Lechien Tribute YZ125

billyslad
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billyslad 8/10/2015 12:48pm
8/10/2015 12:48pm
It was only a throw away remark reflecting the discussion about whether or not to allow the KX to race in the vintage classes no offence intended

Great rebuild of the YZ very inspiring
MXM
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MXM 8/10/2015 12:59pm
8/10/2015 12:59pm Edited Date/Time 8/11/2015 10:18am
This thread just keeps getting better.
Lonestar_399
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Lonestar_399 8/10/2015 6:30pm
8/10/2015 6:30pm
CamP wrote:
One of our local vintage racers, Russ Murphy, races an '83 YZ125 and he really flies on it. He's got a Jemco pipe on it. I...
One of our local vintage racers, Russ Murphy, races an '83 YZ125 and he really flies on it. He's got a Jemco pipe on it. I don't know what else is done to it but it's a very fast 125.
I spoke to Russ at the TVRC banquet in July about his 83 YZ125. He said he runs all the Yamaha service bulletin mods and the Jemco pipe. Russ fly's on everything though.
CamP
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CamP 8/10/2015 6:55pm
8/10/2015 6:55pm
Lonestar_399 wrote:
I spoke to Russ at the TVRC banquet in July about his 83 YZ125. He said he runs all the Yamaha service bulletin mods and the...
I spoke to Russ at the TVRC banquet in July about his 83 YZ125. He said he runs all the Yamaha service bulletin mods and the Jemco pipe. Russ fly's on everything though.
Thanks for the info Al!

Russ and his buddy Gary Benton are both good riders.

The Shop

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Benchracer17 8/11/2015 6:56am
8/11/2015 6:56am
Dick Trickle wrote:
Cool story. I bent the forks on my G regularly, never got on with my J and never had a problem with the K. Here are...
Cool story. I bent the forks on my G regularly, never got on with my J and never had a problem with the K.
Here are a few more pics of Lechien with the OW.... and also the Euro factory OW125. I know Gibson had one, and Marc Velkeneers also had one..






sorry - not to be "that guy" but Marc Velkeneers was on Yamaha in '82 & Gilera in '83. He is number 5 in that Dutch 125 GP.Smile
mxracer106 8/11/2015 7:33am
8/11/2015 7:33am
Here is my contributions....a few I took of Lechien in '83 at RedBud on that badazz works YZ125.....

Coming off the line sandwiched between Wardy and O'Show...



Jumping the old double/doubles....

1
Andy86
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Andy86 8/11/2015 9:12am
8/11/2015 9:12am
Very nice resto DT, you must have some deep pockets to pull of a build of that caliber

Fine work indeed sir, i love all the 80's yz's
nicko-31
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nicko-31 8/11/2015 5:17pm
8/11/2015 5:17pm
Dick Trickle wrote:
Here's a great 125 World Championship vid from 83.. too bad its not in English, but i can hear Gibsons name a lot and there are...
Here's a great 125 World Championship vid from 83.. too bad its not in English, but i can hear Gibsons name a lot and there are a heap of K's in there...
https://youtu.be/4omNZome2_c
Benchracer17 wrote:
here is the full race:) Beautiful build, man:) just listen to these 125s pinned - especially Jim Gibson's YZ125 sounds so crisp. 1983 Dutch 125 Motocross...
here is the full raceSmile Beautiful build, manSmile

just listen to these 125s pinned - especially Jim Gibson's YZ125 sounds so crisp.


1983 Dutch 125 Motocross GP by Brent449
Benchracer17,thanks for that complete race. I have been looking for the combined moto's for a long time. Those guys are absolutely hammering in that race. Jim Gibson was standing up on the pegs even in the corners', I originally wanted to see that race because I knew both he and Pekka Venkonnen were on the "Rotary Valved OW's"
Sean_Fries
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Sean_Fries 8/24/2015 10:35am
8/24/2015 10:35am
Dick Trickle wrote:
I owned and raced a 1983 yz125K back in the day. Recently, me and a few friends decided to get into VMX racing. I chose the...
I owned and raced a 1983 yz125K back in the day. Recently, me and a few friends decided to get into VMX racing. I chose the 83 YZ125 as I always thought it was one of the best bikes I ever owned, being light, fast and reliable. There were none in OZ at the time, so I located one in New Jersey and had it shipped over. When I first saw pics of Lechien’s OW125, I decided to make a tribute model.

