Suzuki ALT

[Sp1990]

I used to have a few trikes but haven’t had one since I sold my 200x back in 2008. My first 3 wheeler was a 84 Suzuki ALT185, eventually dropped a valve and blew a hole in the piston, then I sold it shortly after, and regretted it ever since. Ran across this 85 ALT125 for dirt cheap so I brought it home yesterday. Got 2 Chinese 110s included lol. Guy says it was parked due to broken rubber intake boot. I want to change the handlebars back to OE as these sit too low, and need to find some plastics for it. Also came with a mint condition factory exhaust. 269239269242269241269240269238

[350for350]

You've certainly got a project ahead of you. Good luck.

[ATC King]

Congratulations. Those are some of the more difficult trikes to find.

[Shep1970]

Nice sp190, careful stuff adds up quickly in needed parts nowadays. I've got one thats about ready for an overhaul. Owned since '85 i'm just waiting on storage space to clear up or build another shed[emoji16].

My advice is to keep watching ebay- think I've got 10yrs watching out for deals on suki parts to finally be done collecting for her.

If u haven't noticed yet prices for parts are getting very costly, Good luck
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220307/448913e6b03e6477abff2fc5cd10fd66.jpg
shep


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sp1990]

Thanks for the replies. I plan on just cleaning carb, new intake boot, oil, spark plug ,filter change and ride it as is until I can find the plastics, and just redo the parts as I go, I want a factory look. She has about 1200 miles according to odometer. My old 185 had about 2700 before it dropped that valve, so hopefully I’ll get some use before a top end rebuild. Compression seems decent pulling on the pullstart. I remembered I also had a old lt125 quad, and man that thing was a piece lol, smoked like crazy, vibrated like hell, and slow too , but it had character no other atv had haha, my alt and lt had stripped reverse gears, hope this one isn’t. Is this a 4 speed or 5 ? I’m getting conflicting info on the net and if my memory is right the old lt125 was a 4 speed and so was the alt185?

[Shep1970]

The ALT185 is 6-speed:naughty:-- one up/four down and reverse
The reverse gear had a recall back in 85-or early 86 i remember getting the notice in the mail- so there was issues early on.
still on my stock reverse gear but i have extras:Bounce
shep

[Sp1990]

After cleaning carb and a new flange, she fired up. Think it needs a new fuel pump, only will stay running if I use the little plunger and fill up the carb bowl then will run until bowl empties. Sounds good, no smoke. My old 185 and Lt125 both burned oil and smoked pretty bad.
https://youtube.com/shorts/OpG_5P6QQK4?feature=shares

[Sp1990]

Got a new fuel pump ordered, will be about a week before I get it. For now I will work on swapping back to the OE exhaust I got for it.

[Shep1970]

Mine needs a new fuel pump also, when it went bad (15yrs ago) i put a block off plate (gas weeped out the pump underside) i couldn't find a new pump anywhere maybe i just didnt look too hard (i didnt). Removed spark plug, teaspoon of gas put plug back in and she'd run all day. Your lucky i searched ebay for a long time for a "newish" stock exhaust- never found one but stopped looking when i bought this: kinda shiny though i may get the front header part coated black-

There great bikes, ours spent many miles pulling the kids on sleds when they were younger, before that it spent more than 15yrs in the back of a shed. She's got 2100 miles on her.
kinda large pics, tapatalk is the only way i can load pics anymore.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220406/a6bb982cc27c98c00591943d207ec8b0.jpg


shephttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220406/d075ce6053c9a3cdc74af5fe93bb976d.jpg

[Sp1990]

Where did u find that supertrapp pipe?

[Shep1970]

It was the only one i've ever seen so i bought it (ebay) for like $200ish a couple yrs ago. Have not seen one since.

[dirtwheels]

Supertrapp made a 3 inch and 4 inch exhaust for the LT185. I found a new (in old crusty box) 4" system in black at a local shop here in town a couple years ago. It says LT185 but it looks like it will fit. I was going to try putting it on, but have not got around to it yet. Also found a near new stock exhaust in CA, so they are both sitting there. The pipes for these Suzuki's are almost all completely rusted out on near everyone I've seen both ALT185 and LT185. The 185 is mostly original. I recovered the seat, put a front fender, new headlight and switches on it and gave it a good degreasing. It runs good.

SP1990 - Good luck with your 185. The Suzuki's are cool because you just don't see a lot of them. Thats why I got it.

[ironchop]

That's a really nice ALT, sir

Bravo

Sent from my motorola one 5G ace using Tapatalk

[Shep1970]

Yes thats looking very nice dirtwheels. so on the ALT subject i'm on the lookout for one more nos mud guard- i figure just maybe' maybe someone reading this will say "hey" ya i got one.........but probably not[emoji53]
Have a great day/ um night.

shep
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220408/5e37458bd54c9ae06ae28ddc6da60939.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dirtwheels]

Thanks Shep. Thats's cool that you've had yours since 85. Those mud flaps were still available last year from Suzuki but looks like they are now discontinued.

Oh and SP1990 - good luck with your ALT125. (I typed 185 by mistake). Yours looks like it is an 86 making it the last of the last for the Suzuki 3 wheelers. Let us know if we can help you with anything.

