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Teflon-Mike
tl;dr
Joined: 01 Jun 2010
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 Posted: 21:22 - 20 Aug 2011  Post subject: DIRTY TREATS: Air-cooled, 2T, Yamaha ‘Enduro’ Renovation |
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NOW:-
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2605.jpg
THEN:-
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/pictur1.jpg
Introduction
Well, with ’The Corporal’ having gone to a nice new home, I can FINALLY get on with the bike I REALLY wanted to ‘Do’ before all of this Super-Dream nonsense began! (And TRY and 'blog' it in 'real time' as it happens! HOPEFULLY, this one wont drag out too long....... He SAYS, ever the optimist; but to long in the tooth to truly believe it!)
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/Picture20027.gif
It’s a mongeral ‘Hybrid’ Yamaha ‘Enduro’ 125/175, and this is what it looked like a year ago, when I first acquired it.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/pi53a01.jpg
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/pictur3.jpg
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/pi678a1.jpg
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/pictur2.jpg
In short… RUSTY! But it has a few good points.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 16:58 - 06 May 2013; edited 6 times in total |
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N cee thirty
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Teflon-Mike
tl;dr
Joined: 01 Jun 2010
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Posted: 21:31 - 20 Aug 2011  Post subject: |
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Why I bought it.
It’s a ‘Classic’! A bit of two stroke lunacy, from another age. And it was CHEAP!
I cut my teeth off road, riding air cooled Yams; the TY trials variant, in various capacities, and my first road bike was a twin-shock DT50E… which convinced me that my idea knobbly shod road bikes were neither fish nor foul was not far from true! And I decided very early on, dirt bikes for dirt, road bikes for road, race bikes for the track; horses for courses, and all that.
Twenty odd years on, and I am struggling on half crippled legs to hold up my CB750 road bike…… Looking around for ‘tiddlers’ for Snowie, after her cruiser was stolen, I spotted this thing, and just couldn’t resist it!
At under 100Kg in street trim, its 20% lighter even than a CB125 Super-Dream, and with a 2” lift kit, the thing has a seat height taller than either my 4” jacked 750 or VF1000! As well as being less than a third the weight! I can sit the saddle of this thing, and hold it up, legs straight, knee locked, and there’s bog all of it to hold up; So if it did fall over, pick back up again! And unable to ride competitively in my favoured discipline of trials, maybe attempt a little ‘Green-Laning’!
Which was what immediately went through my mind when I first sat on it, while looking at a rather sad NS125 Snowie was interested in, being sold by a chap clearing out his unfinished projects from his sisters garage, where they had been shoved after he’d divorced, and from where they were being evicted, as sister was moving house.
Chap fiddled a bit and fired it up for me, and I promptly wheelied it across his sister’s front lawn….. BIG GRIN on my face…. SOLD!
NS was a waste of time though; engine didn’t run, forks had no damping, headstock wobbled, rear suspension hardly moved, and it had no screen. UK clocks belied suggestion it was as suggested the ‘Full Power’ Italian market variant, with the ‘full 33bhp’ he claimed a de restricted 125 should have, while lack of ATAC bits kind of concluded the suggestion…. and no amount of fault finding would convince the bloke it wasn’t worth at ‘least’ £500 for the (non running!) engine alone!
But he was not so optimistic about the DT… listed on e-bay, as a DT125, it had failed to grab the imagination of a generation of modern teen learner, whose DADS probably thought an air cooled DT was ‘old fasioned’, and just saw a heap of rusty junk!
Consequently, I snaffled it for about half what DT175’s were fetching, incomplete, without documents as ‘barn find’ field bikes, for spares or repairs! And was even happier when I went to collect it, and while sorting the straps to load it on the car to take it home, chap starts coming out of the garage with boxes of ‘bits’ to go with it, including the original engine, and a spare exhaust and lots of electrical bits!
AUTHENTICITY NOTICE
When I first stuck pics up of this bike, more observant, and more knowleagable two stroke nuts, observed that this bike where’s a ‘P’ suffix registration. One of them, even went as far as to run it through the DVLA checker and reminded me that this index was issued to a Yellow Yamaha 125 in November 1975.
While the bike, as shown in the pictures, is to all extents and purposes, a Yamaha DT175MX or approximately 1978 vintage, a very early mono-shock, with tubular swing arm. And I wont disagree. It is.
Yamaha DT’s are commonly nicked bikes, and if this one had been ‘ringed’ might make sense of why it was so cheap… YES, it did all ring ‘alarm bells’.
But there are other reasons to try and register a DT175MX as an earlier DT125, and that was the 1982 125 Learner-Laws.
When introduced, Yamaha 175’s (and 200’s and 250’s!) dropped in value, to ‘almost’ worthless, because you couldn’t ride them on a provisional licence.
The Yamaha DT175, had been far more popular than the DT125 or DT250, when learner legal, because it had a bit ‘more’ oomph than the 125, and was a lot more manageable, as well as a lot cheaper to buy and run, than the full 250; but when learners were restricted to 12.5bhp 125’s, they didn’t offer much more than a 125, and many wound up hacked and abused ‘Field Bikes’, thrashed over waste land by kids.
Pre 1982 125’s on the other hand, suddenly became quite sought after. A loop-hole in the Learner-Laws provided pre ’82 registered 125’s need not be restricted to 12.5bhp, and where ‘tuning’ or ‘de-restricting’ a post 82 bike made it illegal to ride on provisional entitlement, rule didn’t apply to pre 82 registered bikes.
Hence in my youth, pre ’82 125’s were quite sought after, as many of them had more power than new bikes to begin with, and could easily, and legally be tuned for even more, and still ridden on L’s.
Some took the idea further than others, and dropped RD200 engines into RD125 frames, or X5 lumps into X3 frames, that kind of thing… other simply got the log-book for a smashed 125, got a number plate made for it, and slapped it onto a 200, with 125 side panels or just decals!
I think that THIS bike is possibly of that veriety of post ’82 learner ‘cheaters’.
HOWEVER, not crudely ‘ringed’. Engine that came with the bike, missing its barel, is a 1975 125 bottom end, and matched that which would have been in the bike originally registered.
Possible in those days, to build a ‘special’ and use the registration from the engine donor, and I suspect that was the way it was done; the frame, possibly a new replacement from Yamaha, stamped up with matching numbers, and no signs of grinding, welding or tampering around it on the head-stock.
And stripping it down, more I find that supports this idea, until a later 175MX engine dropped in at a later date, possibly when the original 125 motor needed a re-bore; hence missing barrel. (I actually have the barrel, and a brand new piston amongst the bits, but of course hole in barrel is too small for piston!
Anyhow; doesn’t really matter what it was; what it IS is a very un-original Yamaha ‘Enduro’, conforming to neither early T-Shock Spec nor later Mono-Shock Spec.
Only ONE thing to note, it is NOT a ‘DT’….. well it IS…. But it isn’t!
The DT series was named after the engine coding used for the ‘big-block’ 250 & 400’s, given six speeds, when they gained the ‘new’ moto-cross inspired mono-shock rear suspension.
Previouse ‘Street-Scrambler’ models in all capacities had, until then simply been badged ‘Enduro’, as were the early ‘DT’ series 250 and 400’s, which gained ‘DT’ badges to denote the DT series engine!
Marketing men later decided to use the DT badging to denote the entire range of ‘Street-Scramblers’, and in about 1981, when most of the ‘Enduro’ models gained the cantilever monoshock rear suspension, it became ‘officially’ the model designation.
Badging HAD been used on some earlier ‘Enduro’ models, and not neceserily the 250/400’s, or even just the mono-shocks; some-times from the factory, some-times from the dealers, but quite commonly by early owners.
The ‘Triggers-Broom’ of a Yellow Yamaha 125, originally registered, would almost certainly NOT have been badged a ‘DT’ but an ‘enduro’. The sole or possibly numerouse, later DT-MX, that donated ‘bits’ for the bikes metamorphasis, may have been badged DT, but the three model years of bikes given the tubular swing arm, rarely wore DT badges from the factory, and the livery that corresponds to the very early, flat ‘side-panels’ and rounded, unvented mudguard, simply provided YAMAHA on the tank, with either 125 or 175 capacity badging, and an ‘ENDURO’ badge as model identifier.
