New Member from OKC

[Dave West]

Hi all. New member here.

Last week I drove up to Wichita, Kansas from Oklahoma City to pick up this little 1967 T200 that I spotted on Craigslist. It was without a doubt an impulse buy as I've never had a two stroke bike during my entire riding history that started in 1980.

Anyways, she followed me home after forking out $250 (probably wasn't a good deal but what the hell) to the seller. This makes bike #7 in my collection of Suzuki's in my shed.

t200small.png

Within a few days this week during the evenings after work I started taking her apart.

T200small2.png

The plan, if I can get her engine running (big IF) is to turn her into a little cafe racer (apologies to the restoration purists). If I can't get her engine operational... she'll make a cute little decoration in my bike shed after I get her cleaned and reassembled over the coming fall and winter.

[smokeymon]

Welcome.I dont think I,ve ever seen one of those before. It has some uniqueness to it thats for sure.That alone is worth something. Will it be a restoration project?

[dollydog]

t200 invader - very fast little bike in its day and great fun. if that was over here you'd be paying at least twice as much - in pounds, not dollars
once raced a mate on his invader, i was on my 200cc tigercub - he was 17 stone and i was about 9. after 100 yards he was about 70 yards in front
do it up and ride it, you'll love it
cheers, dd.

[Dave West]

Negative on doing a restoration. Everyone does that with these bikes. As this bike has zero sentimental value to me it's just another cool bike for me to cafe.

[Vintageman]

cafe or restoration: I think many cafe projects are a way out a restoration when a bikes cosmetics is too poor or many missing parts. I think that is smart. It's about the ride. Others are trying do duplicate factory racers and others are truly unique bikes (it's about being unique!). I just want a bike that is reliable *(critical for I take long rides) and looks nice. That 200cc is fine for back roads and cruising 45-55 MPH easy like.

In your case you have a very complete bike and if yoru cosmetics are nice I would go stock. If you are missing seat find stock or get one of those cafe looking aftermarkets. This for me is the fastest way to go when bike is complete and decent and I like getting my projects done ASAP these days.

This is an 60's style bike and with the knee pads on tank and to me was the inspiration behind some cafe tank designs. I love the combined speedo. IMO beings as early as it is if you can get it to be a 7 or 8 out with 10 with patina you will have a unique bike (not many around). So that goal is met.

I would go stock for time, looks, uniqueness and comfortable ride position. If you can create a nice custom bike show us your work. It would have to be real special custom for that T200 looks real sweet if done as the creator intended.

$250 is a great price!

[Dave West]

Aside from a few bolts and washers that previous owners have replaced... the bike is nearly complete. The forks are bent, top triple tree has stress fractures, the rear fender has a section broken away, the engine is seized, cables are broken...

T200small3.png

I can understand that a rider who had one of these things in their youth may want to restore for the purpose of nostalgia. I'm doing a full restoration on a '80 GS450E which was my first bike that I bought when I was sixteen years old way back in 1980. But this bike doesn't speak to me in it's present or original form. It does whisper "make me a cafe"... so that's where I'm going with it.

[Alan H]

Anything you don't need will be snapped up on ebay no doubt.
Cracking little bike in its day and worth getting running for the sake of it, however you decide to do it.

[dollydog]

hi dave, easy engine to work on, everything is basic. for a 200cc these were blisteringly fast in their day
whatever you do, you'll love it when you ride it
cheers, dd.

[jabcb]

Your bike is just beyond the range of the online parts manuals.
You should get printed parts manual & service manual that covers the correct year for your bike. A few are listed on eBay for reasonable money.

Have fun with the build.

[Dave West]

hi dave, easy engine to work on, everything is basic. for a 200cc these were blisteringly fast in their day
whatever you do, you'll love it when you ride it
cheers, dd.

IF it ever becomes operational, it may be a hoot of a scoot. Time will tell.

Your bike is just beyond the range of the online parts manuals.
You should get printed parts manual & service manual that covers the correct year for your bike. A few are listed on eBay for reasonable money.

Have fun with the build.

I noticed the lacked of online manuals so I picked up a factory service manual for the T20/T250 and one for the T200. A parts manual for the T200/TC200 is somewhere in the mail on it's way to my casa.

Anyways, the bike has been broken down and it's various parts stashed in my bike shed awaiting cooler weather when the riding tends to become less frequent and the wrenching increases. Besides this bike I've got a '80 GS450E in boxes waiting to be restored to original condition, a '79 GS750 that needs attention, a '80 GN400 that needs to be completed and a GR650 that is begging for me to start doing something with her. Too many bikes, too little time.

[Dave West]

Drained the oil out of the motor. This stone fell out with the oil. 10mm wrench beside it for size comparison.

rockinoil.jpg

Right side piston has scoring along it's side when viewed from the inlet port. Good news is that I'm gradually managing to get the right side barrel free of the piston by soaking it with penetrating oil.

Might be hope for this old girl yet.

[Dave West]

The offending right cylinder piston finally free (left in the photo). Took awhile but by dowsing the piston top and bottom with Liquid Wrench and then whacking away on the top of the piston with a wooden dowel the size of the piston... I finally got it free of it's prison. Rings are definitely seized up on it.

20170903_160620a.jpg

The cylinder prior to the removal session. Rusty...

20170903_104353a.jpg

[Flywheel]

Great find! Bikes under 250cc are fun! Due to their light weight, decent power to weight ratio these are great back road rides as Vintageman stated. As for price, $250 is a steal, you can barely get a decent used bicycle for that nowadays. Enjoy your project. BTW just for reference here's a T200 local to me (it's not mine).

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/d ... 64787.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Al

[Dave West]

The CL listing is a good looking bike. Not so sure my wife unit would go for me keeping any bike of mine in the living room.

[Dave West]

Started a separate build thread for the bike...

Tavia