Classic Suzuki Thumpers

Ive started to dismantle the frame. The loom is off, as are all of the components. In fact, alls that left is  the rear swing arm, the left rear shock, and the rear brake lever. These only remain because i cannot get the bolts out! When ive come up with some ideas in getting the final bits off, ill send the frame and swing arm off to be painted. The frame will be black, and the swing arm silver. I’m also going to send the tank off as soon as possible, to be restored, as it is badly dented and damaged with green paint!

Note: I need a new rear left indicator and possibly side pannels, rear shocks and a front mudgaurd.

The first thing to do was to fix the engine after snapping the cam chain. The damage was a bent valve, snapped cam chain and unfortinetly some of the engine casing broke away. However, the piston ect were fine

Once we had put the engine back together, me and my dad re-painted it black, to meet the original factory standards.

 Next step. Dismantling the frame.

In 2006 i purchased a 1980 Suzuki DR400. It cost just £25!!! When inspecting the old tax disk, i noticed that she had not been taxed since 1989! It stands to reason then, that she had been stood since then. All she required was a new battery, a new ignition (the key was lost) and a carb clean (there had been petrol in there since she was left). Success! She ran! I rode it for a little while in a local field, until the lock nut came off of the inlet valve and snapped my cam chain. Since then ive decided to try and get the bike back into its original glory.

This is what i suppose could be described as a diary, of the work ive done on the bike.

Heres how the bike looked before i stripped her. Everything had at least a little rust, or a dent, and the inner tubes were escaping from the sides of the tyres! Unfortinetly at some point, a tin of paint had been dropped on the bike, so the left side was paint stained. The plastics were also completely perished, and as a result, all will need replacing.

The pictures don’t reflect the intire state of the bike, however i’m sure you can imagine what a bike, left for 17 years, would look like!