The Hodaka Club Forum

OK, one for the technically minded, I am restoring a 250ED down here in Australia, I recently bought this of an old mate (87years old) who has had it since new, many years ago he seized it and had to rebore and fit new O/S piston, back then he couldn't get a Hody piston so had used a Suzuki TS/RL 250 piston, it has been running like that for many years.
The rings are worn and need replacing, but my question is whether to continue to use the Suzuki piston, I have had it miked up and all within tolerance, just needs O/S ring set. An O/S Hody piston is available but price landed in Oz is pretty high compared to just a set of Suzuki rings, so what do others think??

Wayne from Oz.

No brainer, if the bore and piston are both in spec, and all it needs is rings, and you can get them, just rering it. Why pay for a piston you really don't need?

I would rering it and consider better oil and air filter. --------------Clarence

Ditto. Why put in something you don’t need? Replace the rings.

I would consider buying the next larger oversize, piston & rings, for when this piston/bore actually need it. Given that they are becoming harder to find, if you can buy it now & save it for later, so that you have it on hand for down the road. Victor

The cross reference to a Suzuki part is also useful information for future rebuilds.

The Suzuki piston and rings are also cheaper than the Hodaka ones. RL parts are not hard to find.
Jack

Availability is not an issue -- WISECO produces pistons and rings for Hodaka/Suzuki (same piston). However, I can't verify if WISECO rings are perfectly compatible with Hodaka/ART pistons and/or Suzuki pistons.

Usually rings are not compatible between manufacturers. Wiseco rings are thinner than ART rings , not sure if either are the same for Suzuki rings.

No Wiseco rings will NOT! work on a stock piston

Rich

My main concern has been whether the Suzuki piston is compatible, dome height, skirt shape etc and not affect performance unduly, it obviously works because it has doing so for many years, but I have never known how well.
I googled for info recently but no information or cross reference could be found, just had another look and up pops and add for a Wiseco piston to suit RL, TM, TS Suzuki AND Hodaka 250, the seller mentions a cross reference chart that lists all these models, so that pretty well answers my question, thanks for your input fella's, I am off to my local Suzuki dealer.

Wayne from Oz.

I have three Hodaka 250s all with Wiseco pistons and Have built some for my customers using them , I have never built one with a stock piston

Rich

I have owned and restored a number of 250 Hodakas. I used vintage NOS Wiseco pistons that listed the 250 Suzuki and the 250 Hodaka right on the factory label. I cant remember if it was TS, RL or RM, but it was a multi brand application.

Nice to know the Suz cross matching . Any other piston/ring crossover matches for Hodaka?