TS90MX

[brent j]

Thanks to TM Bill in NZ I’ve been able to get hold of a bike of the same model and year as the first motorcycle I ever owned. This bike is an original Suzuki TS90MX. The other bonus of this is that it was my 50th birthday present from my wife.
When I bought mine in 1974 I was told by the dealer that only 6 were brought into NZ. From the number that have come up for sale in the last few years I wonder if more were imported later in another shipment.

I went into the requirements of importing a bike from NZ and started to look at options. Motorcycle parts can be imported without a permit and parts are defined as when a motorcycle has no forks, triples or front wheel.

The TS90MX was based on a TS100K as imported to Aust and NZ. I figured that by getting the parts that made the TS90MX what it was, I could source the common parts locally. I now have a frame and engine with the correct numbers and all special MX90 parts. I was lucky enough to find a TC100 in Darwin that was built for road racing. I now have a second cylinder as this one was built by a very good Suzuki mechanic to factory hop-up specs.

Bill was quite happy to dismantle the bike and send what I wanted. This had two benefits, one was to remove the need for an import permit (and I did seek clarification from Canberra) and it reduced the shipping costs.

Where shipping was concerned Bill had an idea of posting the parts. Enquiries showed that under a certain sized box (Bill will know this) and below 20kg, this was acceptable. I received the parts I wanted in 4 boxes for a total price of $230.00AU from Taupo, NZ to Darwin.

I owe Bill big time for this. His help made it possible for me to now own a bike with a real connection to my past. It’s not a rare or super dooper MX bike but in terms of value to me it’s priceless. I've never been big on photos but this is one resto I will record from go to woa. It’s a pile of parts at present and hopefully after this weekend I’ll strip and get rid of the TC100 parts. Anyone interested?

One thing this bike has high lighted is that I do have too many projects. Sadly I’m one of these people who can’t stand by and let an old bike go to waste. Great intentions but I end up trying to do too much. Bikes must go, I’ll have to pass on my TM125/185, the XT500G and some other XT parts and maybe even the TS90J that I was looking forward to building.
 Cheers

Brent

[mick25]

Good to see you got your little baby from NZ,
 bring back some memories in your younger days BJ
Big 50 that sliped under the radar  You still have heaps more hair than me must be the darwin heat
Have fun with the project,sadly some other bikes have to go thats the brakes .......

[TM BILL]

Cmo'n Brent tell the truth  it took me 2 yrs or so to motivate my lazy arse to do the deal  Glad to hear it all arrived ok  good luck with the project , look forward to progress pics 

I should probably ship mine over so we can have a match up at CD9 

[firko]

These little gems must be breeding. A mate rang me last night to tell me that he's uncovered a genuine TS90MX (or at least a traily that'd been fitted with the race kit) while buying a car for his daughters boyfriend.
Noticing the bike under an old bed spread at the rear of the blokes shed, my mate asked what it was and if it was for sale. Long story short...the bloke had bought it at a garage sale around 15 years ago with the idea of using it for a 'shooting bike' but never got around to even starting it. $100 changed hands and my mate's going to pick it up on the weekend. He reckons he's going to restore it as a Classic Dirt pit/cruise bike.

[Slakewell]

It would be cool to have a 100cc class, Mind you I know where this a KTM with a 100cc motor 

[Doggy Digger]

   There was a guy with two or three immaculately restored Honcho TS90s at last year's HBBB.
They had hot-up MX kits.   Looked amazing.  He had them amongst parked cars way
over other side of hill, near the sheds by roadrace track.   Therefore, hardly
any dirt bike fans saw them.   (Said he was pretty new to the scene, when I asked why
he'd set-up at that spot)

   I hope he comes back in April, and parks his pride on the dirt side of the hill.

   Gotta love a Honcho!!

[smed]

Those bikes live not far from me Doggy,the guy who owns them is into vintage roadracing & is involved in the organising of the HBBB road race, I think they are owned jointly by him & his brother,They are trick liitle bikes!

