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8/25/2015 7:28pm
got this thing super cheap, 86 with fresh top/bottom end, 94 swing arm, rear brake and shock. '05 fork, brake and wheelset.
Just looking for opinions on which direction to go, i am a big fan of era correct look which I suppose is out of the question. Any pictures/info on the works bikes of the era? Id like to make it look like a us national/ gp works bike of the day. I have saw some pics of early ohlins upside down forks and handmade swingarm from 86/87.
Any opinions or ideas appreciated.
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If memory serves, Yamaha sold an absolute boatload of bikes that year, I remember coming back from college to visit my folks in Houston and seeing them everywhere -- even one of the guys down the street from my Pops bought one.
The 86-87 YZ250s were two-year only bikes with conventional non-cartridge 43mm forks and disk/drums, but the '86-'88 YZ125s went 3 years with the same configuration until being made into a YZ-R replica in '89.
Hard to imagine that kind of development pace now!
Vimonds bike in '86.
I may go this direction but with the American kit.
Anywhere is there a team photo from '86 or '87. Who was the complete factory team those years?
it has rear disc, but according to the article the rear drum was lighter! Yamaha showed up with 1985 cylinders at the first race but the ama said that only current year cylinders could be used. Apparently this rule was changed because in 97-98 yamaha used 94 cylinders on their factory bikes. The factory team was Glover, Scott Burnworth,.and keith Bowen.
So I know this is an old thread but I have to ask. Are those forks and triples off an 05 yz or yzf bike? I recently bought a set to do this very swap as I am turning my 82 yz 490 into a super moto bike for vintage bike week at mid ohio as well as the one down at Barber Motor Speedway. I just want a cool old skool big bore thats not permanently modified. I have sourced an extra rear hub, front 03 yzf hub, warp 9 SM rims in 3.5 and 4.5 inches. I plan to keep my original wheels and forks so I can swap back for dirt use. My question for anyone who may know is what bearing kit was this? Any info is greatly appreciated
If Yamaha did that today, would the AMA even notice?
Hell no...... Probably wouldn't even catch it unless some soul pointed it out, by the third, or fourth round. They don't seem so swift these days.......
If it peaks anyone's interest...
I have a NOS cylinder, piston, rings etc. for a 86 250.
PO swore it was from a 87. He swore wrong!
$450 to your doorstep....
The 85 cylinder looks a lot different than the 86/87. It has a much bigger power valve drum, cover and porting setup more for mid/top end so it's definitely easier to spot just by looking at it. I have both for my 86 YZ250 and prefer the 86 cylinder, it runs especially well when you add a second Boyesen port and open up the original. Add the current FMF pipe and it doesn't give much up to the 90s bikes in the motor department. An Ohlin's shock is a must and if you want to keep the stock look a set of 88 YZ cartridge forks. The factory rear brake was a joke. If it lasted a race I'd be surprised. I had to put a YZ465 rear wheel on with large drum just to get a full race out of mine. Good times.
It was Magrath that liked the 94 cylinder on the 97-98 as the ports were lower and had more potential than the 97/98 cylinders, a mix of PC/factory Yamaha was doing his motor when he switched to Yamaha as he was tired of the restrictive factory contracts, Yamaha was still suppling works parts just in a different capacity. That said who ever use to do the porting work at Noleen could make those engines sing. My Noleen ported 98 YZ250 was way stronger than my buddies PC ported 98 YZ250.
Pit Row
Well here’s to dragging one from the grave, the post and the bike. I’m putting the 86’ on the bench and have some parts ordered. My buddy from childhood tang started the project and I are gonna work on it together and paired with my 85’ 500kx we’ll be set up to do a few vintage races. Of course the modern suspension will put the 86’ racing with bikes through the late 90s but who cares.
It looks like you know the ins and outs of these things… did you mention a modern 250 YZ pipe would bolt up?
Not a different model pipe but FMF still makes a pipe for the 86/87 YZ250 and it runs well. Stronger than using the stock pipe and IMO better than the PC pipe I found for it to.
I enjoy racing mine and I have a new YZx to compare it to. While you know you are on a older bike it doesn't give much up to newer ones and can be ridden pretty fast. Forks can be made to work well with minimal effort and same with the shock. I have a set of 86 forks with progressive springs and RT cartridge emulators kicking around along with a good 88 shock which is the same as the 86 just with the BASS setup removed from the factory.
Those forks are legit
I have interest
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