La Tigre - The rebirth of a neglected 2003 Suzuki GS250 Thunder

Mar 13, 2023

A long term Bali resident bought an old 2003 Suzuki GS 250cc to the Deus Temple one day. Known as a Thunder, time had not been kind to this bike as it had been made into something of an ugly duckling by people unknown, leaving this once wonderfully acquiescent motorcycle in an frustratingly wretched state.

The maddeningly rare Suzuki Thunder 250 is a sort after base on which to build a modified bike in Indonesia. Initially released in 1999, and only for the Asian market, the sport-touring Thunder came preloaded with what Suzuki dubbed its Twin Swirl Combustion Chamber (TSCC) a system whereby the fogging of air and fuel in the combustion chamber effected a twin rotation so combustion came faster and more complete. The single cylinder engine also has 4 valves (2 suction & 2 exhaust) enabling it to generate up to 22 hp at 7500 rpm. Unfortunately, they were completely discontinued in 2005 probably due to the release of the little brother, 125cc in 2004, which is rather lackluster and the rise of the Japanese Yen exchange rate making them financially unviable.

After a crystal ball's worth of foresight and a few conversations with Gianluca, the owner, we set sights on a classic upright modification, nothing to radical to ride nor to be seen on, he liked the classic English bikes, for look as well as style, in fact when we were talking tanks, he merely said… ‘something like a triumph’.

We build bikes for the rider and with Gianluca not being a massive bloke we knew ahead of time that whatever we’d be building would be something smaller and compact. Over our couple of meets we completely understood what he wanted and where we wanted to go… and ladies and gentlemen, damned if we didn’t get there with this graceful swan of a bike.

A large filled cardboard box still sits in the Bengkel of all the bits we unbolted or chopped off. The entire rear end, subframe and swingarm, the seat, the tank, the bars, electrics and a lot of what not. Or should we say, want not.

Our Bengkel Boys started the laborious undertaking of engineering all the wants. The tank, side covers, and fenders were all bashed out of fresh aluminum sheet. The new subframe was bent, cut and twisted to get just the right geometry. While that was all going on the engine was completely disassembled and sent to be vapor blasted. The finish it came back with was so nice it was decided we'd leave it mostly that way with only the two sides of the crank cases being buffed to a high polished finish.

We sourced an original swingarm and bought some adjustable Answer Gas rear shocks. An aftermarket rear disk brake was added. 17” Rossi rims, 350 back and 300 front, were laced with stainless spokes. They were shod in Shinko Trail Master E705’s, 140/80 & 130/80 respectively.

Stang High Tracker bars were adorned with switches from an XSR, the original cast Aluminum levers and a set of Hurricane Grips. There is a little Daytona Taco to track the revs, speed not being that important. Two exhaust ports mean two pipes and the Boys bent up a matching set of stainless steel headers topped with aftermarket silencers. The engine is well fed through a 32mm PWK carburetor. For riding comfort, we shaped up some foam before wrapping it in tan cow hide. A light waxing sealed it up nice and gave some warmth and depth to this, the business end of the bike.

Something of a new Deus Indo trademark is the brake light. Not for the first time, nor the last, we asked Koko to fabricate one of his organic shaped ally plate pieces that mount perfectly to the rear fender. Looking more like it was cast, they are an excellent punctuation point on any build. A 7” Day Maker in a sourced clam shell housing will ensure he sees nice and bright at night, and a set of Posh Type 71 indicators will make sure everyone else knows which way he wants to go.

For the paint, a grey metallic was chosen as the base colour, enhanced with the area of the knee panels polished to a high sheen. We added further embellishments with gold pin lines and ‘Deus Special’ detailing on the side covers. Acid etched badges were produced, painted, and polished with the shapes finally rounded to sit across the front bulge of the tank where they look amazing. Given that the list of new bits ended up being exhaustingly long, and that there isn’t any one stand out item. This build is just one of those wonderful composites of the whole coming together.

Last week we asked Gianluca if he had a name for his bike or if he wanted us to chew the backs on our pens to come up with one. ‘La Tigre’ he answered. And then there you have it, she’s called The Tiger, in Italian.

ENGLISH TEXT BELOW

Setiap tahun, teman-teman kita Tasix Adventure—penyelenggara petualangan ban berlumpur dan adrenalin berbahan bakar terbaik di Bali—mengadakan acara akhir pekan berkemah yang sangat dinanti-nantikan. Mereka menamakannya “ The Wild,” dan jujur saja, tidak ada kata yang lebih pas dari itu.

Ini bukan sekadar acara; ini adalah petualangan wajib bagi siapa saja yang mencintai tanah, tantangan, dan persahabatan yang hanya bisa terjalin saat tertawa melihat teman lain terjatuh.

Hal tentang The Wild adalah misterinya. Kamu tidak tahu ke mana akan pergi, bagaimana sampai di sana, atau apa yang akan kamu temui—seperti hidup, tapi dengan lebih banyak asap knalpot.