[TM BILL]

TS 90 MX very different to a Honcho  TS 90 MX is TS 100 based 

[DR]

TS90 or TS100 they were both named Honcho although in some countries the later TS90's were called Hustlers. (GT250's were named Hustlers in OZ ) TC90's were called Blazers. Not that it really matters a zac TS90's were manufactured up till 1976. Bit of trivia

[firko]

What a great litle bike. I've got three basket cases that'll one day turn into something usable. These little bikes fought way above their weight.

[pokey]

185 Brent? are you still going to pass it along to the fraternity? drop me a PM mate , Im interested.

 yeah doc I liked the names suzuki had, almost character building.

Apache 400TS
Cyclone 400TM
Savage 250TS
Sierra Might TS185
Duster TS125
HonchoTS90/100
Hustler GT250
Titan T500
Sebring GT380
Prospector TC125
Exactor RL250
Adventurer GT185
Ranger TC185
Challenger TM125
Rover RV90
Indy GT550
le mans GT750

 cant remember any more

[brent j]

Bill it wasn’t two years, I know how much it takes to strip and clean a bike to ship and it all takes time. Everything was spotless and when customs inspected the boxes (as the stickers say) they passed it straight away. No fees for cleaning. I’ll start photographing everything before I start.

As far as I can see the TS90 started out in 1970 and went till the “J” in 72. This bike had a twin downtube frame and a high pipe. The frame had a large backbone tube from the steering head to the swingarm pivot and the down tubes joined onto this.
In ‘73 it was updated as the “K” model. This one had a single downtube frame, the tubes split under the front of the motor and carried right up to the shock mounts (see Bills photos). It still had the same back bone but had gained an inch in wheelbase. The pipe went under the motor and the tank was different. There are changes in the motor mainly in the cylinder and cylinder stud spacing but most of the internals are the same. As Doc said this bike continued on as the TS90 in Japan but here and in NZ it became the TS100.

Check
http://www.suzukicycles.org/All-Suzuki/all_suzuki_models.html
and look up TS90.

The TS90MX was based on the later TS90K of Japanese spec. This explains why they were a 90 and not a 100.

I’d guess that with the introduction of the TM125 Suzuki didn’t have much use for the left over hop up kits so threw them in the mix and produced the TS90MX. When you bought one in NZ it came with the following TS100 parts
Flywheel/rotor and stator
Pipe
Air cleaner and inlet hose
Cylinder, head and piston
Complete exhaust pipe
RHS side case and carb
Rotary disc housing and disc
This gives an indication of the factory hop up parts available.
All this for the price of $535 which included a TM125 muffler

I’ll do a much better job on this than my other bikes, they are all just riders. This will be ridden but I’ll use the worked 100cc parts I have here and save the 90 stuff. If ever the 100cc class gets legs I’ll be starter but I’ll have to change to a TS100 ignition (no internal rotor ignitions) which is on the donor TC100 bucket racer I have.

Mick, I’m trying to remember if I had my MX90 when you lived across the road. Maybe a little before your time, 1973. You would have been how old???

Cheers

Brent

[brent j]

185 Brent? are you still going to pass it along to the fraternity? drop me a PM mate , Im interested.

 yeah doc I liked the names suzuki had, almost character building.

Apache 400TS
Cyclone 400TM
Savage 250TS
Sierra Might TS185
Duster TS125
HonchoTS90/100
Hustler GT250
Titan T500
Sebring GT380
Prospector TC125
Exactor RL250
Adventurer GT185
Ranger TC185
Challenger TM125
Rover RV90
Indy GT550
le mans GT750

 cant remember any more

Pokey I'll PM tomorrow, you've asked first so you've got first refusal. I'll list the parts I've got

Brent

TS50 Gaucho
TM250 Champion
TM100 Contender

[Davey Crocket]

RV125 VanVan.

[mposs]

Factory Kitted TS90 at Broadford Bonanza.