Suzuki 2 Strokes

Fitted the carb cables this week - nothing went according to plan as usual - as the screws on the bar end grip were knackered so I put some SS button head ones in. Bugger, 5mm too long. Cut, neaten ends and fit OK. (just another effin job).
Carb ends on OK, just a bit of a faff, they might need a bit of re-routing eventually though - JAFJ.
Oil pump cable next. No bloody little nylon grommet whatchermacallit, so had to make one - JAFJ.
No adjuster either, so I thought I'd do a nice stainless one out of an 8mm bolt. Drilled it all the way through very carefully and just as it broke through the bloody drill broke. Bugger. Turned it round and tried to drill the end with a harder drill but that broke as well (double bugger). Used bolt as an accurate cat introduction tool - see below. Drilled a normal bolt and then counterbored the end so the cable ferrule goes in. Left the bolt head on and put the nut inside the oil pump 'compartment'. Fits nice and looks OK - JAFJ.
Painted the 'new' posh chrome mudguard (Thanks Kev!) so it won't go rusty underneath and hung it up in the garage 'just' above head height - JAFJ.
Points cover on next. 5mm studs 40mm long. Only got 30mm which only go in half a thread so no good. Ordered a bagful off ebay for a couple of quid - JAFJ.
Next, fit clutch cable. Where the Bill Clinton has that gone? (I'm certain I bought one.) Order another one off ebay - JAFJ.
Fitted the chain and tensioned OK, can't get a chainguard to fit as I'm not certain what year the GS550 swing arm is, so I've found some nice ally plate and I'll make one.
You guessed it, JAFJ.

Other FJs today were - sorted another couple of boxes of stuff out and stashed neatly in the 'new' drawers in the garage, sharpening kitchen knives for a neighbour, introducing myself to a new neighbour's cat via a non - Suzuki, stainless - bolt (see above). I don't think it'll try to crap on my front garden again in a hurry. Not when I'm there with a bolt in me hand anyway.
I hate cats.

Also set my new tablet thingy up - that went OK, wonder why? Although it took from Wednesday to get here as the Post office had it up and down the motorway between Sheffield and Leeds 4 times and the friggin' postperson wouldn't leave it on Saturday as it was special delivery and the neighbour wasn't allowed to sign for it, so I had to go to the local parcel office today for the bloody thing.
That got the staff at the local sorting office some amusing words to pass on to their management.

Other than that, a good day. Now off to the baths for a swim and then I might force a couple of pints of beer down me neck in a couple of hours. That's not really a job at all!!

Now 14 pages on the build thread and it looks like this with short hacksawed piped ready for the spannies being made. Then it goes on a dyno to see what exhausts make what.
In the meantime, I go on holiday!!

Alan,

That bike is looking very nice, a kind of evolved form that might have arisen if they'd made it for a couple more years.

Enjoy the holiday. I'm off on business to NYC, another sunday snafu'd, but it might be the last, so whoopee doo!

Cheers,
Mike

That was partly the idea Mike, a GT550C (ish.)

So what's the best exhaust on a GT550?
Well for once, I haven't a clue. But I'll know soon with a bit of effort and luck.
I'm having a set of spannies made at Mick Abbey Tuning (clicky) while I'm away, and when I get back, bike home, wiring finished and a couple of hundred miles on, I intend the bike will going back to Mick to go on his dyno for a bit of a comparison.
I will be trying the spannies he has made, plus a set of standard (non-coupled type) exhausts and the 3-1 that the bike originally came with all on the Earwig DETAILS HERE.
So just as an interest, if anyone has a set of Microns or Higgys or any other exhausts we could use, we can compare the lot and see which actually is 'best' or at least how they compare.
They would all go on the same bike without any jetting or other changes and see what the exhaust tells us regarding the carb mixture (rich/lean/whatever) and a graph to show power. Jetting will eventually be done for the 'new' spannies as needed.
Mick's place is in Harrogate of course, but if anyone with exhausts can't get there when we arrange the dyno day, then perhaps we could meet up somewhere and I can get them home to take for the testing.
I guess the test will be sometime in late June/July as my knee op should have settled down by then, but the date is to be arranged. I intend the bike going to the Classic TT in August, so it needs to be done before then anyway.

Anyone in the UK got anything useable we could use? Obviously you'd get it back later!!!