It’s a DT…. But its NOT a DT……
Meanwhile; however it got to be a mono-shock from an earlier twin shock; pitty is, earlier twin shock Yamaha ‘Enduro’ models are now far more sought after restorers and collectors bikes, worth far more than the, later, early mono-shock models!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 16:59 - 06 May 2013; edited 6 times in total |
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Teflon-Mike
tl;dr
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Posted: 21:36 - 20 Aug 2011  Post subject: |
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What I intend doing with it
Fix it and RIDE it! This one is a keeper, Basically!
This is NOT a sought after ‘collectors’ bike. If it was a relatively unmolested Twin-Shock ‘Enduro’ might need a little more contentious care to restore it as authentically as possible, to preserve both historic and financial value.
If it was a fairly complete DT175MX, again, may need a bit more thought. Perversely, at the time I bought this one, and still; the later, and much more common square swing-arm 175’s, without any registration, often not as complete, and in worse condition, are fetching much more than I paid for this one.
Which did prompt thoughts as to whether to restore it utterly as an early DT175MX, and attempt to re-register it on an age related plate, or break it for spares, and attempt to restore it, with the second engine, as the bike originally registered, a more valuable still, DT125E.
Nope….. too synical! I got it because it was cheaper than a pair of tyres for the CB750, and offered big grins, for little bucks!
SO, back to very initial intent; a low rent renovation, to create a pocket money ‘toy’ bike for fun and frolics, with a bit of history and classic cudos.
Padding that out a bit; what’s ‘pocket money’, and what’s a renovation? How far do I take it, making it ‘nice’ how far don’t I take it? What are the boundries?
So, pondering starting points; ideas about powder coated frames, Hagon shocks; rebuilt wheels with stainless spokes and ali rims, big-one exhaust, fibre reeds all brought into check…..
Brakes, Steering, Suspension! As always, lets get the basics ‘sorted’. Lets be sure we can stop, before we go….
Err, embarresed admission! Actually didn’t! Breaking my own rules, prodding and poking, I fitted up the ‘spare’ exhaust and tried cleaning the carb, to assess the engine, to be able to decide whether to do anything with the one in the frame, or put attention into the one in the back of the Range Rover. Fired it up, found a gear, and promptly wheelied the length of my lawn, got it down as I reached the patio, hauled in the brakes, and sailed straight on into the back wall of my house….. LAUGHING MY HEAD OFF! Yup… that’s what Y?amaha dirt bikes are all about! SHEAR STOOOOPIDITY!
So, bolting seriouse head back on for a moment; the usual suspects vis mechanical integrity. Sort the brakes…. We now know NEED some fairly serious sorting, steering and the suspension….. THAT is a case of ‘whatever it takes’… we don’t stint on these bits.
Engine It has one. It runs! That’s ’good enough’! So, no getting carried away; sort what we got, scrub, fettle and make as good as. When we get to it, IF it needs more, we’ll wait and see. For now. Exhaust can have a bit of paint; engine can have a bit of paint. Carb can be cleaned again, and if its LUCKY I’ll treat it to a new spark plug!
Frame & Cosmetics Lots of deliberatiojn on this one. Idea of having frame powder coated as good ‘base’ for anything else I do was pondered very seriousely. In all though, while the frame would only cost £40 and the swing arm £25, how far do I go? Adding in the fork jokes, lifts that £10, then there‘s the brake lever, another £5, and the footrests, what about the fork sliders…. And so it goes on, and on and on. So hold the ‘phone! I have had my Montesa since 1985. It got sand-blasted that summer, and painted in Red Smoothrite… it has lasted over quarter of a century of competitive trials action, with ME riding, or more often falling off it, taking chunks out of the paintwork! It’s had the occasional clean down and another coat chucked over, and had some of the bigger scratches or patched touched up between times.
If the bike I have had a life time has survived without plastic coating, can I really juistify shelling out that kind of money, on a ‘pocket money toy’. Short answer NO! So, Black Smoothrite, a brush and a tin of thinners!
Which leads me to the tank and panels, which, scruffy, I could probably get away with, ‘as is’… but the paint is cracked and flaking off the mudguards, and there is a bit of rust round the seam of the tank…… and Snowie reckons it needs ‘painting’, so OK….. maybe just to smart it up….. but NOT going to town on it with five base coats and three colour coats, custom decals and laquer again!
Seen some nice Plasticote for £3.99 a can, in a sort of orangie yellow…. Maybe that will ‘do’, possibly some period ‘pre-DT’ decals.
Electrics & Equipment It has a lamp on the front, and another on the back, and there’s some wires poking out the magneto cover….. Hmmmm…… by Construction & Use regulations in force when first registered, doesn’t ACTUALLY need any lights or stuff…. COULD for the use I’m likely to give it, get it tested with no lights, under both granddad rights and exemptions for ‘machines adapted for off-road use’.
Nope. Think I need lights at least. Especially as its already starting to get darker earlier.
Snowie reckons I ‘ought’ to havbe indicators, and I’m sort of in agreement, but hey! Got to make from scratch whatever its going to have, so ‘we’ll see’!
And THAT is about it; the ‘plan’ as it stands right now.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 17:00 - 06 May 2013; edited 5 times in total |
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Teflon-Mike
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Posted: 21:57 - 20 Aug 2011  Post subject: |
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So lets get on with it!
Well, in a hiatus during the Pup-Projectp I DID have a little poke and play. Had to pull it out of the stack to move some bikes about, and couldn’t resist having a bit of a mess…. Which was when the afore-mentioned incident wheelieing into my house wall occurred!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/100_0427.jpg
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/100_0438.jpg
Basically, the exhaust on the bike had more holes around the header than metal, so I swapped it.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/pictur4.jpg
Then I cleaned the carburettor, got it started….. CRASHED IT… so did what I OUGHT to have done right at the beginning, and started looking at the brakes!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/100_0431.jpg
Also discovered that there was no Two-Stroke oil reservoir, and no battery, and had a general ‘poke’
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/100_0428.jpg
Got as far as taking the brake cable off, and Snowie, getting annoyed with me, made me put it away!
So, ’The Corporal’ Done, and Gone; pulled it back out the stack, moved some bikes around, ignored the pile of Super Dream bits in the kitchen I ought to tidy up, and carried on!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2100.jpg
Hydraulic bike stand, finally getting used for what it was intended!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2101.jpg
And a snap of the front end, where I intended to start, and that rusty front wheel.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2104.jpg
Lots of rust, on the fork jokes and bracketry to be dealt with, and that headlamp, is, well… it LOOKS like a headlamp! Lense doesn’t seem to be pointing in the right direction, and I haven’t a clue whether there’s even a bulb in there!
Interesting feature is the shrodiner (car tyre!) valves on the fork caps. These conform not, to any likely Yamaha fork of that era. Neither early 125 ‘Enduro’, nor DT-MX, nor the competition variant IT175… I THINK they may be a home made ‘modification’…
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2105.jpg
‘Flat’ side panels are very early DT-MX. Later ones had a diagonal step. They have been re-painted though. Seat base looks quite useful, though, if a bit dirty. Seat cover, is also surprisingly serviceable, though not perfect.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2107.jpg
Under the tank, its starting to look more promicing. For all that VERY rusty exhaust and abortion of wiring, its mucky, but the paint is surprisingly ‘mot bad’ considering rust everywhere else!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2111.jpg
OK, enough faffing abouit admiring bits, lets get on with some ‘real’ work!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2112.jpg
Front wheel out, lets look at them brakes! The Shoes will probably be replaced as a matter of course, but needed to inspect the drum itself, and the shoes. If the drum is ‘gone’ then I need a new wheel, and there’s little point trying to clean up the rusty spokes or anything on this one. However, more importantly, I need to check what the shoes look like, because this is NOT a DT-MX front hub. We think that the bike has the whole front end, wheel, brakes and forks from the original ’75 Enduro, but it might NOT be, so want to check sizes and form before ordering ‘bits’ that might not fit.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2113.jpg
Shoes aren’t actually as bad as I had imagined, but they are pretty badly worn, so will be replaced. A ‘Bits List’ is starting to be put together now!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2123.jpg
So, quick attack with sand-paper to see how the spokes clean up….
