just joined. Loved these bikes. Our reintro to 2 strokes in the early 80's converted my dad. I started from 81 to 89 owning these as farm bikes and first one registered on the road with a shovel holder and rack was A$885.

I didnt have a huge oil issue as some found in this thread and maybe a better quality of oil should be used but not needed to be synthetic.
I never found the power some say and the speed some expect. 7000 rpm would be best you can get. Exhaust is too restrictive to go higher. You wil blow the manifold gasket very often for revs over 6000. to me 5500 was tops and all that is needed and you ran out or past the power zone. These bikes were made to last by standard gearing and speed no more than 85 kmh.
I would be happy to take one around the world. cheap, easy to find parts. easy to repair. maybe no repairs needed and no issues expecting 50,000 km if you are doing long km and days the bike is hot all day. These bikes would do 400,000 km in the philippines and many 125 would work 18 to 20 hour days pulling a sidecar and 6 people as passengers. In the rice field they use 3/8 rods as spokes welded in and can carry 500 kg. I've seem 15 passengers on one bike. Suzuki have made many of the most durable bikes in history in my opinion and I have had over 100. I own 9 now but always had 5 or 6.
Looking to buy a ts 125 er or a new drz 125 big wheel now for son. the ts is hard to find in good cond cheap enough and a brand new 2015 has been offered to em at 3250 aussie dollars!!! I want him to start on the old TS but im not going to pay $1,500 for it.

Those TS 185 ER are legendary, people still quote my stupid comments "why would you want anything more" i used to say. My TS worked hard! Now my stead is a ktm 525 and I have come to know proper and suspension.