Jeff had wanted a Suzuki RG250 HB Replica since he was 17. He finally found one to restore 30-years later and the results are stunning. Here is the RG250 restoration journey...
When I was 17, on my provisional license here in Australia, one of the blokes in the riding group that I had latched onto rode a mint 1984 Suzuki RG250 HB Replica. I have good memories of that bike. I only rode with the owner for one summer, 1992/1993…
The RG250 HB prior to restoration. This was after a clean up. It was in very good original shape as you can see…
It was the end of high school and the start of my motorcycle mechanic apprenticeship. I had my TZR250 and we would meet up with Helmut (the late mate that owned my RG500) and other friends and ride the ‘Old Road,’ which is a famous road on the outskirts of Sydney.
“Fast forward more than 20-years to my 40s and I, like many of us, started to reminisce about these old days”…
Fast forward more than 20-years to my 40s and I, like many of us, started to reminisce about these old days. That one summer chasing Bob on his RG and the crew around, it seems like it was way more than three-months of my life. I guess it is because, at the time, I really had nothing to worry about except riding and keeping my bike running…
Jeff with his TZR, off to school in 1992. “At the time, I really had nothing to worry about except riding and keeping my bike running…”
Those thoughts led me to start searching online for an RG250 HB but with no luck. Having given up on the project, I had just about decided not to take on any more builds at all, when an SMS arrived from a friend, Chappy, who owns the RZV500 Tim Holland and I restored… “Mate, is this yellow RG250 any use to you”?
“I was at his factory in five-minutes flat with a very small amount of cash to take it off his hands…”
I was at his factory in five-minutes flat with a very small amount of cash to take it off his hands… We shook on it and then I proceeded to drink a few of his ice-cold amber ales. It had to be done! So, incredibly, I ended up with this beaut original HB. I sent the numbers off to my contact at Suzuki who confirmed the bike is a WE1 MK1 and was sold as an original HB Replica here in Australia. I could not be more chuffed…
“I was at his factory in five-minutes flat with a very small amount of cash to take it off his hands… We shook on it and then I proceeded to drink a few of his ice-cold amber ales.”
I gave the bike a solid soaking in truck wash and a good pressure wash to try and break through years of road grime and dust. Once done, I soaked the bike with WD40, an entire can, and set it aside for the period that the paintwork was being done – a good few months including time to get replica stickers and decals made.
The first job was a good soaking in truck wash and a pressure wash to get the years of dust and grime off the bike.
This bike is super original but needed a lot of work. A full strip down and rebuild. I’ve got a bunch of these early RG engines, so I planned to build a fresh one. I bought the engines with the idea of rebuilding and selling them to pay for the restoration of this bike with the profits… By the way, the bike is called Bruno. I named it after the famous HB Man (HB-Männche) used in HB advertising in Europe for decades up until the mid 1970s…
In the end I did a complete nut and bolt resto on the RG. I built the engine using the original cases but adding the best of the gearbox and clutch components I had among my RG spares, plus a good top-end using new rings. All seals and bearings were replaced aside from the centre main bearing and seal, as the crank I used I deemed good enough for the job, it was almost brand new and I had it aside for years. Very lucky there!
The engine was completely rebuilt and runs like a new one. It’s crisp, quick and runs at a consistent temperature.
I hand polished the frame and swingarm, along with all other bare alloy parts (thanks to Todd for the help), then had the forks re-chromed. All black bracketry was resprayed, the exhausts de-coked and resprayed and Todd rebuilt the stinger mufflers and polished them to a mirror finish. He also restored the dash to new conditions.
“All black bracketry was resprayed, the exhausts de-coked and resprayed and Todd rebuilt the stinger mufflers and polished them to a mirror finish.”
Every chassis bearing was replaced, the wheels stripped and painted, new Bridgestone BT46 tyres fitted, and the brakes completely rebuilt and painted by Todd, with new custom made Hel brake lines from Hel Australia in Brisbane. The last big job was completely rebuilding the wiring loom to original shape and spec, that was a big job.
The final steps getting the RG sorted were relatively easy. All I had to do was fit the screen and indicators to the front fairing and get that on, then the rest of the bodywork lined up perfectly. Some sections were a bit fiddly, like the six brackets that hold on the bellypan and the lower frame mounted stays that brace the bottom of the bellypan… But it all went smoothly, new fasteners look mint…
The very first ride was a short run to see Josh at Gibson Automotive in Woy Woy, NSW, to get a ‘Historic Vehicle Inspection’ done for the historic registration. You must join a club… I am in the VJMC.
Bruno passed Josh’s test with flying colours, and we headed off to service NSW to sort the paperwork and get a numberplate. The short ride gave me a chance to assess the bike and as soon as I got home, I added some fork oil and had a play with the shock, but I am now on the lookout for a new aftermarket one as the original is stuffed… Aside from that, Bruno ran like a new bike. I was stoked.
The first longer ride was great. Of course, I had to add the bike to my Shannons Insurance account (I have all my vehicles and trailers insured under the one policy with Shannons), then I was on my way. The bike runs very sweetly, is super well carburetted, has strong power and a smooth clutch and gearbox.
My 1984 Suzuki RG250HB Replica, an original Aussie delivered unit, is my absolute pride and joy. It reminds me of the good old days, of simpler times, of the traditional Sunday morning socialising before social media… We’d ride, and maybe even chat about the latest issue of Two Wheels, Streetbike, AMCN, REVS or the Pommie magazines…
All the lights work, there are no nasty vibes, and it feels like it just rolled off the showroom floor aside from the shock. It’s comfy, fun, fast and makes me feel young again particularly riding it around my home area where I grew up riding 250 two-strokes in the early 1990s…
I’ve done just under 500km on the bike now, and although I have had a blast, it is time for my next RG project and I can’t afford to keep too many bikes, not with four kids to feed! If you jump onto BikeSales here – you will see my ad for Bruno…
Suzuki RG250 WE1 Specifications
Claimed Power: 32.8kW/45hp@8500rpm
Claimed Torque: 37Nm[28ft-lbs]@8000rpm
Wet Weight: 140kg
Fuel capacity: 17L
Oil Capacity: 1.2L (two-stroke)
Engine: 247cc Parallel twin-cylinder liquid-cooled crankcase reed-valve induction two-stroke, 54mm x 54mm, 7.4:1 compression ratio, twin 28mm Mikuni VM28SS flat slide carburettors, six-speed gearbox, wet clutch, oil injection system, twin expansion chamber exhaust, electrical ignition system, kick start, 12V 5Ah electrical system.
Claimed Fuel Consumption: 6.6L/100km (dreaming – Ed)
Standing 1/4-mile claimed: 14.4s@145km/h
Chassis: Aluminium cradle frame with aluminium swingarm
Rake: 24.7° Trail: 102mm
Suspension: Conventional fork with anti-dive, 130mm travel, Spring-preload adjustable Full Floater shock 122mm travel.
Brakes: Single 260mm rotor with twin piston caliper (f), 210mm rotor with twin piston caliper (r).
Wheels & Tyres: Cast alloy, 100/90 – 16 and 100 or 110/80 – 18.
Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 1385mm
Seat height: 785mm
Ground clearance: 155mm
Overall Length: 2050mm
Overall Width: 685mm
Overall Height: 1220mm
Instruments & Electronics: Analogue tacho and speedo, warning lights.
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