Suzuki Stinger T125 II 1970 [Archive]

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toycollector10

17th May 2019, 22:57

mulletman

18th May 2019, 09:27

Im guessing you've tried Simon tin12 on TM - goodparts https://nzbikeparts.com/
I cant find daryl anywhere - the old jap motorcycle spares, last i heard he still had a shit load of stuff nr greta valley.

toycollector10

18th May 2019, 10:28

neels

18th May 2019, 10:29

Hello, I'm restoring a Stinger in Christchurch and have most of the parts I need except for a few.
1) Can anyone help with supplying me with a set of carburetors?
2) I also need the rubber grommet that sits over the headlight bulb holder.
It would have to come with the bulb holder and wires as it would tear if you tried to remove just the grommet.
3) A set of pipes and stinger tips also would be a real bonus.
4) Petrol cap. Suzuki branded in the centre and diameter 60 mm
5) Petrol tap
Please message me if you have parts and are willing to sell stuff you no longer need. Anything considered. Cheers, TC
The Vintage Car Club parts shed might be worth a look, I saw a pair of GT125 pipes in there a while back, there might be some other bits if you go digging. They're not particularly sorted so you'd need a good idea of what you're looking for.

I cant find daryl anywhere - the old jap motorcycle spares, last i heard he still had a shit load of stuff nr greta valley.
He's was still around not long ago, I got a couple of bits from him, try emailing sales@japmcdismantlers.co.nz

Grumph

18th May 2019, 12:22

The Vintage Car Club parts shed might be worth a look, I saw a pair of GT125 pipes in there a while back, there might be some other bits if you go digging. They're not particularly sorted so you'd need a good idea of what you're looking for.

He's was still around not long ago, I got a couple of bits from him, try emailing sales@japmcdismantlers.co.nz

He's still around - but only doing this a day or so a week. he's got a real job, LOL.
The guys who bought KG's still have quite a bit of his old stock too. Not on site now though, tucked away.

I've actually got a set of carbs - but they're the small ones from the 90 Wolf. Most of the bits interchange if you haven't got a complete set.
Edit - just looked at the pics. What's missing/wrong with the carbs on it ?

toycollector10

18th May 2019, 19:02

[QUOTE=just looked at the pics. What's missing/wrong with the carbs on it ?[/QUOTE] I don't know if they have been damaged beyond working as one of them has been knocked around internally. Besides, it's always good to have spare parts for these 50 year old bikes

AllanB

18th May 2019, 19:34

Man that takes me back - a guy in my street when I was a lad had a Stinger, I'd stand in the street inhaling the smoke after he fanged past.

JimO

18th May 2019, 19:59

Man that takes me back - a guy in my street when I was a lad had a Stinger, I'd stand in the street inhaling the smoke after he fanged past.
one of my chums at school had one

Kickaha

18th May 2019, 22:21

1) Can anyone help with supplying me with a set of carburetors?

If it has Mikuni then see if you can get new off Mikunioz (https://www.mikunioz.com/?v=8e3eb2c69a18)

merv

18th May 2019, 23:20

Man that takes me back - a guy in my street when I was a lad had a Stinger, I'd stand in the street inhaling the smoke after he fanged past.

My Bro' had one and they made the most beautiful sound that made them seem as if they were really revving high but redline was at 9,000rpm if I remember rightly so they weren't really a screamer.

husaberg

19th May 2019, 20:08

Try F5 Dave

https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/66922-Float-like-a-butterfly

Sting like a,

well maybe that should be; Rust like a
rusty thing.

A year ago I did something silly. I decided I wanted to start a bike resto project. The subject the mighty T125 Stinger:love:. Why? Circa 1970 these bikes are ‘before my time’ of learning to ride & closer to my birthday. But at my now maturing age I find these appealing more & more. The Stinger was a jewel of a bike for the time & I love the quirky kitsch styling. GP replica stated brochures, despite no self respecting GP bike having up-pipes. . .

Having something cool to potter around on would be nice, also garners to the hunter gatherer instinct.

So what to start with? I’d passed on a T125 a friend was selling ~ 8 yrs ago. Time to look at TM. Phew! They’ve shot up in price, seems everyone wants a bit of this nostalgia stuff. So after passing on the million dollar items & finally got desperate & bought something that I knew was a mistake. An incomplete bike that had been half converted into a bucket, but had heaps of spares (probably none of which I would want).

