I still have mine, I bought it new at age 18 and I’m now 74 . It is once again like yours again. The missing item is the plastic joiner for the oil pump cable. And needs a new battery then will go.
My first bike. Didn't know what I had, but rode the heck out of it. I'm lucky to be alive. Rode it from NV to Northern CA over highway 36 in 1980. It would routinely do 90mph back then when I was just 170 lb! I terrorized my neighborhood during my lunch hours going home every day for a bite.
Summer 1967 St.Thomas (U.S.Virgin Islands)as you said very fast,scary fast on the mountain roads above Charlotte Amalie at night,what fun.Great story and restoration,Thanks for the memories.
I bought one new in 1966. A black one, but I don't remember it coming with an air pump. Had it about a year. Surprisingly fast with the six speed gearbox. I tell people that you got up to about 30 mph about as fast as you could turn the hand grip for the throttle. That 0-60 in 6 seconds claim was an honest one. But they didn't tell you it then took about a minute to get to 100, if you could. I did have some problems of it fouling plugs from time to time. The biggest improvement I made was to put Goodyear Blue Streak racing tires on it. Not for racing, but for better handling especially if the road was wet. I never think it's a good idea to ride a motorcycle in wet weather (you already have enough strikes against you on a motorcycle and don't need to add more) but sometimes you get caught in rain or surprised by some still wet road surface you didn't expect. The Goodyear tires were amazingly better than the factory tires for this. I notice that in TH-cam videos of people riding the things that the sound doesn't some across quite as low pitched as the actual sound.
I bought my 66 X6 for my 19th birthday in Oct. 65. 6 weeks later, when I got my "GREETING" from Uncle Sam, I joined Naval Reserves, so I could spend 18 mos commuting to my car plant job & going to weekly reserve drills on my Hustler. 0-60 was amazing, but after that, Sportsters walked away.
@chaddauphin The makuni carbs are very straight forward. About the only thing you'll need to look at are the needle/seat valves. Just clean them good. Don't bend the float fingers and all should be be O.K. The replacement rubber boots will cost you about $50 a pair though. Let me know how it turns out.
The capscrews on the engine look good, but these originally had bolts with the Suzuki "S" on 'em, ( otherwise perfect ); the plastic cover that goes over the oil pipes on top of the crankcase is also "unobtainium" as is the toolroll under the seat..... Best riding and handling bike of its era, I've owned 3
+Frank Philpott Hi Frank: Are you a collector? I still have this bike. I put it in preservation status awaiting its new owner. Do you want to be that owner?
+Frank Philpott Here in the UK i owned a T250R, it was just over a year old when i purchased it. The T250R differed from the T250J in that it had the same fuel tank and side covers plus the cylinder heads as the 350 Rebel, it had a softer state of tune at the top end and a much stronger mid range, so while it accelerated faster, it lost out by some 5 to 10 MPH at the top end. It was my first bike and i remember striping down the engine after i had had it two or three years to have the crankshaft rebuilt, 35,000 miles now days is poor but it was thrashed every where i went on it. if only i still had it, cant tell you the youtube videos i have watched of 250, 350 and 500 Suzuki twins.
I still have mine, I bought it new at age 18 and I’m now 74 . It is once again like yours again. The missing item is the plastic joiner for the oil pump cable. And needs a new battery then will go.
My first bike. Didn't know what I had, but rode the heck out of it. I'm lucky to be alive. Rode it from NV to Northern CA over highway 36 in 1980. It would routinely do 90mph back then when I was just 170 lb! I terrorized my neighborhood during my lunch hours going home every day for a bite.
Summer 1967 St.Thomas (U.S.Virgin Islands)as you said very fast,scary fast on the mountain roads above Charlotte Amalie at night,what fun.Great story and restoration,Thanks for the memories.
