Team Suzuki 1986-2012

FroDiddy
Profile picture for user FroDiddy
Posts
842
Joined
7/9/2010
Location
US
FroDiddy 7/18/2012 3:58am
7/18/2012 3:58am
HOF thread.

I'm really looking forward to Yamaha's...talk about dramatic changes.
daveoevo
Profile picture for user daveoevo
Posts
194
Joined
5/1/2011
Location
GB
daveoevo 7/18/2012 4:54am
7/18/2012 4:54am
I love the Suzuki's they had some really cool Idea's over the years. I had a new 96 rm125 it was so cool with that front plate and fork gaurd in one.
But still my Favorite is my dads 89 rm250 that we still race now. Here is me racing the 2 stroke class at hawkstone park earlier this year.




reded
Profile picture for user reded
Posts
3682
Joined
3/26/2011
Location
KS US
reded 7/18/2012 5:00am
7/18/2012 5:00am Edited Date/Time 7/18/2012 5:07am
tblazier wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2012/07/17/1991_set2_0019_2_800x580_copy_73368.jpg[/img] Big Bird 1990


Big Bird 1990
rallendude wrote:
I really liked the look of the No 8 Kehoe bike of '86, especially with his yellow and blue gear combo, but this 1990 is by...
I really liked the look of the No 8 Kehoe bike of '86, especially with his yellow and blue gear combo, but this 1990 is by far the best looking Suzuki design of all time to me. And that includes the latest versions.
They were good bikes, super nimble and easy to work on without all the bulk of an aluminum or perimeter style frame. They would have been great bikes if only they'd had power more like the Hondas from that era.

IMO, the best looking MX bike that Suzuki ever built.
1
tblazier
Profile picture for user tblazier
Posts
8810
Joined
7/20/2011
Location
Leesburg, VA US
tblazier 7/18/2012 7:13am
7/18/2012 7:13am
tblazier wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2012/07/17/1991_set2_0019_2_800x580_copy_73368.jpg[/img] Big Bird 1990


Big Bird 1990
rallendude wrote:
I really liked the look of the No 8 Kehoe bike of '86, especially with his yellow and blue gear combo, but this 1990 is by...
I really liked the look of the No 8 Kehoe bike of '86, especially with his yellow and blue gear combo, but this 1990 is by far the best looking Suzuki design of all time to me. And that includes the latest versions.
reded wrote:
They were good bikes, super nimble and easy to work on without all the bulk of an aluminum or perimeter style frame. They would have been...
They were good bikes, super nimble and easy to work on without all the bulk of an aluminum or perimeter style frame. They would have been great bikes if only they'd had power more like the Hondas from that era.

IMO, the best looking MX bike that Suzuki ever built.
I totally agree. This is by far my favorite Suzuki in terms of appearance and one of the best looking bikes ever, PERIOD.

The Shop

See All »
tblazier
Profile picture for user tblazier
Posts
8810
Joined
7/20/2011
Location
Leesburg, VA US
tblazier 7/18/2012 8:47am
7/18/2012 8:47am


Here is a real old school one. Kent Howerton's 1980 RM250 currently owned by Terry Goode
Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7799
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
Wandell 7/18/2012 10:10am
7/18/2012 10:10am
That 1980 is cool. Even cooler would be the Full Floater version that Howerton raced later that year.
mx_563
Profile picture for user mx_563
Posts
2175
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
CA US
mx_563 7/18/2012 1:10pm
7/18/2012 1:10pm
Another great thread, thanks Tony! I love these trips down memory lane that you provide.
tblazier
Profile picture for user tblazier
Posts
8810
Joined
7/20/2011
Location
Leesburg, VA US
tblazier 7/19/2012 7:15am
7/19/2012 7:15am
A few MXDN bikes for good measure.













