One of two special variants of the popular Suzuki A100 motorcycle, the Suzuki ASS100 was designed in 1969 as a performance-oriented small motorcycle. The original Suzuki A100 was a very basic commuter bike, underpowered but with enough performance for everyday riding. It was a great success around the world and some Asian companies still produce almost exact copies of the Suzuki A100. Suzuki decided to ride the wave of popularity of the Suzuki A100 by adding some punch to the basic design.
The Suzuki A100 came with a 98cc two-stroke air-cooled engine lubricated with its CCI automatic oil pump system. This rotary valve engine delivered smooth acceleration across the entire power band, delivering 9.3 hp at 7500 rpm. On a long road, riders could coax this 83kg bike to speeds approaching the magical 100mph. For the Suzuki ASS 100, the same tried and tested engine was used, with some useful tweaks that brought power up to 10hp at 8000rpm!
Suzuki engineers also make some cosmetic changes to the bike’s design, such as a smaller 6.5-litre tank (the A 100 had a 7-litre capacity). This reduced the curb weight to 82 kg. With more horsepower and lighter weight, the Suzuki ASS100 managed to hit 110 kmph, quite a feat for a ’70s Japanese motorcycle! It had a close twin in the Suzuki ACC100, which showed almost the same performance but with different styling.
The Suzuki ASS 100 shared the same 2.50 x 18 tires found on the base model Suzuki A100. While these worked great on the commuter model, many owners found them too thin for all that extra power. Interestingly, the similar ACC100 had a wider 2.75 X 18 rear tire as standard from the factory. However, the thinner tires gave the Suzuki ASS100 a small advantage in fuel economy. The brake kit was standard in the ’70s, with a small disc brake at the front and drums at the rear.
The Suzuki ASS100 was quite an interesting bike, adding a touch of fun to the 100cc class, which seemed dominated by boring commuter bikes. With the Suzuki ASS100, younger riders suddenly had an inexpensive moped-sized motorcycle that gave them real thrills. While production only lasted two years, stopping in 1971, the Suzuki ASS100 has a large fan base of classic bike owners and collectors. A lovingly restored example still attracts a lot of attention at used bike sales and auctions. A trusted dealer can still find genuine parts for the ASS100, allowing this classic bike to roam the streets once more!