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2115.jpg
Needed REALLY to get stuck in to stripping down the front end, and finding out fork seal sizes, and looking at headrace bearings and ‘stuff’….. but what the heck! LETS PAINT SOMETHING! Always makes you feel like you have achieved sommat!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2118.jpg
First hit on the tail pipe with the rotary wire on the drill.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2119.jpg
Second hit with the rotary wire on the angry grinder. Never want to go straight in with this tool, it’s a bit fierce and can chew aluminium up in moments. But on stubborn rust like this, LOOK at the difference. Incredibly there is STILL metal under all that rust! (Yamaha used to make their off-road exhausts PRETTY thick, in them days) Lets get some paint on it!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2121.jpg
I had the last can of PJ1 ‘Ceramic Hard’ from Busters, and apparently the importers have 5000 and H&S wont let them sell, because they don’t have a warning on the lable, and are insisting that the cans are all re-labled, a sticker on the existing lable wont do!
What the heck! This is a low rent renovation, not concourse d’elegance! And its NEVER going to be pretty with all that rust pitting and aged braze! Plasticote BBQ paint, £8.99 a can, JUST the job!
Don’t look TOO bad, does it? OK, lets leave that to dry, and get on with some ‘propper work’.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2124.jpg
Forks took some bashing to get them out the jokes, but I DO like Yamaha mechanics! Once out they just slide apart like a dream.
Curiously I have TWO fork springs in each leg! More precisely, as one end of each spring lacks the wound termination, two cut down halves of two springs. Think I might have to do some measuring and see what Alf Hagon has to offer.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2127.jpg
Wearing out rotary wires! Sliders cleaned up ready to take paint
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2128.jpg
Forks all stripped, seals popped ready to measure up.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2136.jpg
Stanchions polished up. Rust and pitting between the yokes is still pretty bad, cosmetically, but ‘wiped’ area under the gaiters isn’t so ‘bad’….
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2131.jpg
Front end starting to look a bit ‘bare’, but strip down well under way, and looking like progress!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2132.jpg
Enough seriouse stuff, LOOK at that exhaust! Lets Paint it!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2133.jpg
Straight in with the wire on the angry grinder now, only a few bits to do with the drill, where you cant get in on the bend.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2135.jpg
Very conservative ‘taper’ and not a large amount of ‘expansion’ on these early expansion chamber exhausts; suggests good mid range. Explains why so many put aftermarket spannies on them!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2138.jpg
Old Gianelli ort Fresco pipes released an awful lot of hidden potential, AND saved a shed load or weight! BUT seem to recall they had a habbit of rotting within a year or two, and denting around the header area if hit by a stone of the front wheel. THIS thirty year Yamaha pipe shows how much metal they put in them to begin with, against rust and dents! Amazing to think that at the time this bike was built, people grumbled about Japanese bikes, like they do Chinese ones, today, “Not built to last!” they said. “Made of Monkey Metal!” they explained. Hmmmm thirty years on, and THIS thing is in better shape than the 1963 BSA c15 I got to ‘trials-chop’ in 1984…. THAT bike was then, barely twenty years old!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2139.jpg
Bit of brazing revealed around the port flange, where they all tend to rot, but it seals, I’m not complaining!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2140.jpg
So, douse of BBQ paint, and hand to dry over a camping stove to help ‘cure’ and I’m happy.
Amount of ‘pitting’ on both pipes, though, could probably have got as good a finish brush-painting them, however. But with the paint ‘thinning’ over the rough metal, given both pipes two coats, and probably give them a bit more before they are ‘done’, which might smooth them out a bit more, but basically just to make sure of even coverage over the metal, and avoid pourocity.
So, back to mechanics, and a look at the head-stock… but that can wait until NEXT time!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 17:01 - 06 May 2013; edited 7 times in total |
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| Posted: 10:04 - 21 Aug 2011 Post subject: |
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Posted: 10:20 - 21 Aug 2011  Post subject: |
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If you stopped talking shit on the forum and took less pics, you might actually get more done, like tidy your house and garden, fucking tramp ! 
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| blurredman |
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blurredman
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| Posted: 11:37 - 21 Aug 2011 Post subject: |
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| covdude wrote: | If you stopped talking shit on the forum and took less pics, you might actually get more done, like tidy your house and garden, fucking tramp ! |
That's not very nice.
I think Teflon-Mike is a great contributor to the forum. Yes it is a long read, but if it takes 10-20 minutes to create each post I think that's a dedicated member.
After all, there's only a few good hours during the day in which he may not have anything else on- It is clear that when he posts, it is in the late afternoon after having sat down from a busy day.
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 17k. , 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 9k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 38k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 49k |
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| WannaBeDude |
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WannaBeDude
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Posted: 11:49 - 21 Aug 2011  Post subject: |
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Yes, and i'm just a trouble maker, but he got a wink with my post, which from me, is like a pat on the back, to go along with his boring ratings, despite being set as enemy ! 
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| satelliteone |
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satelliteone
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| Posted: 23:21 - 21 Aug 2011 Post subject: |
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wow! and old air cooled yam, what a mess poor old thing. Great machine. Slightly older than my 1984 MX
https://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c357/satelliteone/DT125MX.jpg
Gone be keeping an eye on this thread..
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Honda XLR125R - Project
TZR125RR Belgarda 4DL - Sold
Chinki Project done n Dusted/sold** DTR125 2003 - Finished/sold |
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| Teflon-Mike |
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Teflon-Mike
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| Posted: 00:01 - 22 Aug 2011 Post subject: |
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| satelliteone wrote: | wow! and old air cooled yam, what a mess poor old thing. Great machine. Slightly older than my 1984 MX
Gone be keeping an eye on this thread.. |
Curiousely, its actually quite tidy. Scruffy, and rusty, yes, but remarkeably, lots and lots of very 'tidy' details, in things like cabling, and such. Some-one in the dim and distant past, before it was just forgotten about, and left to rot, seems to to have given it quite a lot of quite considered care and attension. Looking at use of lock wire and cable ties, I wonder if it ever had some competition past, or was the green-lane hack of a club enduro rider.... NONE THE LESS.... lot of work in there to scrub it up and make it look its best again!
Like the early DT-LC.... period photo? looks like a scan from propper photograph!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 17:02 - 06 May 2013; edited 4 times in total |
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satelliteone
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Teflon-Mike
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Posted: 01:27 - 23 Aug 2011  Post subject: |
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Not ‘quite’ Rob; there’s three more super-dreams, to do after, plus my VF-Tou, and a I’m not sure what to do with the 750, as yet, so its far from ‘final’, it’s just been pushed up the list!
| herulach wrote: | Tef, your backyard is made of win. |
I think it’s surfaced with rust, though!
| covdude wrote: | If you stopped talking shit on the forum and took less pics, you might actually get more done, like tidy your house and garden, fucking tramp ! |
You’re a fine one to cast nastercian’s, mate!
In the last year, I have supervised Snowie’s detail, ground up renovation of her Super-Dream; done my OWN ground up renovation of a Super-Dream; half rebuilt another; Done a top end rebuild on a Rover V8; sponsored & supervised Snowie’s training for tests; in between all the other chores of the daily grind! I DON’T think I’m doing to bad for a cripple, who three years ago, could barely make my bludy legs get me from the settee to the pisser, let alone up the road to the corner shop!
As for my garden? Err… green ‘stuff’. I have an aversion to it. Go chop it down from time to time, as long as I can use something with an engine on the end, other than that, I really don’t give a shit! My mother is a Horticulture Lecturer, and as a kid used to work part time for Land-Scape gardening co. I have planted enough bedding plants, pricked out enough seedlings, and cut enough lawns to last me two or three life times. I ‘do’ things with pistons! Green stuff? It’ll only grow again!
And I live in Nuneaton; you know, where all the white folk from Coventry who couldn’t afford to live in Binley went! I have a Scrap Range Rover in my back garden; it probably doubles the property value!
| Blurredman wrote: | After all, there's only a few good hours during the day in which he may not have anything else on- It is clear that when he posts, it is in the late afternoon after having sat down from a busy day. |
Depends Blurr. I’m officially disabled; and ‘doing’ these little bikes is my bit of occupational therapy to stop me loping into the asylum, gibbering about Jeramy Kyle!
Idea was to give myself some ‘light’ mechanics to do, because trying to fix my Range Rover for its MOT two years back, took me most of the year! And all it needed was a new steering box, held on with four bolts! So small bikes, small ‘bits’ chance I might actually be able to feel some sense of ‘accomplishment’ seeing something ‘done’ rather than just getting frustrated by all the stuff I CANT do.
