1980 Suzuki PE175

[DT_Mania]

This was my 1980 PE175 resto project. I am using it currently in our local VMX series. Also use it for social riding now and again.























At my favourite social riding spot:


Our last VMX nasional meet in Queenstown:

[Graeme M]

Nice! I rode an 80 and an 82 way back when. The 82 especially was a ton of fun, though I have to admit to preferring my 80 IT175 at the time. These days I have almost finished restoing an IT and hope to get to ride it soon...

[odd1]

Very nice the black rims are they new or the old ones painted?

[DT_Mania]

Everybody seems to notice the black rims first! They are the original rims cleaned up and send for powder coating. I also used a STD TS185 piston and rings when I did the engine over. So running now at 183cc.

[TM BILL]

Bloody nice build mate  well done

[oldfart]

what size rear tyre are you running

[dave]

Nice one DT - I loved mine, but just be careful, I cracked the frame twice just above the swingarm pivot point from larger jumps - not real good for VMX.

[DT_Mania]

what size rear tyre are you running

130/90-18s

@Dave - yip but I'm not a big jumper as it is. Will hopefully have a more MX orientated ride for next year.

[frostype400]

Hi Dt how are the dc plastics with regard to colour match on the tank I do like the black wheels contemplating a different colour or black on my project 400 thanks Michael.

[mainline]

Not that it really matters, but I think that's an 81 model with that type of lower frame guard, ie solid welded on bars, not a separate alloy doodad.

I must be turning into a Nathan, I mean a trainspotter


Very nice resto anyway mate. I love my PE175, although it's nowhere near as nice looking as this one.

[frostype400]

your right mainline it is a 81 175x but the compliance plate can still be stamped 1980 for a 81 model it has the right stickers though.

[DT_Mania]

Plate is stamped 1980. I have also ordered all my parts as 1980. But it doesn't really matter.

I am not too excited about the quality of DC plastics. The colour is not too far off but their mouldings are not very good. Very rough textured and their mounting holes are very shallow which necessitates a spacer on some of the side panels too make it work correctly. But it is a bike in constant use. Won't use it on a show bike though.

[LWC82PE]

Yes it’s a 1981 model. I was half asleep and didn’t even notice it as I was looking at how tidy the bike is. Plate date is nothing more than manufacture date of the bike. It does not indicate the model year of the bike. 90% of 80 model parts are the same as the 81 and pretty much everything interchanges and much of the 81 parts that are different to the 80 model parts are now what the 80 parts superceed to anyway so chances are you had been supplied 81 parts anyway and would not have even noticed it anyway. The major difference between 80 and 81 is tail light, bashplate, frame, stickers, muffler mounting, chain guide and a few trival things i cant think of right now.

[DT_Mania]

Tx LWC   

[odd1]

Anyone have an airbox to suit this bike for sale?