Rarest of the rarest swingarms

Mike P.
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Mike P.
Edited Date/Time 10/13/2015 2:45am
To the collectors and hoarders of rare and unique vintage mx aftermarket parts, I have personally had my hands on several of rare parts over the years from Fox Forx's, to Simons forks, to Mugen parts, etc...but I came across two swingarms that may be in a very unique league as far as vintage aftermarket swingarms go. Below is a photo of a 77 LOP RM125 alloy swingarm that was made prior to the famous banana arm that Marty Moates made famous in 1978. This swingarm was used on a watercooled RM125 LOP built (you can see the article in the November 77 issue of dirt rider magazine). The other swingarm is off a 78-79 Honda CR250 and it was made by a little company called JD Engineering out of Palmdale, CA back in the late 70s. I have never seen either of these arms offered on the web, though I am sure someone out there has them. These arms would have qualify for the rarest of rare club for sure...enjoy











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AHRMA361 8/13/2015 12:34pm
8/13/2015 12:34pm
Nice parts there. I know someone that can use the LOP arm. Whistling

I once had a sheet metal fabricated, box section, monocoque constructed swingarm on an early CR125 Elsinore. Amazing build quality. Had stock rearward mounts for the shocks. Was superlight compared to a stocker or any aluminum arm. I have never seen another in my life and I have hunted Elsinore parts since the mid-90's.

The bike also had a Haag and Haag ported cylinder, porky head and an early FMF cone pipe.

No idea on the history of that bike, but it had to be someone of some means to have all that trick stuff on it.
uk125250
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uk125250 8/13/2015 1:01pm
8/13/2015 1:01pm Edited Date/Time 8/13/2015 1:02pm
Newmann probably has the rest of them.
project racer 8/13/2015 2:53pm
8/13/2015 2:53pm
Another trick swing arm from back when was by Frias. I believe it was a small company run by Ron Frias. Only one I ever saw was on a friends '79 CR250 Honda. Beautiful welds, and a nice, light gold anodized finish.

I think Frias only offered arms for the Honda's.

The Shop

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Mike P.
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Mike P. 8/13/2015 3:30pm
8/13/2015 3:30pm
The cool thing about both these arms is that you can chose the length of your shocks and the position you want them in. Back then everyone went for that "laid down" look, however years later we learned that shocks work better in a semi almost straight up position (like single shocks on today's bikes). Since I have the LOP arm on my 77 RM125, I used the forward shock mount to maximize the shocks performance. And I remember those Fries arms, they were way cool...
GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/13/2015 6:56pm
8/13/2015 6:56pm
Rarest swingarm of all.


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Mike P.
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Mike P. 8/13/2015 8:44pm
8/13/2015 8:44pm
Are you talking about the swingarm or the shock? The swingarm looks similar tot he stock 78 alloy arm except it has an upper chain roller? What is it?
GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/16/2015 9:11am
8/16/2015 9:11am
YZ swingarm. DG Signature Series. I have never seen one for sale or on a bike, except in the 80's. It's on my bucket list of the few parts I need.



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Mike P.
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Mike P. 8/16/2015 8:22pm
8/16/2015 8:22pm
I have never seen the YZ version either on a bike, but I have seen the 79 RM 125 DG signture swingarm on a bike and looked very similar to the stocker except I think it was 1" longer.
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GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/16/2015 8:59pm
8/16/2015 8:59pm
Hannah and Burgett ran them, without the DG decal.
The LOP arms are few and far between, but available, the DG YZ arms are by far the rarest of rarest swingarms.
Just my opinion.

GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/16/2015 9:11pm
8/16/2015 9:11pm
I'm a hoarder I guess, and that shock is likely an OW unit, not sure where this pic is from but surely is a european factory YZ. The swingarm is a DG unit.


Mike P.
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Mike P. 8/17/2015 9:46am
8/17/2015 9:46am
I truly do not know if the DG signature swingarms are more rarer than the LOP arm I have, but I do know that there were a lot of companies making alloy arms for bikes prior to 78 as most bikes came stock with steel arms. By 78 most production bikes had alloy arms so purchasing a DG arm would require a lot of justification from the prospective buyer because they did not look all that different from the stocker (they were basically an inch longer for the most part), so from that standpoint I would have to agree they were rare, but the unknown for me is how many of these LOP arms for the 77 RM125 were actually made, because LOP at that time was in their infancy as a company and in fact, that article on the watercooled LOP 77 RM125 didn’t even show up in magazine until like November 77, and by then the 78 were already introduced and they came with alloy arms. So while I have seen the DG signature arm on at least one bike, I too have only ever seen the one LOP arm I own for the 77 RM125…so I am not sure which is rarer…Also, Hannah used a Works swingarm, go to mxworksbikes.com and look at his 79 OW40. He did use DG stickers on his bike, but not sure how much of their parts he actually used, but I do know he didn’t use a DG swingarm and nor did Burgett.
GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/17/2015 1:48pm
8/17/2015 1:48pm






