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{{Motorcycle | |||
|name = Suzuki TS185 Sierra | |||
|photo=Suzuki-TS-185-71.jpg | |||
|aka = | |||
|manufacturer = Suzuki | |||
|parent_company = | |||
|production = 1971-72 | |||
|model_year = | |||
|predecessor = | |||
|successor = | |||
|class =Enduro | |||
|engine = Two stroke, single cylinder, aluminum, [[piston]] port | |||
|bore_stroke = | |||
|compression = 6.7:1 | |||
|top_speed = | |||
|power = | |||
|torque = | |||
|fuel_system = | |||
|ignition = Suzuki PEI, pointless | |||
|spark_plug = | |||
|battery = | |||
|transmission = 5 Speed | |||
|frame = | |||
|suspension =Front: Telescopic fork, oil-dampened, 3-way adjustable <br> | |||
Rear: Swinging arm, dual shocks, [[coil]] springs, oil-dampened, 5-way adjustable | |||
|brakes =Front: Drum, internal expanding <br>Rear: Drum, internal expanding | |||
|front_tire = {{tire|3.00-19 4PR Trails}} | |||
|rear_tire = {{tire|3.50-18 4PR Trails}} | |||
|rake_trail = | |||
|wheelbase = 1341 mm / 52.8 in | |||
|length = | |||
|width = | |||
|height = | |||
|seat_height = | |||
|dry_weight = 102 kg / 225 lbs | |||
|wet_weight = | |||
|fuel_capacity = 6.8 Liters / 1.8 US gal / 1.5 Imp gal | |||
|oil_capacity = 1.1 Liters / 2.3 US pt / 1.9 Imp pt | |||
|recommended_oil=Suzuki ECSTAR 10w40 | |||
|fuel_consumption = | |||
|turning_radius = | |||
|related = | |||
|competition = | |||
}} | |||
==Engine== | |||
The engine was a Air cooled cooled Two stroke, single cylinder, aluminum, piston port. The engine featured a 6.7:1 [[compression ratio]]. | |||
==Drive== | |||
Power was moderated via the Wet, multiplate. | |||
==Chassis== | |||
It came with a 3.00-19 4PR Trails front [[tire]] and a 3.50-18 4PR Trails rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Drum, internal expanding in the front and a Drum, internal expanding in the rear. The front suspension was a Telescopic fork, oil-dampened, 3-way adjustable while the rear was equipped with a Swinging arm, dual shocks, coil springs, oil-dampened, 5-way adjustable. The TS185 Sierra was fitted with a 6.8 Liters / 1.8 US gal / 1.5 Imp gal fuel tank. The bike weighed just 102 kg / 225 lbs. The wheelbase was 1341 mm / 52.8 in long. | |||
== Photos == | |||
[[File:Suzuki-TS-185-71.jpg|600px|Suzuki TS185 Sierra]] | |||
[[File:Suzuki-TS-185-Sierra-72.jpg|600px|Suzuki TS185 Sierra]] | |||
== Overview == | |||
Suzuki TS 185 Sierra | |||
The gap between 125 and 250 dual-purpose machines is a hard one to fill. The | |||
manufacturer must decide to design his machine to include the best features of | |||
the 125 (light weight, nimble handling, low cost) along with the desirable | |||
qualities of a 250 (lots of power and torque). This "in-between" sized | |||
motorcycle can make an owner very happy if it's been done properly, and Suzuki's | |||
Sierra fills the bill. | |||
Starting with the basics of their off-road 125 model, such as the frame, | |||
Suzuki was off to a good beginning. They needed only to refine here and | |||
strengthen there so that the once 125 could accept the now more powerful new | |||
183cc engine unit. But don't get the wrong idea. The 185 Suzuki may have | |||
borrowed some items from the smaller 125, but it's an altogether different | |||
motorcycle to ride and enjoy. It's got a personality all its own. | |||
The frame, taken from the 125 Duster, has been strengthened and reinforced in | |||
areas of stress created by the new engine. A single toptube and downtube joined | |||
at the steering head, while a pair of smaller tubes extend under the engine and | |||
curl up to join with the toptube. This main frame section is amply cross-braced | |||
to provide rigidity and prevent flexing. Seat, rear fender and shocks mount to | |||
the sub frame and swinging arm section. A perforated, stamped steel skid plate | |||
attaches to the frame for rock protection. Welds left something to be desired, | |||
but the black finish was applied nicely. | |||
Suspension chores are carried out in a fine manner. Front forks have ample | |||
travel and good rebound and damping characteristics, but also feature adjustable | |||
spring rates for riders of different weight. The cam-type adjusters are located | |||
in the top of each fork tube, and can be twisted with a screwdriver to allow | |||