So the search was on & I’ve been collecting parts here & there & the odd evilbay purchase, pistons etc. Then of course I bought another one. From hereon known as Rusty. With my 500 project & dirtbike maintenance I’ve not even touched them, it’s a 2 year project (ok maybe 3) so gather is all I’ve done.

- - - - -

Arriving back from a trail ride early Sunday (don’t ask) I was at a loose end. One of those ends that could only be tied by doing something different. None of the pressing jobs either seemed appealing or had time to be adequately addressed in an afternoon.

Rusty, time to get busy! Rusty was a TM purchase & had been living on the North Shore. A mate went to pick her up & reported it belonged to some Old Hippy with a dozen broken vehicles in a house on blocks with a caravan. A total Gunner (I was Gunna get around to fixing it up but. . . ). From the look of the bores this was a very low mileage bike which had some perhaps electrical fault so it was parked & left to die under a tree.

Perfectly complete but left to rust to death. I hate fuckin Hippies!

Ok so strip down time & retrieve loom & electrical parts all missing or bodged on the other bike. Seat locks, horn, ignition, some cables, all very serviceable.

The rest is a total waste of otherwise undamaged tinware ally etc.

Ok so now I have parts & a list. Once I get things together I will sell off the old useable parts (I have 3 bottom ends sets of forks etc) but I’m still after a decent front mudguard.

Here’s a picture It’s an after picture. OK it’s someone else’s after picture but what I am aiming for. Actual pics when I bring the camera cable into werk my wife thoughtfully ‘cleared away’.

Philosophy: I believe it is important to have one at the start of any project. When for example making a racebike it is important to decide if you will ever put it back to road to sell it. If you can make the jump to ‘never again’ then it makes the project more focussed & frees up inhibitions. Sadly the ‘Good’ bike had a few of these festooned on it as I try to retrieve it to road. This is where Rusty gives her organs for transplant.

. . .So my philosophy is to make a nice run around in very near to shiny new condition. But not concourse. Not all 100% original. The paint for example will be my take on a Suzuki gold/bronze or similar. It will run modern comfortable grips & decent tyres. I may mod the brakes to make them safe. This will be my interpretation of how I remember these cool little bikes. The train spotters will be able to pick the odd hole, but screw ‘em.

Sadly action will again be delayed, but perhaps 2 years in the future you will be reading about this neat little run about I can take to rallys etc. But I will update this as weekend afternoons occur when I can attack small ‘projecettes’.

Rusty gets neckid pics to follow.

Karitane pete

19th May 2019, 22:45

one of my chums at school had one
was that King High School?

JimO

20th May 2019, 06:32

was that King High School?
no St Pauls

Karitane pete

20th May 2019, 20:02

no St Pauls
wasn't me then, I rode mine to Kings High in the mid 70's

actungbaby

21st May 2019, 21:08

Man that takes me back - a guy in my street when I was a lad had a Stinger, I'd stand in the street inhaling the smoke after he fanged past.That explains so much :-(

Sent from my SOV31 using Tapatalk

toycollector10

30th May 2019, 20:10

Many thanks to David aka F5 Dave for the nice petrol cap. It'll polish up well.

husaberg

30th May 2019, 20:47

Many thanks to David aka F5 Dave for the nice petrol cap. It'll polish up well.

Pop green.......
They were cool colours I cant remember what the yellow was called

toycollector10

12th July 2019, 18:03

Picture of progress....

Ginge09

12th July 2019, 22:44

husaberg

13th July 2019, 11:17

Bike look gorgeous i can remember the airfilter taking up so much space in front of the oiltank?

F5 Dave

13th July 2019, 11:46

Looks great. Feeling guilty now but the 500 is back on the bench. 125 next.

toycollector10

13th July 2019, 17:05

Bike looks good but wouldn't mind a better shot of the bench. Got a hankering for something to put a 500 Triumph on for a full strip and tart up.

