2005 Suzuki RM125 full Rebuild

CR92
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Edited Date/Time 10/17/2022 8:53am
This post is long overdue as we're in the ending stages of this rebuild, but figured better late than never. We are rebuilding from the ground up a 2005 Suzuki RM125 for my wife, who absolutely loves this bike.

Little background on the bike; I am the original owner, and the bike will never be sold. It was originally bought for me when I 14 years old by my late mother, hence why it will never be sold.

In 2019-2020 my wife got back into riding and quickly out grew our little ttr125, and absolutely loved my RM125. I let my wife more or less have the Suzuki, and used the opportunity to buy myself a new bike.

Over the years this bike has definitely been used and abused. I have done the little maintenance items like oil changes, air filter changes, etc. But, unless something I broke, or was visibly done, for one reason or another I let it be.

This bike has been in dier need of a "refresh". Luckily, I have met some great people who have helped me take this project from a little tune up, to a full on rebuild. Big shout out and thanks needed here to Mike, who's known on here as "Hammer 663s". He opened up his garage, has given a huge amount of time, technical help, patience, and teaching in this process. Super thankful to him and his family for this.


Here's what we have done, or are currently in the process of doing:
-Full new bearings on everything
-Frame sent off, stripped, and powder coated
-Suspension was sent off to Factory connection in Milwaukie, Oregon to be rebuilt, lowered 1", re-valved, and set up for my wife.
-Engine sent to Eric Gorr to be torn completely down, rebuilt top and bottom, have the left case fixed (originally I was going to have the left case replaced), vapor honed, and bored to 144cc.
-New Lectron carburetor
-New yellow Excel rims
-Full rebuild on brakes, front and rear both
-Replace all lines, cables, etc
-Send off a few parts to be cerakoted like the triple, brake master cylinders, etc.

I'm sure Mike and myself will be updating this list and adding plenty of photos along the way!

Edit: trimmed a lot down as it was very long winded.
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CR92
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6/28/2022 9:07am
Here are a few photos of the bike over the years I was riding it.



2
CR92
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6/28/2022 9:13am
Here are a few more recent ones, since my wife started to ride it. Little sidenote, my wife growing up played a lot of sports and would always use the number 4. With that, we obviously used the number 4 once it was hers to ride, and we are going to be putting her number 4 back on the bike.



7
CR92
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6/28/2022 9:30am
and then the tear down began







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Hammer 663s
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6/28/2022 9:54am
And here's a few more of where we are now......

There's a complete bike here - really!


Races pressed in


Chasing threads

6

The Shop

Hammer 663s
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6/28/2022 9:55am
Working on the steerer tube


Wheel bearings in

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CR92
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6/28/2022 11:04am
And here's a few more photos of everything in pieces, Mike opening up the top end for the time ever, then a few things like all the parts I got cerakoted, post-cerakote.
I'll be uploading more after work!




7
CR92
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7/3/2022 7:43am
Trying to decide on which tank to use. The one on the right is the original gas tank and the one on the left is off of an 03' I believe. I've already started to clean up the original, but it has a few marks from when I was younger installing graphics, and is a little rough where I had to jb weld back in the radiator shroud nuts.
What do you all think?





CR92
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7/3/2022 7:54am
Also, one of my favorite parts of this project has been how some of the parts have been coming out after cleaning, and then Polishing them.
The first example has been the silencer. Two photos of the before, and after Polishing it. And the rear brake after Polishing, too. The pictures don't quite do them justice.





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johnk408
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7/4/2022 12:31pm
On the tanks, both look similar in condition to me. There are some YouTube videos about polishing them up, which I did to my RM tank. Light sand paper and polishing wheel and looks like new. The jb weld tank nuts won't be seen with shrouds I don't think, and graphics cover most of the tank, for a few rides at least until the gas melts them off like mine always doesSmile
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Hammer 663s
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7/5/2022 11:13am
A few shots from this weekend's work. Would have gotten farther but the swingarm bearing kit has the wrong bushings/spacers. They have a 58mm stack height and there's only 57mm between the frame and motor on each side. Wheels look good and trued up beautifully.





6
johnk408
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7/5/2022 11:16am
Sometimes after having the frame Powder Coated you may need to file some to make things fit, could be issue with swingarm.
Hammer 663s
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7/5/2022 11:30am
johnk408 wrote:
Sometimes after having the frame Powder Coated you may need to file some to make things fit, could be issue with swingarm.
Yeah, that can happen. In this case it's a full 1mm+ off, and the bushing/spacer don't even fit the swingarm properly. Usually the spacer is milled so that the bushing slip fits for the correct stack height. RMATV will get us the correct parts.
CR92
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7/16/2022 6:32pm
Little update, got the swingarm on, there were a couple things that were causing the hang up. Got electrical on, new lectron carburetor, and suspension bolted up. It's so close to being done!
Photos below. I'm a big fan of how the Linkage turned out.




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onefiveight
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Citrus Heights, CA, USA
7/17/2022 9:07am
Looking good
2
CR92
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8/3/2022 5:18am
The wheels turned out looking amazing. Mike did an awesome job on them, and they turned out perfect.



4
CR92
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8/3/2022 5:22am
Here is another couple pictures of where we were when I was last there. Mike has since made A LOT more progress.



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CR92
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8/3/2022 5:38am
And lastly, a couple of pictured from this past weekend. We had a family camping trip, so these aren't my photos. Even though I wasn't there, Mike got a big chunk done. Got the wheels on, brakes rebuilt, and installed, and a few other things like the exhaust put on. Mike probably has more photos he can add, but these are the ones I got sent.



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CR92
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8/3/2022 5:42am
As we're nearing completion, one of the last things we have left to do is the seat. Previously, the seat was shaved down and that was something the wide really liked.
So I have a Question for anyone on here who has shaved down their own seat, or someone else's, How did you do it? In the past l just straight up used a ginsu knife, and im assuming there are better ways of doing it. Any experiences/best practices will be appreciated.
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Hammer 663s
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8/3/2022 8:12am
I gotta get to work.
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johnk408
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8/4/2022 11:02am
CR92 wrote:
As we're nearing completion, one of the last things we have left to do is the seat. Previously, the seat was shaved down and that was...
As we're nearing completion, one of the last things we have left to do is the seat. Previously, the seat was shaved down and that was something the wide really liked.
So I have a Question for anyone on here who has shaved down their own seat, or someone else's, How did you do it? In the past l just straight up used a ginsu knife, and im assuming there are better ways of doing it. Any experiences/best practices will be appreciated.
I have seen factory mechanics use an electric knife years ago. I believe my friend did it that way as well with no issues. Can maybe order a low foam from somewhere as well.
1
Hammer 663s
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8/7/2022 4:14pm
Almost done! She started on the 4th kick and sounds crisp. Just need the correct rear brake line, the new seat, and the CF skid plate and she will be ready for a test ride. Eric Gorr 144 with a Lectron running 100 octane at 30:1. Should rip.
9
8/12/2022 2:47pm
Looks clean! Love the classic tri-color blue. Kinda like the '79 RM 125 you did. It just works.
2
CR92
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8/14/2022 5:47pm
Ran into some big issues on it's second ride up the street, hoping the issues are repairable. But, here is what the bike ended up looking like.










7
mxracer828
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8/31/2022 7:54pm
Yellow wheels on a Zuke is almost mandatory
2
10/17/2022 8:53am
This is so sick! I'm 14 and about to move up to a 125, which is kinda tough because i'm only 5'. how tall is your wife? is she able to touch flat foot with the lowered susupension and shaved seat?

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