I'm starting my 1980 YZ250 next week.

[quote="RandyS":3fjbpbiw]One of the fork legs is shot. What is the hot setup for mods for a PV bike. I don't want to dump thousands of dollars into it. I assume I'll put a shock on it, what else should I do? Someone told me KX forks.[/quote:3fjbpbiw]

I know those forks were interchangeable in 79. What is a PV bike?

Talk to Lendon at http://www.x-tremevintageyz.com . He did a Fox off road truck shock for my 81YZ250, revalved and sprung for me. I here he's doing Ohlins as well??? Easiest upgrade for the forks would be to go with the 81 YZ250 or 465 front end, it's 43mm upper tubes. Those can be made to work good. I planned on using mine for my all aroung racebike, not just post-vintage so I built semi-cheater forks. 89KX250 forks in bored out xtremeyz billet triples. Cut the caliper mounts off and welded a brake hub lug on. Looks almost stock. Had to drill out the backing plate and the bearing spacer to accomadate the KX axle and went to the bearing house and found the correct size bearings. Get the 465 brake backing plate, dual actuated and works great.

Race Tech emulators are an inexpensive fork mod. Emulators helped my 83 yz absorb the bumps of a modern race track.

Randy,PM me or call my shop next week I will get a cost on a ohlins for you.

http://www.cyclestopracing.com

[quote="RandyS":3ap4z2tm][quote="newmann":3ap4z2tm]Talk to Lendon at http://www.x-tremevintageyz.com . He did a Fox off road truck shock for my 81YZ250, revalved and sprung for me. I here he's doing Ohlins as well??? Easiest upgrade for the forks would be to go with the 81 YZ250 or 465 front end, it's 43mm upper tubes. Those can be made to work good. I planned on using mine for my all aroung racebike, not just post-vintage so I built semi-cheater forks. 89KX250 forks in bored out xtremeyz billet triples. Cut the caliper mounts off and welded a brake hub lug on. Looks almost stock. Had to drill out the backing plate and the bearing spacer to accomadate the KX axle and went to the bearing house and found the correct size bearings. Get the 465 brake backing plate, dual actuated and works great.[/quote:3ap4z2tm]

Thanks,how much did the shock set you back?[/quote:3ap4z2tm]


seem to remember it was about $650.00. That was near the end of 2004.

[color=#808040:1hentcli]Im thinking that the 43mm forks with triples will bolt on from up to a 83 490 will bolt on also.Like Newman said,
You can use the dual leading brakes from the bigger bike with that and that takes no mods to make that work
Call Mickey Kessler (732-974-0985) for your shock
He used to race the shit out of those YZs back in the day. He knows how to set up the supspension for those bikes and his prices are good.
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[img:1hentcli]http://www.x-tremevintageyz.com/images/builds/build2right_lg.jpg[/img:1…]

[color=#808040:1hentcli]I like these white plates in that link that Newman set you up with

Newman,are those forks technically legal since they are cartridge forks?
Thats a great idea to fit them,they must work great for that bike.Do you have a link to a pic of your set up bike? It sounds trick

Someone should make a copy of the Works aluminum Yamaha tanks.
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These photos suck, I'll get some better ones later.
[attachment=1:2lelasp5]MVC-001S.JPG[/attachment:2lelasp5]
[attachment=0:2lelasp5]MVC-002S.JPG[/attachment:2lelasp5]

As far as the forks being legal because they are cartridge? Aren't the 83 CR250/480 forks cartridge forks also? Everybody uses those. I think the only thing stated is conventional and not inverted forks. The inverted Simon's UDX 60's are legal for the linkage classes though. Different clubs, different rules maybe?

Alloy tank? I'd buy one. Where do I sign up!

[color=#008000:wdj97yc8]Thats real nice Newman.Man, boost bottles.Everyone had a boost bottle.I worked at a Honda shop and some guy came in and asked for more boost cause his was low.I told him to hold out his hands and I gave him some.He didnt think it was funny.Those forks look huge. The 83 Honda forks arent cartridge.Honda didnt make cartridge forks till 86.Around here I understand the rules that you can use current technology from the time.Thats a great idea to add a brake stay to the leg.If you ever race in an organization that doent allow them, its not like they can tell.I bet the front of the bike works better than the rear by alot. The 89 KX forks were really good.Did you just put that pipe on or do you keep it looking that good? I had a 80 and 81 YZ like that.Your bike looks better than mine did 27 years ago. Does your bike have a 6 speed? 650 for a new Fox shock is a pretty good deal[/color:wdj97yc8]

I think Honda's starting in 87 came with cartridge forks

[quote="MaxPower":x94w93yu][color=#008000:x94w93yu]Does your bike have a 6 speed?[/color:x94w93yu][/quote:x94w93yu]

I think the '79 and '80 had the 6 speed trannys. Think they went back to the 5 speed in '81.

I believe the 1980 YZ 250 was the only 6 speed 250 Yamaha ever made

[quote="evomx244":10702jz2]I believe the 1980 YZ 250 was the only 6 speed 250 Yamaha ever made[/quote:10702jz2]
Pretty sure the '79's did too. I will have to check tonight though to confirm that.

[quote="BAMBAMM13":xtk4vzq3]Pretty sure the '79's did too. I will have to check tonight though to confirm that.[/quote:xtk4vzq3]

That's correct.

I thought it was only the 80 model. What do I know though , I was riding a 78 YZ80 with 120 cracks in the peanut brittle frame back then!!!! What a piece of crap, damn I wish I still had that bike!

'78,'79 & '80 YZ250's all had a six speed gearbox.

you guys are correct, 78, 79 and 80 did come with 6 speed gearbox's I looked it up in a few old dirt bike magazine's. For some reason I thought only the G came with a 6 speed. Sorry for the mistake

[img:1mfjxmz2]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/GOOD120/SIMONSKIT.jpg[/img:1mfjx…]

Those Simon Anti-Cav fork dampers worked well. I installed a set on my '85 KX250 and I liked them a lot.

[quote="CamP":az0q8kp8]Those Simon Anti-Cav fork dampers worked well. I installed a set on my '85 KX250 and I liked them a lot.[/quote:az0q8kp8]

Hey CamP- You still got that KX250? I had an '86 KX250 and the '85 was pretty similar, the bodywork and stuff, just some updates if I remember.

Just wonderin'.

[quote="andymoto":3eb5hx44]
Hey CamP- You still got that KX250? I had an '86 KX250 and the '85 was pretty similar, the bodywork and stuff, just some updates if I remember.

Just wonderin'.[/quote:3eb5hx44]

No, it tried to kill me a couple of times so I sold it and got a new '87 CR250 when they came out. One time the uni-trak rocker arm exploded when I was fourth gear tapped in a rough sweeper. Somehow I rode it out after violently swapping from side to side when that happened. Then it popped out of gear while I was tripling into a rhythm section and that was it.