1990 kx250 O”show replica ...completed

sandman768
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sandman768
Edited Date/Time 3/22/2020 6:17am
Rescued this bike from fbook market place back in the spring. The photos were poor and description not much better. I seen a few things in the photos that led me to believe it was a low hr original bike. After the normal go around the seller sent me a few better photos, no attempt to clean the bike at all but I could see a lot of original parts that showed it was a low hr bike. We had agreed on a price & We had a day setup for me to come buy it....and the seller flaked on me, saying he changed his mind, the bike was his fathers and he did not want to sell it. Ok, I didn’t really need it anyway...about a month later he contacted me saying he needed cash and he lowered the price. So I bought it, sight unseen. I had been sort of looking for a clean 90, I had and raced one back in 90. When I showed up to complete the purchase, the bike looked worse than the photos, I thought about backing out but I kept looking and it was just covered in chain lube & oil, I don’t think the bike was ever washed! He started it and it sounded crisp & tight.... I took it home, gave it a good pressure washing & scrub down...to my surprise the bike is very clean and cannot have more than 20 hrs max. Appears most of those hr”s were making runs to the local keg parties on the road! Here it is after I spent 2 hrs cleaning it.










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Talisker
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Talisker 9/5/2019 2:24pm
9/5/2019 2:24pm
Wow, nice find!!!!
Maxx MRP
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Maxx MRP 9/5/2019 3:26pm
9/5/2019 3:26pm
Nice Smile

you had a lot of luck on this one Wink Wink
RAD60
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RAD60 9/5/2019 3:59pm
9/5/2019 3:59pm
Dauum I like it...sounds like Facebook market place has some older bikes to be had
sandman768
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sandman768 9/5/2019 4:27pm
9/5/2019 4:27pm
Talisker wrote:
Wow, nice find!!!!
Thanks, if the seller had spent 2 hrs cleaning it, he could have sold it for a lot more....

The Shop

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sandman768
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sandman768 9/5/2019 4:29pm
9/5/2019 4:29pm
Maxx MRP wrote:
Nice Smile

you had a lot of luck on this one Wink Wink
I seen all the stock parts on the bike & took a leap of faith...
sandman768
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sandman768 9/5/2019 4:31pm
9/5/2019 4:31pm
RAD60 wrote:
Dauum I like it...sounds like Facebook market place has some older bikes to be had
I only joined fbook for the track updates & specific bike groups, otherwise it’s blow hard central! But, if you can weed through the kooks & losers, yes, there are bikes to be had.
1
sandman768
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sandman768 9/5/2019 4:35pm
9/5/2019 4:35pm
More photos, the only parts that are not original are the rear tire & levers









1
sandman768
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sandman768 9/5/2019 6:16pm
9/5/2019 6:16pm
Thinking I will do a factory bike restore to honor The O”Show, who was hired by Kawasaki in 1990 to assist in testing for Ward & Chicken....
3
sandman768
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sandman768 9/5/2019 6:24pm
9/5/2019 6:24pm
The original number plates are in good condition, just have to remove oem back grounds & replace with new. It’s funny how, when you don’t want to lose the back grounds they blow off with a pressure washer in no time, but when you want to remove them, they are bonded on with some kind of Hercules super glue!


Here is 2 hrs I will never get back...
4
RAD60
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RAD60 9/5/2019 7:39pm
9/5/2019 7:39pm
Chance1216
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Chance1216 9/5/2019 9:01pm
9/5/2019 9:01pm Edited Date/Time 9/5/2019 9:03pm
I went to a friends birthday when I was about 13. His mom bought him a brand new 90 KX 250. Man I was so jealous. Thanks for the helping me relive that memory. Nice find man.
1
lukemoto
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lukemoto 9/6/2019 2:14am
9/6/2019 2:14am
sandman768 wrote:
The original number plates are in good condition, just have to remove oem back grounds & replace with new. It’s funny how, when you don’t want...
The original number plates are in good condition, just have to remove oem back grounds & replace with new. It’s funny how, when you don’t want to lose the back grounds they blow off with a pressure washer in no time, but when you want to remove them, they are bonded on with some kind of Hercules super glue!


Here is 2 hrs I will never get back...
I used foaming paint stripper a few times with good results on the old crusty backgrounds. awesome find that thing is clean!
sandman768
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sandman768 9/6/2019 5:15am
9/6/2019 5:15am
lukemoto wrote:
I used foaming paint stripper a few times with good results on the old crusty backgrounds. awesome find that thing is clean!
Good to know....thanks👍
Superdave19
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Superdave19 9/6/2019 7:26am
9/6/2019 7:26am
Love your builds Sandman.. the 90' KX was one of my favs. I would have traded every high school girlfriend for one at the time haha-
sandman768
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sandman768 9/6/2019 10:58am
9/6/2019 10:58am
Superdave19 wrote:
Love your builds Sandman.. the 90' KX was one of my favs. I would have traded every high school girlfriend for one at the time haha-
Thanks man....I had new 89,90 & 91 KX250”s from a great dealer that helped my a bit back then. They were all very good bikes for me, the 90 definitely had the most explosive hit ....this one will be pretty easy to bring back to oem, apart from some cosmetic enhancements...like the stock pipe I spent a few hrs on earlier this week.




