1973 Suzuki-Motorcycle Touch Up Paint (3 OEM Colors)

The 1973 Suzuki-Motorcycle Vibe

Welcome to 1973, where the bell bottoms are wide and the two-strokes are loud. This was the year Suzuki was busy cementing its legend with the GT750 "Water Buffalo" and the dirt-chewing TM series. While the rest of the world was experimenting with psychedelic neons that aged like room-temperature milk, we've focused on the sophisticated survivors that actually stood the test of time. We're talking about the heavy hitters like Oort Grey Metallic, Shadow Black, and Sonic Silver. These colors didn't just sit on the metal; they looked like they were part of the machine's DNA-understated, metallic, and ready to outrun a fuel crisis.

Paint Health Check

Since we're dealing with the Single Stage Era, your Suzuki is living life without a safety net. Back in '73, the factory didn't believe in clear coat "armor." The color and the gloss were mixed into one thick, honest layer of enamel. The problem? That paint is porous. If your tank looks like a dusty chalkboard or has a hazy, "white-ish" film, that's classic oxidation. The sun is literally eating the oils out of your paint. Without a clear coat to protect it, the pigment is fighting a losing battle against the elements, and if you let it go too far, the metal starts looking for any excuse to turn into a rust bucket.

Restoration Tip

Here is the Golden Rule for 1973 steel: It needs wax or it dies. Because this is single-stage paint, you can actually "polish" the shine back into existence by shaving off the dead, oxidized top layer-something you can't do with modern thin factory finishes. But once you bring that Sonic Silver back to a mirror glow, you've essentially exposed the "raw" paint to the air. You have to seal it immediately. Think of wax as the clear coat the factory forgot to give you. Apply a high-quality paste wax every few months, or you'll be back to buffing out chalky grey by the time the next swap meet rolls around.