Posts
793
Joined
2/8/2012
Location
Mira Loma, CA
US
Edited Date/Time
3/27/2018 5:36am
Just about wrapped up on my YZ50 I'm refreshing, and starting my next project this weekend- 1978 YZ400. I'm currently chasing down parts, and need some input from the experienced vintage guys on here as I have no experience with a moto bike from this era, so here goes:
Levers- I want to run quality lever assemblies, I prefer the WC ones on my modern bike. They don't make a matching one for the brake side. What do most guys do? Just run a clutch assembly upside down? Motion Pro universal? Magura?
Brakes- What's generally considered the best performing set of brake shoes? Stock is actually still available per the online parts sources. Also, is arcing worth the money and effort?
Bars- Every back in the day photo I see of '78 YZ's has gigantic bars on it. I know most guys run the Renthal "Vintage/desert" bar, but will these be tall enough for this application? It says on their site they have 2 other vintage bends- what do you all recommend?
Plastic- I've bought a couple products from DC now(God bless them for what they do), But I'm looking for stuff closer to the injection molded OE stuff. Does the fenders and such offered by XtremeYZ look like original products, or is it vacuum formed like DC?
Lastly- what's the best source for a seat cover and foam. There are a few options out there but I don't want to take a guess, who has the best quality?
Thanks!!!!
Levers- I want to run quality lever assemblies, I prefer the WC ones on my modern bike. They don't make a matching one for the brake side. What do most guys do? Just run a clutch assembly upside down? Motion Pro universal? Magura?
Brakes- What's generally considered the best performing set of brake shoes? Stock is actually still available per the online parts sources. Also, is arcing worth the money and effort?
Bars- Every back in the day photo I see of '78 YZ's has gigantic bars on it. I know most guys run the Renthal "Vintage/desert" bar, but will these be tall enough for this application? It says on their site they have 2 other vintage bends- what do you all recommend?
Plastic- I've bought a couple products from DC now(God bless them for what they do), But I'm looking for stuff closer to the injection molded OE stuff. Does the fenders and such offered by XtremeYZ look like original products, or is it vacuum formed like DC?
Lastly- what's the best source for a seat cover and foam. There are a few options out there but I don't want to take a guess, who has the best quality?
Thanks!!!!
RMZ 450 pegs. I had stock RMZ pegs laying around and they bolted right on the YZ. I had to drill a hole on the right side for the spring. There are other options and special made ones available...but I was trying to set the bike up cheap with parts I had laying around.
I got an 81 YZ 250 top triple clamp on eBay for about 20 bucks. The bar mounting position is more on top of the clamp. I used Pro Taper universal mounts (that will move the bars up 1/2") and then I use the normal Renthal TwinWall bars.This gets them up high enough and feels more modern to me.
I found that the stock YZ brakes are some of the best vintage brakes I've rode with. As long as you've got material on your shoes, stock or EBC will be fine. Some guys spend money on brake work that they don't need....it's your call.
I have seen guys using fancy expensive modern clutch levers upside down for the front brake. I use a cheap motion pro universal perch and lever.
I have oem sidepanels and use a universal UFO vintage front fender and number plate. There's a company in Thailand that sells oem replica seat covers cheap on eBay. Ive got two for vintage YZ projects (for the 79 and an 87) and they have been perfect...every stitch and the lettering has been spot on.
I got seat foams and covers from them at the time as well.
Brakes - Yamaha for dry days and EBC grooved for wet days. Don't spend the money on arcing. Rough up the drum with a sanding drum on a cordless drill. Tape some course Grit sand paper to the ID and using light pressure on the brake arm spin the brake plate in the drum. When you see the brake pad show its fully scored you've now got a full contact patch.
Seat covers and foam I get from the company in the UK. Reasonable price and good quality.
For bars I run kids bars or ATV bars as they are tall and narrow. Controls are the msr universal clutch levers with quick adjusters, just flip the lever over for the brake side.
Plastic I've seen 80-83 yellow OEM YZ plastic on eBay for sub $100 for front and rear fenders. Side panels are the hardest to find so I'll run DC for racing.
Good luck and great bike!
All brakes suck, EBC works ok, arch them yourself with some sticky back roll paper applied to the drum, put wheel on and turn applying pressure and viola, arched shoes. keep them de glazed, lubed and adjusted, be as good as they can be...
Bars, look at Renthal adult CRF 150 bars, pretty good for vintage
Plastic, UFO vintage stuff is generic but modern quality so unless your looking for resto accuracy check it out
Wonder if ceet or guts has a foams, if not DC probably has something
The Shop
Ive always liked oem Honda levers and perches. Being forged they bend back after a crash and the perches seem stronger to me.
Someone should make a billet front brake perch and lever for vintage bikes
I could never get far enough forward on the bike to get it to turn decent. I'm on a 76 RM now and even though it has a similar layout, I can get it to turn without "injuring" myself haha.
Brian
When I brought it home, the rivets were all loose that held the cradle together. Right hand frame tube that runs up to the seat area was broken just above the side panel screw hole. Pipe was cracked in about three places.
I feel that one missing bolt in the cradle allowed the start of a bit of vibration induced self destruction of the frame / pipe. He was not too happy, but it was his call that said it was OK to ride.
Make sure the cradle has good integrity, as Mark Swart mentioned earlier.
And those E model 250 / 400's don't like to turn worth a crap, as mentioned above. The F's were a big improvement in the cornering department.
Actually a fairly clean bike overall. I'm deep into the disassembly now, and the first thing I checked was the rear cradle/swingarm pivot like many have suggested. Thankfully it all looks mint. Only problem is the swing arm pivot won't come out. I've soaked it in WD-40, heated the center collar, and the thing won't budge. The pivot will rotate inside all the other components, but won't back out even half a MM. Am I missing something? Any ideas?
Good luck!
, could you push a threaded rod through the center of the pivot, then nut it with a socket that fits over the head of the pivot bolt. Then on the threaded side of the pivot use a big washer and a nut or better yet a coupling nut to tighten and push the pivot through. This way with no pounding you can save the pivot bolt. Am I being to scattered to make sense? I like the idea of a coupling because it has more threads to grab on to. A threaded rod that small will be soft and may possibly strip the threads if you use a nut.
Or you could use RickBMacs tire iron that he used to pry his RMs cylinder off with to beat the eff out of the end of the pivot till its mushroomed over then you can cut it out with a saw zall
Just my opinion
Pit Row
Frame is powder coated black.
All bearing and races replaced.
Swingarm is stripped and clear coated.
Tank I bought on eBay and restored. Graphics is the DIY set from EVO-MX.
New rear fender from XYZ.
New Tony D front fender for Petty.
Seat cover from EVO-MX.
Foam, front plate, and fork guards from DC.
Side plates are the originals I resorted. My backgrounds are on order.
Anyone know a good source for fork boots?
Pitched the stock lower rubber shock bushing.(really Yamaha?)Pressed in a new sealed spherical bearing. I had to machine all the bushings and spacers. Only did the lower because it sees all the rotational movement.
I upgraded the resi line from -4 to -5 (luckily I have a race car plumbing specialty outfit near buy who has 1/8 pipe to -5 fittings) and hard anodized the original White Bros remote resi. All new seals and o rings of course.
For anyone else wanting to upgrade rear shock, I use an adjustable remote reservoir from a mid-80's CR250 mounted to the swingarm, along with braided brake line and fittings from race car supply store. Dual Spring setup too.
Post a reply to: The next project '78 YZ400, making progress!