Now what should I paint these with?
Matt black, ceramic silver or titanium, or just laquer?

Update with pics of new spannies (clicky)

Looking forward to hearing it run now. Still plenty to do though.

Look forward to see your dyno results.

Have the Jemco 3-into-1 exhaust with nickel finish on my GT750. If I can get the title mess resolved, will do the same on the GT550 cafe project.
Looks good but I’m not sure how the nickel matches up to your choices.
A pic is here: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=11947&p=157482&hil ... +1#p157482

Hahahaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!
It's alive!!!!!!!!!!

Some poor connections on what appeared to be a good harness, so just frigged the wiring to get power to the coils, filled the carbs, a tiny squirt of easy start and went FIRST KICK! (No lecky start working due to solenoid problem).
And now ticks over. Sounds lovely with the spannies too.

Woo bleedin' Hoo!!!!

Alan H.


That is awesome. Very happy for you. If you get time take a video. Share the joy of how those chambers sound.

More details on the original link in post 1 on this thread.

Been 'fettling over the last week or so and got lots of jobs done. Mounted the Vapor dash on a [strike]bodged[/strike] redesigned bracket which looks awful (at the moment) and carries the ignition switch. Needs to be a bit thinner and better - this will be done 'soon'. (TWBDS)
So, the speedo works, the revcounter does what it wants, so needs sorting - maybe. (TWBDS)
The front brake was just dragging, but needed running a bit, so hopefully this will turn out OK.
Lights working, had to fit the original headlight (rechromed) as there wasn't enough room in the one I had painted due to all the wiring.
Fitted airhorns OK.
Lekky start working and found a missing bleed screw in the left carb, fited a plug in it, must check if it should be an adjuster! (TWBDS)
Painted a plastic chainguard and cut a coup-le of pieces of strap to mount it. Paint still wet and it needs some rubbing down anyway. (TWBDS)
Did you know that a road bike needs a chainguard when it's actually running on the road, but doesn't need one for MOT? Neither did I.
Anyway, went for MOT today and he marked the chain as advisory - not chainguard, chain. Oh well.
Other than that passed OK. A couple of bits to do as 'recommended' and what I've noted needs doing after the shakedown run, but as this was the first proper run in 31 years (going by the last tax disc which ran out in June 1985) I'm not too concerned. Nipped to the PO and taxed it - £33 for 6 months (registered in April '76) and free from next year.
How did it go?
Well, I took it steady down our estate and onto the main road, up to the first roundabout and onto the relief road. gave it a bit of beans and at about 5K, it set off like the clappers. A real kick and a noticeable powerband (and a gert cloud of blue behind!!).
Never had that on a 550 before - powerband that is.
Kept it down to 'about' 60 and ran well to the MOT place and back. Much crisper and quicker than the Green J, so whether that's down to the later barrels with Schneurle ports, skimmed head, suspected porting work and/or the new spannies, I can't be sure. Can't wait for a fine day and a few more miles under the Dunlops to see what it really goes like.
Happy? Not chuffin' much! What's not to be happy about with 2 GT550s running.

Congrats!!! She's a beauty and looks like a fun kick in the pants!

Been putting miles on mine now that it's sorted. Sure is a lot more fun to ride when it isn't doing weird crap!

Be wary mate... my cat was sitting in my lap and read your post, - the meeou could spread...
They have been known to run out in front of you...
-Just sayin' Alan, just sayin'!

Nice!

Mine is all ready, but the local inspection place "ran out of stickers" so I have to wait yet longer to get it fully on the road.

Add to that I got suckered into going back to work full time (driving dump truck) so scheduling time to run it to the inspection station will take some doing as well.

Sigh.

Good news is, all the money from the new job goes directly into the Toy Fund...

PHPaul wrote:
Add to that I got suckered into going back to work full time (driving dump truck) so scheduling time to run it to the inspection station will take some doing as well.

The good thing about being in that situation is that no-one can threaten you with the sack, as you can just stick a finger or two up and walk away whistling.
I would imagine arranging time off would be easy for the same reason!
'Find someone else to do it at zero notice' is a good reason for them to keep you happy.
Having the spare cash is nice, but if you can manage, it's a good feeling.

Yep, just make yourself indispensable if you can find a way. (Like my cat)