1977 Suzuki PE250 restoration

[cdahl383]

2 hours ago, M E T A L A C I D said:

I always wondered why folks paint these "rubberized" plastic parts? I think its youngins back in the day, with nothing better to do. Big bucks daddy buys em a $2000 dirt bike, and they have at it with a rattle can. Heck even I knew, back in the day, that paint dosnt work with these plastics. I call them "Tear away" plastics, because once you rip up you scoot, during a race, you pull off the damaged plastics, and put some new ones on em. Off road closed course trucks have/had them for many decades, and its the same with the bikes. People dont paint these plastics.....

I agree!  I’m hoping I can strip all the paint off and get the plastics to clean and shine up nicely with some wet sanding and buffing.

[Hughie]

22 hours ago, M E T A L A C I D said:

Gotta love the Bag Pipe playing Scotties for inventing the mighty 2 stroke engine, good old Dugald Clerk, and props for his invention, blue smoke for-ever!!!

Oh well, nothing like getting mixed up between England and the UK.
No such thing as an English patent, the article’s a bit of an insult to the Scotsman.

[jcimino]

Good luck with your project, I too love the old two-strokes. Did a 73 Cz 400 last year and just picked up a 71 Cz 175 trail that makes your project look like showroom condition. I also have a 71 Benelli on my list for this year and did  69 Subaru 360 a couple years back.

[foxtrot722]

Awesome Project, thanks for posting, looking forward to following 

[mxer201]

This sure takes me back to 1981 or 82. I was looking for a new dirt bike. A small Suzuki dealership in the town where I attended college had a couple of left over PE's stored in a cramped attic. I can't remember for sure but think a 175 and 250. And not a clue what he was asking. Passed. A few months later I bought a new RM125X from a different dealer.

[Tbahr]

Cdahl383, I had a 77 PE250. Raced it many years. The pulser coil would go bad. The flywheel cover would let water in. The water would interact with the pulsar winding creating acid that would eat through the bottom of the magnesium cover. You could tell by the pulser being orange colored. Replaced a couple of em. The dogs in the rear hub would wear and need replaced. Clutch basket would groove. We ran Fox airs back then. Or Ohlins. Hell I probably still have pieces around. Here's a pic of the 1977 Black Coal National Enduro.

[cdahl383]

54 minutes ago, mxer201 said:

This sure takes me back to 1981 or 82. I was looking for a new dirt bike. A small Suzuki dealership in the town where I attended college had a couple of left over PE's stored in a cramped attic. I can't remember for sure but think a 175 and 250. And not a clue what he was asking. Passed. A few months later I bought a new RM125X from a different dealer.

Cool man!  Long time ago!

 

[cdahl383]

28 minutes ago, Tbahr said:

Cdahl383, I had a 77 PE250. Raced it many years. The pulser coil would go bad. The flywheel cover would let water in. The water would interact with the pulsar winding creating acid that would eat through the bottom of the magnesium cover. You could tell by the pulser being orange colored. Replaced a couple of em. The dogs in the rear hub would wear and need replaced. Clutch basket would groove. We ran Fox airs back then. Or Ohlins. Hell I probably still have pieces around. Here's a pic of the 1977 Black Coal National Enduro.

Cool man!  Yes the clutch baskets tend to get grooves in them causing mild clutch drag.  
 

If you have any old leftover parts you’re willing to let go of let me know!

[Turboloader]

6 hours ago, cdahl383 said:

I agree!  I’m hoping I can strip all the paint off and get the plastics to clean and shine up nicely with some wet sanding and buffing.

I have my fingers crossed for you brother, If it fails, try DC plastiques, they might have a vintage RM panels that could be made to fit...?

[Turboloader]

3 hours ago, Hughie said:

Oh well, nothing like getting mixed up between England and the UK.
No such thing as an English patent, the article’s a bit of an insult to the Scotsman.

Man, Sorry Bruh, I just clip n paste, I thought he was Scottish? Im a 2 stroke nut case, my veins are full of Maxima 927, and my lungs breath through Twin Filter oil, LOL! ? So an Englishman Invented the first 2 stroke?

