Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

-' -' ~ !z c: '" u o " ~ a:: ~ :> J: z S .., >- '" '" ~ if numbers are not impressive in an absolute sense, they are well-matched to the purpose of the machines and did not prove a restriction of any kind for even spirited blasts through the bushes. The OS80 provided four inches of fork travel and nearly three inches of up and down movement for the rear wheel. If the tightly wound shock springs didn't coil bind so quickly, more than three inches would appear attainable. Riding position was comfortable for the correctly-sized rider on all three machines . The flat, low rise handlebars were very 'g ood for slow maneuvering on trails and between trees and weren't noticeably bad for any other type of riding including moderately fast fire-roading. The OS100, 'a n d especially the 185 , incorporate very useful steering geometry. A rider could accomplish turns to the lock at walking speeds yet track around a tight, fast turn pretty darn well. At the speeds we were traveling, the steering was just excellent. That range should include most semi-normal peoples' trailriding. They even set up nicely for controlled slides on the flat corners. The operating parts of all machines include oiled foam air cleaners, and oil injection from a separate tank rather than pre-mixing of fuel. All gearboxes have five speeds and no one encountered missed shift problems. That was kind of remarkable considering two of the riders were learning how to ride. There was a very postive feel to the shifter with a comfortable throw. Shifting seemed to take no getting used to for anyone in our spectrum of riders. All three gearboxes also permit primary kick starting which is just about essential for playbikes. The tidy little lights, front and rear, continue to work after bouncing around the boondocks and the headlight throws out a very reasonable spot of brightness for finding the truck or the trail after dusk. Long Forestry Service-approved spark arrestors aye incorporated into the silencers on the high pipes. The resulting noise is civilized as the sound output of all offroad motorcycles must be if the breed is to survive. The tires on all the OS machines re real knobbies. IRC versions appeared on the trio we tested. The OS185 has a full 21-inch front wheel while the 100 has a 19-inch. Orange plastic flexofenders are color-matched to the steel -gas tanks. The tank capacity of the full -size bikes is just a few tablespoons over two gallons. The ' mini carries 1. 3 gallons. The tires didn't want to skate around on a hard-packed fire road . The power of either machine didn't overtax the knobbies. The emphasis on low end power and the very light feel made the OS 185 a whole lot of dirty fun to ride, if you were a big kid. Clearly, the OSIOO was not meant to be ridden by those heavier than it is, which is about 178 Ibs . wet and ready to go. The ladies loved it and it appeared to induce enough confidence to get them back on it more than once. We won't say the OS80 is kid-proof. We can say that our observations indicate the clutch , gearbox and suspension can stand up to what a good-sized eight-year -old boy dishes out, including an unscheduled flying leap into a ravine. Both bike and boy showed good form from launch to landing. The OSI85 has a couple of other features that struck us as nic e touches: a push-pull throttle and a big, serrated plastic knob on the carburetor to adjust the idle speed with your glov es on . We couldn't think of any other bikes that are designed, built and imported to the U .S. that are quite like these Suzukis. Despite the contradiction inherent in the term, they are serious playbikes. They fill this need better than other Japanese 175s and 100s. They are not offering the performance of a KTM, either , but are about half the price of such a highly developed 175 . The OS185, especially, is a very efficient playbike that could hold its own in some more demanding usage . It is trustworthy for "Family style:' enduros and would seem totally capable of carrying you through the creeks and woods. If it didn't, it is light enough that you could carry, or push, it through. In fact ,. those features are probably even more important for a fun-time trailbike than enduro considerations. . The important thing, besides how well they do their job .. particularly for the rider who may buy more than one OS is ease of maintenance and cost of operation. Our maintenance for a month consisted of checking gas and oil levels. cleaning and lubing the chain, and looking at the air filter . Maybe we should have done more but, in good conscience. the Suzukis did not need more. Suzuki recommends that their dealers retail the OS185 . OSIOO, and OS80 for $825, $555, and $495 respectively. We believe the performance of the OS package exceeds the price asked for it in every displacement category. • (Left) The OS Suzukis were well-suited to teaching youngsters how to ride a motorcycle, making the sport (aboveI a family affair.IBelow) The OSSO's powerplant withstood abuse. (Bottom) The OS185 engine was a torquer. Suzuki Specifications OSBO Engine type Bore x Stroke Actual Displacement Carburetion Air Filtration Transmission Suspension Seat height Wheelbase Ground clearance Handlebar width Wet weight Fuel capacity Recommended Retail (U.S.) OS100 OS185 2-stroke reed valve and piston port. air cooled 49mmx42mm 79cc 20mm Mikuni 55 Oiled Foam element underseat still air box !>-speedconstant mesh w/primary kick start 1-N-2-3-4-S Front: Telescopic oilspring w14" travel Rear: Oil-damped mounted for 3" travel Same Same 25" 42.5" 5.75" 25.5" 154lbs. 1.3 gals . $495 • SOmmxSOmm 24mm Mikuni 55 Same 64mm x 57mm 183cc 26mm Mikuni 55 Same Same Same 98cc Front : Telescopic Same as 05100 oil·spring w/6.7S" travel Rear: Oil-damped Kayaba wlcoil spring cantilevered for 3.5" travel 31.5" 31.5" 52.5" 54.5" 9" 7.5" 31.5" 31.5" 1781bs. 221Ibs. 2.1 gals. 2.1 gals. $555 $825 • 25

• Cover