Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/143901
(Above and below) The 1983 PE 175 is still the same as the 1982 model, but the new graphics and the seat and fork leg color changes make it look 100% better; it's become an eye-catcher. . (Top) The motor is small~ but nice. (Above) The folks that put this bike together were thinking enduro. Impression: Suzuki PE175 Suzuki's lone ranger By Jim Bowman Photos by Gail Weinert and Bowman Suzuki's lone enduro weapon for the past two years has been 'their'lightweight entry, the PE175. This has been a bit of a let down for those dedicated Suzuki riders who prefer to ride 250cc and Open class m~c;:hineryand has cause~ some -0.;1'5'" l their old bikes. Suzuki, however, is stubbornly sticking with their s.tUbbonUy'balig.QDlO.. • .P.EI.'7.5. n4..af'u'.r.t.idiog ~L, •..,,~.tNQ~ •• it's worth the ride on the light side to check it out. Other than a spiffy new make up job, the 1983 PE175 is almost identical to the 1982 model. Black backgrounds have been added to the number plate areas, the seat is now blue, the fork legs are a bright yellow and new graphics tie it all together. All in all, the '83 facelift is a radical improvement over the yellow head-to, toe plastic look of last year and sure to make any new owner proud. The PE is sold as competition machinery for enduros and numerous little details attest to this at first glance. This lightweight arrow-chaser comes with a resetableodometer, rimsaver tires, headlight, taillight, quickchange front and rear wheels, a handy multi-purpose tool and self locking cable adjusters on both split-perch lever mounts. An air pressure gauge also comes with 'the bike for adjustin~ the air in the front forks. One of the little goodies that • ,;mrf~mus was the multi-purpose tool. The tool is a two piece unit that contains a spark plug wrench, ' wrenches to remove both axles and a 12mm wrench. This isn't the only tool an enduro rider should carry, but we feel that every manufacturer should at least provide tools for removing the front and rear wheels and adjusting the chain. It's just too expensive for a rider to buy a wrench large enough to remove the wheels and even when the proper wrench is found, it's usually too large to fit in an enduro bag. Another feature that we liked was the self-locking cable adjuster on each lever mount. Fine threads on the cable adjuster absorb mo.st of thecable tension and the rest of the locking mechanism is a ball and spring in the lever mount. The cable can be adjusted at any time and the most the adjuster will rotate is a single revolution to the point where the ball sets into the cable slot usually used for removing the cable. A great idea that allows the rider to adj ust the cable quickly without any tools! There is no cleaner setup for a quick-change rear wheel than that on the PE, Loosen the chain adjuster locknuts, unscrew the axle; remove the spacer and the rear wheel is of£. The chain adjustment won't change and the rear brake assembly remains mounted to the swingarm. Remove the left side chain adjuster locknut to service- the brakes, but be sure to remount the brake shoes the way they were. If mounted backwards, the spring hooks will scrape the hub and . make a painfully wrong sound. Slinging a leg over the PE, the first thing we noticed was the overall small and light feel. The bike is thin and the seating position comfortable. The top of the 2.8 gallon gas tank doesn't rise as steeply as many enduro tanks and this contributes to the small feeling, giving the rider the freedom of movement of a motocross bike while providing plenty of gas for competition. While we loved the smallieeling of ~p" rf;lJ'~ ~ikt; iSJqu,i;~ ~ l ~pf}, f~b