Looks quite tall. How'd you get that bike bike up there? Ramp or grunt it up. The (standard bike) table I'm using was bought new on TradeMe for $475 pick up in Christchurch. I guess I got what I paid for, though. It's a standard table and rated for weight right up to Harley Davidson size. But, a friend bought the same table and when he put his Kawasaki Z1 up on it he said it rocked around and wasn't stable. Too much play in all the linkages etc. So if you get a table it would probably pay to buy a more expensive one. The one I have is OK for my Maverick and my Stinger but that's about all.

Ginge09

14th July 2019, 12:37

Ta. Might just knock one together out of timber. $475 gets a fair few sticks and screws.

F5 Dave

14th July 2019, 19:13

I bought mine from a mate. Reclamed wood and covered with some galv sheet.

Yes it doesn't collapse but a ramp works.

F5 Dave

15th July 2019, 13:06

Golly, a green one just went on TardMe for $4.5k. But it was a kit set with missing or wrong bits and no crank work/old seals.

Sheesh.

Grumph

15th July 2019, 19:15

The (standard bike) table I'm using was bought new on TradeMe for $475 pick up in Christchurch. I guess I got what I paid for, though. It's a standard table and rated for weight right up to Harley Davidson size. But, a friend bought the same table and when he put his Kawasaki Z1 up on it he said it rocked around and wasn't stable. Too much play in all the linkages etc. So if you get a table it would probably pay to buy a more expensive one. The one I have is OK for my Maverick and my Stinger but that's about all.

Mine's a Topmaq cheapie. But the first thing I did was put a crossbeam on the front - 25X25 thick wall tube - with hook points for tie downs.
No way was I using the front wheel clamp that came with it.. Rear castor carrying arms can be extended for better support too.
It's a tad short for some bikes but stable enough for big posties.

rudolph

15th July 2019, 20:40

I just got given the low pipe version of this kind of, he backed out of the deal a bit but I will hassle him more

toycollector10

1st October 2019, 17:26

She's now up and running. I'm waiting on a flasher relay to arrive and also approval from NZTA for Alternative Documents. I've got the OK from NZTA to use the old black and silver historic plate. I'll post up some more pictures when she's all done and dusted.

F5 Dave

1st October 2019, 19:53

Top job indeed

SaferRides

2nd October 2019, 01:59

Looks good, well done. Not sure I ever saw one back in the 70's, but they look pretty cool.

rudolph

2nd October 2019, 09:43

This is My T90 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvA8rwuohoo

toycollector10

2nd October 2019, 14:59

This is My T90 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvA8rwuohoo

That's a great little survivor bike. Where did you find it? Do you have the papers to get it back on the road?

rudolph

2nd October 2019, 15:36

That's a great little survivor bike. Where did you find it? Do you have the papers to get it back on the road?

The people up the road had it in there shed, I have put a few bikes back on the road using an AA TSD agent, they are happy enough with the old black number plate and a letter that has been stamped by a J.P.

VTNZ on the other hand will bend you over backwards.

F5 Dave

2nd October 2019, 17:11

Kewl. Nice headwear.
I have a T90 frame under the house.

toycollector10

2nd April 2020, 15:26

Hopefully he'll stop skiting about his bloody Stinger soon.....Anyway, it's finished now so I'm moving on to my next project, 1969 CB750 Honda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryi0O7JQYzE

F5 Dave

2nd April 2020, 20:01

Well the 'before' is considerably better than my before. Guess I should have spent the money at the start.

Great video, was good to see it done and hear it.

I've never actually ridden one despite owning two.

merv

2nd April 2020, 22:30

I've never actually ridden one despite owning two.

I'm the opposite, I never owned one, but rode one from new because my oldest brother bought a nice gold one new. His friend bought an AS3 Yamaha 125 and there was quite a difference which I'll explain.

The Stinger made an awesome sound, the Yamaha sounded rather scratchy in comparison is about how I'd describe it. The Stinger was quite smooth without any wild power band, was pretty well vibration free and could cruise happily at a good speed all day. The Yamaha had quite a marked power band and did seem to have just a bit more up top and did vibrate more.

For the time my brother had the Stinger, reliability was good and it never seemed to foul plugs unlike the A100 I had at the time which tended to foul its plug if you'd run around town too long then wanted to open it up. The AS3 my bro's mate had holed a piston which wasn't good for a bike less than six months old at the time it did it.

