OzVMX Forum

Marque Remarks => Suzuki => Topic started by: caps 999 on October 07, 2008, 02:45:38 pm

Title: ts400
Post by: caps 999 on October 07, 2008, 02:45:38 pm
gday ive been offered a cheap suzuki ts400 im thinkg about building into a motorcrosser just wondering if anyone can tell me theyear of it frame number is ts400-10946 and how much work will it need to be conveted to a motorcrosser its all ready on pre mix
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: Lozza on October 07, 2008, 03:21:29 pm
Will need some emulators and YSS rears,some ali rims and pod filter.A 36mm Mikuni is ideal.They are heavy slugs though. Unbreakable and extremely tunable engine. Side or centre port? Pistons are available. First gear is a bit low.
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: rocketfrog on October 07, 2008, 03:30:45 pm
Hey Lozza, what are emulators?
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: Nathan S on October 07, 2008, 04:13:12 pm
They're more usually called "cartrige emulators" - they go into your forks and make them work a whole lot better.

PS: I'm not Lozza, and there's not a day that I don't wake up thinking "thank god for that!". ;D
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: oldfart on October 07, 2008, 04:29:58 pm
Rode one at the nationals in 2007 and came away with broken ribs  ???  ...very heavy but fun to ride with all that grunt down low , and they land like a brick .Fortunatly the one I rode had brakes  ;D
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: YSS on October 07, 2008, 04:38:11 pm
Hey Lozza, what are emulators?

http://www.yss-australia.com/products_PDValveList.php
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: caps 999 on October 07, 2008, 05:23:18 pm
suspension i should have covered does anyone have any pictures of any ts 400 that have in the past been converted to motorcross specs
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: caps 999 on October 07, 2008, 05:35:42 pm
would it be advisable to put a 21" front rim on it im also going to need a tm400 or 250 tank and a seat if im going to do this one
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: TM BILL on October 07, 2008, 06:58:47 pm
Rode one at the nationals in 2007 and came away with broken ribs  ???  ...very heavy but fun to ride with all that grunt down low , and they land like a brick .Fortunatly the one I rode had brakes  ;D

But Stu it was the get off off the event  :D
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: TM BILL on October 07, 2008, 07:15:34 pm
suspension i should have covered does anyone have any pictures of any ts 400 that have in the past been converted to motorcross specs

Both Doc & Lozza have created nice race bikes from TS 400s , i got a ride on lozzas at CD5 and it is an impressive beast  ;D (wouldn't expect anything less from the master )
Docs bike featured in VMX magazine and is a credit to him  :) Doc built his for a bit over $500.00 and it goes as good as it looks ask Stu  :D

Good luck with your project look forward to the progress pics
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: caps 999 on October 07, 2008, 08:10:02 pm
heres a starting pic shes a bit rough wrong tank but motor is all ready rebuilt so thats one thing all ready done  ;D
(http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x197/caps999/DSC00503.jpg)
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: Tim754 on October 07, 2008, 10:30:49 pm
If you lose interest Caps .... I am very interested ;) Tim 754 (You have my phone number etc :) ;)  A trade maybe??
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: Doc on October 08, 2008, 06:44:58 pm
caps, they aren't an entirely bad thing. Heavy but not the heaviest, I think my '69 TS250 may tip the scales on it and pretty sure a stock XT500 would weigh much the same :o ..lots! Apart from the weight factor it's not a hidiously bad thing. It won't win races but it's fun , reliable, nobody much fights over the bits and all the TM400 goodies will bolt straight on if you so desire a hotty. The weight must be in the chassis as the rest is basically of TM400 design..never really compared the weight of the 2 but you can lighten it substancially if it scares you like it did me..actually, it still does! :-\  a good reliable thing but they need a serious diet.

 (http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a205/Doctor_Suzuki/TS400_before.jpg)

 (http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a205/Doctor_Suzuki/doc_400_suzuki.jpg)
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: caps 999 on October 08, 2008, 07:00:41 pm
yours come up a treat mate im just looking to have a bit of fun on the breasta few things need addressing but i think i can do a bit with her
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: caps 999 on October 08, 2008, 07:56:15 pm
is yours still 19" front mate
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: Doc on October 08, 2008, 10:03:35 pm
nope it's a 21" caps. I 'think' the '75 but definately '76-'77 had 18 and 21 alloy rims. '75 may have been alloy also?? TS250/TM250/400 wheels also bolt straight on. As you can see, more of the contentious black spoke syndrome also ;)
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: Lozza on October 08, 2008, 11:20:52 pm
With the chance to compare a Cheney framed to a TS the weight difference is not that great, the bulk of the weight is in the engine and the pipe.
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: caps 999 on October 09, 2008, 11:31:02 am
well i dont want a mint one from this project so the black spoke syndrome may come out for another round  ;)
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: JC on October 10, 2008, 09:37:42 am
If my memory serves me correctly, except for a little-lower 1st gear, the gear ratios on those side-port TS's are the same as the TM
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: rocketfrog on October 10, 2008, 10:55:09 am
just spotted a TM 250-400 Tank on EBAY, Nicely restored for a cool $400 starting price, but thats probably more than you would want to spend in total?
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: Doc on October 10, 2008, 01:02:44 pm
JC,

 '73 TM400          '73 TS400     '77 TS400

1st   30 - 16          32 -15         32 - 15

2nd  27 - 19           27 - 19        27 - 19

3rd  25 - 19            25 - 22        25 - 22

4th  25 - 22            23 -24         23 - 24

5th  21 -24             21 - 25        21 - 26

the primary drive at 68/19 is the same for all so it's only 2nd gear that's the same. cheers
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: JC on October 10, 2008, 05:45:57 pm
Hmmm, quite a bit diff. Can't trust that magazine test I was goiing on
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: Doc on October 10, 2008, 07:59:46 pm
TS/TM400 is a mysterious beasty from my experience. I have alos read the same and then I have read 1st 2nd and 3rd are the same and then comes the full circle crank, I have a '76 TS400, had a '73 crank and had a TM400 bottom end and none had the full circle as referred to in parts books. Whatever ratios it has it'll pull like a train regardless ;)
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: caps 999 on October 10, 2008, 09:15:29 pm
i am expecting that  ;D but i neeed to find the bits i need before i lay a spanner to it
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: caps 999 on October 14, 2008, 02:19:51 pm
if theres anyone out there who is after one of these id consider a trade or sale because im not too focused on this one but if not ill hold onto it  ;) if any  one has anything to trade im open to suggestions
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: vmxken on October 14, 2008, 04:57:12 pm
PM sent

Regards

Ken

Title: Re: ts400
Post by: firko on October 14, 2008, 10:58:51 pm
Don't do it Ken!
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: Doc on October 14, 2008, 11:34:32 pm
dun listen to Firko, just do it Ken!!  ;D
Title: Re: ts400
Post by: vmxken on October 16, 2008, 08:03:25 am
Caps, are you out there, can you please read your Personal Message (PM) that I sent a few days ago and respond.

Thanks

Ken