‘Sticky Matt’ Coulter, the proprietor of Sticky’s Pace Store, isn’t any stranger to an oil-cooled Suzuki. However regardless of a again catalog of Bandits, Slabsides, Slingshots, Harris frames, and drag choppers, all using the long-lasting inline-four, Sticky Matt had lengthy craved to construct one Suzuki specifically. His Holy Grail of manufacturing bikes; the 2007 Suzuki GS1200SS.
Although plentiful on the shores of Japan and New Zealand, the Suzuki GS1200SS made it to the UK in very restricted numbers, with even fewer surviving at the moment. So when Matt finally tracked one down—disassembled and unfold throughout a number of packing containers—he made it his. A self-confessed hoarder of uncommon, race, and rare-race components, packing containers of bits are one thing of a Sticky’s Pace Store specialty.
On a mission to construct his final oil-cooled Suzuki, Matt dug deep into his hoard, reaching for prize finds that had lengthy been earmarked for this specific mission. Carbon-magnesium Dymag wheels, a Spondon Kawasaki Z900 swingarm, a giant block 1,371 cc motor, AP calipers, slender monitor PFM discs, and Bimota ‘fattest of the fats’ right-way-up Paioli forks have been simply the beginning of what would turn out to be a dizzying components record.
However alongside an urge for food for what Matt refers to as “the goodies,” Sticky’s builds have turn out to be recognized and loved for his or her left-field design and character.
Working in collaboration with buddy and artist Ryan Quickfall, his earlier construct, a GSX-R1000 K1-powered 1989 Suzuki Slingshot, was dubbed ‘Sushi-Suki’ and daubed with a prawn-topped, Cranium-sporting Nigiri. And earlier than that, the pair collaborated on the provocatively monikered ‘Widow Licker’—a purple, neon-pink, and yellow Slabside that includes a chicken dropping a fortunate shit on its flank.
“After the balls-out craziness of Sushi-Suki I wished the GS to be less complicated, plainer,” lies Matt. “I meant it to be all-black, delicate. From then on it turned often called ‘Black Puddin’—however then I believed it might use slightly little bit of leopard print to interrupt it up.”
Issues Inevitably started to spiral. Ryan penned a Black Puddin’ character for the tail and Matt’s penchant for purple and 90s tack took maintain. In the meantime, Matt saved tapping his components bin to place the GS1200SS collectively.
Matt had just a few bits left over from an ex-World Endurance Harris F1, together with a manufacturing unit dry clutch casing. (If this was to be the last word oil-cooled motor, it wanted the dry clutch conversion.) Keihin FCR39 carbs would feed the engine, and a cut-and-shut Moriwaki Monster pipe, initially destined for a Z900, would eject the noise.
Maxton twin-shocks, outdated race yokes, Race Part Growth rear-sets, customized spindles, and a customized torque arm additionally made their manner onto the bike.
For the tank and tail, Matt approached one other long-time collaborator, Coba Valley Cycles. The GS was in itself conceived as a tribute to the long-lasting XR69 race bike, so the customized aluminum bodywork would refer again and exaggerate these iconic traces. The little and enormous Monza tank fillers have been an thought taken from Matt’s dad’s outdated endurance race bike, a Rickman Z900.
The fairing is a King Carbon XR69 unit. The unique lozenge cutaways have been changed with lightning bolts, whereas alongside the only offset headlight, a round gap sample was minimize to each ape the standard second mild, and supply airflow to the pinnacle cooler. Layers of purple lacquer, matte black leopard print, and a purple display have been then added to fulfill the ‘plain and delicate’ transient (clearly).
Matt is eager to emphasize that Sticky’s Pace Store is way from a one-man outfit. Lee from Steelheart Engineering contributed, as all the time, with billet clock and headlight mounts, billet battery and electrical packing containers (with a transparent acrylic high), and a bunch of different fixes. All these little particulars make for a machine that appears pretty much as good with the bodywork off as on.
With a deadline looming within the type of the 2024 Bike Shed Moto Present poster shoot, the ending touches have been added deep right into a sleepless workshop night time alongside buddy and fellow builder, Gav Shuter. A mirror-polished Suzuki tank emblem, blued titanium bolts, 70s psychedelic GS1371SSS graphics, and a perforated leather-based seat with crocodile edging, have been amongst the final components to return collectively.
So, has Sticky’s Pace Store lastly accomplished its Suzuki catalog? “Perhaps,” says Matt.
“Subsequent up is a Bosozuku-inspired Zed and a few Ducatis. However by no means say by no means. I picked up a dry clutch GSXR750 Ltd engine the opposite day. That can want a house sooner or later.”
We are able to’t wait to see it.
Sticky’s Pace Store Instagram | Photographs by Amy Shore
