My 1990 KTM 125 project

wpark89
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wpark89 6/5/2015 5:33am
6/5/2015 5:33am
The Tecnosel cover came from Mastercross in Italy. In fact I started to build this bike only because I found the seat cover online.

For the graphics...I ordered the kit from Evo-MX for 1990 KTM 250. I asked them to change the "250" logo to "125."
The radiator shrouds for 91-92 KTM 125 are the same as 1990-1992 250 but the tank is a different. I had to trim the 250 tank pieces on the bottom myself.

All plastic is from UFO.

I used UFO foot pegs from Yamaha.

Maybe you know who made this pipe on Chiodi's bike? I know Messico has a pipe for this model KTM 125...but it's very expensive.


Bonobo
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Bonobo 6/5/2015 6:24am
6/5/2015 6:24am
wpark89 wrote:
The Tecnosel cover came from Mastercross in Italy. In fact I started to build this bike only because I found the seat cover online. For the...
The Tecnosel cover came from Mastercross in Italy. In fact I started to build this bike only because I found the seat cover online.

For the graphics...I ordered the kit from Evo-MX for 1990 KTM 250. I asked them to change the "250" logo to "125."
The radiator shrouds for 91-92 KTM 125 are the same as 1990-1992 250 but the tank is a different. I had to trim the 250 tank pieces on the bottom myself.

All plastic is from UFO.

I used UFO foot pegs from Yamaha.

Maybe you know who made this pipe on Chiodi's bike? I know Messico has a pipe for this model KTM 125...but it's very expensive.


I confirm the pipe of that bike was made by Messico
Bonobo
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Bonobo 6/8/2015 1:33am
6/8/2015 1:33am
Ok, this is mine, now I need full of advices to make it run, piston seized…
Is the cylinder chromed?


wpark89
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wpark89 6/8/2015 5:19am
6/8/2015 5:19am
Good start.

The cylinder is chromed. It's a very good Mahle coating from Germany (I was told)

I'm using a vertex piston. It's much cheaper than the ktm piston and should be easy to find in Italy.

I replaced the dellorto carb with a mikuni from my 2008 Husqvarna CR 125.

It looks like your bike has 93-95 front fender and # plate.

Buon fortuna!

The Shop

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cwoods
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cwoods 7/31/2016 9:01am
7/31/2016 9:01am
wpark89 wrote:
Just wanted to share a shot of my '90 KTM 125 project. I'm calling it a 90...but most of the parts are a few years newer...
Just wanted to share a shot of my '90 KTM 125 project. I'm calling it a 90...but most of the parts are a few years newer. This was my favorite KTM color scheme, I always thought the 90's were super clean and good looking. The production 90 125 used the older 87-89 plastic but the factory GP bikes used the 91-92 layout like Mike Healey's below.

After just a few months I was able to track down all the parts I needed and got mine put together last weekend..pretty happy with how it turned out.




I just looked over this forum for the first time and came across this post. Beautiful bike! I totally agree this color scheme on the 90's is my favorite by far over the minty greens and purples that followed over the next couple of years. They look so crisp and eye apealing, you have done a fantastic job for sure.Cool
cwoods
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cwoods 7/31/2016 9:07am
7/31/2016 9:07am
I am a little partial I have to admit. I have the 540 but would love to also restore a 500, 250 and 125 of the same year to go with it. I'll keep on the search for those other bikes, living in Alaska makes it difficult to find one locally unfortunately.

wpark89
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wpark89 7/31/2016 1:05pm
7/31/2016 1:05pm
Thanks. I'd love to find a 500 mx. They have one hanging in the shop at Motosport in Hillsboro.

I took the 125 out to the track last month for a few practice motos. There were a few newer ktm and yz 125's out there...I was told my bike sounded better and ran so fast people didn't notice it was 25 years old.

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wpark89
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wpark89 9/15/2017 4:39pm
9/15/2017 4:39pm
@ 2:30 in this video from the Washougal 125 Dream Race there are some clips of my bike. The old katoom ran great and I got lots of compliments on it and how it sounded as good as a new 125!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z10_qeMwahw
Moto Mofo
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Moto Mofo 9/15/2017 5:27pm
9/15/2017 5:27pm Edited Date/Time 9/15/2017 6:04pm
wpark89 wrote:
@ 2:30 in this video from the Washougal 125 Dream Race there are some clips of my bike. The old katoom ran great and I got...
@ 2:30 in this video from the Washougal 125 Dream Race there are some clips of my bike. The old katoom ran great and I got lots of compliments on it and how it sounded as good as a new 125!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z10_qeMwahw
I recognized your bike in the video from seeing it on here... I love that thing!!

The Messico FB page also posted some pics of it.
markie mark
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markie mark 9/23/2017 7:57am
9/23/2017 7:57am
wpark89 wrote:
Good start. The cylinder is chromed. It's a very good Mahle coating from Germany (I was told) I'm using a vertex piston. It's much cheaper than...
Good start.

The cylinder is chromed. It's a very good Mahle coating from Germany (I was told)

I'm using a vertex piston. It's much cheaper than the ktm piston and should be easy to find in Italy.

I replaced the dellorto carb with a mikuni from my 2008 Husqvarna CR 125.

It looks like your bike has 93-95 front fender and # plate.

Buon fortuna!
Wow you made that look so fresh, beautiful bike. I'm actually looking at picking up a 1992 125 EXC myself to tinker with and restore. Were the parts difficult to find? Also I was thinking a new carb set up and came across your post, did the 08 Mikuni fit plug and play?
wpark89
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wpark89 9/23/2017 8:40am
9/23/2017 8:40am Edited Date/Time 9/23/2017 8:40am
Yes...the carb fits perfect. You could use anything...it's just a mm bigger than the stock 37 Dellorto. I swapped it just because I had one and Dellorto jets can be harder to find. But I think the Italian carb can work really well too. I've got an extra nos one, and I'm jetting a stock one now on my 88 Cagiva 125.