FreshTopEnd
Profile picture for user FreshTopEnd
Posts
13117
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Sacramento, CA US
FreshTopEnd 7/19/2012 7:38am
7/19/2012 7:38am
tblazier wrote:
The short answer is that everyone switched to USD forks in the late 90's to provide more rigidity for supercross. The only problem was that these...
The short answer is that everyone switched to USD forks in the late 90's to provide more rigidity for supercross. The only problem was that these early forks were too harsh and many people thought they were actually worse than the conventional forks they replaced. As a result Suzuki came out with 49mm conventional forks in 96. The new Zook forks were 49mm instead of the old 43mm ones and tried to give you the best of both worlds by being stiffer than the old 43's but less harsh than the USD's. They actually worked awesome for everyone but pros who needed the stiffness of the USD's. KTM also tried the same thing in the mid 90's with Marzocchi. In the end, bad PR from the factory team (MC and the factory guys did not like them) and development costs torpedoed the Conventional experiment and everyone went back to USD's.
look out below wrote:
So I wonder how good they could make a conventional fork for us mere mortals today with all of the newer tech?
Shoot, the 96-98 49mm ones probably fit that bill for most of us. A lot of guys sell like the 50 and 45mm zones, but maybe not so much for big moto hits.

Coincidentally, I'm waiting for a package from the midwest with an ex factory Zook works Showa conventional fork from the late 80's. EBay, a blessing and a curse.
chrisbuehler
Profile picture for user chrisbuehler
Posts
3346
Joined
2/9/2009
Location
North Stonington, CT US
chrisbuehler 7/19/2012 11:26am
7/19/2012 11:26am Edited Date/Time 7/19/2012 11:28am
tblazier wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2012/07/17/1991_set2_0019_2_800x580_copy_73368.jpg[/img] Big Bird 1990


Big Bird 1990
rallendude wrote:
I really liked the look of the No 8 Kehoe bike of '86, especially with his yellow and blue gear combo, but this 1990 is by...
I really liked the look of the No 8 Kehoe bike of '86, especially with his yellow and blue gear combo, but this 1990 is by far the best looking Suzuki design of all time to me. And that includes the latest versions.
reded wrote:
They were good bikes, super nimble and easy to work on without all the bulk of an aluminum or perimeter style frame. They would have been...
They were good bikes, super nimble and easy to work on without all the bulk of an aluminum or perimeter style frame. They would have been great bikes if only they'd had power more like the Hondas from that era.

IMO, the best looking MX bike that Suzuki ever built.
My first real mx bike. I was only 14yrs old but big kid so my dad made me get a 250. My buddies and me all had woods bIke's. I had a 1984 PE175. My best friend had an 1986 IT200. That RM was so cool to us back then, it might as well have been a factory bike. It was very nimble but not much hit to the motor. It ruined it for me when I rode a '93 YZ250 and it was SO much more powerful than my bike
mx#58
Profile picture for user mx#58
Posts
20
Joined
5/19/2008
Location
Sun City, CA US
mx#58 7/20/2012 2:07pm
7/20/2012 2:07pm
how about a picture of 1987 west coast 125 champ wild willie surratts factory bike would be nice to see it
jasonv43
Profile picture for user jasonv43
Posts
10273
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Thousand Oaks, CA US
jasonv43 7/20/2012 2:28pm
7/20/2012 2:28pm
Crisp BRAAAP! wrote:
The jump from 92 to 93 is gigantic, aesthetically speaking. The 92 is so incredibly hideous and the 93 still looks good to me. It's night...
The jump from 92 to 93 is gigantic, aesthetically speaking. The 92 is so incredibly hideous and the 93 still looks good to me. It's night and day.
motokiwi wrote:
The jump from 2000 to 2001 is even bigger in my opinion
How about the jump from 1990 - 1991???

Whoa!!!
tblazier
Profile picture for user tblazier
Posts
8810
Joined
7/20/2011
Location
Leesburg, VA US
tblazier 7/20/2012 3:05pm
7/20/2012 3:05pm
mx#58 wrote:
how about a picture of 1987 west coast 125 champ wild willie surratts factory bike would be nice to see it
Here is close, Todd Dehoop on his 125 SX winning RM125



DMS.
Profile picture for user DMS.
Posts
42
Joined
10/12/2008
Location
NC US
DMS. 7/21/2012 4:15am
7/21/2012 4:15am
look out below wrote:
I think you forgot one:P That is best photo I could find. [img]http://cdn.racerxonline.com/16195_mcgrath-1997-suzuki_sm_400.jpg[/img]
I think you forgot oneTongue That is best photo I could find.


sam111 wrote:
MC's Suzuki ride in 1997 was tied up with Troy Racing somehow, so his bike was in the [url=http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/Honda-Yamaha-of-Troy-through-the-years,1241208?page=2]HOT/YOT bikes thread.[/url]. Here is a good picture...
MC's Suzuki ride in 1997 was tied up with Troy Racing somehow, so his bike was in the HOT/YOT bikes thread..