soft, medium or hard settings. It only takes a few minutes to change. | |||
Rear shocks are surprisingly good for Japanese units, and are five-way | |||
adjustable. Progressively wound springs are painted black, departing from the | |||
chrome finish found on most machines. | |||
The forks do a good job of soaking up the little undulations along a | |||
backwoods trail, but at the same time they don't get snowed by the huge thud of | |||
a jump or the crashing blow of a deep hole. Over rippling surfaces the rear | |||
shocks don't pump up and quit working, and as a result the rear end of the | |||
machine doesn't hop all over the trail with the rider fighting for control. You | |||
guide the Sierra, it doesn't guide you. | |||
Steel rims( 19-inch front. 18-inch rear) might be heavier than comparably | |||
sized alloy units, but they resist dings more easily and don't clog with mud. | |||
The wheels on the Sierra come with rim locks and balance weights, something you | |||
don't find on many din bikes . A nice touch, we think. | |||
The brakes on our 185 test machine surprised us. The front unit is quite | |||
small but stopped much belter than we thought it would. The rear unit, too, is | |||
light weight, yet it really works. So often brakes of this size give problems | |||
when it's time to slow down. The ones on the Sierra had lots of feel so that the | |||
rider could descend a steep hill without locking the wheels, an important asset | |||
on any dirt machine. Also, they allow a rider a margin of safety when riding on | |||
the street. | |||
The IRC Trials tires are a good compromise for dual-purpose riding, but are | |||
more suited to the dirt, like the Sierra. Tread patterns are the same front and | |||
rear, and the sizes are just right for most riding. Ground clearance with the | |||
stock tires is an ample 9.5 inches, the lowest point being the rear brake pedal | |||
where it wraps under the right fooipeg. | |||
A study of Suzuki models, both street and dirt. will show that many items | |||
follow no set pattern on the machines. For example, the ignition switch on some | |||
models mounts between the instruments in a convenient location. Other models | |||
have the switch sitting under the tank on the left side, where the rider must | |||
hunt to find it and where it is also more apt to collect-debris in off-road | |||
maneuvers. This is true of the Sierra's also. Another item of non-conformity is | |||
the fuel petcocks. Some are the conventional off-on-reserve jobs, while others | |||
are the diaphragm-controlled type that tend to be confusing. The Sierra uses the | |||
standard valve, without the prime-position. | |||
Finally, fenders on the off-road machines differ from model to model. One | |||
will use thin-gauge steel (the Sierra does), and another will use the far | |||
superior polyurethane plastic. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for the | |||
modet-to-model differences. Strange. | |||
Suzuki's I85 Sierra does follow normal practices with its engine unit, | |||
however, it's quite similar to the one found on the smaller 125 Duster. The | |||
piston-port two-stroke single is simple and compact, with an emphasis on | |||
"narrow".- The unit produces 17.5 horsepower at 7000 rpm and has a torque rating | |||
of 13.5 lb.-ft. at 6000 rpm. which is a fair amount of power for a bike as light | |||
as the Sierra. The power-to-weight ratio is impressive. Roller bearings support | |||
the crankshaft while needle bearingsare used at the big and small ends of the | |||
connecting rod. Even though many of the components appear to be similar or | |||
identical to the ones found on the 125 Duster, it's not necessarily so. | |||
Crankcases are strengthened and reinforced to a higher degree, and the | |||
five-speed gearbox is more robust. Even the clutch has been beefed up. | |||
More than adequate cooling is provided by virtue of very large cylinder and | |||
head finning, always appreciated on a hard, day-long ride. Also worthy of note | |||
are the rubber intent fitted to the cylinder fins that effectively reduce | |||
mechanical noise emanating from the engine's internals. Manufacturers are | |||
becoming more noiseconscious day by day and little items like the inserts | |||
