Suzuki U70 Scooter Posi-Force

[ozengines]

My first post here:
I picked up a U70 1968 scooter to restore for my wife, there seems to be very little online about these little scooters. Saying this, are they rare or rubbish. I have a number of Honda Scooters and road bikes and want to know if I should persevere with this restoration or get a C90 Honda for her.
Any help with parts and information would be greatly appreciated, I am located in Australia.
The bike is the same as the one pictured here, see attachment. I pick it up today and will post pics then.
Peter

[Suzukidave]

My first post here:
I picked up a U70 1968 scooter to restore for my wife,

Dang .. if i was going to trade my wife for a bike i would have gone to at least a 750 ?

[Alan H]

For the ex, I was just pleased to get shut. Best money I ever spent. (sob!)

Not familiar with the U70 at all, so sorry, can't help.
Don't think they came to the UK, but other small Suzukis at that time were very good.

[Zunspec4]

Suzsmokeyallan has one, he is the chap to ask.

[Suzsmokeyallan]

The bikes were made in a 50cc and 70 cc version, basically its the same disc valve engine as the A50 and A70 except they were fitted with auto clutch. I personally would restore it as quite a few parts are still available and you don't see many around these days, so its got a wow factor or sorts.
They were imported to the UK and many other markets so you can find them all over the place except the US.
The colours were strange, a blood red (not bad), a sort of pale British racing green (uugh) and a primer grey (like it was simply in primer waiting to be painted)
Most parts show up on ebay as being listed in Thailand or Singapore and I've bought a few items from them and had no problems.
Thanks to Zunpec4, I was able to get all the parts I needed simply because I was building a bike out of NOS parts and there were some items I could not find so he and I bought a trashy looking bike for parts off Ebay in his neck of the woods.
I owe you and the Misses a nice dinner Geoff whenever I come back to the UK.

Sorry Honda people, but a C90 is not as nice of a bike as the Suzuki U70. For one, the Suzi vibrates less and the disc valve engine has greater performance.
I did not tell you this ozengines, but an A80 or A100 engine will bolt right in, you will need bigger drums to stop it though as it will do about 70-75 mph with the 100cc motor in it.
If you need part numbers, I've got the parts book.

[ozengines]

OK, it is a keeper, many thanks for the informative reply "Suzsmokeyallan" and "Suzukidave" I am keeping the wife as well, after 40 years I not training another one.
Can anyone point me to parts like seat, front guard, tail-light lens (for starters) NOS or repro?
I picked it up this afternoon, new fuel and 6th kick it ran first time for 8 years, last registered in 1984 and have rego papers.
Lady owner and has 1637 miles on clock.
Look at video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q---bRx- ... redirect=1

[Alan H]

Looks like a good base for resto anyway.

[Suzsmokeyallan]

Ok now I see it better theres some cosmetic issues. The Indicators are wrong and the tail lamp assembly looks wrong and believe it or not the cylinder head is on upside down.

I got a front fender from Robinsons Foundry in the UK and they are difficult to find. The legshields do show up now and again on ebay as do seats, the fuel tank, oil tank cover and the oval plates fitted to them.
Do a search for Suzuki U50 or U70 on Ebay or give Robinsons Foundry in the UK a call or email

http://www.robinsonsfoundry.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ozengines]

OK, thanks, funny the indicators and tail light are not original, the bike only has 1637 miles on the clock, the head might have come off to decoke at sometime !!! I found a few parts suppliers just have to get shipping costs from UK and Asia.
Are these indicators OK ?
Also the front fender looks VERY much like Honda C50-70-90, do the Honda fenders fit ??
Peter

[Suzsmokeyallan]

Some U50 and U70 photos I have, these are UK models. Depending on the market, there were double seat models, split seat models, split seat and rack models and some have a different tail lamp assy but its not confirmed as to which is actually correct as photos on the net show a myriad of various brackets holding a few styles of tail lamp.
I notice your bike has a high beam lamp hole fitting behind the screw in the front top section of the headlamp nacelle, the UK bikes don't carry that feature.
The indicators came in two types as well on the finish, some were chromed and some were brushed alloy. The photos you showed look somewhat correct for the rear ones but the front ones have a little longer threaded area so it can pass through the collar in the handlebar and the nut can reach it from below. The smooth shaft section looks a bit too long as well but the style is correct.

The original bike key is a black round knob with a serrated edge and it has the "S" in the centre and a protruding ear that points to the position on the switch body hidden in the leg shield. The keys shaft sticks out from the centre of the rear portion of the knob and It also has a hole for a keyring in the ear.
The spare was the standard flat top key style as the knobs ear needs to only point one way so its the older single sided tumbler key, see the link from ebay for the correct switch with keys..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-F50-F70- ... 62&vxp=mtr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The bikes shown in the following photo are the UK version.

[ozengines]

Is there any way of dating the U70's from engine or frame number. Most searches online don't go back any further than 1971 for Suzuki.
Peter

[Suzsmokeyallan]

Suzuki had a grey area for a while, prior to the 1971 'R' model designation for some models and years, but it did not apply to all bikes. For example the A100 went through a MkI to MkIIII series in some markets which overlapped the other models using the new lettering system.
A MkII designation first appeared on the 69 T500, became a MKIII in 1970 but was dropped by 71 for the 'R', yet there technically never was a MKI T500, it was either referred to as a 500 Five or a Cobra.
1967 was supposed to be a model year designation L, yet 1968 shows little if any info on a designation superseding the L which was used again in 1974.
I would think the first year for a U50 or 70 series bike is possibly 1967 or late 1966, I need to check the old parts book to see if theres information showing a start year code.

[ozengines]

Suzsmokeyallan, is this blinker acceptable in length and size for the U70 scooter ?? It is for an F50 (1971-73)
Peter

[Suzsmokeyallan]

Yes that looks more like it, there are supposed to be two stout flat washers that go between the shaft and upper portion of the handlebar as well. A standard flat and lock washer go on above the nut on the lower threaded side.

[ozengines]

Yeah, OK on the washers and spring washers, as with my Honda, I am replacing all cad plated nuts, bolts and washers with stainless steel.
These blinkers are expensive landed on Oz, but all the other repro stuff the chrome parts are plastic, yuck.
Peter