The OZ models were white, so shipping a yellow one from the US made sense at the time but it was an expensive and regrettable decision. Anyway, I stripped the old girl down and set about a total rebuild. The theme was Lechien’s OW125, but using the Yamaha 1983 Race Report to make the bike a competitive VMX racer.





Lechien was sponsored by Wrangler, Maxima, and Scott etc…, so I trolled the internet looking for pics and then replicated the decals and jersey he ran back in the day. MXM on here made a great replica jersey that I hope to get signed one day.







You know I could make you a fuel tank and swingarm just like the one on the OW125 if you wanted to go all out on the replica unfortunately that rotary valve motor isn't gonna be possible to replicate. but great build all the same

1
Dick Trickle 8/25/2015 4:59am
8/25/2015 4:59am
Thanks for the offer Sean. That would be amazing, but its just a tribute bike and not a replica. You must be a bit of an ally guru to be able to make up those kind of parts.
Dick Trickle 8/25/2015 5:41am
8/25/2015 5:41am
Dick Trickle wrote:
Here's a great 125 World Championship vid from 83.. too bad its not in English, but i can hear Gibsons name a lot and there are...
Here's a great 125 World Championship vid from 83.. too bad its not in English, but i can hear Gibsons name a lot and there are a heap of K's in there...
https://youtu.be/4omNZome2_c
Benchracer17 wrote:
here is the full race:) Beautiful build, man:) just listen to these 125s pinned - especially Jim Gibson's YZ125 sounds so crisp. 1983 Dutch 125 Motocross...
here is the full raceSmile Beautiful build, manSmile

just listen to these 125s pinned - especially Jim Gibson's YZ125 sounds so crisp.


1983 Dutch 125 Motocross GP by Brent449
Thanks Brent, i only just got the chance to watch it. Man, 40 125's on the line... like a bees nest. I found a website that sells the DVD and digital download of that race here.. http://www.dukevideo.com/prd2027ED/Motocross-125-GP-1983-Holland-Downlo…
I have gone with the digital download. Its a 1.3G m4v so i hope the movie quality is OK and sound is good.
Keep the pics and vids coming if you have them.
MaxPower
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MaxPower 8/25/2015 6:12am
8/25/2015 6:12am
Were the Yamaha 125 works bikes in 84 still using the rotary valved engine.
Ive never really read anything about its performance
barkhard696
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barkhard696 8/25/2015 7:15am
8/25/2015 7:15am
At least here in the US, Yamaha went to stock-based bikes in 1984. Since Ronnie had a clause in his Yamaha contract that he would only ride works bikes, he was able to get out and sign with Honda. His dad (Dick) Lechien was one heck of a contract negotiator.
Paul333
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Paul333 8/25/2015 8:08am
8/25/2015 8:08am
Some more photos off my phone.

photo image_21.jpg

photo image_22.jpg

photo image_20.jpg

photo image_19.jpg

photo image_18.jpg
montesagold
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montesagold 8/25/2015 11:52am
8/25/2015 11:52am
Sean_Fries wrote:
You know I could make you a fuel tank and swingarm just like the one on the OW125 if you wanted to go all out on...
You know I could make you a fuel tank and swingarm just like the one on the OW125 if you wanted to go all out on the replica unfortunately that rotary valve motor isn't gonna be possible to replicate. but great build all the same

Noticed your comment, curious what you would charge to make a replica tank for a 85' KX? Would love to have a factory tank for my 500. the stocker is so bulky and ugly. Any pics of a tank you may have done?
Dick Trickle 8/25/2015 6:08pm
8/25/2015 6:08pm
Thanks for sharing those pics Paul333. More pics i have never seen before of Lechien and the works Yamaha.
I have a conspiracy theory on the first pic you sent. The guy in the black t-shirt is from the future and taking pics on his cell phone......