5
Manbearpig
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Manbearpig 9/8/2019 11:56pm
9/8/2019 11:56pm
Such a sweet find man. Congrats on the bike! It's funny. I'm working on an 86 rm125 and also a 91kx125. You inspire me to build the same colors. Haha

A little photoshop on the graghics while they are being made Smile
3
sandman768
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sandman768 9/9/2019 6:42am
9/9/2019 6:42am
Manbearpig wrote:
Such a sweet find man. Congrats on the bike! It's funny. I'm working on an 86 rm125 and also a 91kx125. You inspire me to build...
Such a sweet find man. Congrats on the bike! It's funny. I'm working on an 86 rm125 and also a 91kx125. You inspire me to build the same colors. Haha

A little photoshop on the graghics while they are being made Smile
Awesome! McGrath & Kehoe replica”s....I already have my Oem graphics from Evo-Mx for the KX...other than maybe some cerakote on the engine covers that’s about all that will be done to this KX. Last time we spoke I think you were looking for a decent 86-87 RM 125, looks like you found one?
sandman768
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sandman768 9/12/2019 8:16am
9/12/2019 8:16am

8

Pit Row

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sandman768
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sandman768 9/18/2019 12:28pm
9/18/2019 12:28pm
Finally moved bike onto the lift for some chassis/wheel work. Hubs, brake carriers and calipers are all natural aluminum and stained. Some of the spokes also have some staining, I have had good luck with soda blasting all these parts. I have been keeping the brake assemblies together for blasting on bikes that don’t require full caliper rebuilds.



1
ledger
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ledger 9/18/2019 4:03pm
9/18/2019 4:03pm
Looking good sandman. Graphics and backgrounds...spot on.
sandman768
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sandman768 9/18/2019 4:25pm
9/18/2019 4:25pm
ledger wrote:
Looking good sandman. Graphics and backgrounds...spot on.
Thanks man....the most work will be soda blasting the raw aluminum parts, otherwise it’s very clean, underneath all the grime. These bikes looked great stock, that’s pretty much how it will stay. Here is a shot of the upper frame & rads.... even the hardware is still shinny
4
sandman768
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sandman768 9/20/2019 1:09pm
9/20/2019 1:09pm
Had a dose of motivation today and remove the K990! from the back wheel...it was hard as rock....Replaced it with a decent used MX33 in case I decide to ride this one. Wheel bearings will need to be replaced, felt a little play during disassembly.

3
sandman768
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sandman768 9/24/2019 12:02pm
9/24/2019 12:02pm
You never know what you will run into with the swingarm bolt....I have had some epic battles with Seized Suzuki swing arm bolts....happy to find this bolt came out with just a light tap. Not sure if it was greased at some point or it was never pressure washed...... whatever the case, The bolt is mint!

2
sandman768
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sandman768 9/24/2019 12:06pm
9/24/2019 12:06pm
All the chain lube and grease that was never washed off, actually helped preserve the finish on the hardware & frame. “before” clean up photo
3
sandman768
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sandman768 9/26/2019 9:49am
9/26/2019 9:49am
Original chains rollers....
1
wbt1974
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wbt1974 9/26/2019 2:42pm
9/26/2019 2:42pm
Never understood the inline fuel filter. There is one in tank as part of the petcock assembly. I guess people just like to see the fuel.....

Neat bike. Wouldn't mind owning one someday.
sandman768
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sandman768 9/26/2019 6:39pm
9/26/2019 6:39pm
wbt1974 wrote:
Never understood the inline fuel filter. There is one in tank as part of the petcock assembly. I guess people just like to see the fuel...
Never understood the inline fuel filter. There is one in tank as part of the petcock assembly. I guess people just like to see the fuel.....

Neat bike. Wouldn't mind owning one someday.
I give the previous owner credit, he may have only used the bike for beer runs but the air filter, carb & top end look good.
sandman768
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sandman768 9/26/2019 6:44pm
9/26/2019 6:44pm
Carby done...








sandman768
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sandman768 9/26/2019 6:47pm
9/26/2019 6:47pm
Reeds just starting to chip on corner


mxsixty
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mxsixty 9/27/2019 3:49am
9/27/2019 3:49am
sandman768 wrote:
Rescued this bike from fbook market place back in the spring. The photos were poor and description not much better. I seen a few things in...
Rescued this bike from fbook market place back in the spring. The photos were poor and description not much better. I seen a few things in the photos that led me to believe it was a low hr original bike. After the normal go around the seller sent me a few better photos, no attempt to clean the bike at all but I could see a lot of original parts that showed it was a low hr bike. We had agreed on a price & We had a day setup for me to come buy it....and the seller flaked on me, saying he changed his mind, the bike was his fathers and he did not want to sell it. Ok, I didn’t really need it anyway...about a month later he contacted me saying he needed cash and he lowered the price. So I bought it, sight unseen. I had been sort of looking for a clean 90, I had and raced one back in 90. When I showed up to complete the purchase, the bike looked worse than the photos, I thought about backing out but I kept looking and it was just covered in chain lube & oil, I don’t think the bike was ever washed! He started it and it sounded crisp & tight.... I took it home, gave it a good pressure washing & scrub down...to my surprise the bike is very clean and cannot have more than 20 hrs max. Appears most of those hr”s were making runs to the local keg parties on the road! Here it is after I spent 2 hrs cleaning it.










Sandman your builds are awesome! I call in weekly to check in on what you are up to.
Love the RM125 any updates?
But yeah when I did my 1990 KX250 there was little in the way of pics or information on the net (trust me I looked high and low) on how to run the wiring harness and cable's but nothing was out there I have a manual also but nothing is clear.
Your pics of your 1990 KX250 are the 1st pics I've seen of how it came from the factory!
If you could post a few pics of how the wiring harness and cable's are run from factory it would be awesome for future reference for anyone doing a 1990 KX250 and for me to correct mine.
As you can see from this pic of my 1990 KX250 just how wrong I got it! with nothing out there to go by.
Cheers and keep up the great work you do awesome builds of classic mx bikes!.. .


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