[Sp1990]

“Yours looks like it is an 86 making it the last of the last for the Suzuki 3 wheelers.“ actually according to frame tag it’s a 85. Dirtwheels that ALT is MINT! I need to find me a supertrapp exhaust I like how it looks, anyone running one have a video of a supertrapp running? Want to hear it. Always thought the 125 and 185 stock sounded a little weak lol

[dirtwheels]

The plastic frame cover looks like the 86 125 decal scheme. The orange plastic was also a deeper more orange-red for 86 which also carried over to the quads for 86/87.
The VIN number will tell you for sure if it's an 85 of 86. The 86 will have a "G" in it in the middle before the serial number part of the VIN. The 85 will have an "F". The year on the frame decal on the neck like '84 or ''85 is when it was manufactured. The 85's were mostly made in 84, the 86's were mostly made in 85.

[dirtwheels]

85 ALT125 and 86 ALT125 images from the brochures.

86 was the only year to have a blue seat.

[ATC King]

Did Suzuki have beaks before BMW? The DR Big had one too.

[New Sox]

that supertrapp is crazy nice. nice score

[Sp1990]

269418
New fuel pump and filter came in today. Will get it put on sometime this week followed hopefully by a first ride video lol.

[Sp1990]

Got the old weird exhaust off and the OE put on. Weird that the stud holes on OE exhaust are too small, I’ll just have to drill them out. If anyone needs a exhaust let me know.

269420269421269422

[Sp1990]

269423269424269425269426

By looking at vin it was made 7/85 and I see a G so it’s a 86 model year. It’s mileage I got it at

[Sp1990]

Need to carefully cut off this ugly abomination someone welded on. Gonna keep the hitch and factory bar. Gas tank pulled, time to swap fuel pumps.

269427269428269429269430269431

[Sp1990]

Ended up putting old exhaust back on until I can drill out the holes. Fuel pump was wrong since I ordered for a 85 and I now know it’s an 86, also explains why exhaust is slightly different, it’s from an 85. Well got her going, here’s first ride since who knows when. Won’t idle bc missing idle screw. Other than that all gears work even reverse no grinding at all. Was definitely iffy driving that thing full throttle one handed on soft tires lmao. Wow forgot about it’s horrible turning radius and geometry. Had a blast lol!!
https://youtu.be/1enAwjIqnSo

[Sp1990]

Will any SAE 10w-40 automotive oil work?

[Sp1990]

So I looked online and can’t seem to find just an idle screw. Anyone know where I can get just an idle screw, don’t want to buy a whole different carb just for that.

[350for350]

I found a Shindy brand carb rebuild kit on Ebay and it looks like it may have that screw included. It lists for less than $25.

[Sp1990]

After a good 45 minute ride today decided just gonna get a new carb. Only $35 on eBay, it will run right for a while then kinda bog. Also it pulls right, how do you align a 3 wheeler? Has good power band, feels a lot faster than my old 185 and other 125 I had, motor no nearly as worn that’s for sure. Old oil was pretty clean.

[Sp1990]

Found out the coil to spark plug boot was loose, solved power and backfiring issue. Cut that ugly welded on bar off269445

[dirtwheels]

Glad you are able to get some of the issues worked out. It's looking better without that home made rack thing on there.

[350for350]

How do you align a three wheeler? By adjusting the rear tire pressure.

[Sp1990]

Got the holes widened on the new exhaust, perfect fit. sounds quieter but good. Coil boot keeps coming loose so just ordered new coil, be here in a week.
269447269448269449

[Sp1990]

How do you align a three wheeler? By adjusting the rear tire pressure.
Yea found out right rear was low, pressure even now, still pulls a little to right, not as bad, handlebars look kind of bent. Now on the hunt for some OE handlebars.

[Sp1990]

They must have changed the gear pattern in 86’, it’s not 1N2345 like my previous 85’ lt and alt, it’s N12345N. Did they put taller gears in 86 also? I promise this thing is is faster than my old 185 and my other lt125. Had my phones speedometer out, I hit 40 when I got scared holding on with one hand zooming down a dirt road lmao, but it had more to go, would assume probably got another 5-8 mph in her. Will do an official top speed test once I get that new coil.

[dirtwheels]

They did change the shift pattern for the 1986 ALT125 and 86-87 LT125/LT185. Pretty sure the gear teeth were the same. 39,35,30,27,21.

[Sp1990]

269451269452269453

New coil came in today, got it installed and took the ALT on her first trail. Crossed some deep water, almost too deep lol, but the Suzuki did awesome on the muddy trail. I forgot a three wheelers geometry is different when riding trails for quads lol but it felt nimble and didn’t get stuck. Now that I got her running right, even idles now, I want to focus on the cosmetics. Need rear fender and front fender nose piece.

[Sp1990]

Been moving a lot of stuff around with the ALT. She’s running great!pulls the little trailer with ease, even heavy loads, just don’t try to steer lol. That not stripped reverse gear is super useful. 269467

[Sp1990]

Drove the ALT a good 50 miles or so today with my chinese 150 quad. Chinese is a gy6 150 clone with cvt. After atleast 20 plus races, all lengths and all terrains, the 150 beats the ALT off the start every time up until 3rd gear, then the alt leaves the 150. Popped a few wheelies and even managed to fall off, that thing is a blast, I just need an idle screw. Anyone have an old carb with a idle screw they want to get rid of?