First, a bit of history... hey, life isn't all just fun you know!
When the old GS came to me, that fateful morning in 2012, I knew it was going to change my life. It sat there for a long time, mournfully looking to be put back out there, to race around on the mountain roads, to show what it was really capable of.
But I had a GSXR1000 and a DRZ400 supermoto for the fun stuff. This one would wait. However, it kept looking... and I kept ignoring.
Until, one day, it was reassembled enough to run under its own steam. The excitement was building. The little GS felt proud, there was potential and we could both see it. She was ready to go out and try the roads for the first time in years. The front tyre, however, was looking a bit lame. So I bought a secondhand Dunlop on eBay that was originally fitted to a Harley, the little GS wasn't happy about that, but it meant we got to ride. The rear Barracuda (the what?) had plenty of tread left so she was good to go. And for years she rode around on those old tyres, the front now being seventeen years old 😱.
Moving forwards, and the engine being significantly more powerful than when it first arrived, the tyres were in need of modernisation. After the rear Barracuda let go coming out of a tight bend one sunny morning, which also proves the theory about black underpants being the wise choice, it meant that next on the list was something sticky.
Had you been riding in the eighties (I was too young), or the nineties (that's me), you would probably have seen ME-99 and ME-33 Metzelers around at some point.
I've always loved that front tyre pattern, modern in its day, very retro now. But you can still buy them! It's now called a Lasertec (meh), but looks identical and is, hopefully, made of modern rubbery rubber.
On to the internet I went, pricing up, saving a few cents here and there, and getting a bargain as per. Two Lasertecs ordered, only to be told a couple of days later they no longer make the rear! I could, however, have a Roadtec01 for an extra thirty groats. The deal was done... you can't put a price on your health.
And think how much faster I'll be now.
I bought these from Motorcycle Tyres Warehouse in Brendale, QLD. These guys are great if you happen to need tyres quickly, and at a good price. Their "pair deals" are superb for the modern bikes too.
Is it ever as simple as just fitting tyres?
Not on my watch. Of course, the wheels needed to be cleaned up, maybe painted, and all corrosion removed from discs, bolts etc.
I'd seen a GS550 on t'internet with gold wheels as per the Katanas. Looked good, not over the top. It's time-consuming rubbing down all the tiny crevices and then masking it all up but, by jove, it's worth it! New wheel bearings in the front too, a wire wheel used on all the rusty bits, and Autosol used to make things shinier.
The front wheel was first, and corrosion on the steel bits was all removed by a wire brush in a drill. The insides of the discs were rubbed down and repainted in black caliper paint.
With the rear wheel, I prepped it all first, then fitted the tyre. That way it was all ready to go back in the bike once dry enough. Fitting the tyre to the front wheel, while the paint was slightly tacky, was painful.
Forty years of chain lube and brake dust took a few hours to get clean.
The Metzeler Roadtec 01 fitted with new tube and looking good!
I use a razor blade to trim the masking tape on the spokes. It's a slow job, but the time you spend now is worth it in the end.
The brake disc bolts and tab washers were cleaned up on a wire wheel. They look great now, but will need to be checked for rust occasionally.
Make of this what you will, but these are the [my] facts, and I loved every minute of what happened next!
I soon caught up with two cars going extremely slowly. No dramas, there's a few spots to get past but generally after a single lane section. This really is single lane, one side is cliff face, the other is sheer drop. One lane, no room for pissing around. You do your overtaking afterwards.
So I'm doing around 40km/h behind these two cars when an R6 pops up behind me with two other bikes. Later found out one was an MT-10, the other a ZZR1400.
Well I'm thinking I'm a sitting duck, just waiting for the inevitable overtake where I'm stitched up like a kipper, and left struggling to keep up. And you know that's exactly what they're thinking too!
But my time will come first. I'll have first dibs on the cars because I have the best vantage point and I'll be able to see where i can overtake. If they're coming by, they're going to have to work for it...
Throttle pinned, off past the cars, splutter, misfire, fuck!
Facing downhill, what's left of my petrol is now at the front of the tank! For those that don't understand the issue, the fuel tap is at the rear of the tank. Alongside the second car I'm looking down for the petrol tap, onto reserve, the ten second delay while the float bowls refill seems to go on for three minutes, but boom, we're back with full power baby.
I'm guessing that all of this kerfuffle would only have served to confuse the guys behind so I make the most of it and crack on. Heading into the next series of bends and no bikes have yet ventured past. Road knowledge is everything, and I wish I had some, but I know you need to be committed if you want to get past someone around here, especially downhill. I realise they could suck the paint off my bike anytime, should they dare to overtake, but where will it happen?
The next few bends are a blur, the GS coping admirably, the bikes nowhere to be seen. Down to the first wooden bridge, careful on here because the wood can be slippery — I've seen it claim Davey's WR450 one cool morning. Look back up the hill, no one!
Back onto tarmac, I'm smiling, they should be all over me. Keep the pressure on down to the second wooden bridge, all is well. Finishing off the first tight section, the road now opens up so I cruise to conserve fuel. No idea how far I'll get, I decide to mellow out until Mudgeeraba. I don't want to run out of petrol, especially now these guys have been dropped off.
As the last series of fun bends starts, another car in front going way too slow. Fuck the fuel, we'll risk it. Throttle wound on and the little GS is flying past... left, right, left, still nothing in the mirrors. I'm grinning like a demented fool now. Doing this on a modern bike is fun, doing it on a classic bike is funner.
Once the twisties are finished and I'm back on the mundane roads, it really is back to cruise mode, and head towards the garage for fuel. The three bikes now catch up and follow me into the servo. I start filling it up with a bit of a smile on my face. The three guys get off their bikes and just chat amongst themselves, no wave, no hello. Pfft, they don't even need fuel!
Oh well, eighteen dollars later and the Suzuki's tank was full again and ready to kick ass. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with it. As for the tyres, they feel great so far, and performed well. It's not the same as a sports bike, where you feel huge changes instantly, but the feel through the handlebars etc, is certainly smoother/more relaxed. Just need to get some more miles down now...
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