1988 Cagiva WMX 125

wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89
Edited Date/Time 4/27/2017 11:38pm
I'm starting another Cagiva project. I built a 250 between 2011-2013 and have been racing it the last few years. Last fall I got a call about a possible bike/parts lead in my area. A guy had purchased a couple trailers full of old bikes and parts from a long time Husky dealer. It turned out a few Cagivas and some parts were included in the deal and the guy had no interest in the Italian stuff.

I ended up scoring an 88 125 that couldn't have had a few hours on it. It looks like the owner put straight gas in it, ruined the top end and never fixed it. A few parts have been robbed off it over the years (front rotor, clutch, rear fender). Original tires, not a scratch in the swing arm or pipe. All the bolts and spokes shine like new as they've never even had a wrench on them. I've got my parts rounded up and this should be the easiest project I've ever done.


2
|
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 4/6/2017 10:35pm
4/6/2017 10:35pm
My 250s going to be a big brother

2
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 4/6/2017 10:39pm
4/6/2017 10:39pm
I met Big AL on Vital a few years ago and he's been a parts goldmine for keeping my bikes running.

Nos cylinder/piston/rod/bearings//clutch cover and Spes pipe ready to go


1
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 4/6/2017 10:45pm
4/6/2017 10:45pm
I have some Fast by Ferracci bar mounts laying around from the early 2000s. These were what they used in the Steve Lamson/Travis Preston Husqvarna era. They bolt right up and raise the bars just the right amount.

wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 4/6/2017 10:46pm
4/6/2017 10:46pm


The Shop

See All »
Kidkawie
Profile picture for user Kidkawie
Posts
1186
Joined
8/31/2012
Location
ქუთაისი, GE
Kidkawie 4/6/2017 11:30pm
4/6/2017 11:30pm
Sweet find!
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 4/7/2017 5:27am
4/7/2017 5:27am
I've also got a very fast 83 WMX 125. A lot changed in 5 years and 2 world championships!


1
slowgti
Profile picture for user slowgti
Posts
1009
Joined
1/14/2016
Location
Monroe, GA, USA
slowgti 4/7/2017 1:53pm
4/7/2017 1:53pm
My buddy has a early 90's cagiva mx250 he is parting. Do you need any parts?
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 4/7/2017 2:21pm
4/7/2017 2:21pm Edited Date/Time 4/7/2017 4:18pm
slowgti wrote:
My buddy has a early 90's cagiva mx250 he is parting. Do you need any parts?
Thanks.

I'm always looking for stuff. If its early 90s it would be a Cagiva built Husqvarna. The last year for "Cagiva's" was 89.

See if you can get some pictures. There is a Facebook page where guys are looking for parts. If I can't use the stuff I can help him find someone who can.
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 4/7/2017 9:13pm
4/7/2017 9:13pm
Thanks. Those original side panels and radiator shrouds are the hardest to find, everything else is pretty easy.

I had to get 1 side panel for my 250 from Australia! It came with black 93 Rm panels zip tied to the frame.

Paul333
Profile picture for user Paul333
Posts
2211
Joined
2/15/2012
Location
Virginia Beach, VA, USA
Paul333 4/8/2017 10:49am
4/8/2017 10:49am
Absolutely incredible. I remember as a kid reading about the GP's wanting a 125. You have an awesome collection.
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 4/8/2017 1:07pm
4/8/2017 1:07pm
Thanks Paul333. I'm 38 and was just fascinated by the GPs in the mid-late 80s. At the Seattle SX in '88 Mike Healey got 7th or 8th the first night on a 250 Cagiva, I remember seeing it in the pits and thinking it was the coolest bike ever. I just liked rare stuff. I went home and wrote a letter to Cagiva asking if they had any plans to build a WMX 80 and I offered to help. That Spring the Dirt Bike 125 Shoot Out had a ton of good things to say about the 88 125, something like if it just had better suspension settings it would have easily been 2nd in the Shootout behind the Honda because the motor was so good. I pretty much raced Suzuki's my whole life, but now as an older guy who got burned out on Vet racing I love tinkering on these and I've really got them set up and running well.





wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 4/8/2017 1:12pm
4/8/2017 1:12pm






1
Rocky739
Profile picture for user Rocky739
Posts
302
Joined
1/9/2017
Location
Indianapolis, IN, USA
Rocky739 4/8/2017 1:55pm
4/8/2017 1:55pm
Awesome!! I wanted one so bad in 88. We had some really fast local guys racing them and they were so trick at the time.
Fraser
Profile picture for user Fraser
Posts
780
Joined
9/12/2008
Location
Leics, GB
Fraser 4/27/2017 5:00am
4/27/2017 5:00am
Cool thread. I have an 88 that I've raced at the Farleigh Castle VMXDN the last few years.
Great bikes! I raced a few back when they were new. 80 125WMX, 81 125WMX, 85 WMX125 & WMX500, 88 WMX250.
Also have an 82 WMX 125 in my shed.







billyslad
Profile picture for user billyslad
Posts
544
Joined
12/31/2014
Location
GB
billyslad 4/27/2017 11:38pm
4/27/2017 11:38pm