Tahun ini, The Wild yang berlangsung pada 7 Desember 2024, mengumpulkan 135 pecinta motor enduro, trail, dan cross di Desa Kopi, Tabanan. Tepat pukul 9 pagi, kami berangkat menuju Desa Gesing, Singaraja. Rute tetap dirahasiakan hingga hari acara, meningkatkan sensasi penasaran dan antusiasme. Dengan dibagi menjadi beberapa kelompok kecil, kami melengkapi diri dengan perlengkapan motocross lengkap untuk menghadapi tantangan musim hujan.

Perjalanan? Murni magis. Jalur berkelok melalui permata tersembunyi Bali, di mana setiap tikungan menawarkan pemandangan yang memukau atau hampir membuat jantung berhenti. Rute tahun ini menghadirkan medan tanah liat merah—dijuluki tanah "keramik" karena teksturnya yang licin dan keras saat basah. Untuk melintasinya, diperlukan teknik khusus yang disebut “paddling the throttle,” sebuah manuver yang mendebarkan dengan motor yang sering bergoyang liar. Dari kejauhan, mungkin terlihat lucu, tetapi saat di atas motor? Ceritanya berbeda.

Setelah menempuh 68 kilometer petualangan liar, kami tiba di perkemahan di puncak bukit yang sudah dipenuhi tenda-tenda peserta lain dan deru knalpot. Destinasi selalu mencuri perhatian, dan yang satu ini tidak terkecuali—tempat tinggi dengan pemandangan 360 derajat yang menakjubkan dari laut, gunung, hingga kota.

Saat hujan turun, tenda-tenda didirikan, dan malam itu diisi dengan berbagi cerita tentang penyelamatan heroik dan kecelakaan yang menggelikan. Dan tentu saja, ada balapan. Bayangkan sekelompok pengendara penuh semangat meluncur di perbukitan dalam kekacauan yang terkontrol. Balapan tahun ini termasuk duel 1 lawan 1 yang seru di sekitar puncak bukit, dengan peserta menyelesaikan dua putaran penuh adrenalin.

Bukan soal menang; ini tentang hadir, tertawa, dan menikmati momen. Para pemenang dan peserta tercepat yang mencapai puncak bukit dirayakan dengan hadiah, tetapi senyuman, persahabatan, dan kebersamaan membuat semua orang merasa seperti juara.

The Wild tahun ini benar-benar sesuai namanya, bahkan lebih. Petualangan, tawa, dan cukup banyak tanah di gigi untuk menyebutnya otentik—kami tidak akan menginginkannya dengan cara lain. Terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya kepada semua peserta yang menjadikannya pengalaman tak terlupakan. Sampai jumpa di petualangan berikutnya!

Every year, our mates over at Tasix Adventure—Bali’s finest purveyors of muddy tyres and fuel-driven adrenaline—host their much-anticipated camp-out weekend. They’ve named it “Wild,” and honestly, there’s no better word for it.

It’s not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for anyone who loves dirt, daring, and the kind of camaraderie you can only forge while laughing at someone else’s wipeout.

The thing about Wild is that it’s shrouded in mystery. You don’t know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, or what you’ll find—kind of like life, but with more exhaust fumes.

This year’s Wild, held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, brought together 135 enthusiasts of enduro, trail, and cross motorcycles at Desa Kopi, Tabanan. The route was kept a secret until the event day, heightening the thrill of the unknown. At exactly 9 am, they shared the destination, Desa Gesing, Singaraja, Divided into small groups, we geared up with full motocross kits to tackle the rainy season’s challenges.

The ride? Pure magic. Twisting trails through Bali’s hidden gems, where every turn promised either breathtaking views or breathtaking near-misses. This year’s route featured red clay terrain—nicknamed "ceramic" soil for its slick, hard texture when wet. Navigating it required a special technique called “paddling the throttle,” a nerve-wracking maneuver that had bikes swaying wildly. From a distance, it might have looked hilarious, but on the bike? It was a whole other story.

After 68 kilometres of this wild adventure, we arrived at the hilltop campsite already alive with the buzz of activity and the roar of exhausts. The destination always steals the spotlight, and this one was no exception—a high-altitude perch offering stunning 360-degree views of the sea, mountains, and city.

As the rain came down, tents went up, and the evening was all about swapping stories of heroic saves and laughable crashes. And then there were the races. Picture a pack of overexcited riders tearing up the hillside in what can only be described as controlled chaos. This year’s races included thrilling 1-on-1 duels around the hilltop, with participants pushing through two laps of sheer adrenaline.

It wasn’t just about winning; it was about showing up, laughing, and embracing the moment. The race winners and the fastest hilltop arrivals were celebrated with prizes, but the smiles, the camaraderie, and the shared triumphs made everyone feel like champions.

This year’s Wild lived up to its name and then some. Adventure, laughter, and just enough dirt in your teeth to call it authentic—we wouldn’t have it any other way. A massive thank you to all the participants who made it unforgettable. See you on the next adventure!