Here is a good picture of it anyway though:
Here’s one more from McGrath’s joyless year in 1997 (Jim Gianatsis Photo).
1
RM Mike
Profile picture for user RM Mike
Posts
201
Joined
10/2/2011
Location
Oakhurst, CA US
RM Mike 7/21/2012 11:25am
7/21/2012 11:25am
As an old horse, I'd like to see the older ones too. '76-'86.
look out below 7/21/2012 11:41am
7/21/2012 11:41am
DMS. wrote:
Here’s one more from McGrath’s joyless year in 1997 (Jim Gianatsis Photo). [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2012/07/21/jamie_pressley_379437.jpg[/img]
Here’s one more from McGrath’s joyless year in 1997 (Jim Gianatsis Photo).
Seems jamie pressly has had a little bolt on mods since the 90's.

Pit Row

See All »
tblazier
Profile picture for user tblazier
Posts
8810
Joined
7/20/2011
Location
Leesburg, VA US
tblazier 7/23/2012 9:13am
7/23/2012 9:13am Edited Date/Time 7/23/2012 9:15am
RM Mike wrote:
As an old horse, I'd like to see the older ones too. '76-'86.
OK here are a few older ones.




tblazier
Profile picture for user tblazier
Posts
8810
Joined
7/20/2011
Location
Leesburg, VA US
tblazier 7/23/2012 9:15am
7/23/2012 9:15am Edited Date/Time 7/23/2012 9:16am






Decoster
RM Mike
Profile picture for user RM Mike
Posts
201
Joined
10/2/2011
Location
Oakhurst, CA US
RM Mike 7/23/2012 9:39am
7/23/2012 9:39am
The '75 is a beauty. Haven't seen a Metzeler for a while. My buddy raced a "77 RM250. Very similar.
bd
Profile picture for user bd
Posts
6033
Joined
4/6/2007
Location
Las Vegas, NV US
bd 8/3/2012 12:04am
8/3/2012 12:04am
bd
Profile picture for user bd
Posts
6033
Joined
4/6/2007
Location
Las Vegas, NV US
bd 8/3/2012 12:06am
8/3/2012 12:06am
bd
Profile picture for user bd
Posts
6033
Joined
4/6/2007
Location
Las Vegas, NV US
bd 8/3/2012 12:07am
8/3/2012 12:07am
bd
Profile picture for user bd
Posts
6033
Joined
4/6/2007
Location
Las Vegas, NV US
bd 8/3/2012 12:08am
8/3/2012 12:08am
Braaap14
Profile picture for user Braaap14
Posts
826
Joined
5/10/2012
Location
IL US
Braaap14 8/3/2012 1:03am
8/3/2012 1:03am Edited Date/Time 8/3/2012 1:03am
I wonder how much influence ricky still has on the development of new bikes / chasis / motor changes as the years progress?


any insight into that ?
Crush
Profile picture for user Crush
Posts
21077
Joined
4/26/2009
Location
Sydney AU
Crush 6/15/2015 9:41am
6/15/2015 9:41am
bd wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/1561/photos/28144/s1600_89368690_1270541770.jpg[/img]
The 03/04 team bikes were sweeeeet!
Mungusman
Profile picture for user Mungusman
Posts
273
Joined
8/26/2014
Location
Williamsport, PA US
Mungusman 6/15/2015 10:00am
6/15/2015 10:00am
Where's bob Hannah he rode for Suzuki from 86 till his retirement in 89. How could you forget "THE MAN" anyway nice post.
dazzlindino 6/15/2015 10:09am
6/15/2015 10:09am
aFACEdismembered wrote:
I'm to young to remember. Anyone know the reason for Suzuki switching from conventional forks to upside down in the late 80's only to switch back...
I'm to young to remember. Anyone know the reason for Suzuki switching from conventional forks to upside down in the late 80's only to switch back to conventional forks in the mid 90's and then finally back to upside down again in the late 90's??
...DeCoster...thought they were better...
Flatliner
Profile picture for user Flatliner
Posts
4108
Joined
11/3/2009
Location
CA
Flatliner 6/15/2015 10:13am
6/15/2015 10:13am
Pastranas 05 bike??

Post a reply to: Team Suzuki 1986-2012