I have an 83 wmx 125 that is sound and now just needs some love
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 5/6/2017 11:04am
5/6/2017 11:04am
Nice 82 Fraser! I'd love to find a twinshock. They are very rare in the US, they didn't start really selling in the states until 84 (with leftover 83 models)

Billy....that bike is clean. If you have any questions let me know. I'm using a KX 125 piston and a Yamaha RD 350 rod in mine. I had it ported by Eric Gorr last summer to "Ron Turner" specs and it rips.
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 5/6/2017 11:51am
5/6/2017 11:51am


Pit Row

See All »
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 5/7/2017 4:45pm
5/7/2017 4:45pm


vmx3
Profile picture for user vmx3
Posts
281
Joined
10/31/2012
Location
Indianapolis, IN, USA
vmx3 5/8/2017 6:43am
5/8/2017 6:43am
wpark89 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/07/193468/s1200_IMG_0086.jpg[/img]


That thing looks great Wes, nice work
wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 5/8/2017 4:09pm
5/8/2017 4:09pm
vmx3 wrote:
That thing looks great Wes, nice work
Thanks Rory you Cagiva hoarder!!!!

Time to dig out that '85
vmx3
Profile picture for user vmx3
Posts
281
Joined
10/31/2012
Location
Indianapolis, IN, USA
vmx3 5/9/2017 11:42am
5/9/2017 11:42am
vmx3 wrote:
That thing looks great Wes, nice work
wpark89 wrote:
Thanks Rory you Cagiva hoarder!!!!

Time to dig out that '85
Hoarder is such a strong word Wes lol what can I say I like Cagivas, I'm working on making some more space at the moment so hopefully when that gets sorted it will free up some room to work on some of them here and there until they are raceable.
Fraser
Profile picture for user Fraser
Posts
780
Joined
9/12/2008
Location
Leics, GB
Fraser 5/12/2017 12:55am
5/12/2017 12:55am Edited Date/Time 5/12/2017 12:57am
Here's my first Cagiva that I raced in 1980 ( I think) or 81.. They were the Ferraris of mx back then. Very fast, expensive and came with a lot of trick parts. This model had fins on the cylinder as well as watercooling. It also had the brake cable running down the wrong side of the forks- on the throttle side meaning the cable bunched up badly. On the 81 the turned the wheel round.This particular bike the factory forgot to put an impeller inside the water pump. Rode it for a cpl of months before we noticed nothing happened if you took the rad cap off when it was running.. Didn't do it any harm though Smile



Fraser
Profile picture for user Fraser
Posts
780
Joined
9/12/2008
Location
Leics, GB
Fraser 5/12/2017 1:03am
5/12/2017 1:03am
Here's one on the big scary beast..



And one on an 85 ( I think) 125



1
riv187
Profile picture for user riv187
Posts
548
Joined
2/1/2015
Location
Lakeland, FL, USA
riv187 5/20/2017 9:52pm
5/20/2017 9:52pm
I had a 1988 Cagiva 125 too back in early 90s. It was definitely a fast bike ! I had many 125s of all flavors in that era and I remember hating the Delorato cause it was strange,,,the bike had a smallish cockpit,,kicker in odd position,,,mine had clutch problem when I first got it that needed fixing,,, It had a very impressive mid top end motor! Beautiful bike...I sold mine cause no parts sources at the time,,,the dealer had closed doors and even a simple set of rings and piston at the time a was hens teeth so let her go.. Glad to see you got a cherry one and enjoying it like it should be!
AidanPhilipson 7/3/2025 2:58pm
7/3/2025 2:58pm
wpark89 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/05/06/193079/s1200_IMG_0083.jpg[/img]


That’s very interesting. I can’t see what he advises regarding the intake? I’ve got a wmx I’m putting together now. 1989 model. Cylinder needs replated and I need a new rod. Any suggestions welcome. Many thanks. 

wpark89
Profile picture for user wpark89
Posts
1161
Joined
12/9/2009
Location
Mattawa, WA, USA
wpark89 7/8/2025 7:01pm
7/8/2025 7:01pm
AidanPhilipson wrote:
That’s very interesting. I can’t see what he advises regarding the intake? I’ve got a wmx I’m putting together now. 1989 model. Cylinder needs replated and...

That’s very interesting. I can’t see what he advises regarding the intake? I’ve got a wmx I’m putting together now. 1989 model. Cylinder needs replated and I need a new rod. Any suggestions welcome. Many thanks. 

If you have a 89 that’s a good bike.  The 89 has a longer rod and shorter piston than the 88.  I heard the stock 89 dimensions are the same as Davey Strijbos 88 factory bike.  This is how I set up my 88, the cylinders are interchangeable.  Those porting specs were for the older non power valve 83/84.

AidanPhilipson 7/9/2025 1:16am
7/9/2025 1:16am

Thanks for your response. My plan is to do a 1986-7 red look, so traditional Cagiva, but with all the updated hardware you get with the 1989 model. I am sourcing a lot of parts from Italy so lets see how I get on, I may start a build blog here on Vital. Appreciate anyone's advice and assistance.

Post a reply to: 1988 Cagiva WMX 125