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GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/17/2015 1:56pm
8/17/2015 1:56pm
Mines rarer than yours is! Which came first, the chicken or the egg? DG is alphabetically before OW



Mike P.
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Mike P. 8/17/2015 2:02pm
8/17/2015 2:02pm
But did you notice there is no DG sticker on the swingarm on Hannah's bike (in the above photo of him riding it)...that's because that is a works swingarm in that photo from the DG catalog with a DG sticker on it. Go to the mxworksbike.com and you will see the same bike Hannah is riding above with the same swingarm on it with no DG sticker (because it's a works swingarm). Same thing with the swingarm on Darrell Shultz's bike in that same DG catalog (I have the catalog, it's the 1980 DG book of tricks). Those are works swingarms on those bikes with DG stickers for sure. I'll dig out a photo of the DG RM swingarm for the 79 RM125 and it looks nothing like the arm in the above photo on Shultz's bike.
newmann
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newmann 8/17/2015 2:10pm
8/17/2015 2:10pm
Who do you think made the "works" swing arms? Who do you think made the DG swing arms?
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GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/17/2015 2:42pm
8/17/2015 2:42pm Edited Date/Time 8/17/2015 2:44pm
newmann wrote:
Who do you think made the "works" swing arms? Who do you think made the DG swing arms?
Harry Klemm and Harry Klemm
Mike P.
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Mike P. 8/17/2015 4:17pm
8/17/2015 4:17pm
Here's a photo of an actual DG signature series swingarm on a 79 RM125. Take a look at it and then scroll up and look at the arm on Darrell Shultz's works RA Suzuki from that book of tricks…It's just a decal on Shultz's bike…





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GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/17/2015 4:25pm
8/17/2015 4:25pm Edited Date/Time 8/17/2015 4:25pm
Mike P. wrote:
Here's a photo of an actual DG signature series swingarm on a 79 RM125. Take a look at it and then scroll up and look at...
Here's a photo of an actual DG signature series swingarm on a 79 RM125. Take a look at it and then scroll up and look at the arm on Darrell Shultz's works RA Suzuki from that book of tricks…It's just a decal on Shultz's bike…





I'm with you on this. Who made both swingarms? They same techs at the same shop. Harry klemm.
Mike P.
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Mike P. 8/17/2015 4:33pm
8/17/2015 4:33pm
I'm not sure where Newman is going with this one because the swingarm on Shultz's bike in that DG catelog appears to be an RA swingarm like they were using in Europe and back in those days and those parts were often built in house in Japan (as far as I know). I do also know that when American's went over to Europe to race they often had problems obtaining parts/set ups (much like Villapoto's GP attempt), but it was way worse back then. I would love to hear Newman's theory as I have love learn about the history of our sport, but I do know a lot of those arms were made by Thor.
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RiV 8/17/2015 6:20pm
8/17/2015 6:20pm
The PDI swing arms for the RM125's were pretty trick (other than nylon bushings), looked for a
pic, found one sold on ebay 4 years ago for $810 but no pic....... not sure how many models they
made but his was setup for the 17 1/2" shocks. I think we got it from E.C. Birt while he was still
doing retail/bikes.
GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/17/2015 8:31pm
8/17/2015 8:31pm
RiV wrote:
The PDI swing arms for the RM125's were pretty trick (other than nylon bushings), looked for a pic, found one sold on ebay 4 years ago...
The PDI swing arms for the RM125's were pretty trick (other than nylon bushings), looked for a
pic, found one sold on ebay 4 years ago for $810 but no pic....... not sure how many models they
made but his was setup for the 17 1/2" shocks. I think we got it from E.C. Birt while he was still
doing retail/bikes.
EC Birt was the "man" when it came to after market modifications.




