Suzuki S30
1963–1967

I have tried to tell the history of the Suzuki 125 S30 on this page as I know it. I would be grateful of any contributions — sales brochures, magazine ads, magazine articles, pictures, specs, facts, corrections etc. Please scan the material in JPEG format (large enough that all the details are visible) and send them to me. Please tell me the source and the publication date if possible. If you send me pictures of your own bike, please follow these instructions.

After winning the manufacturers’ titles in both the 125 and 50 cc classes of the 1963 Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season, Suzuki’s 2-stroke technology gained an impressive reputation throughout the world. The company used this reputation to strongly promote its motorcycles under the slogan, “The world’s number one 2-stroke motorcycle manufacturer.” The Colleda 125S30 was equipped with a similar 2-stroke 2-cylinder engine. It had a single carburetor for easy maintenance, but it delivered satisfactory performance, with excellent steady-state fuel economy of 65km/L, a maximum output of 12PS, and a top speed of 110km/h. The transmission was a four-speed rotary. Suzuki 125 S30 was produced between 1963 and 1967. It had a hollow pressed-steel backbone frame like its precessors, the variations of the early-sixties Colleda 150 Seltwins, and their 125cc single cylinder cousins Colleda ST, SB and SH in the second half of the 1950s. An updated version of the model, S30-2, was launched by Suzuki in 1965 and another somewhat updated model S30-3 in 1967. They both had two VM18 carburetors instead a single Amal VM81SC carburetor. The performance of the engine remained unchanged, according to the specifications presented by Suzuki.

By the time the S30 was launched, the Suzuki brand name had not been established yet and it was called both Colleda 125 S30 and Suzuki 125 model S30. It still had the charasteric horse shoe shaped headlight pressed steel underbone frame like its predecessors. While its sporter sibling, the S31, had upswept exhaust pipes and modern lighter fenders, the S30 was somwhat of a crossover between a sports bike and a traditional motorbike, made for commuting rather than racing.

1963 Suzuki 125 S30 Overall length: 1 900 mm (74.8 in) Overall width: 725 mm (28.5 in) Overall height: 932 mm (36.7 in) Wheelbase: 1 260 mm (49.6 in) Ground clearance: 120 mm (4.7 in) Dry weight: 118 kg (260 lbs) Engine type: Air-cooled 124 cc 2-stroke aluminum twin. 12 hp (8.83 kW) @ 8 000 rpm, 11.8 Nm (1.2 kg-m) @ 6 000 rpm Click on the image for larger format.

While the earlier brochures and advertisements of the S30 showed the bike with a simple fairing that protected the rider's legs from wind and rain, the S30-2 was always shown without such fairing. Apart from that, and the different coloring of the seat and the side covers, the model looks the same. The seat was now two-tione (light gray/black) and the side covers were painted, not chrome plated.

1965 Suzuki 125 S30, as shown in a '63 Suzuki parts catalog

1965 Suzuki 125 S30-2 Overall length: 1 900 mm (74.8 in) Overall width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall height: 985 mm (38.8 in) Wheelbase: 1 260 mm (49.6 in) Ground clearance: 120 mm (4.7 in) Dry weight: 118 kg (260 lbs) Engine type: Air-cooled 124 cc 2-stroke aluminum twin. 12 hp (8.83 kW) @ 8 000 rpm, 11.8 Nm (1.2 kg-m) @ 6 000 rpm Here's even larger picture.

The bike in picture below is actually the '65 model. I haven't been able to find any pictures of the '67 S30-3. I don't know what changes, if any, were made to the model. Please send me info and pictures (a high resolution brochure scan would be lovely) if you have something to contribute!

1967 Suzuki 125 S30-3 Overall length: 1 900 mm (74.8 in) Overall width: 730 mm (28.7 in) Overall height: 985 mm (38.8 in) Wheelbase: 1 260 mm (49.6 in) Ground clearance: 120 mm (4.7 in) Dry weight: 118 kg (260 lbs) Engine type: Air-cooled 124 cc 2-stroke aluminum twin. 12 hp (8.83 kW) @ 8 000 rpm, 11.8 Nm (1.2 kg-m) @ 6 000 rpm Here's even larger picture.

1963–1967 Suzuki 125 S30 specifications (Japan) Overall length: 1 900 mm (74.8 in) Overall width: 725–730 mm (28.5–28.7 in) Overall height: 932–1000 mm (36.7–39.4 in) Wheelbase: 1 260 mm (49.6 in) Ground clearance: 120 mm (4.7 in) Dry weight: 118 kg (260 lbs) Engine model: Engine: Air-cooled 124 cc parallel twin, 2-stroke Bore x stroke: 42 x 45 mm (1.654 x 1.772 in) Compression ratio (1963 S30): 7.0 Compression ratio (1965 S30-2, 1967 S30-3): 8.3 Peak power: 12 hp (8.83 kW) @ 8 000 rpm Maximum torque: 11.8 Nm (1.2 kg-m) @ 6 000 rpm Carburetor (1963 S30): VM18SC (Amal) Carburetor (1965 S30-2, 1967 S30-3): VM18 Starting system: Electric and kick starter Ignition system: Battery Fuel/lubricant mixture: Pre-mix Lubricating oil capacity: — Fuel tank capacity: 8.0 liter (2.11 US gal. / 1.76 Imp gal.) Fuel consumption: 60 km/liter (at 40 km/h constant speed) Clutch type: Wet multi-plate, coil spring Transmission type: Constant mesh, 4 speeds rotary Gear ratios: 2.540 / 1.560 / 1.140 / 0.880 Primary reduction ratio: 3.650 Secondary reduction ratio: 2.710 Frame type: Pressed steel plate, backbone Caster: 28°00′ Trail: 85 mm (3.346 in) Brake type (front): Internal expansion, mechanical type Brake type (rear): Internal expansion, mechanical type Front tyre: 3.00-16-4PR Rear tyre: 3.00-16-4PR Recommended retail price in Japan: 138,000 yen

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