getting the spa treatment.

IMG_8273.jpeg


Hopefully get the wheels off and go through the brakes later today if life gives me time.
 
I got my cylinders at the machine shop and should have them Tuesday.

In the meantime I’m trying to sort through some electrical.

The head scratcher at the moment is the best way to replace this light…

An awesome weird shape, but a sealed beam and my high beam is blown.
IMG_8496.jpeg
IMG_8497.jpeg


I seem to remember a thread a while back cracking a sealed beam open and putting a replacement bulb in. I think maybe @DogBunny ??? I can’t seem to find it (if I’m remembering correctly)

Can anyone confirm I saw this (or link to it) or let me know if I’m crazy.
 
Well I couldn’t just sit around…

IMG_8498.jpeg
IMG_8499.jpeg
IMG_8506.jpeg
IMG_8508.jpeg
IMG_8504.jpeg
IMG_8511.jpeg
IMG_8512.jpeg
IMG_8510.jpeg


So I got it all apart.

Lense was glued in with some sort of grey goop. I’ll have to figure out what it really is.

It’s kinda soft, like not fully cured jb weld. I was going at it with a small dental pick and wasn’t getting far.

I flooded it with acetone and it really started to fall apart quick.

I was able to slowly pry up one side and lift it off.

I then hit the bulb with a torch as it was soldered in and it dropped right out.

The only problem I’ve run into now is that the reflector, which I just thought was chrome, had a little spot, I went to polish it and BAM! It’s got a clear coat and it goes instant yellow when polish is applied.

I have since begun to sand off the clear and I’ll just have to polish up the metal once I remove all the yellowing clearcoat.

So much for easy street haha.
 
I went on EBay and searched “vintage Suzuki flat bottomed headlight” and found a few. I have no idea what fits what, but perhaps some of these will fit a few different bikes? Also the ones that I saw were not sealed beams, but had an opening in the back for the bulb to fit in. I hope this helps. 🤷‍♂️

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3147996785...1228252791&itmmeta=01HX512PS0ZNG4RX4FQB7DZ9DX
View attachment 325001View attachment 325002View attachment 325003
I went on EBay and searched “vintage Suzuki flat bottomed headlight” and found a few. I have no idea what fits what, but perhaps some of these will fit a few different bikes? Also the ones that I saw were not sealed beams, but had an opening in the back for the bulb to fit in. I hope this helps. 🤷‍♂️

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3147996785...1228252791&itmmeta=01HX512PS0ZNG4RX4FQB7DZ9DX
View attachment 325001View attachment 325002View attachment 325003

I’ve figured out, this was a one model, one year light.

If I fail in my attempts to polish the metal reflector, I may be able to get one of those to work with some modification.
 
Iirc, that's an aluminum coating. Google recoating a telescope mirror. It's the same process.
Once you scratch that finish, it's done for.

I will give it a look. I guess I’m just used to cheaper made ones. Don’t think I’ve ever come across that before.

I’m pretty sure I can polish it back to a mirror finish.
 
I had a friend with a T250 Hustler about thirty years ago.
90% the same bike as yours I think.
Lovely bike, all the proportions seemed exactly right.
And it really flew for a 250
He left the fuel on overnight, hydrolocked it, then jumped up and down on the kick-start until it bent a rod.
To be fair, he was actually classed as being mentally retarded.
I should have jumped in at that point and bought it, cheap, but I hesitated.
Someone else grabbed it.
Damn
 
Back
Top