suzuki alt 185

[leevarnado]

anyone have any mag scans of the alt 185.

[AtcFactoryRacer]

I would be interested in these too

[brd812]

I don't think they ever did anything with the alt. I remember some stuff with the lt, but not with the trikes. I've had mine since 84 and the motor work i've done is piston and rings back in the 90's. great trike

[atc007]

I believe Andy might. I can remember only one test on them,there were probably more. I know 3 Wheeling did a report,maybe Dirt wheels? Can't recall Atv News testing it? Old age!! Very neat little machine,and I still need one!

[leevarnado]

im going to pick up two 185's and just wanted to know a little more about them,does anyone have any ads or brochures of them.

[atc007]

Lucky SOB!!! They're pretty much identical to the 125.. Except gobs more torque! Rear chain tensioner sprocket is probably the biggest problem to look for.

[Nevkilahonda3]

What sucks about them is the plastic inside the housing for the recoil isn't strong and breaks I had two 125s and still have the 185 and the plastic for the recoil broke on all 3 but the 185 is pretty freaking quick.

[leevarnado]

pick up the alt 185's today,looks like i'll be able to make one good runner from the both of them.did a compression test on both engines.one had 180 and the other 178,so i thought those numbers were a little high,started flipping through the manual and it says the highest attainable compression should be between 180-241 and lowest attainable compression should be 156.i can only image how much grunt this little engine would have with 241 psi of compression.

[Chazz of Blades]

I have a really good shape '85 ALT185. It's a nice trike, but I spent TOO LONG looking for pistons and rings. I had to bore the cylinder, and I couldnt fit to fit the new cylinder bore. I FINALLY found a set of 1mm over rings, and I'm going to use those, and knurl the stock piston to fit the 1mm bore.

[leevarnado]

I have a really good shape '85 ALT185. It's a nice trike, but I spent TOO LONG looking for pistons and rings. I had to bore the cylinder, and I couldnt fit to fit the new cylinder bore. I FINALLY found a set of 1mm over rings, and I'm going to use those, and knurl the stock piston to fit the 1mm bore.

you might be able to use a cylinder from a dr200

[Chazz of Blades]

Would have been nice to know a week ago. Eh, if this doesn't work that'll be my next route.

[Toaster556]

Hi, new member here, but fairly knowledgeable on the LT/ALT series top ends and mods, mostly 125 stuff but a lot crosses over to the 185.
There's some alternate routes to stock 185 pistons that could work for you fairly cheaply. Some are cheap, some are amazing, none are both.
1) Let's start with the most effective. Currently there's a 13 mm oversize LT125 piston on ebay for buy it now of $77. I just bought one to duplicate a combo of a member on Thumpertalk, and according to him, it flat HAULS. It does require a sleeve, but you end up with 219 ccs over 178.
2) The Chinese connection. The Suzuki GS125 (same top end) is extremely popular in China. As such, they offer a 150 kit for $130 shipped. It includes a 62 mm piston, rings, pin, clips, a new cylinder that is a dead ringer for the 185 cylinder, and gaskets. It does reduce you to 172 cc, but you can throw a stock size 185 piston in there as well.
3) The Chete mod.

-Then Procycle Kindly suggested a 14mmPin/67mm Piston.And went for it!! =172cc, if Im not wrong. (GSXR600/2001--on.. .).
--Warning:These figures are accurate, stick to it, mind for Piston clearances!.And keep safe.
-Once bored,Instaled it in a LT185(orLT230) cylinder,
then Milled 4=2+2mm off Head/Bottom cylinder gasket bases.(11=4+7mm:LT230)
-Then shaped the GSXR Piston Top to match my head shape (its the most critical part of the process to obtain a decent CR: clay for clearances): milled it "conical"/doomed = 2mm off on the edges/NOTHING on Center. Cut valve pockets. You´ll end up with a ligther Piston than stock 125=No Vibes=long rod life.
-Then cut/shortened timing chain(too loose) 2Links.
I kept my stock carbie (rejetted) and muffler.
-COSTs(Ebay) : $30cyl + $20x4GSXRPistons + $25Cam +
$90 Grind/Mill/HoneShop=$165total.(+shipping)
-POWER?, my ass.. .cant say, but keep up -easily- from start,with my stock DR200(16hp) in open roads/trailways-anywhere-. Better than with the Great LT185/63mm cyl Combo.
-My son loves It!!. allways full throttle, 10.000kms,so far so good, on his DR125se, (you know:same frame,blue tank, that road legal DR200,but 125 engine,electric start; very common for non licensed beginners in Europe..) with NO Issues/No smoke/better mpg than DR200/easy start-idle.

I'm currently debating doing this for my ALT200S idea. Currently just a motor build.
4) Sudco. They list .75mm over kits, but no 1.00 pistons. I picked up the last 1.0 locally, but it's already being used.
5) Thailand. Akunar makes a 63.5, 64.5 and 65.5mm piston with a 14mm pin and dome, but the deck height is 3 mm shy. This can be fixed by decking the cylinder, but you need a shorter timing chain. Still working on that.

The DR200 cylinder is 13.25 mm taller, so that's out. The LT230 cylinder is a better bet at merely 7mm off, but you're still really off, then you need a 66 mm + piston.
There's a great deal of info on these on Thumpertalk. Here's the best link: Interesting mods to my 125L