Miss Suzuki Big DR? Born from the Suzuki factory Dakar racing bike in the late 80s, it features bold styling and the largest single-cylinder engine on the market. It will continue to be iconic – so iconic that Suzuki has even brought back its styling in recent years, with their V-Strom 1050 XT adventure bike.
Despite how different the aesthetics of DR Big are, there’s not a shred of customization left over street tracking from Bolt Motor Co. In fact, the only recognizable parts on this DR Big are its incredibly impressive 727 cc engine and frame.
The Bolt shop owner, Adrián Campos, is also the team principle of the Campos Racing team (Bolt even uses the Campos Racing workshop). So what is certain is that their custom builds instill a sense of performance. On this build, that means turning the DR Big into a squat street track car with a variety of upgrades.
Starting with the 1989 Suzuki DR750 S Big, the crew took it apart and threw all the plastic in the bin. The engine was rebuilt with a lighter flywheel and two 42 mm Keihin carburetors inhaled through a pair of Uni filters. Bolt also built a new exhaust tip, threading it through the frame and ending it in a Supertrapp muffler.
Directly in front of the engine, to the left, is a custom radiator, featuring Goodridge lines. This position has a purpose—Bolt put it there to give more room to the front wheel since the entire bike has been lowered.
Up front are reverse forks and dual Brembo disc brakes from Suzuki GSX-R. Screw in custom CNC machined yokes to fit the new front end and add a neat little fender. Hidden between the yoke is a 3D printed number plate with LED headlights through.
Right up there you’ll find a tracker-style handlebars, fitted with original Suzuki switches, new grips and a Brembo lever. The small digital Motogadget tachometer sits neatly between the lift bars, along with the bike’s LED warning lights.
Not content with just upgrading the front end, Bolt also has ambitious plans for the rear end. They had the idea of fitting a rear swingarm to fit the Suzuki GSX-R, but it turned out to be the biggest headache of the whole build. The main problem was that the swingarm was narrower at its pivot point than the frame—but Bolt finally made it work.
Next, a pair of 19F/18R wheels have been tuned to fit Suzuki and wrapped in Dunlop rubber. They’re a welcome departure from the original 21F/17R combination, which looks comically unbalanced with the bike’s modified suspension.
Bolt is also very wise when choosing the new bodywork of DR Big. After coming up with some ideas for a new fuel tank, they decided to choose a fuel tank from a Honda CB750 K2. The idea of putting a ’70s Honda gas tank on a late ’80s Suzuki sounds crazy, but it works great.
Paired with the new fuel tank is a track-style flat tail, complete with removable side panels and integrated LED taillights. Bolt designed and manufactured it himself, using 3D printing and design technology. Suzuki’s subframe has been modified to accommodate it.
Thanks to careful rewinding, the area under the saddle is clear to show off the exhaust and shock absorbers. Other custom parts include license plate holder [not pictured] and new pins.
Classic motor racing fans should recognize Suzuki’s new paint job. Bolt designed the DR Big in tribute to Kevin Schwantz and the Suzuki RGV500 sponsored by Lucky Strike. They even added the number 43, as an homage to Schwantz’s racial number, 34.
Bolt created their own twist on this classic paint job with a recurring lightning theme. It was even repeated on the seat stitching, courtesy of auto upholstery expert, Llop.
We would never have imagined that a Suzuki DR Big would turn out to be a good street track car with a classic GP racing platform. But Bolt did it — and they brought it to life with all the fanfare we’ve come to expect from them.
Bolt . Engine Co | Facebook | Instagram
