Suzuki 2-Stroke Triples book

25th December 2015

GT750 | GT550 | GT350 | Restoration guide

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If we owned a Suzuki
2-stroke triple, we'd probably sooner or later pick up a copy of this new book from Veloce Publishing, entitled: How to Restore Suzuki 2-Stroke Triples.

However, we don't own a GT750 Kettle, or any of the GT350 or GT550 Ram Air models, all of which are covered by this 176 page "ENTHUSIAST'S RESTORATION MANUAL".

We recently received a review copy and have been quietly thumbing through it and scratching notes whilst watching the usual Christmas TV rubbish, and we can report that to our (inexpert) eyes, this guide looks pretty good.

Packed with information, tips, advice and tricks, it's clear that author and serial-restorer Ricky Burns is very well acquainted with the innards of these classic Japanese smokies. What we particularly like is the fact that, photographically speaking, the subject matter is very well documented. So okay, some of the snaps are a little "flat", and one or two are a little "soft". But this kind of reportage is very tricky when you're covered in grease and oil and wielding various tools, only to have to suddenly switch tack and mindset and reach for the camera. That said, Burns has (as far as we can tell) done a creditable job guiding the restorer through the important sequences and stages.

The guide covers everything from engine rebuilding to chassis maintenance to electrical issues to painting advice to upholstery techniques. The book is not a substitute for a workshop manual, nor does it claim to be. But as a convenient eyes-on workshop reference tome, it appears to be exactly what you need, not only to show you which bit goes where, but also as a tool with which to demystify the restoration process.

The guide isn't cheap at £39.95, and we can already hear a few GT owners sucking in a couple of yards of air following a glimpse of the price tag. Just keep in mind that clear and timely information is a godsend and is cheaper in the long run, and forty quid ain't actually a lot to pay for this kind of mechanical insight (and if you know anything about publishing, you'll appreciate just how hard it can sometimes be to make much of a profit, if any, on specialist books).

If you shop around, you'll probably find a cheaper copy sooner or later. But even at full price, you're quids in with this book.

The production is workaday rather than arty. The page stock is glossy and colour throughout. The page size is 270mm x 200mm. The colour images total 586. Veloce is the publisher. And if you want a book number, here it comes: ISBN: 978-1-845848-20-0.

www.veloce.co.uk

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