Project Suzuki TS400 Apache part 3- Scoop scalped!

The silly old fool has apparently found the bike of his dreams... in America! He’s about to be financially scalped by an Apache!

- STEVE COOPER

Do you believe in fate? Are coincidences real or imaginary? Are parts of our lives preordained?

I only ask because occasionally, just occasionally, the planets all seem to align and things mysteriously work in our favour. Just before I went on holiday (go on Bertie have another dig, ho-ho) I was idly perusing Facebook when, out of the blue, I chanced upon someone selling a TS400. This is indeed a rare situation as those that own Suzuki Apaches generally don’t tend to move them on, or if they do it’s only the dog rough ones that are sold.

The bike was located in Georgia, USA, and had been the subject of recent full-on cosmetic restoration… so far, so good. Trying really hard not to show too much enthusiasm, I messaged the seller and asked the usual pertinent and obvious questions along with a few more oblique ones in the hope that I might be able to spot any glaring issues, oversights and/or omissions. Internet images tend to flatter any bike and it’s all too easy to get carried away. Even better, the Apache was from the second year of manufacture so it worked out to be the K model, i.e., one of the examples I’d decided I wanted.