Vintage 1980 Yamaha YZ125G

YZ_John
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YZ_John
Edited Date/Time 8/3/2013 7:15pm
After three years I have finally completed my restoration and thought I would share some pics.

I also built a web site detailing the steps from roach to racer.

[url:170e2]http://home.hvc.rr.com/projectyz/index.html[/url:170e2]

[img:170e2]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/YZ_John/aa04ad38.jpg[/img:170e2]

[img:170e2]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/YZ_John/12b741d8.jpg[/img:170e2]

[img:170e2]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/YZ_John/IMG_1315.jpg[/img:170e2]

Thanks for checking it out!
John
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justpinit
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justpinit 7/26/2006 1:55pm
7/26/2006 1:55pm
Took a look at your site, great job all around. My question is: Do you still have the black & yellow Scott boots you're wearing while sitting on your then-new '81 YZ?? I forgot they had even made a different color than red & blue. Very rare. That would be awesome if you still had them.
YZ_John
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YZ_John 7/26/2006 2:10pm
7/26/2006 2:10pm
Man oh man do I wish I still had those babies, but they were sold way back then.

I did see a pair on E-bay a few years ago and they did not go for as much money as I thought they would.

I looked around your site a little bit, how many months of the year can you actually ride? That snow was deep!

Thanks!
John
justpinit
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justpinit 7/26/2006 2:42pm
7/26/2006 2:42pm
Most of the real hardcore sled guys will put in a solid 7-8 months (Nov-Jun) around here. Our riding areas are in the mountains at a way higher elevation than where we live. For about $400.00 Canadian per day, you could go to Whistler Heli-Sledding and they'll drop you off on a glacier 12 months of the year. I've never gone sleddin' in August, maybe when I'm fabulously rich, I'll give it a try.
For now, summer is for Motocross!! We can ride bikes from late Feb. to mid Nov., so we really have the best of both worlds here. I've gone sledding, water-skiing and put a few laps in on my practice track, all on the same weekend!!


Too bad you sold the old Scott boots, those were cool!!
MaxPower
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MaxPower 7/27/2006 1:53am
7/27/2006 1:53am
[color=green:e4520]you did well John[/color:e4520]

The Shop

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yzvet
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yzvet 7/27/2006 9:14am
7/27/2006 9:14am
i'M CRYING, That thing is beautiful. someting baout the bikes back than. You did a great job ob here.
YZ_John
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YZ_John 7/27/2006 9:20am
7/27/2006 9:20am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
Thanks guys! I did my best.

But now my friends are trying to talk me out of riding it!

What do you think?

Should I keep it as a "garage queen" or ride it and race it?

John
justpinit
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justpinit 7/27/2006 10:13am
7/27/2006 10:13am
You should start ANOTHER 1980 YZ125G project, this time an all original, authentic, restoration. Don't ride that one. HaHaHa.
The one you DID restore is too cool to leave in the garage. That thing has so many mods and cool parts it's almost like an old works bike. It would be a shame to keep it to yourself. Vintage racing is popular because guys like you keep these old bikes in the moto-public eye. If it was in the pits at a race, I know I'd probably come over and take a few pics.

Just my opinion...very tough decision after that much time put into it!!

...and it's soooo clean!!
YZ_John
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YZ_John 7/27/2006 11:21am
7/27/2006 11:21am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
Justpinit

One project was more than enough for me! LOL

I still plan to race the bike, it's just that some of my friends have been trying to talk me out of it. The bike was built to race so that's what I'm going to do.

Since you mentioned that you would take a few photos if you saw the bike at a race I have uploaded some photos to Photo Bucket. Check them out if you like.

[url:a4fd1]http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/YZ_John/Project%20YZ/[/url:a4fd1]

John
justpinit
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justpinit 7/27/2006 11:33am
7/27/2006 11:33am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
Thanks for the link. I just made this one my desktop wallpaper. I love handmade pipes. Who made that pipe, by the way. Looks like a Dyno-Port, they made tons of cool cone pipes like that back in the day..

[img:d90f2]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/YZ_John/Project%20YZ/IMG_1349.jp…]

Post some pics when ya get it dirty!!
YZ_John
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YZ_John 7/27/2006 11:41am
7/27/2006 11:41am
Yup it's a 1982 YZ490 front end with triples and double leading shoe front brake. A scotch brite pad, some metal polish, some sweat and you have nice forks!