The Stinger was a great bike in every way for its size except it drank fuel like guys drinking out of jugs back in the day. We figured it probably had that reliability over the Yamaha because it kept itself cool by way of the fuel cooling the pistons. We lived in Napier at the time and the Stinger couldn't get to Wairoa without a refuel part way at Tutira or Putorino and that trip is less than 120km. It would be no good these days with so many fuel stops having disappeared.

:cool::devil2:

toycollector10

3rd April 2020, 14:55

The Stinger...kept itself cool by way of the fuel cooling the pistons. I can't find any reference to an engine's fuel/air mix acting as part of the engine cooling on the Interweb. We all know that a lean fuel/air ratio makes an engine run hot so a rich fuel charge must run relatively cooler. Can anyone help? Link?

F5 Dave

3rd April 2020, 16:51

No link but its fairly common air cooled lore that you have to jet richer than ideal.

Gearup

3rd April 2020, 18:58

Hopefully he'll stop skiting about his bloody Stinger soon.....Anyway, it's finished now so I'm moving on to my next project, 1969 CB750 Honda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryi0O7JQYzE

That looks like mint condition. Great to see these projects happening.

husaberg

3rd April 2020, 20:08

I'm the opposite, I never owned one, but rode one from new because my oldest brother bought a nice gold one new. His friend bought an AS3 Yamaha 125 and there was quite a difference which I'll explain.

The Stinger made an awesome sound, the Yamaha sounded rather scratchy in comparison is about how I'd describe it. The Stinger was quite smooth without any wild power band, was pretty well vibration free and could cruise happily at a good speed all day. The Yamaha had quite a marked power band and did seem to have just a bit more up top and did vibrate more.

For the time my brother had the Stinger, reliability was good and it never seemed to foul plugs unlike the A100 I had at the time which tended to foul its plug if you'd run around town too long then wanted to open it up. The AS3 my bro's mate had holed a piston which wasn't good for a bike less than six months old at the time it did it.

The Stinger was a great bike in every way for its size except it drank fuel like guys drinking out of jugs back in the day. We figured it probably had that reliability over the Yamaha because it kept itself cool by way of the fuel cooling the pistons. We lived in Napier at the time and the Stinger couldn't get to Wairoa without a refuel part way at Tutira or Putorino and that trip is less than 120km. It would be no good these days with so many fuel stops having disappeared.

:cool::devil2:

I think the limited range was on account of a tiny fuel tank.

merv

3rd April 2020, 21:40

I think the limited range was on account of a tiny fuel tank.

8 litres, but the old two strokes drank the fuel as in the T125 would only do about 30 - 40 miles per gallon (10 -15 km per litre roughly) so you didn't try to do a 70 or 80 mile (110 - 130 km roughly) trip wthout refueling part way. A little 4 stroke 125 would more than likely be able to do Napier to Wairoa and return on a similar sized tank these days and not need 3 refuels, as my larger XR250L Honda I currently have has a 9 litre tank and on highway will get 250km to a tank so could do that return trip okay as a comparison.

husaberg

3rd April 2020, 22:14

8 litres, but the old two strokes drank the fuel as in the T125 would only do about 30 - 40 miles per gallon (10 -15 km per litre roughly) so you didn't try to do a 70 or 80 mile (110 - 130 km roughly) trip wthout refueling part way. A little 4 stroke 125 would more than likely be able to do Napier to Wairoa and return on a similar sized tank these days and not need 3 refuels, as my larger XR250L Honda I currently have has a 9 litre tank and on highway will get 250km to a tank so could do that return trip okay as a comparison.

I assumed you were comparing it to an AS3 for range, the AS3 has 9 liters of fuel
A Two stoke is not going to match a $t for economy of fuel consumption Just as, a 4T is never going to match a 2t in equal tune for HP.

to tell you the truth i am surprised the stinger is 2 gallons, are you sure its not US gallons........
Honda 4t might be economical but they make farty noises.

merv

4th April 2020, 10:00

to tell you the truth i am surprised the stinger is 2 gallons, are you sure its not US gallons........
Honda 4t might be economical but they make farty noises.

Lol, I said it was 8 litres and never bothered converting it to gallons, but we did have to buy fuel in gallons in those days and no doubt typically only put a gallon and a bit in each time we refuelled. The tell tale was always how far you went in miles on the clock until you hit reserve and then how far would you trust going hoping you were going to find a gas station.