Trouble is, when once I get going, I tend to get engrossed and not stop until I fall over, and REALLY, depending on what I’m doing and how much I have to exert myself to do it, shouldn’t really push myself past half an hour to two hours tops…… but usually end up going until I go dizzy or hurt myself, at which point; time to plonk myself at the ‘puter and type something; when I ‘go feint’, my speech goes, anyway so typing stuff, I can get thoughts and words into some kind of order.
| satelliteone wrote: | Not looking too bad it really, like the smallness of the bike. Same engine as the early 1980`s DT125MX series by the look of it. |
To all extents & purposes, it’s a 1978 Yamaha DT175MX, though see authenticity note; would have been sold as a Yamaha 175 ‘Enduro’ in all likelihood. ’79 models had slightly different plastics; and 80 on models had box section swing arms, along with other minor revisions. But yeah; the DT125 & DT175 were identical bikes, apart from the size of the hole in the barrel sat on top of the engine!
| satelliteone wrote: | Engine was ok. i know mine drank like a fish. 25 to the gallon..from what i remember. |
I bludy hope not! I hope it’ll return more like 70!
| satelliteone wrote: | what year is yours?.. it has only one clock too. looks like one of the first DT`s |
The log book says 12975, but it’s a triggers broom, and most of it would seem to be ’78 DT-MX, the first year of the mono-shocks, by swing arm, side panels, mudguard, and a few other details; but it’s a thirty year old bike, with bits of both earlier and later origin!
Forks & front wheel for example, I think are from the original 195 bike, originally registered.
Some-one did suggest it might be a 1976 model year (so available to the public, autumn 75 on) YZ125 ‘Scrambler’ that had been ‘streeted’ with DT bits. However, more I bury into the bike, less evidence I find to support the idea; steering lock on the head-stock and too much intricate bracketry on the frame for indicators and ‘stuff’, denies it was a comper; though under all the much and rust finding little details, that might suggest it was used in Enduro. Rear wheel sprocket is all lockwired, for instance, and wiring, has been hacked back, and hard wired; where there would have been bullet connectors, joints have been soldered; zenner diode was found cable tied with padding against vibration to a frame rail, and all the cables are neatly taped and cable tied to the frame; while other brackets like for the exhaust are double nutted, and where I would expect to find old split pins or bent nails, I am finding neat R-clips. Sort of stuff your average ‘bodger’ wouldn’t bother with on a road bike, let alone a field bike; but a club rider would do for reliability, so they don’t loose points for stuff not working at scrutineering, or have to stop to tighten something coming loose, or waste time muggering about with, or having to carry too many tools, if they had to give it attention during an event.
But thanks all for your interest in my latest creation! Lets look at some more pics and progress shall we?
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 17:03 - 06 May 2013; edited 4 times in total |
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Teflon-Mike
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Posted: 01:27 - 23 Aug 2011  Post subject: |
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FRAME! I’m gonna live for-E’h-va!......
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2188.jpg
Irene Cara 1981! Jeez. Almost embarresed I KNOW that! HOWEVER…. We have a bare frame. Well almost. Still has the footpegs and side stand on it, but they’ll come off soon enough. BECOUSE, I am reconsidering ‘The Plan’ vis the wire brushes, and smoothrite!
Back in 1985, when I painted the Montesa, I forgot;
a) it’s a much simpler ‘twin-shock’ structure,
b) it’s a pure comper, with bog all bracketry for equipment, street-gear or even bodywork! Tank/Seat and side-panels on the Cota are a single fibre glass ‘unit’ attached with one pin through the head stock, and two rubber straps to hooks on the frame, just above the foot-pegs.
c) I DIDN’T use wire brushes to trip it! Worked part time as a Sand-Blaster. Took it to the yard and blasted it, when I had to clean down and ‘purge’ the equipment at the end of a day!
SO! I MIGHT just get the thing sand-blasted and powder coated after all. Looking at it; £50 for the frame; if I don’t go ‘silly’ and just get the ‘black bits’; swing arm; fork yokes, foot-pegs, side stand; and brake pedal ‘done’; might get away with under £100. Adds £80 to the build bill, and steps away from this ‘pocket money’ notion, BUT…. Sick sick of picking bits of rotary wire brush out my cloths, hair, skin! And there’s NO WAY, I could get into the shock tube to get rid of the rust and crud in there!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2185.jpg
ANYWAY, that’s the thought for the day; meanwhile, progress, and how we got to this stage!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2143.jpg
Snowie, had a go at tackling the front wheel with sand paper and solvol for me. Rim came up nice, but spokes hard work, and have flash rusted over night! Dog looks on. Great watch-dog out ‘Bear’….. tells us the time….. DINNER time!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2144.jpg
Meanwhile I decided to strip off the handle-bars, and before dropping the fork yokes, having a crack at them with the rotary-wire, rather than trying to hold them under my foot and chewing up my shoes!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2145.jpg
Top yoke off. Nibbed back some of the paint on the frame around the head-stock while I was at it, wondering gow it would come up. First ‘sort’ if inkling I would struggle round all that bracketry!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2165.jpg
masked a square off over the frame number so I didn’t make it illegible with paint, and slapped some smoothrite over metal I’d exposed. It did not look too wonderful, so nibbed it back a bit for a second coat… before re- considering the powder coat idea, again!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2166.jpg
Without the front end, it was getting a bit tail heavy and tipping on the stand… so I removed rear wheel.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2186.jpg
Discovered two things; first non functioning rear brake would not be helped any by the friction material having fallen off the fucking shoe! Second, they appear identical width, diameter and peg pattern to the ones in the front. Pretty sure that rear brake is DT-MX, so even if the front is unusual, two pairs of DT-MX rear shoes ought to sort me!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2167.jpg
Wanted to get at some stubborn screws underneath….. couldn’t do THIS with a four stroke! Well… you COULD.. but all the engine oil would seep past the piston rings!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2168.jpg
Them two rusty allen screws for the number plate. CANT have been undone for MANY MANY years! Ended up drilling off the heads. Have now got to get the studs out of the frame; this does NOT look like a ‘nice’ job!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2169.jpg
OK, mudguard and lamp ‘off’ lets poke at some of the much around the engine and swing arm bolts, see what needs to be undone!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2170.jpg
MONSTER shocks on these things; and Decarbon were the OE fit!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2171.jpg
Curiousely little travel though for a shock so long, and the ‘jack up’ kit is that bit of hex bar moving the eye further away from the damper body; moves the effective mounting point to increase ground clearance, but doesn’t increase travel any.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2172.jpg
Back the right way up, and looking some-what more ‘bare’ time to lift the motor out.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2178.jpg
Had to remove generator / sprocket cover to get at one of the engine bolts. IT HAS POINTS! That dates the motor a bit. Later models I believe had CDi ignition. But of rust in there. So, adding to the list; motor may get a tad more attension than I had hoped. Will have to invest in flywheel puller to pull the rotor off, then I can clean it all up, and as course, replace points and condenser…. Unless any-one can suggest cheap / easy conversion to 12v generator & possibly CDi ignition?
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2179.jpg
Undo three bolts, give a little wiggle with a tyre lever, twist, and engine lifts straight out, without having to be a contortionist. I DO like Yamaha mechanics! Had forgotten how ‘simple’ they tend to make things!
And that’s about IT. Progress to-date, apart from stripping some odds and sods off the frame.
IF I am going to have this thing blasted and coated though; need to sort a few bits, before I can drop it in. Mainly seized screws. Already noted the two mudguard screws in rear frame stay; but there is also one in the upper fork yoke, and another in the bash-plate mounting, and I have yet to go over ‘carefully’ looking for any more.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 17:04 - 06 May 2013; edited 4 times in total |
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Teflon-Mike
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Posted: 01:33 - 23 Aug 2011  Post subject: |
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HOW2: Tackle Stubborn Screws: Part 1 – The Impact Driver
Right, thgese Q’s come up so often on the forum, I think at SOME point I ought to compile a definitive ‘how2’ for the problem, with all the varying methods, starting with the mildest, complete with photo’s. Don’t have a full suite yet, but faced with stubborn screw on the bash plate; thought I’d try catch it in camera while I had the opportunity; SO, here goes.
You have a stubborn screw. You have attempted to remove it with a screwdriver, and it’s rounded out. Some-one helpfully tells you all about the different ‘tip-forms’ for cross head screws, probably even posted a chart explaining them all, and yes, quite possibly, you have used the wrong screwdriver… OR could just be a stubborn fuckwitty of a scre you are dealing with.