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GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/17/2015 8:35pm
8/17/2015 8:35pm
Mike P. wrote:
I'm not sure where Newman is going with this one because the swingarm on Shultz's bike in that DG catelog appears to be an RA swingarm...
I'm not sure where Newman is going with this one because the swingarm on Shultz's bike in that DG catelog appears to be an RA swingarm like they were using in Europe and back in those days and those parts were often built in house in Japan (as far as I know). I do also know that when American's went over to Europe to race they often had problems obtaining parts/set ups (much like Villapoto's GP attempt), but it was way worse back then. I would love to hear Newman's theory as I have love learn about the history of our sport, but I do know a lot of those arms were made by Thor.
My arm is rarer than yours. Preston petty NOS Tony D front fenders are not as rare.
Na na na na
Mike P.
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Mike P. 8/17/2015 8:37pm
8/17/2015 8:37pm
I had one of those YZ80s in 78 (first year of the mono shock). I remember we put an aftermarket shock on it and a Terry fork kit (that was like 7.5 inches travel or more). I cannot remember what pipe & head we used, but one thing I always wanted and never got were a set of the DG side panels. Man these pictures bring back memories, thanks for sharing.
Mike P.
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Mike P. 8/17/2015 8:39pm
8/17/2015 8:39pm
I had one of those YZ80s in 78 (first year of the mono shock). I remember we put an aftermarket shock on it and a Terry fork kit (that was like 7.5 inches travel or more). I cannot remember what pipe & head we used, but one thing I always wanted and never got were a set of the DG side panels. Man these pictures bring back memories, thanks for sharing.
GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/17/2015 8:40pm
8/17/2015 8:40pm
Mike P. wrote:
I truly do not know if the DG signature swingarms are more rarer than the LOP arm I have, but I do know that there were...
I truly do not know if the DG signature swingarms are more rarer than the LOP arm I have, but I do know that there were a lot of companies making alloy arms for bikes prior to 78 as most bikes came stock with steel arms. By 78 most production bikes had alloy arms so purchasing a DG arm would require a lot of justification from the prospective buyer because they did not look all that different from the stocker (they were basically an inch longer for the most part), so from that standpoint I would have to agree they were rare, but the unknown for me is how many of these LOP arms for the 77 RM125 were actually made, because LOP at that time was in their infancy as a company and in fact, that article on the watercooled LOP 77 RM125 didn’t even show up in magazine until like November 77, and by then the 78 were already introduced and they came with alloy arms. So while I have seen the DG signature arm on at least one bike, I too have only ever seen the one LOP arm I own for the 77 RM125…so I am not sure which is rarer…Also, Hannah used a Works swingarm, go to mxworksbikes.com and look at his 79 OW40. He did use DG stickers on his bike, but not sure how much of their parts he actually used, but I do know he didn’t use a DG swingarm and nor did Burgett.
Your killing it. Want a clarification email from the guy that built them? There is no chain roller on this swinger, it's gotta be OW


Mike P.
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Mike P. 8/17/2015 8:45pm
8/17/2015 8:45pm
That's Burgett's Works OW for sure. A few years ago I was going to try and have a fabricator friend of my replicate this swing arm, but the frame design of the stocker was nowhere near the OW design and taking preliminary measurements we determined there would be way too much cutting and altering (not to mention a new air box) to make it a reality…oh well….
1
GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/17/2015 8:46pm
8/17/2015 8:46pm
Mike P. wrote:
I'm not sure where Newman is going with this one because the swingarm on Shultz's bike in that DG catelog appears to be an RA swingarm...
I'm not sure where Newman is going with this one because the swingarm on Shultz's bike in that DG catelog appears to be an RA swingarm like they were using in Europe and back in those days and those parts were often built in house in Japan (as far as I know). I do also know that when American's went over to Europe to race they often had problems obtaining parts/set ups (much like Villapoto's GP attempt), but it was way worse back then. I would love to hear Newman's theory as I have love learn about the history of our sport, but I do know a lot of those arms were made by Thor.
GIwasB4 wrote:
My arm is rarer than yours. Preston petty NOS Tony D front fenders are not as rare.
Na na na na
Let alone trade an NOS PP for a Fox bike cover? NEVER


GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/17/2015 8:49pm
8/17/2015 8:49pm
Mike P. wrote:
That's Burgett's Works OW for sure. A few years ago I was going to try and have a fabricator friend of my replicate this swing arm...
That's Burgett's Works OW for sure. A few years ago I was going to try and have a fabricator friend of my replicate this swing arm, but the frame design of the stocker was nowhere near the OW design and taking preliminary measurements we determined there would be way too much cutting and altering (not to mention a new air box) to make it a reality…oh well….
All you need is to find a DG arm.(or an OW)
The frame is not modified, nor is the airbox
GIwasB4
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GIwasB4 8/17/2015 8:51pm
8/17/2015 8:51pm
GIwasB4 wrote:
All you need is to find a DG arm.(or an OW)
The frame is not modified, nor is the airbox
They are the same

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