Beautiful job, bike and video 💙🤍
I bought one new in 1966. A black one, but I don't remember it coming with an air pump. Had it about a year. Surprisingly fast with the six speed gearbox. I tell people that you got up to about 30 mph about as fast as you could turn the hand grip for the throttle. That 0-60 in 6 seconds claim was an honest one. But they didn't tell you it then took about a minute to get to 100, if you could. I did have some problems of it fouling plugs from time to time. The biggest improvement I made was to put Goodyear Blue Streak racing tires on it. Not for racing, but for better handling especially if the road was wet. I never think it's a good idea to ride a motorcycle in wet weather (you already have enough strikes against you on a motorcycle and don't need to add more) but sometimes you get caught in rain or surprised by some still wet road surface you didn't expect. The Goodyear tires were amazingly better than the factory tires for this. I notice that in TH-cam videos of people riding the things that the sound doesn't some across quite as low pitched as the actual sound.
I bought my 66 X6 for my 19th birthday in Oct. 65. 6 weeks later, when I got my "GREETING" from Uncle Sam, I joined Naval Reserves, so I could spend 18 mos commuting to my car plant job & going to weekly reserve drills on my Hustler. 0-60 was amazing, but after that, Sportsters walked away.
absolutely a beautiful machine, great work!
Great looking T20! My dad had one in the UK, from new, he would love to hear yours run as he hasn't heard one in a long time. Thanks!
it was my first motorbike,nice to see and after the T20 i have T500 and the gt 750
Sweet Memories, fastest thing on two wheels in the day! Owned 4 Suzuki's now! two latest GSXR-1000 and GSX-1300R Hayabusa.
Cool
I had the 125,250,380,550,750 boiler.
I mis them since 30 years
Love the air pump. I have a 91' BMW GS that came with, and I have the original air pump, and folding cable lock for it too.
Good video
Regards from.Panama
Excellent resto! wow that bike has got to be worth a few bucks. great job jim hawks...
Had one new is 1968, really nice restoration, would prefer flat straight bars though.
Well done indeed
awsome bike you did an excellent job I got a suzuki s-32 I'm working on right now
X6 great bike you do to work
A beautiful motorbike.
Had a t250 years ago .., memories .....
Expertly done looks good ..
My teenage fantasy.... or one of them ! :-)
I love my daddy
Looks Great!
@chaddauphin The makuni carbs are very straight forward. About the only thing you'll need to look at are the needle/seat valves. Just clean them good. Don't bend the float fingers and all should be be O.K. The replacement rubber boots will cost you about $50 a pair though. Let me know how it turns out.
Very very nice.
Where on earth did you locate the air pump? I've been searching for one for my Hustler for ages! Great resto! Top marks!
The capscrews on the engine look good, but these originally had bolts with the Suzuki "S" on 'em, ( otherwise perfect ); the plastic cover that goes over the oil pipes on top of the crankcase is also "unobtainium" as is the toolroll under the seat.....
Best riding and handling bike of its era, I've owned 3
beautiful
Very nice! What did you use for the cable veneer?
For sale?
It looks like the original paint was Black then blue.
That was a very fastidious resto!
+Frank Philpott Hi Frank: Are you a collector? I still have this bike.
I put it in preservation status awaiting its new owner. Do you want
to be that owner?
I have a GT125 ('74) and... my pride of joy, a T250R ('71)...I believe you need three of something to be considered a 'collector'.
+Frank Philpott Here in the UK i owned a T250R, it was just over a year old when i purchased it. The T250R differed from the T250J in that it had the same fuel tank and side covers plus the cylinder heads as the 350 Rebel, it had a softer state of tune at the top end and a much stronger mid range, so while it accelerated faster, it lost out by some 5 to 10 MPH at the top end. It was my first bike and i remember striping down the engine after i had had it two or three years to have the crankshaft rebuilt, 35,000 miles now days is poor but it was thrashed every where i went on it. if only i still had it, cant tell you the youtube videos i have watched of 250, 350 and 500 Suzuki twins.
Hi Derek, I have a 1971 T250R 85% finished, and owned a '69 model when I was a teenager in the late seventies. Fun, fun, fun.
Serious envy, well best of luck with rebuilding it. I hope we get to see it soon, cheers.
like new better than factory
No I'm sorry. My name is Larry Bradford in San Diego, CA
Its a twin, not one cylinder. Looked pretty nice before all the makeup. Their only original once.
is this Steven Hawkens?