So, first line of attack; before doing anything drastic or resorting to power tools, the humble Impact driver, method.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2180.jpg
FIRST make sure you can see the feckker you want to undo! Clean up around it, over it, and IN it.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imah2181.jpg
Damned difficult to undo bolts or screws if you cant find them! So clean first. In fact do this BEFORE you even try the regular screw driver!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imah2183.jpg
Then CLEAN out the head form, with something pokie. You’re never goung to get a screwdriver tip to grip the slot well, if the point is lifted up and holding the tip half out the slots, because its full of crud.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imah2188.jpg
Different screw, but I got a better pic of this one, and the bit you will ‘LIKE’! Hit the fekker with a hammer!
But CAREFULLY, and this is actually the clever bit! You use the ball end of your hammer, and you tap itfrom the edge of the screw topwards the centre, and try and ‘peen’ the metal around the slot BACK INTO THE HOLE, closing it up.
Reason your scvrewdriver slipped and chewed was because the slot deformed; so what you want to do, is deform it back again! Hammer the metal that was bent out by the screwdriver, back in, to tighten up the slot!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imah2186.jpg
You can now take the ‘bit’ from the impact driver and hammer it into the screw head, reforming a tight slot, and hopefully getting a good ‘bite’ on the screw. If not repeat the peening and bit hammering until you do.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imah2189.jpg
You may now put the impact driver carefully over the impact driver ‘bit’, and then, SMACK THE SHIT out of it with the hammer…..
WARNING! Keep good hold of the impact driver body and hamer, and FINGERs out of the gap between them! Or it WILL hurt! (I am holding hammer and impact driver in the pic with one hand, for demonstration purposes only, because the other hand was holding the camera!)
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imah2190.jpg
Impact driver applies both torsional and axial ‘shock’ loading onto the thread and about three in four stubborn fuckwit fasteners submit to it, and you can just wind them out like you would with a regular screw driver.
It’s a REALLY great tool to have in the arsenal, and ought be your first line of attack.
Plus Gas, is another; Note PLUS-GAS a proper ‘penatrating oil’ that soaks and lubricates threads where they are sized. NOT WD-FUCKING-40, which is a water dispersant for getting rid of moisture on damp electrics, NOT a penetrating oil! 3in1 oil is a better bet than WD40! But that’s a poor substitute for Plus Gas.
Plus-Gas, however, is ‘best’ given time to penetrate the threads by capiliary action; ie ‘soak in’. If your fastener doesn’t come undone straight away, applying penetrating oil, and leaving it a few days, can often work marvels; but few of us have such patience. I do know people that do, and who restore rusty old BSA’s and the like saving every original screw and washer; but they tend to take as long to get them all out as it took for the bike to get that rusty to begin with!
Up to you if you want to use a penetrating oil and leave over night, or go straight in with an impact driver, really. I tend to go in with the impact driver, and as said three times out of four, does the trick. If it doesn’t, 50/50 whether penetrating oil would have done anything anyway.
But I sometimes, if it’s the end of the day, or I can find something else to do, give screw that hasn’t submitted to Impact Driver, a squib of penetrating oil, leave it and come back; see if it comes out with a screwdriver the next day (usually not) then have another crack with the Impact Driver.
Seem to find few stubborn screws that DO respond to penetrating oil + Impact wrench, but worth a go before bringing in heavy, destructive artillery!
WHICH I shall leave for future features!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 17:05 - 06 May 2013; edited 4 times in total |
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dangerousdave
Traffic Copper
Joined: 22 Apr 2011
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Teflon-Mike
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| Posted: 23:04 - 27 Aug 2011 Post subject: |
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| dangerousdave wrote: | wicked project . . . RESPECT !
maybe a some polishing around the exhaust and inlet ports would cheer the motor up . . . |
Been there done that..... but a it's thirty-something year old, over bored, air cooled, two stroke single.... and how far do you go?
This bike's virtue is its a cheeky little blighter; motor has 'poke', but isn't intimidating; chassis is light and nimble, and it's a pretty well balanced all-round package, and in its day was a bit of a giant killer, because it was just SO usable..... so I don't really want to 'ruin' that, trying to gain some kind of 'awesomeness' it will never have in any measure...
Add on Ed: DT175 motor it has, is rated at 17bhp. That's a fairly 'healthy' amount to have to play with for a 'tiddler' and especially one with knobbly tyres.
It's not about 'fast'. It should do a respectable 65-70mph ish, which on block treads, and with cable operated drum brakes is plenty fast enough on tarmac! But it's a 'Dirt-Bike', and, I'm a Trials-Rider, this thing will get used on the slimy stuff; and there its not about how much power you got, its about how much you can 'use'.
For 'My' kind of dirt biking, its not about hammering it over whoops and burms, but about trickling it through and over nadgery obsticles; and doing that, its power delivery that really matters, and what the DT175 engine's strength is, coupled to nible chassis and very low weight. Road-side this thing weighs barely 90Kg, compared to over 120Kg for most 125's; ie: its 3/4 the weight.
If I wanted to take it anywhere, beyond what it has as standard; I'd start by considering its existing strengths, and try not to fuck them up, and its existing weaknesses and tackle them.
AND: with a thirty year old, pocket money classic, MAIN strength has to be it isn't a modern bike; which, looking around, there are plenty of alternatives knocking about that offer a lot more 'performance' than this thing can deliver. What this has over them, is its simplicity and durability.
And that air cooled engine? Could be tuned, but to what benefit? And at what sacrifice? Big-1 expansion pipe and a bit of barrel work could liberate maybe 3-4bhp... and it might not be too unrideable, or unreliable, but gain would dent its current mid-range, which is its strength. Take it further, it would completely ruin mid range, and air cooled engine, in bike that's NOT going to go that fast and get covered in mud doing it, you risk hot running and nipping up.
It's NOT really worth it, for the tiny gains to be had.
If it was to be purely a road bike, wouldn't matter so much and could be 'fun', but why bother? Get more out of a road bike, before starting to tune it!
Off road, if I wanted more shear 'brute force', then the DT250 or DT400, preferably the 400... offers loads more shear 'excess' of power, without risking ruining power delivery characteristics or reliability. But compromise is, weight. Not heavy bikes by any means but DT400MX, kurb weight is 140Kg, almost 50% more than the 175, and its power rating is 'only' 21bhp....
DT250's power rating is actually the SAME 16.6/17bhp of the 'stock' 175, but same chassis and cycle parts as the 400, carrying 135Kg around.
THAT was what made the little DT175 a bit of a giant killer, and such a popular little bike. It had 'almost' the peak power of the bigger bikes, and none of the weight. Bigger bikes were tuned for tractability, and had a lot more low down grunt, but with the extra mass they carried, they also needed it!
When you could have a 250 on L-Plates, that made the 175 a very attractive alternative; functionally it was as much bike, but easier to manage, but cheaper to buy, and cheaper to tax and cheaper to insure.
Far from 'perfect' and with loads of scope for improvement, IF I wanted to make more of it, and was prepared to chuck the money at it; working with what its got, and its strengths and weaknesses; the engine is not the place to do much. Bikes major advantage, then, and now, is that light weight chassis.... at 90Kg its still light, but with cast iron fork jokes, steel wheel rims, and loads and loads of lugs and bracketry on the frame, plenty of scope to reduce it even more.... biggest improvement on this bike would be found from fitting Alloy rimmed TY trials bike wheels for not just lower all up weight, but better unsprung weight. Taking that a bit further, using the TY's Magnesium brake plates.... maybe alloy fork jokes, alloy handlebars.... list goes on. All a question of how far do you take it, and how much money do you have to spend!
For use this bike's likely to get; THAT is a question for another day. IF when I get to it, wheels have to be rebuilt or replaced, maybe that might happen; but more importantly at the moment, JUST want to get the thing into a usable, ride-able state, and engine is last thing on the list to 'need' any significant attension!
MEANWHILE: progress!............ OK, well that’s THAT covered then!
No, it’s not come to a stand still, but I am rather ‘bogged down’. Progress since last update is TWO, yes TWO bolts removed!
They are being rather stubborn fukwitty little blighters, and I have three more to go! So, another ‘How2” to follow; Drilling Out!
Though to be fair, ONE bolt was the shock-absorber bottom pin, and its not actually a bolt, but a hardened steel pin. I found this out the hard way… and I don’t have pictures; not that I took many, because camera deceded to save them to memory, not card, and I cant find that elusive cable!