Dick Trickle 8/26/2015 8:49am
8/26/2015 8:49am
Well, i downloaded the 1983 125 GP of Holland from http://www.dukevideo.com/prd2027ED/Motocross-125-GP-1983-Holland-Downlo… and i kind of knew the quality was not going to be all that great when i saw this come up on the screen........



Anyway, i watched the event to check out the OW125 Yamaha's and i was really impressed with Jim Gibson's ride. That dutch sand track was gnarly and the 125's were ripping it......

Pit Row

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nicko-31
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nicko-31 8/26/2015 3:54pm
8/26/2015 3:54pm
Dick Trickle wrote:
Thanks for sharing those pics Paul333. More pics i have never seen before of Lechien and the works Yamaha. I have a conspiracy theory on the...
Thanks for sharing those pics Paul333. More pics i have never seen before of Lechien and the works Yamaha.
I have a conspiracy theory on the first pic you sent. The guy in the black t-shirt is from the future and taking pics on his cell phone......


Disguised as a "Miller Beer can" How ingenious indeed !!!
Dick Trickle 8/26/2015 5:03pm
8/26/2015 5:03pm
Ahhhh Nicko... in the future you can take selfies with a miller beer can ;-)
fookyoo
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fookyoo 8/27/2015 6:36am
8/27/2015 6:36am
Ah, that is a neat bike! For a yamaha!
Vince_Mc Grath 5/1/2019 4:25am
5/1/2019 4:25am
Dick Trickle wrote:
Here's a great 125 World Championship vid from 83.. too bad its not in English, but i can hear Gibsons name a lot and there are...
Here's a great 125 World Championship vid from 83.. too bad its not in English, but i can hear Gibsons name a lot and there are a heap of K's in there...
https://youtu.be/4omNZome2_c
I was there also in 1983 GP 125cc and 1984 GP 250, But Jim Gibson was outstanding, I spoke to Jim, a few words, the men with the holeshot was John Hensen, an former yamaha pilot. I was suprised by the technic of the yamaha with the rotation valve. The most wonderfull years, from 77 till 83. All the works stuff from Yamaha, Suzuki , Honda & Kawa. But the Honda Mugen Bikes , in white colors, a lot of technic, HRC where later 1983. After these years the holland boys where there, John van den Berk, Dave Strijbos, Pedro Tragter, and not least Jeffrey Herlings.
2
EastFlorida
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EastFlorida 5/22/2019 6:29am
5/22/2019 6:29am
I'm picking up a "basket case" '83 YZ125 this weekend. Hope you'll be available to give some guidance when I get going...
BogMasterR
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BogMasterR 5/23/2019 11:32am
5/23/2019 11:32am
Very nice looking build and tribute to a very talented rider!
EastFlorida
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EastFlorida 5/27/2019 4:30pm
5/27/2019 4:30pm
What did you do for foot pegs?
Dick Trickle 5/28/2019 3:03pm
5/28/2019 3:03pm
Checked my old emails as I forgot what I fitted. They were yz/wr 465/250/450/80 Yamaha pegs. Can't remember if I changed springs and pins too. I have a 2019 yz125k2 as well, and will check if they swap over.

EastFlorida
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EastFlorida 5/28/2019 4:22pm
5/28/2019 4:22pm
Dick Trickle wrote:
Checked my old emails as I forgot what I fitted. They were yz/wr 465/250/450/80 Yamaha pegs. Can't remember if I changed springs and pins too. I...
Checked my old emails as I forgot what I fitted. They were yz/wr 465/250/450/80 Yamaha pegs. Can't remember if I changed springs and pins too. I have a 2019 yz125k2 as well, and will check if they swap over.

Thanks! Much appreciated

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