The pipe was purchased from Vintage Iron in California. Not sure who made it but it was built after I ordered it. So somewhere someone has plans on how to build pipes for a whole bunch of vintage bikes. It cost only $269.00! I love the look!

Thanks for using the pic as your wallpaper! That's cool!

John
ThePipe
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ThePipe 7/27/2006 4:32pm
7/27/2006 4:32pm
Nice Job on the bike and site

If it were me... I wouldn't ride it
engine32
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engine32 7/27/2006 8:09pm
7/27/2006 8:09pm
Nice bike. i had one that I sold last year to my brother in law in Dallas. He sold it to a friend who traded it for an old Ford Bronco. I wish I had it back. It was a roach, but it still ran good.
CamP
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CamP 7/27/2006 8:50pm
7/27/2006 8:50pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
[quote="justpinit":4e9ad]Took a look at your site, great job all around. My question is: Do you still have the black & yellow Scott boots you're wearing while sitting on your then-new '81 YZ?? I forgot they had even made a different color than red & blue. Very rare. That would be awesome if you still had them.[/quote:4e9ad]

Ah yes, yellow and black Scott's. Mine are long gone as are my red an blue pair. I wish I still had the boots and the bike.

PS. The YZ looks great!

[img:4e9ad]http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i60/clpotter/mosier81.jpg[/img:4e9ad]
MaxPower
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MaxPower 7/28/2006 1:31am
7/28/2006 1:31am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
[quote="ThePipe":aa8aa]Nice Job on the bike and site

If it were me... I wouldn't ride it[/quote:aa8aa]

[color=green:aa8aa]dont listen to Lee, he loves his bikes too much

If it were me... I would ride it till the footpegs sagged

do you really want your kids selling it on ebay and fighting over the money when you are dead?

[/color:aa8aa]
YZ_John
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YZ_John 7/28/2006 3:39am
7/28/2006 3:39am
[quote:40b6c]ThePipe wrote:

Nice Job on the bike and site

If it were me... I wouldn't ride it[/quote:40b6c]

Thanks for the compliment on the bike Lee! It means a lot coming from someone that does such awesome restorations. I have a link to your site on my links page.

[quote:40b6c]CamP wrote:

Ah yes, yellow and black Scott's. Mine are long gone as are my red an blue pair. I wish I still had the boots and the bike.[/quote:40b6c]

I'm with you on that I wish I still had both pairs and the bike too! Nice vintage photo, those boots look so cool.

[quote:40b6c]MaxPower wrote:

If it were me... I would ride it till the footpegs sagged

do you really want your kids selling it on ebay and fighting over the money when you are dead?
[/quote:40b6c]

Hey Maxpower I like the way you think. Since I have a little girl I'm sure she would not want the bike. The problem is that after I'm gone it could be taken out to the trash! LOL

I'll ride it, just not that much.

Thanks!
Chrissi 613
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Chrissi 613 7/28/2006 1:17pm
7/28/2006 1:17pm
Hey John...
Great job on the bike! It looks perfect! I see you're from my area (hvc.rr.com).

If you ever need anything for that bike, I might have some stuff laying around the parts dept. for it!

Let me know
Take Care
Chrissi

Pit Row

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suzukrider907 7/29/2006 7:33am
7/29/2006 7:33am
you did a nice job. i got a 1979 kx 125 i'm tryin to restore or sell also. the yz looks great!
YZ_John
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YZ_John 7/30/2006 3:08am
7/30/2006 3:08am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
Hi Chrissi613

Yup I'm local! I've seen you race D34 quite a few times. I have some video of you racing in 2003. Drop me a line if you want to get some copies. Cost $0

Where should I send the list of parts that I'd like you to look for? I promise that it won't be more than two pages! LOL

Suzukirider907

Have you checked out Nightmare Racing? They have lots of KX stuff if you want to restore your bike.

[url:6fa3b]http://www.nightmare-racing.com/[/url:6fa3b]

Thanks for the compliments on my bike!
KL120 (MD) 7/30/2006 8:10am
7/30/2006 8:10am
John,

Just checked out your site, very cool with a ton of good links and info. I can't get over how sweet that bike turned out, and my wife's gonna be pissed cause now i'm gonna have to build another H in the spirit of your G (racer). At least I have a few parts left over to start with...
MaxPower
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MaxPower 7/31/2006 1:53am
7/31/2006 1:53am
[color=green:c5ed5]A vented front number plate would go nice with those white side panels
Are you racing it at the Southick round of ACR?[/color:c5ed5]
YZ_John
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YZ_John 7/31/2006 3:21am
7/31/2006 3:21am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
[quote="KL120":d5c32]John,

Just checked out your site, very cool with a ton of good links and info. I can't get over how sweet that bike turned out, and my wife's gonna be pissed cause now i'm gonna have to build another H in the spirit of your G (racer). At least I have a few parts left over to start with...[/quote:d5c32]

KL120 your YZ125H looks awesome! You started with a real pile and now have a great restoration. Is this being displayed in the house?