However, to give you an idea, after much bashing, I realised it wasn’t going to budge the conventional way, with hammer and drift. Shock rotated on it, though, so I could slide it a ‘tad’ sideways, and get a hacksaw in between the swing-arm boss and the shock….. Three new hacksaw blades and MUCH swearing later…. I had a slot…. So push it the other way, and WEAR OUT!, not snap, WEAR OUT four more hack-saw blades on the other side!
Angle Grinder, did I hear you say? Yes, not enough room to get in there with one of those; gap was barely 1mm wide!
So shock dropped out, bit of bashing got one section of the pin out of it, and that stacked to one side. Then I had to deal with the bits still stuck in the swing arm.
One side bashed HALF way out… but after a little more heavy duty Thor-type persuasion, it budged!
Other side was NOT so accommodating, and I tried drilling it… hardened steel, vs hardened steel… pin won, and some-what lighter of drill bits, I decided another tack was called for.
So I ground the head off with angry grinder and tried bashing it the opposite direction….
It budged half way, like the other side! I ended up grinding down the ‘bit’ of pin out of the other side to use as a drift, and lots more Thor type persuasion, it came out!
Snowie thought I did a very good job of ‘crazy-paving’ my slabbed patio, though!
So what do I have pictures of? Well, I bought a can of paint! Yellow, Plasticote….
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2206.jpg
Cleaned up a bit of the front mudguard, and did a paint test…. And no! Its HORRIBLE! Would make the think look like a Banana! SO… looks like I’m going to be hunting down some ‘expensive’ paint to get something that looks slightly less….. err… Lemon like!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 17:05 - 06 May 2013; edited 5 times in total |
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Teflon-Mike
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| Posted: 00:26 - 02 Sep 2011 Post subject: |
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Get’cher’coat!
OK, lack of updates does not indicate lack of progress; it is merely one of the many stages ‘projects’ go through where there is very little two write home about!
FOUR MORE screws have been removed! Two in the rear mudghrard stay, by drilling a 10.5mm hole through the bludy thing removing stud AND captive nit complete…. But they be GONE….. couple of big penny washers, be FINE I tell you!
Couple more sheared or stubborn screws were also similarly brutalised, and THAT meant, I had a bare frame, ready to go to the powder coaters.
And I have found the camera cable and the pic of the shock-absorber bottom mount, having come out in three bits!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2189.jpg
I have decided, after much deliberation, to go down the powder coating route; adds a BIG chunk to the project costs which are now almost double what I paid for the bike, and ALL I have to show for it is a big pile of scrap….BUT…. the bike’s a keeper, so going to be worth it.
So, frame
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2222.jpg
and swing arm,
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2223.jpg
the two main bits, while we are at it; what else could I chuck in the tub?
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2224.jpg
bash-plate, chain-guard stay; foot-pegs, brake pedal; side stand, looked like likely candidates.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2225.jpg
Well, headlamp shell and stays; handlebars; headstock & clamps; handlebar lever brackets; brake back-plates; brake arms, gear & clutch levers! Anything elce?
| Quote: | Frame - Chemical Strip, Shot-Blast, sand, powder-coat - £50
Swingarms, Yokes etc FROM £5
Petrol tank £20
Wheels FROM £30 |
I hate it when they say ‘FROM’…. £50 for the frame and HOW many bits they could charge a fiver a piece for?
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2226.jpg
Well, got a Super-Dream luggage rack, kicking about, and the headlamp shells of the CB750…. Horribly chitty Chinese Chrome, paint failed to smarten up for very long…
Well chuck it all in the box, and see if we can get a ‘deal’ price; always use the ;’extras’ as a haggle point & take them out again!
Three phone calls, over the space of two hours, to make sure they weren’t on Bank-Holiday Shut-Down for the week. Or anything… took it all to Digbeth, by the Bus Station, where the famouse fly-over no longer isn’t!
Chap looked in the boot of the Chavic, looked at me… I looked at him…. A telepathic haggling process occurred, him thinking “What’s the number in his head?” Me thinking trying very hard to instil the number 125 in his head….. it worked!
So we carried everything inside, emptied the box, and I came home, told to call him Monday to find out if its done….. He said that last time, and I called every day for a week, to find out it WASN’T done….. which is annoying, because it didn’t matter, but I had better things to do than spent two hours at a time, waiting for him top answer his sodding telephone! I reminded him of this, and told him… “It doesn’t matter; it’s not a rush job, just give me a day it WILL be done, so I’m not hanging on the phone the whole while….”
“Naw, T’ll be dUn, MunDee, prom-eece!” he said. In that really reassuring comic accent of a true Digbeth Brummie, living and working in the Diocese of St Martins, now fully renovated, for the rejuvenated ‘Bull-Ring’…. Complete with new, unfathomable one way system!
So! Back home… WHAT can I be getting on with? Well, been compiling a shopping list, but some bits need checking with the suppliers before I drop an order on them. So e-mails sent to Yambits & JTS, concerning fork-seals, brake shoes, and ignition parts amongst others.
Jobs list: What’s the ‘Plan’ look like?
| Quote: | Brakes, Steering, Suspension! As always, lets get the basics ‘sorted’. Lets be sure we can stop, before we go….
So, bolting seriouse head back on for a moment; the usual suspects vis mechanical integrity. Sort the brakes…. We now know NEED some fairly serious sorting, steering and the suspension….. THAT is a case of ‘whatever it takes’… we don’t stint on these bits. |
OK, well, wheels are off, brakes stripped. Back Plates are at the Powder Coaters, and order ‘pending’ for brake shoes, cable & lever; nothing more can be done with the brakes then, for a while.
STEERING; headstock also at powder coaters; bearings on the pending order list. Nothiong happening on that one either!
SUSPENSION; forks stripped; waiting on fork seals. Frame and swinger at powder coaters……
THIS isn’t looking very promicing so far…..
| Quote: | Engine It has one. It runs! That’s ’good enough’! So, no getting carried away; sort what we got, scrub, fettle and make as good as. When we get to it, IF it needs more, we’ll wait and see. For now. Exhaust can have a bit of paint; engine can have a bit of paint. Carb can be cleaned again, and if its LUCKY I’ll treat it to a new spark plug!
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Neither’s this; hadn’t ‘planned’ to do anything with it. Though discovered points ignition inside it, so put new points and condenser on the shopping list.
Well, could try and get the rotor off, see if my fly-wheel puller…… DOESN’T FIT….. answers that one! Add flywheel puller to shopping list!
| Quote: | Electrics & Equipment It has a lamp on the front, and another on the back, and there’s some wires poking out the magneto cover….. Hmmmm…… by Construction & Use regulations in force when first registered, doesn’t ACTUALLY need any lights or stuff…. COULD for the use I’m likely to give it, get it tested with no lights, under both granddad rights and exemptions for ‘machines adapted for off-road use’.
Nope. Think I need lights at least. Especially as its already starting to get darker earlier.
Snowie reckons I ‘ought’ to have indicators, and I’m sort of in agreement, but hey! Got to make from scratch whatever its going to have, so ‘we’ll see’! |
Hmmm… well, I got a heads up on a possible way to convert to 12v electrics on the Yam-Dirt forum….. uses the stock DT magneto, because it actually produces a lot more than 12v, and a Pit-Bike regulator-Rectifier to regulate it at 12v instead of 6v…. INTER-ES-TING!
Thought to give that one a go! So, found a pit bike reg/rect on e-bay. Also found some early type ‘round’ indicators; second hand, so gave them a punt too, and won auction for under a tenner. Which pleased me as pattern replacements are like £21 a pair!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2232.jpg
Snowie reckons they look a ‘bit big’, especially as the thing has a diddy ‘off-road’ tail light on it. I’m inclined to agree…… she Is after-all a woman!
However, tried buzzing out the tail lamp assembly, and it wasn’t looking hopeful; so that may yet not get re-fitted. I have a bunch of bits in the back of the Range-Rover though and think I have one or tow others I might be able to make use of.
My mind has been mulling, variouse notions, and one of them is, IF I can get the generator to charge a 12v battery, it will be a small one, AND warning from the bloke that has done it on later CDI ignition DT engine, is that although he hasn’t had to top-up charge the battery, at tick over revs, it wont be making enough volts to give any useful charge. So, thinking LED bulbs, like Snowie’s bike…… this budget is getting stretched again!