[Turboloader]

51 minutes ago, Tbahr said:

Cdahl383, I had a 77 PE250. Raced it many years. The pulser coil would go bad. The flywheel cover would let water in. The water would interact with the pulsar winding creating acid that would eat through the bottom of the magnesium cover. You could tell by the pulser being orange colored. Replaced a couple of em. The dogs in the rear hub would wear and need replaced. Clutch basket would groove. We ran Fox airs back then. Or Ohlins. Hell I probably still have pieces around. Here's a pic of the 1977 Black Coal National Enduro.

Now that's cool!!!!!!

[cdahl383]

1 hour ago, M E T A L A C I D said:

I have my fingers crossed for you brother, If it fails, try DC plastiques, they might have a vintage RM panels that could be made to fit...?

Yep DC Plastics has stuff.  Thought it would be cool to keep the originals though and avoid spending $200-250 on plastics if I already have some that are decent.  
 

My 78 needed them because the front fender was jacked up and the side plastics had holes worn through them by the shocks.  These on the 77 are in pretty good shape structurally.  We’ll see.

How are things going for you down there in Texas?  Doing alright?  I know a lot of Texas is pretty messed up right now.

[Hughie]

7 hours ago, M E T A L A C I D said:

Man, Sorry Bruh, I just clip n paste, I thought he was Scottish? Im a 2 stroke nut case, my veins are full of Maxima 927, and my lungs breath through Twin Filter oil, LOL! ? So an Englishman Invented the first 2 stroke?

No , a Scotsman invented the two stoke and patented it in the United Kingdom. 
it was nothing to do with England and he probably even registered it in Scotland which was the other Kingdom that united.

 My point was that the writer of the article made the same usual mistake of thinking the UK of Great Britain is  England. 

Edited February 22, 2021 by Hughie

[gpaton]

It’s great to see that there are still a few pe’s  around. I bought one new in 77. Won quite a few enduros here in Oregon. That bike would do everything I needed it to do. Maybe not quite as good as the new models but they won’t be leaving it far behind in the tight stuff. Enjoy the ride. 

[cdahl383]

8 hours ago, gpaton said:

It’s great to see that there are still a few pe’s  around. I bought one new in 77. Won quite a few enduros here in Oregon. That bike would do everything I needed it to do. Maybe not quite as good as the new models but they won’t be leaving it far behind in the tight stuff. Enjoy the ride. 

Yeah they’re getting more rare now.  Lots of them dying out as many are to the point where mine is and they just end up becoming a donor/parts bike.

[Turboloader]

10 hours ago, Hughie said:

No , a Scotsman invented the two stoke and patented it in the United Kingdom. 
it was nothing to do with England and he probably even registered it in Scotland which was the other Kingdom that united.

 My point was that the writer of the article made the same usual mistake of thinking the UK of Great Britain is  England. 

OIC, dude, like I said, I just clip and paste, I have some Irish/Scotts blood in my veins, and I thought its pretty dang cool that the 2 stroke was invented there. Yeup, I suspect that a lot of folks "mess up" alot of facts on the interweb, if I have the time I usually cross reference issues like that. Ya gotta love the Dictionary, and other hard back books, they are truly factful!

[Duane Nickull]

On 2/20/2021 at 3:02 PM, cdahl383 said:

Dropped the engine off at the shop today along with the new crank, gasket set, seals, and stator.

Looked at the clutch last night and everything looks good.  Kickstarter gear is good, no missing teeth.

Unfortunately someone along the line welded the gear shift lever to the shaft.  But I did find a new shaft at a place over in the Netherlands, so I ordered that up along with a new cushion spacer and oil seal.

 

By strange coincidence, I seem to have a spare engine with parts.  DM me if you have a shopping list.  

[cdahl383]

Stripped the paint off the front fender today.  Took quite a few applications as there was about 20 coats of paint on there !

 

[Pitviking]

Nice job!

[Turboloader]

9 hours ago, cdahl383 said:

Stripped the paint off the front fender today.  Took quite a few applications as there was about 20 coats of paint on there !

 

Bro, you are going to put UFO and Maier plastics out of business. LOL! Good job bruh! Keep it up and you will have 2 running PE's. Boy they empty space next to the 2 classics sure could use a 3rd, what to use.?....what to use?...Ah, 175 cc of enduro fun, modern suspension, and wait, whats that out back, a full floater mono shock, arguably the dirt bike industries most smooth and usable rear suspension system of all time