Suzuki museum in Hamamatsu
Suzuki DR-Z at the Heartech Plaza

Marc Chapie, France, mailed me forst a picture of his Paris-Dakar racer Suzuki DR-Z he had bought. He wanted to know how to get in touch with the Suzuki museum in Japan to find out howthe bike had looked when new. I gave him the address and now, a few weeks later Marc could send me pictures from the DR-Z in the Hamamatsu, provided by the museum staff. I have put them all on this page. Enjoy!

1988 Suzuki 800 DR-Z Paris-Dakar Owner: Marc Champie, La Roche Posay, France Purchase date : 22 February 2002 Comments: ”The bike has been modified to run in Super Bike race by Gaston Rahier. Many parts have been cut! I am a simple biker who dreamed about this DRZ since the first time I saw it to the start of 1988 Paris Dakar. And I find it on the web two years ago! It's the first time I can touch a racing motorcycle. It's like a Yves Saint Laurent dress! Each part is hand made. The dream! I have much to do to in rebuilding this DRZ. I want to do a good job, that's why I need help from Suzuki museum where another 1988 DR-Z can be found, to be able to rebuild water tank and other parts. I will send other pictures taken during the job.” 1988 Suzuki 800 DR-Z Paris-Dakar Owner: © The Heartech Plaza of Suzuki Motor co, Ltd. Comments: Gaston Rahier's DR-Z (Marlboro) and Akira Watanabe's DR-Z (Suzuki Yellow). Click on the images for larger format.

More photos from the museum (GP racers). Click for larger format.

The museum, the Heartech Plaza, is not open to general visitors. It's for Suzuki internal use only. You have to contact Suzuki and be persuade them to open the doors for you if you want to see all the interesting bikes in the museum. Some owners clubs in Japan, RG Gamma, DR, GSX-R and so on, made contacts to SUZUKI, and were permitted to visit the museum. The reports can be found on the internet (in Japanese language) here. The museum has no website and apparently can't be contacted by e-mail either. The postal (snail mail) address of the Heartech Plaza is the following: The Heartech Plaza of Suzuki Motor co, Ltd. 300 Takatsuka, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka-Pref, JAPAN.

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