I have also been doodling wiring schematics…. WELL!.... What else can I do? Don’t have any bolts left to wave spanners at! Ah! PAINT!
| Quote: | Frame & Cosmetics Lots of deliberatiojn on this one. Idea of having frame powder coated as good ‘base’ for anything else I do was pondered very seriousely. In all though, while the frame would only cost £40 and the swing arm £25, how far do I go? Adding in the fork jokes, lifts that £10, then there‘s the brake lever, another £5, and the footrests, what about the fork sliders…. And so it goes on, and on and on. So hold the ‘phone! I have had my Montesa since 1985. It got sand-blasted that summer, and painted in Red Smoothrite… it has lasted over quarter of a century of competitive trials action, with ME riding, or more often falling off it, taking chunks out of the paintwork! It’s had the occasional clean down and another coat chucked over, and had some of the bigger scratches or patched touched up between times.
If the bike I have had a life time has survived without plastic coating, can I really juistify shelling out that kind of money, on a ‘pocket money toy’. Short answer NO! So, Black Smoothrite, a brush and a tin of thinners!
Which leads me to the tank and panels, which, scruffy, I could probably get away with, ‘as is’… but the paint is cracked and flaking off the mudguards, and there is a bit of rust round the seam of the tank…… and Snowie reckons it needs ‘painting’, so OK….. maybe just to smart it up….. but NOT going to town on it with five base coats and three colour coats, custom decals and laquer again!
Seen some nice Plasticote for £3.99 a can, in a sort of orangie yellow…. Maybe that will ‘do’, possibly some period ‘pre-DT’ decals.
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OK, well I bought that can of plasticote yellow…. It was horrible! Meanwhile notion of NOT powder coating has gone out the window in the face of the intricacy of the frame!
Well, that sorts THAT one, and leaves the ‘Pretty Bits’ to have a look at…..
AND… when the frame comes back, I’ll want to plow in and get it up as a ‘rolling chassis’ ASAP…… WHICH will require forks…. WHICH if I can sort this order out and get seals for, I COULD get built up before the frame comes back IF I get some paint, and get the sliders painted! I have a JOB to get on with!
So, back to the expensive paint, and a trip to Nuneaton Replacement Panels to be asked “STILL not got a compressor yet then?” before I even SUGGEST I want rattle cans!
“Nope; where’s your swatches; need a ‘yellow’” And I start parusing.
‘Yamaha Competition Yellow’ is not a ‘listed’ catalogue colour; has numerouse equivalents, BUT it’s actually pretty darn close to that Plasticote ‘Lemon’ yellow!
I wanted something a little ritcher, a bit more custard, or mustard, maybe… WHAT THE FUCK! I sound like a woman, choosing SHOES!
Curiousely Snowie, stood next to me was completely apapthetic; “Its Yellow! Was all she could offer. Hmmm yes, right! I’ll remember that next time she’s showing me Charlies Angels Jump Suits on e-bay and telling me its NOT pink, it’s Cerise!
Massey Furgason, ‘Internatioonal Yellow’….. looked a lot like JCB yellow, to me…. Actually put the two swatches side by side, and NO! I couldn’t tell the difference…. Bit too bright; bit to….. cement mixer…. I wanted something a tad more ‘orange’… couple of shades with French or Italian sounding names that probably just translate as ‘Yellow’ looked fairly promising, but ultimately plumped for….
Paint: Golden Yellow (7-330 Vol 2000T)
BUT, need something to put it on before I show you what it looks like! So lets get on with it!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2227.jpg
One pair of fork slider’s, previousely stripped and cleaned up; now lightly sanded and washed.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2228.jpg
Coat of white primer going on…. I do like these shots, against black night sky, using flash to catch the actual ‘mist’ of paint actually going on… only holding can with one hand and camera with other framing was rather out and without the aerosol can, it’s rather missing a vital element! No re-takes once the paint’s on though, unfortunately!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2230.jpg
Nibbed back, primer didn’t take out all the nicks and ripples in the slider, either old skuff marks or wire brush whirls… so quick dusting of Hi-Build…
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2231.jpg
Quick Nib, and another coat of white primer; leave over night, and its ready for colour coat…..
OH! The suspense!
I want to see that YELLOW!
Well…..
OK, I’ll get on with it!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2233.jpg
LITTLE bit more ‘orange’ than colour that was on it, and NOT ‘Kenny Roberts Yellow’, I think, rather a nice ritch yellow, that will be quite striking when done, without screaming…. But we’ll see!
What ELSE can I paint?
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 17:07 - 06 May 2013; edited 4 times in total |
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waffles
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Teflon-Mike
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Posted: 19:09 - 02 Sep 2011  Post subject: |
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| waffles wrote: | That paint is definitely more orangey than yellowy! Is it easy to source spares for these older bikes? |
Spares support is pretty good.
Air-Cooled DT12/75MX mono-shock seriel production ran from 1978, to 2004 in Japan to my knowledge. Model was dropped from UK catalogue in 1982, when they introduced the DT125LC, and learner laws rendered the 175 pretty much obsolete; but they were a third world favourite, and the Australians & Kiwis' it seems couldn't get enough of them.
I believe, that serial production continues in I THINK Thialand, under licence, and they possibly started making them there around the mid 90's... though there are some detail differences.
My bike, the authenticity & originality query asside is 'essentially' 1978 launch year model, 'first' of the mono-shock bikes. It has flat side panels, a round section swing arm, and points ignition.
1979, saw the bike get a contoured side panel, and a CDI ignition.
1980, saw the swing arm get changed to a box section one.
After that, the changes are purely cosmetic. The Thia bikes, I believe had DTF-LC seats, tank and plastic, and a 'dummy' radiator grill to make them look like a modern LC... but underneath they are mechanically same as an '80 model.
Flat side panels for a '78 model are, aparently like rocking horse poo... but other than that, everything elce seems FAIRLY readily available.
Second had auto-lube reservoirs sont come up very often, and are expensive when they do. I just lost an auction on one, that went to just over £30 which I thought was too much. Loads of bits second hand on e-bay, loads of bikes in boxes too. New parts coverage seems pretty good; full range of barrels and pistons in over bore sizes; rings, gaskets seals, bearings, even cranks and consods, new or used. Lots of stuff like switches and ignition barels, new from Thialand. Brake shoes, brake cables... all good.
Few things vex; new fork stansions hard to socurce; springs harder; unique De-Carbon monoshock, I CANNOT find a listing for new, or a pattern replacement.... but I dont actually need one.
Some of the stuff is very reasonably priced, like brake shoes at about a tenner a pair, and cables. New prices I SUPPOSE aren't too bad for most stuff; steering bearings £25 swing arm overhaul kit £30, switch assembly £35, complete LOOM only £45....
But some daftly priced stuff out there; NOS Speedo £180! for example.
Its certainly one of the better supported old bikes out there; but then the Yam dirt bikes are very popular in classic competition. TY Trials is hugely popular, and shares quite a lot of parts.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 17:12 - 06 May 2013; edited 5 times in total |
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stevo as b4
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| Posted: 23:01 - 02 Sep 2011 Post subject: |
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yeah the DT175 is a great early mono shock trail bike and in it's day, lightly modded ones were very useful and competative in clubman enduro class's, and for semi serious off road competition.
The motor is the same basic engine as the TY175 of which i had one year's ago, and i have to say it's one of the best and nicest sounding 2stroke singles i've ever used and it's built tough and reliable with a decent clutch, fairly heavy crank and flywheel, and built to take a good hammering and last very well. The TY engine has a differnt carb, exhaust and a lower compression different head, but it too was a points ignition and that was it's biggest fault and problem for use up to its tank in dirty muddy water. Mike try and get an electronic ignition conversion kit for it, as it will improve performance noticeably and make it much more reliable and easy to start even when it's had a good soaking or been jet washed after a dirty mornings work.
I agree that they don't need much tuning to be a fun bike, and tbh if staying with the std wheels, suspension, and drum brakes front and rear, then a decent std motor would be more than pokey!
If you wanted to build a snappier one or maybe even a retro motard out of one with decent brakes and suspension, then yeah it could happily then use a few extra bhp. You used to be able to get radial finned gold magnesium heads for them, and DG and other's did aftermarket performance pipes too. It probably change the reeds and put on a Mikuni flatslide carb, and that would be all you'd need to wake one up quite alot IMO!
