Difference between revisions of "Suzuki Colleda"

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===Colleda ST-III 1957===
===Colleda ST-III 1957===
[[Image:1957 STIII colleda 500.jpg|right|300px]]
*Overall Length: 2 000 mm (78.7 in)
*Overall Length: 2 000 mm (78.7 in)
*Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in)
*Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in)

Revision as of 22:48, 2 July 2006

You couldn't find any Suzuki stickers or emblems on the motorcycles Suzuki built on the early models. No, the early models were given the name Colleda and the famous Suzuki ”S” appeared for the first time in 1959 and the Colleda brand name was replaced by Suzuki in the early 1960's, the T10 being the first non-Colleda. Here's some of the Suzuki's Colleda models from the fifties and early sixties. I will add more models here when I find suitable pictures and some facts.


1954

Apparently the word "Colleda" means something like "This is it!" or "This is the one!" in Japanese. The Japanese use that word when they find something special (the best) they have been looking for. (Thanks, Takeshi!)

Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Company (SJK) presented the side-valve powered Colleda CO in May 1954, the first real motorcycle from Suzuki. The single-cylinder 90cc four-stroke engine developed four horsepower and ran quite smoothly, thanks to its heavy fly wheel, attached to ignition magneto.

No driver's license was needed at the time for riding the Colleda CO. The Japanese government had recently decided that no driver's license were longer needed to ride a bike with an 4-stroke engine up to 90cc or a 2-stroke engine up to 60cc. That explains rather well Suzuki's choice of engines for its first models on the market in 1954 - the Diamond Free motorized motorcycle with 58cc 2-stroke engine with 2 hp and the 90cc four-stroke with 4 hp.

The Colleda CO had a steel frame, telescopic front fork, shock absorbers on the rear wheel and coil spring-suspensioned seat. It had no turning lights but it did have a headlight and a rear light. It was the first Japanese motorcycle provided with a speedometer, built in the headlight. The built-in gearbox had three speeds. One source claim that the model had hydraulic brakes but I haven't been able to confirm this.

The rigid frame and luggage carrier made the bike suitable for carrying of goods. They say that the 90cc Colleda sounded more than it actually performed, but the ”sound effects” and the rigid construction made the bike quite popular among Japanese customers.

Engine type: 90 cc side-valve single cylinder four-stroke. 4 hp.

Three speeds, telescopic front forks and plunger rear suspension.


1955

It was not longer allowed to ride a 90cc four-stroke without a driver's license in 1955 and that naturally affected the sales figures in negative direction. The 90cc Colleda CO must be one of the absolute rarest motorcycles Suzuki ever built. The model was soon discontinued and replaced by the 125cc version. But the four-stroke machines at the time were not as reliable as the more simple two-stroke machines and soon Suzuki discontinued even the 125 model. All the forces were concentrated in developing two-stroke engines. It took actually over 20 years before Suzuki built four-strokes again, after an unsuccessful attempt of using Wankel rotary engines.

The four-stroke models got company by the 102cc Porter Free and 123cc ST during 1955. Both models were two-strokers with steel frame, telescopic front forks and plunger rear suspension, similar to their predecessors. All of the Colleda two-stroke engines used the conventional piston valve construction, the rotary (reed) valve engines came much later.

The ST was the most successful of the models. It was a simple and affordable small motorcycle that was in sales of the model exceeded 100,000 units during the six years it was manufactured.

Colleda COX 1955

Dry Weight: Engine type: 123 cc side-valve single cylinder four-stroke. Three speeds, telescopic front forks and plunger rear suspension.

1955 Colleda COX 520.jpg

Colleda ST 1955

  • Dry Weight: 95 kg (205 lbs)
  • Engine type: Air-cooled 123.18 cc single cylinder piston-valve 2-stroke. 5,5 hp.
  • Maximum Speed: 65 kph
  • Bore and stroke: 52.0 x 58.0 mm
  • Compression ratio: 9.5:1
  • Clutch: wet multiple plate
  • Gears: 4
  • Tyres: 2.50-19

1955 Colleda ST 450.jpg

1956

1956 250TT Tokyoshow-99 450.jpg

A 250cc twin, Colleda TT with an American style design was launched in 1956. The picture above shows the model shown at the '99 Tokyo Motor Show (the historical section).

The Colleda TT is the predecessor of all Suzuki 250cc 2-stroke twins, including the T20, T250 and GT250. The air-cooled engine had a square 54 x 54 mm bore and stroke, the same as all of the models just mentioned. It also had new ”modern” floating swing arm with shock absorbers at the rear but the leading front fork design makes one to think of the early BMWs.

The slightly modernized Colleda COX-II was presented. The only difference I can spot on the pictures, in lack of technical info, is that the canter stand seems to made out of thinner material and a mudflap was attached to the the front mudguard.

A new version of the Colleda ST was launched with a modernized engine, now delivering 7 hp. Even the 100cc Porter Free had a more powerful engine in 1956. The Colleda ST-II received a same sort of fuel tank than the COX, making to models look even more like each other.

Colleda TT 1956

1956 Colleda 250TT 800.jpg
  • Overall Length: 1 975 mm (77.8 in)
  • Overall Width: 690 mm (27.2 in)
  • Overall Height: 1 000 mm (39.4 in)
  • Wheelbase: 1 280 mm (50.4 in)
  • Dry Weight: 158 kg (348 lbs)
  • Engine type: Air-cooled 247 cc parallel twin 2-stroke. 16 hp/ 6.000 rpm, 2,1 kg-m/ 4.000 rpm.
  • Bore and stroke: 54 x 54 mm
  • Compression ratio: 7 :1
  • Tyres: 3.25-16
  • Maximum speed: 130 kph



Colleda COX-II 1956

1956 COX-2 bw side 470.jpg
  • Engine type: 123 cc side-valve single cylinder four-stroke.
  • Three speeds, telescopic front forks and plunger rear suspension.
  • The kick starter was placed on the left side of the engine on the four-stroke CO and COX models. The exhaust pipe ending is also different, shaped like is fish tail. Also to engine design was quite different from the two-strokers.





Colleda ST-II 1956

1956 ST-2 bw side 470.jpg
  • Engine type: Air-cooled 123.18 cc single cylinder piston-valve 2-stroke. 7 hp.
  • Bore and stroke: 52 x 58 mm
  • Compression ratio: 7 :1
  • Apart for the differences listed above, the Colleda COX-2 and Colleda ST-2 looked a lot like each other.

1957

The 250 twin was replaced in 1957 with a similar styled but now single cylinder Colleda TP. Unfortunately I have no information or pictures of the model for the moment.

The Colleda ST was modernized every year, 1957-year's ST-3 being the third model version of the popular bike, still using the hard plunger rear suspension. The headlight was redesigned, giving the bike a more sporty look. The engine had 52 x 58 mm bore and stroke.

Colleda ST-III 1957

1957 STIII colleda 500.jpg
  • Overall Length: 2 000 mm (78.7 in)
  • Overall Width: 730 mm (28.7 in)
  • Overall Height: 1 000 mm (39.4 in)
  • Wheelbase: 1 270 mm (50.0 in)
  • Dry Weight: 110 kg (242 lbs)
  • Engine type: Air-cooled 123 cc single cylinder 2-stroke. 7 hp/ 5.500 rpm.
  • 3 speeds.
  • Bore and stroke: 52 x 58 mm
  • Compression ratio: 7 :1
  • Maximum speed: 85 kph