It's nice that I have inspired you to build a racer, but are you ready to do all that stuff again? I have some stuff you could use if you really want to go through with building a racer.

MaxPower the plan is to bring the bike to the ACR Southwick race, I'm just hoping that all the bugs have been worked out by then so that I can race it too! Will you be there? If so I will be hanging with Kenny N (135), come on by and say hello.
KL120 (MD) 7/31/2006 10:02am
7/31/2006 10:02am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
Hey John,

Thanks for the nice comments. I've been thinking though, the H has an issue with leaks in the head tube and water cooling is one more thing to maintain and try to get parts for so I'm thinking about an air cooled model for simplicity (if I'm going to actually race a 25 yr old bike I'm thinking simplicity might be key). After reading your suspension observations and mods I'm thinking about going with a 250, probably an H, although I'm open to any year. It HAS to be a YZ though. I might start another thread to get input from the guys who were riding 250's back then for advice on a good model.

See what you've started? <img class= " title="Laughing">
YZ_John
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YZ_John 7/31/2006 11:31am
7/31/2006 11:31am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
Hey KL120

You know I never really gave the plumbing a second thought. I would imagine it could be a huge problem.

As for the best air-cooled YZ250 Dirt Bike's very own Super Hunky has said time after time that the 1980 YZ250 was one of the very best. Here is a quote from Off Road.com

"Actually, the 1980 YZ 250 was the hot ticket. But the 78 was not a bad bike. The 79 was average and the 82 was wretched."

You can read the question and answer here [url:2168c]http://www.off-road.com/dirtbike/columns/dntask/2005/05/page4.html[/url…]

Send an e-mail to me so I can either e-mail or send you a few tests on the YZ250.

Tell your wife I'm sorry!
Tiki
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Tiki 7/31/2006 12:41pm
7/31/2006 12:41pm
Purty!
KL120 (MD) 7/31/2006 1:06pm
7/31/2006 1:06pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
[quote="YZ_John":5b0fd]Hey KL120

You know I never really gave the plumbing a second thought. I would imagine it could be a huge problem.

As for the best air-cooled YZ250 Dirt Bike's very own Super Hunky has said time after time that the 1980 YZ250 was one of the very best. Here is a quote from Off Road.com

"Actually, the 1980 YZ 250 was the hot ticket. But the 78 was not a bad bike. The 79 was average and the 82 was wretched."

You can read the question and answer here [url:5b0fd]http://www.off-road.com/dirtbike/columns/dntask/2005/05/page4.html[/url…]

Send an e-mail to me so I can either e-mail or send you a few tests on the YZ250.

Tell your wife I'm sorry![/quote:5b0fd]

Thanks John, You've got mail...
Crash82
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Crash82 8/8/2006 9:33am
8/8/2006 9:33am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
That's cool man,up until 1995 or so I had a 1980 yz125 i was saving to race vintage, it was so fresh didn't need much restoring, i got stolen from my pops house <img class= " title="Sad">
Digger437
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Digger437 8/26/2006 10:15am
8/26/2006 10:15am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:00pm
Garage Queenie??

Hell that thing would be in my bedroom and I would make sweet love to it every night and my wife could move out to the garage!

"Oh, hi honey, didn't see you standing there behind me." Take out the garbage and go mow the lawn. Yes dear."
Zook La Douche 8/2/2013 4:15pm
8/2/2013 4:15pm
YZ_John wrote:
Thanks guys! I did my best. But now my friends are trying to talk me out of riding it! What do you think? Should I keep...
Thanks guys! I did my best.

But now my friends are trying to talk me out of riding it!

What do you think?

Should I keep it as a "garage queen" or ride it and race it?

John
Sir you are very talented and have chosen the best handling out of the box bike to restore. So, remembering when I had one of these gems, I vote that you ride the wheels off of it and enjoy what it used to be like. Obviously you have the ability and resources to bring it back to life. Enjoy it while you (and your wallet) can.

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