reflect this. | |||
A 24mm Mikuni carburetor draws lis air through a polyurethane filter element, | |||
which unfortunately is very difficult to service. To get at the filter you must | |||
first remove the oil lank and fuss with things you shouldn't have to fuss with | |||
to clean the air filter. A machine ridden on dusty terrain may require several | |||
filter cleanings in a day: to have to go through all the motions that you have | |||
to go through on the Sierra just to clean an air filter, is ridiculous. At least | |||
it's a foam element and not the paper type. That would be worse yet. | |||
The 185 Suzuki has a primary kicksian feature, which allows the rider to | |||
start the bike in any gear simply by pulling in the clutch and giving the | |||
starter lever a tick. While the gearbox on our machine shifted without a snag, | |||
neutral was impossible to find when the engine was running. We don't think it | |||
was simply a fault with our particular bike: we've found that it's a common | |||
problem with many of Suzuki's dirt models. | |||
The exhaust system on the Sierra is mounted high and well tucked in so as not | |||
to interfere with the rider's movements. It's well silenced, and even contains a | |||
spark arrestor unit, a great item to have in dry areas where there is always a | |||
fire danger. The rider is protected from the hot pipe by a chromed leg guard, | |||
which is sufficient to protect a person riding along as a passenger. | |||
The 185 will make a fine Enduro bike with few changes, and will make an even | |||
belter just-plain-fun machine for the average rider. It is light at the front | |||
end to enable you to loft the wheel over ruts or water crossings, yet not tight | |||
enough to cause looping problems when climbing a steep hill and this one's a | |||
good hillclimber! | |||
If sliding corners is your thing, you'll like this little Sierra because it's | |||
happy in this kind of situation. Responsive is its middle name. It'll jump, | |||
leap, climb, slide, stop, or meander peacefully at the rider's will. And it'll | |||
do it without playing tricks on the rider. | |||
You take that and add it to all the other nice features - like a fat 12,000 | |||
mile/12 month warranty and a low purchase price - and what have you got? You've | |||
got a pretty darn good motorcycle, that's what you've got! | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
!Make Model | |||
|Suzuki TS 185 Sierra | |||
|- | |||
!Year | |||
|1971-72 | |||
|- | |||
!Engine Type | |||
|Two stroke, single cylinder, aluminum, piston port | |||
|- | |||
!Displacement | |||
|183 cc / 11.2 cu in | |||
|- | |||
!Bore X Stroke | |||
|64 х 57 mm | |||
|- | |||
!Compression | |||
|6.7:1 | |||
|- | |||
!Cooling System | |||
|Air cooled | |||
|- | |||
!Induction | |||
|Mikuni VM26 carburetor | |||
|- | |||
!Ignition | |||
|Suzuki PEI, pointless | |||
|- | |||
!Starting | |||
|Kick | |||
|- | |||
!Max Power | |||
|13.4 kW / 18 hp @ 7000 rpm | |||
|- | |||
!Max Torque | |||
|18.6 Nm / 1.9 kgf-m / 13.7 lb-ft @ 6500 rpm | |||
|- | |||
!Clutch | |||
|Wet, multiplate | |||
|- | |||
!Transmission | |||
|5 Speed | |||
|- | |||
!Final Drive | |||
|Chain | |||
|- | |||
!Front Suspension | |||
|Telescopic fork, oil-dampened, 3-way adjustable | |||
|- | |||
!Front Wheel Travel | |||
|152 mm / 6.0 in | |||
|- | |||
!Rear Suspension | |||
|Swinging arm, dual shocks, coil springs, oil-dampened, 5-way adjustable | |||
|- | |||
!Front Brakes | |||
|Drum, internal expanding | |||
|- | |||
!Rear Brakes | |||
|Drum, internal expanding | |||
|- | |||
!Front Tire | |||
|3.00-19 4PR Trails | |||
|- | |||
!Rear Tire | |||
|3.50-18 4PR Trails | |||
|- | |||
!Dimensions | |||
|Length: 2035 mm / 80.1 in Width: 838 mm / 33.0 in Height: 1135 mm / 44.7 in | |||
|- | |||
!Wheelbase | |||
|1341 mm / 52.8 in | |||
|- | |||
!Ground Clearance | |||
|246 mm / 9.7 in | |||
|- | |||
!Climbing Ability | |||
|35o | |||
|- | |||
!Dry Weight | |||
|102 kg / 225 lbs | |||
|- | |||
!Oil Capacity | |||
|1.1 Liters / 2.3 US pt / 1.9 Imp pt | |||
|- | |||
!Fuel Capacity | |||
|6.8 Liters / 1.8 US gal / 1.5 Imp gal | |||
|- | |||
!Top Speed (claimed) | |||
|121 km/h / 75 mph | |||
|} | |||
[[Category:Suzuki motorcycles]] |