I've heard it said a few times, that the KMX200 and MTX200 were the bikes that eventually took over the do everything quite well role of the DT175MX, and i belive that the fact that these bikes work well both on and off road, owe quite a bit to the DT175MX which was where the true dual purpose lightweight trail come road, come enduro bike originated. |
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Teflon-Mike
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| Posted: 02:16 - 06 Sep 2011 Post subject: |
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| Teflon-Mike wrote: | So we carried everything inside, emptied the box, and I came home, told to call him Monday to find out if its done….. He said that last time, and I called every day for a week, to find out it WASN’T done….. which is annoying, because it didn’t matter, but I had better things to do than spent two hours at a time, waiting for him top answer his sodding telephone! I reminded him of this, and told him… “It doesn’t matter; it’s not a rush job, just give me a day it WILL be done, so I’m not hanging on the phone the whole while….”
“Naw, T’ll be dUn, MunDee, prom-eece!” he said. In that really reassuring comic accent of a true Digbeth Brummie, living and working in the Diocese of St Martins, now fully renovated, for the rejuvenated ‘Bull-Ring’…. Complete with new, unfathomable one way system |
Right when was that? Last week some-time; been to bed since then! BUT it’s Monday… So I called him…..
“Mi Bits done?” I asked…..
“Beetz? Owright, Oyl, jus gow-a-ask-eem!”……. “Wull, y’BEETZ|’ur dun… bu’y’frame, nid-a’nuva’co-Wt’in!”
So, I got to call him Wednesday, now…..So WHAT’s been painted?
NOT A LOT!
You have seen the fork sliders; well they have had another coat. Other than that, I have painted the front mudguard. THAT is as much painting as has been achieved!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2206.jpg
Remember, I had part stripped the front mudguard to ‘just try’ that horrible yellow plasticote…. So back to work, taking that, and the rest of the old paint off got me here:
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2234.jpg
Nicely shaved and sanded, back to bare plastic.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2236.jpghttps://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2240.jpg
But at some point, some-one had drilled holes in either end, for mud-flaps or something….. so I cracked out the plastic welding ‘bit’ for the soldering iron, grabbed a cable tie snipping, and filled them!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2242.jpghttps://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2243.jpg
After filing and sanding, it got a coat of clear plastic primer, to ensure good paint adherence, then a quick coat of primer, and then some high-build to help smooth it out.
A Wasp conveniently landed on it to demonstrate the effectiveness of the yellow and black paint scheme…..
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2245.jpghttps://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2246.jpg
Hi-build nibbed back smooth, then given a topper of white primer as base for the yellow.
Could probably do with a second coat, BUT, more pressing things to worry about… I started to repeat the process for the rear mudguard!
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2237.jpghttps://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2241.jpg
NOW, you MAY just notice that this mudguard, has more holes than a swiss cheese! After stripping it, I pondered; and with all the added holes drilled in it over the years, presumeably to mount different, or alternatively position aftermarket tail-lamps, it would be slightly more effective as a colander, than something to stop mud flying every where!
So, I had GENIUS Idea to do like the front mudguard, and fill all the holes up, bar the mounting holes, then after painting I could, drill to suit whatever lamp I chose to fit, and where I preffered to fit it… This was a VERY bad idea….. on a bit of plastic more HOLE than plastic, I wound up with a lot of very molten plastic! Bludy thing sagged in the middle and twisted all out of shape! NOT HAPPY…..
So I set about starting to clean the engine up for painting…..
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2247.jpg
See I have started taking the rubber blocks out from between the cooling fins. Managed to get all but TWO out without snapping the links between them, too! But then I ran out of oven cleaner…So I gave up for a bit and considered Decals….
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/mok2up.jpg
This is merely a mock-up; the colour taken from the photo of the painted fork legs, and the computer has made it a LOT more orange than it really is…. Tinted over a stock shot of some-one elces renovated DT125MX.
It LOOKS like I will have top get Corf on the case and get some ‘Custom’ Vynal cut for the bike. This is, to all extents and purposes a 1978 DT-MX, in Yellow. The ’78 model year is a cross-over model, made for just ONE year; apparently there are more detail differences than I had thought; the round section swing arm, the points ignition and flat side panels. Aparently the indicators ought also to be round; later ones were square; luckily ones I won on e-bay are correct! And the air-filter and two stroke reservoir (I don’t actually have!) are on opposite sides!
Anyway; ’78 model year is one of the rarest of the breed, and more yellow, OF COURSE one of the least common colours. Black, White, Red, all had a similar tank decal, which IS still available, but first ‘square’ in the panel is blocked in in red…. Which doesn’t look right on a yellow bike…. I have seen pictures, because THAT is the only ’78 Decal you can get!
Looking around, variouse decal schemes exist, and the ‘Kenny Robberts’ block stripe is readily available, and was used on numerouse years of YZ motocross bike, and TY Trials, as well as earlier Twin-Shock Enduro models. Later ‘Euro’ Decals for all ‘standard’ colours of later bike, white, red, blue & black; also readily available… you can even get full ‘Restorers’ Decal packs complete with the E lable for the headstock and the De-Carbon Shock Absorber warning & info sticker!
Yellow ’78 model… nada! And the side panels were BORING….. just said ENDURO on them, and either 125 orf 175 depending on cylinder displacement!
So, playing with it, seeing if I can come up with a variation on the theme that still looks ‘factory’ and ‘period’.
So, today, between attempts at calling the powder coater, I had a final attempt at that rear mudguard. I had researched replacements, and there is ONE used example on e-bay currently bidding at over £35 + postage. Pondering tail lights, though I can get an Acerbis ‘Enduro’ mudguard with integral tail lamp for £30, so that looks more likely….. however, giving it a go with the plastic welding…..
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2251.jpg
Chopping out the ever more messy molten mass from the middle of the end… I spliced in a square of similar plastic cut from a big plastic emulsion bucket! Lots of heating and blending, bending and cracking, re-melting, reforming, stretching later, I have SOMETHING resembling a mudguard again, WHICH bit more work, should look half reasonable…. Luckily if I use aftermarket tail lamp and rubber number-plate flap, should ‘hide’ most of the repair! Should have just left the bludy holes! But hey-ho…..
Dunked a load of black-plastic bits in the bath, while Snowie was out, with scolding hot water and biological washing powder. Does a great job of decreasing. Chain guard needed a bit of encouragement with a scourer though. Cam up quite nice with a bit of back to black, after.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2253.jpg
Seat came up quite good too, though there are a couple of holes worn through near the rim; but too good to NEED recovering just yet.
https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/030_035_Yamaha_DT/imag2252.jpg
So, there you are; THAT is a week-ends worth of progress! Not much to show for it, all told, really, is there?
Still waiting on a reply from part suppliers; if no word by the time the frame is back, have to chase them. Need swing arm bearings, headrace bearings, fork seals and brake shoes to get this thing back up on its wheels. THOSE bits are pretty much on the critical path. Once they are fitted up and it’s a roller, I can muck about with all the bracketry to my hearts content, all I’ll likely need is new nuts and bolts here and there, for a bit.
| stevo as b4 wrote: | Mike try and get an electronic ignition conversion kit for it, as it will improve performance noticeably and make it much more reliable and easy to start even when it's had a good soaking or been jet washed after a dirty mornings work. |
THE must have item for seriouse Classi-Trials action on a TY is a ‘Barwell’ Ignition, along with full suite of ‘Majesty’ mods…. I know the chaps that conceived the Majesty, and Barwell is just up the road from me….. BUT… bit ritch for my blood! DID discuss having a custom Barwell ignition made up for the Motoplat in the old Montesa Cota a few years back, ITS ignition is notoriouse! BUT lived with it’s points, cantankerouse condensers and ‘soft’ woodruff key for twenty years, and stuck it in the THICK of competitive trials without seriouse mishap… for what I intend doing with this bike, I don’t think, with a little ‘prep’ ought to pose a big problem…. Could use ‘stock’ CDi from later model bike; that would be the cheap and sensible option, BUT?!?! It’s a ‘rare’ model (though a mongeral) and them points was one of the defining features…. Chuck them and the slab side panels away, would rather ruin it, a bit, I think…. BUT it’s a rider, not a show-bike, so we’ll see!
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'
Last edited by Teflon-Mike on 17:13 - 06 May 2013; edited 5 times in total |
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