Parts were no problem at all for the KTM. I got a new oem piston on eBay for 45 bucks a few months ago. Any questions just ask.
wpark89
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wpark89 9/23/2017 8:52am
9/23/2017 8:52am
The only thing with a new keihin or mikuni....everything is on the opposite side on the pre 98 KTMs 125s, so it's kind of a pain to reach in and use the choke or adjust the air screw, (because the stuffs on the left side of carb but intake is on right side) but it's totally do able.
Rocky739
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Rocky739 9/26/2017 1:00pm
9/26/2017 1:00pm
My first "real" race bike was a 90 KTM 125. Still one of the prettiest model years for any brand...
Amazing to see yours, nice work as always!
Jontymac1 10/11/2017 11:06pm
10/11/2017 11:06pm
wpark89 wrote:
The Tecnosel cover came from Mastercross in Italy. In fact I started to build this bike only because I found the seat cover online. For the...
The Tecnosel cover came from Mastercross in Italy. In fact I started to build this bike only because I found the seat cover online.

For the graphics...I ordered the kit from Evo-MX for 1990 KTM 250. I asked them to change the "250" logo to "125."
The radiator shrouds for 91-92 KTM 125 are the same as 1990-1992 250 but the tank is a different. I had to trim the 250 tank pieces on the bottom myself.

All plastic is from UFO.

I used UFO foot pegs from Yamaha.

Maybe you know who made this pipe on Chiodi's bike? I know Messico has a pipe for this model KTM 125...but it's very expensive.


Bonobo wrote:
I confirm the pipe of that bike was made by Messico
Beautiful KTM build!

On the thread you say you use YZ foot pegs, would that be any particular year ?
wpark89
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wpark89 10/12/2017 8:39am
10/12/2017 8:39am
yes...the pegs were listed as 00-12 Yamaha YZ/YZF. I had to file just a little on them.

Pit Row

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Zorik
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Zorik 12/14/2017 9:56am
12/14/2017 9:56am
What pipe do you use?
wpark89
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wpark89 12/14/2017 10:01am
12/14/2017 10:01am
Zorik wrote:
What pipe do you use?
Messico Racing pipe from Italy
Zorik
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Zorik 12/14/2017 10:57am
12/14/2017 10:57am
But is it rewelded or likely oldstock?
Phildo
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Phildo 1/4/2018 3:32am
1/4/2018 3:32am
I saw a 1989 KTM125MX in pieces advertised on Facebook the other day for $100 so grabbed it immediately. Heck, at that price it was a matter of buy it now, and figure out later what to do with it.

My original intention was to use some parts on a 1991 KTM540e/xc that I have here. KTM Australia imported a handful of 540s in the e/xc configuration in the early 1990s.

But, I’m starting to think that I’ll have to restore it some day instead. That will probably be at least a few years away.

When I got the bike home I checked the frame number, which confirmed that it’s actually a 1990 bike. That also explains the 1990 graphics on the seat.

I love the 1990 and 1991 KTMs. I bought a 1990 KTM250e/xc in 1991 and a KTM540e/xc in 2000. Both haven’t run in years, and are currently in very poor condition.

Someday, somehow, I’ll get all three restored and keep them forever.

I’ve also got all of the Australian and US bike magazines from that time (Dirt Bike, Motocross Action, Dirt Rider, Australiasian Dirt Bike and Trail & Track). They’re all packed away in crates, so when the time comes to restoring these bikes those magazines will come in handy (ie seeing what modifications were done at the time, and what changes were made by KTM in subsequent years).

Trampas Parker won the 1989 125cc World MX Championship. Donny Schmit won the 125 championship in 1990 on a Suzuki, with Bobby Moore coming in second on a KTM.

http://racerxonline.com/2006/06/23/where-are-they-now-trampas-parker

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motocross_World_Championship

















The 1990 KTM250e/xc:





The 1991 KTM540e/xc:




wpark89
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wpark89 1/4/2018 10:10am
1/4/2018 10:10am
Get to work guys...more 90s KTM need saved!!
keny@72
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keny@72 1/18/2018 1:36am
1/18/2018 1:36am
I really like the look of 1987 to 1990 KTM 125´s, the red white -89-90 the most.
Had e 1988 enduro version back in time, really liked it!
Paul333
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Paul333 12/8/2018 9:10am
12/8/2018 9:10am
Such a great thread I thought it was time to push it back up. I am very interested in starting a 1990 KTM MX250 restoration. So far I have not found any for sale. Did they import enough to find one?
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Mixon848
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Mixon848 12/8/2018 12:40pm
12/8/2018 12:40pm
Paul333 wrote:
Such a great thread I thought it was time to push it back up. I am very interested in starting a 1990 KTM MX250 restoration. So...
Such a great thread I thought it was time to push it back up. I am very interested in starting a 1990 KTM MX250 restoration. So far I have not found any for sale. Did they import enough to find one?
I would like a 1990 KTM250 (the first year with Broc Glovers input added). They are out there. There was one on the San Francisco Bay Area Craigslist a few months back at an affordable price. But as a single father I just couldn't pull the trigger.
wpark89
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wpark89 12/8/2018 12:40pm
12/8/2018 12:40pm
Thanks Paul,

They are out there. I see them pop up occasionally around the country. To me the 90 is beautiful, but also if you are looking for a bike to ride, I would also look for a 91 or 92 that you could build in 90 colors. The 90 was a totally new bike and I think it got more refined and more reliable each year.
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