On the flat oval of Randfontein Raceway, a thunderous roar echoes as a Suzuki GS 450 leans into the dirt, its rider sliding with controlled aggression. To the crowd, it’s another race. To the man gripping the bars, it’s something far greater: its family, legacy, and identity coming to life at full speed.
The GS 450 wasn’t always the gleaming flat track racer it is today. Once, it was worn down, just another relic from a bygone era. But to its rider, Adam Poulter it was an opportunity not only to restore a motorcycle but to stitch together three generations of passion into one machine.
“My grandfather rode a Rickman Metisse. My father had a Suzuki RM 125,” he explains. “The GS 450 is meant to carry both of them forward. When I restored it, I wasn’t just building a bike, I was building us.”
The Rickman Metisse represented toughness, grit, and the rawness of old-school racing. The RM 125 embodied agility, speed, and the daring of a new generation. The GS 450, resurrected for the oval, now blends those qualities into one body of steel and fire. Every nut tightened, every piece polished was an act of dedication, a merging of bloodlines into one machine destined for dirt.
And the results speak for themselves. At the Randfontein oval, the GS 450 earned its rider a 3rd-place finish, a victory shared across decades. “Crossing that line, it felt like I wasn’t riding alone,” he recalls. “It was my dad, my grandfather, and me together. That podium wasn’t just mine, it was ours.”
For him, the GS 450 is not simply transportation or even just a race bike, it’s identity. It’s a reminder of where he comes from, who he is, and the lineage of riders who came before him. Every time he fires up the engine, he hears more than horsepower; he hears stories, laughter, determination, and the roar of history carried forward on two wheels.
The motorcycle world is filled with builds that turn heads. But this one does more than that. It carries a family name, a purpose, and a legacy that cannot be replicated. The Suzuki GS 450 is no longer just a restored bike, it’s a bloodline on the track, a living tribute to the past and a promise for the future.
Restoration backstory.
My grandfather, Timmy Poulter, was a 5 time Transvaal motocross champion and as well as the 2 time South African motocross champion in 1962 and 1964. He rode a Triumph 500 Rickman Métisse. Taking note of the meaning that is encapsulated within the name. Métisse is French for “mongrel” or “mixed breed”, originally used to describe something made from a blend of different parts, and was coined back in 1959 by the Rickman brothers, Don and Derek Rickman, after constructing their first scrambler by combining a BSA frame, Triumph engine, and Norton forks. From my grandfather’s story, we progress towards another story.
My father, Steven Poulter, is also an experienced rider with a strong background in the motocross world. His choice of racing machine was a 125 Suzuki RM, 2 stroke power house. Investing in a brand new 125 RM Suzuki at the start of every year was standard practice at this level of racing. Synthetic oil and high octane racing fuel was the only option for each team, giving rise to what is known as “Rocket Rat”. A nickname that my grandfather had given to my dad during his racing journey and can be seen in an infamous moment that was captured in 1981 during the last round of the Toyota sponsored international series at Brickor.
A moment that is known as ” The man to beat” was published in the newspaper and was given its own page and headline. More importantly there is a snapshot of my dads racing number #121 and Rocket Rat helmet.
Restoration story .
My Suzuki GS encompasses all the elements from both my grandfather’s racing legacy and as well as my fathers racing legacy. My father passed the Suzuki GS down to me and in turn marked the beginning of my personal journey within discovering meaning and identity. I wanted to pay tribute to the iconic British styling of the Triumph Métisse within the restoration of my Suzuki GS, however, I also wanted to find a styling balance by ensuring that the Suzuki’s Japanese styling is also present.
Noting that “Less is more”, provided the key to unlocking the balance I set out to achieve.
From a mechanical restoration perspective my goal was to create a period correct racing machine. This was achieved through the following modifications:
New sprocket
Roller chain
Shortened frame
New electrical wiring & electronic adaptions
Stiffened rear shocks
Shortened exhausts
Crash bars
Racing Renthal handlebars from the UK
Light weight aluminum handle bar extenders
All new fuel piping and filters
Advanced timing
MX tries
Stiffened fork internals
Pro Taper handlebar protection pad
Through this restoration process my Suzuki became more than just a motorcycle, it also became my identity, my meaning, my friend, my legacy, and my totem.
Adam Poulter.
