TS 185A

[cyclegod]

But the A is a 76 model - won't using a 76 barrel etc disqualify you from pre-75?  :'(

sshhh..What the scrutineer doesn't know won't trouble him.

[Heikki360]

OK, if Bill is slower than me (unlikely) no problem, if he is faster - protest!

[TM BILL]

But the A is a 76 model - won't using a 76 barrel etc disqualify you from pre-75?  :'(

sshhh..What the scrutineer doesn't know won't trouble him.

Scrutineers are an Australian invention along with rule books etc  fortunatley i will only race this bike in unzud the land of the free 

Only 3 rules in NZ VMX

Rule 1 Alchohol in the pits There WILL be alchohol in the pits 

Rule 2 Motorcycling NZ officals are banned from VMX 

Rule 3 No exeptions to rules 1 & 2 

[TM BILL]

But the A is a 76 model - won't using a 76 barrel etc disqualify you from pre-75?  :'(

Heikki there is a rumour that some bugger is racing a 1976 YZ 125 in pre 75 125 in the Mr vintage series  Worse still the buggers leading the points 

Unfortunatley as you know in Kiwi VMX all protest must be lodged a week prior to the event accompanied by the fee of 2 cartos of the organisers favorite drop 

Apparantly the fee can be waived for any competitor over 80 accompaied by both parents 

[firko]

With due respect to my friend TM Bill and all of you other Suzuki tragics, what is it with these Suzuki 185 thingos?
At the very mention of the model you all go into an online frenzy, swapping hot up tips, quoting part numbers off the tops of your heads and generally devil worshiping the bland little bikes.

Now, I've been around this sport since 1969 and have ridden and/or observed a large number of dirt bikes in that time and on memory I only recall the TS185 as a pleasant little commuter/beginner bike with no competition aspirations and very little potential. In the history of Aussie motocross I have only ever seen one even remotely competitive TS185, that of Jens Olsen and don't ever recall any major enduro success for the little tiddler.

I've discussed this TS185 adulation with a number of "blokes who were around at the time'' over a beer or two, and no one could understand the attraction and none of us rated the bike any better than a DT175 or an XL175 or similar simple beginner bikes. Bland, dull, forgettable, girls bike and Uni parking lot were some of the words and terms used while discussing the 185.

Now don't think I'm one of the many mean and nasty anti Suzuki blokes that are a part of our scene. Nosiree Bob. I own a TS 90, A TS100, TM250, TM/TS 250 VMX project bike and a 400 PE. In fact, I am very evenly spaced as far as my bike afiliations go, there's everything from Ducati to Yamaha, all equally loved. It's just that I find it hard to find any love in my heart for such a dull little bike. I just don't understand what you all see in them.
As silly old Pauline Hanson once said...."Please explain".

[Doc]

Firko the simple reason they are so popular is they are 100% bullet proof, they are a dime a dozen, they handle (unlike the TS250 or TS400) and they respond extremly well to engine mods. There is nothing overly special about them at all. In the early years the TS185 was the pick of the bunch for me not because it was better than all the others but because it was a better balanced bike. It did everything it was designed for and then some more and it did all this week in week out with the most minimalist maintainance. The DT175's were good also but I feel they fell a little short of the TS and the XL185/175's fell below the Yamaha. The Kawa KE175 had the best motor and possibly the best handling but for some reason as always the little Kwacks were overlooked and a little on the ugly side in asthetics. Many TS gearbox parts are shared/interchangable with the TM125/RM125/TS125 and the 185 power to weight ratio is quite up there. The reason they are so popular you ask is because of the simplicity and how well they respond to modding. Very rare to hear anyone ever complain about the little TS185 (except they should have been a 6 speeder but that's my complaint) some even had quite good results in full blown enduro's of the day. I simply feel they are a very well balanced bike and that's always a great place to start with any project  for some reason TS185's = FUN

[vmx42]

I'm with Firko on this one.

Perhaps it could it be some kind of Trans-Tasman code designed to confuse the average VMXer [or the CIA - who of course are very easy to confuse]? Or a secret society - do you guys have a silly handshake [and I'm not talking about at the urninal]?

Your not in the Masons are you???

There has to be more to it. The more simplistic their reasoning the more I smell a conspriacy - or a Rat in Doc's case.

Watch out boys - Agent Firko is on the case. Be doubley worried if he gets his crystal ball out!!!

Agent42

[cyclegod]

The TS185 thing is a case of "Horses for Courses", they seemed to be a nice in between fit for many riders who wanted more than a 125 but not a bloated 250/400 and as for being an obsessed group well, try RD350 riders or XL350 riders their more one-eyed and model-centric than most (a simple search will reveal just how much after-market stuff is available for those two  ) Just a look at what people have done to the humble Z50J shows the level of their obsessions. The TS185 group are a minor affair about a minor bike, compared to others it just barely rate a mention but they have an appeal to the In-between bloke.

[Doc]

The truth is out there VMX42....

somewhere!! 
 
and so is a whole crock of crap what makes TS185's so special is they seem a great source of constant annoyance..for others  now I must be off to my weekly Illuminati meeting 

[pokey]

They are totaly crap. dont be tempted into the dark side  and consider building  a racer . It could just shatter all  you  now believe ... Or not


Doc has the goods  and i bet Jens Olsen will confirm it. You can throw these torquy light bikes around all damn day without them biting you. Try grabbing a fistful of throttle on a 250MXer  mid corner and see what happens. Hell you guys know that all that power will soon show you how crap the frame is.

 Unless your a gun rider most riders cant use all that a thoroughbred race bike is capable of so with respect.. its wasted. With the humble , very forgiving 185 it is actually possible to use all that it is capable of with no nasty suprises.... and suprise suprise the little bike does what it does rather well even stock.

 Now lets tweak that trail bike and give it some suspension a pipe ,track gear ratios and shave even more from the lightweight  ......

 Fun factor is enormous and from my reading, thats how many of the original Off road riders took to racing  They took ordinary  mostly bland road bikes like the Husky silver pilen and BSA bantams ... tweeked them  and made them competetive whilst having the biggest grins.


 Suzuki i believe made the 185 to a price and came up with a reasonable product of its intention. much like the TM series of bikes.  The under 200cc class racers were mostly extinct so little or no hot bolt on gear was investigated  for the humble suzuki. This is where  us oddball 185  lovers come in to see what is possible.

 Its no use having all that power if you cant get it to the next corner or the one after that or the one after that is there? Keep it upright keep it smooth and keep it consistant and that comrades is what a 185 is all about.

[brent j]

I remember in the 70's the 185 was probably one of the most popular trail bikes in NZ, putting a 185 motor in a TM125 frame was a very popular conversion. Made for a very light, good handling and torquey trail bike that was still racable (is that a real word?). The 185 motor also had the advantage of giving you power for lights for road use. I certainly regret selling mine.........................

Brent

[cyclegod]

When I finish my current projects I will have a TM125 and a TMS185 to compare side by side to see just what the REAL difference is.

[firko]

Don't get me wrong blokes, I like the idea of taking a dull lifeless bike and turning it into a racer  via some sort of Cinderella style metamorphis. I have a fetish for DT1 Yamahas that some find amusing and I built that TS 250 project bike out of left over shit so I know where you guys are coming from. I just don't see the hidden joy in the TS185 that you guys do. Sure Jens likes them but Jens swims in a different pool to most of us.
The thing I find funny is that this forum seems to have unearthed every  TS 185 fan in Australasia, possibly even the free world. Keep the love affair alive fellas, and maybe one day we'll see a TS185 win some 250 races and make us pagan disbelievers all look a little silly.