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Rich_leek2040 Started a new thread 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/11/2015 11:37pm
Hello all, Just thought I'd share my restoration with you. Bit of history first, the 1990 was my first ever brand new bike and I always regretted selling her. About 4 years ago an old mate bought an 81 RM125 to restore which spurred me on to buy the above little gem.
This forum thread has 28 replies.

Rich_leek2040 Added a reply to 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/11/2015 3:08pm
I bought all new UFO plastics, the genuine ones were more than double the price. I searched for 1990 graphics but couldn't find any that included covers for the tank. I eventually decided upon Thorpe SR500 replicas from EVO-MX with a seat cover to match. Wearing my race number for 1990, the old girl is finished apart...

Rich_leek2040 Added a reply to 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/11/2015 2:53pm
I had a pair if braided brake lines made to suit, off the shelf just didn't fit correctly. Only £40 made to measure with the correct bends. I also,replaced the front master cylinder with one from an 01 500. I originally bought a replica seat cover from the Far East, it looked ok but was very thin and creased from...

Rich_leek2040 Added a reply to 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/11/2015 12:20am
I cleaned and serviced the front forks. The oil inside was thick, black and didn't smell good. Most of it was missing. I cleaned the aluminium parts and made them shiny. Both calipers were re-furbed, I kept the Pistons...

Rich_leek2040 Added a reply to 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/11/2015 12:10am
One of my biggest problems was the bikes wheels. The rims were scrap, especially the rear, the spokes were rusted solid and the hubs disgusting. I couldn't justify over £500 for a set off the shelf so the search began. I broke them down with bolt croppers and refurbed the hubs. I found a set of cheap...

Rich_leek2040 Added a reply to 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/7/2015 4:18pm
Engine cases back from the vapour blaster, all new seals and every bearing replaced. Now came a steep learning curve. My crank came back from PJME in Wolverhampton complete with its new PROX rod kit. Engine rebuild didn't go too badly other than I didn't realise Kawasaki don't run a centre gasket so I had to...

Rich_leek2040 Added a reply to 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/7/2015 3:42pm
I was pleased with how my fixings and brackets turned out, I found a local guy that restores Suzuki Kettles who had this done. I refurbed the original footpegs and spent a few hours cleaning my headstock and shock mounts.

Rich_leek2040 Added a reply to 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/7/2015 3:37pm
Hi SOHC, First job was a new workshop, supplied and built by the secure shed company. I sent my frame for powder coat along with my sub frame and swing arm for blasting. The frame came back nice but the abrasive blasting made a mess of the ally stuff. Many hours of sanding just about bought them back from...

Rich_leek2040 Added a reply to 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/6/2015 12:19pm
A few more of the rip down. Much of the bike I left in the old chaps garage, I just took a few bits home to mess with in my small workshop including the engine. Apart from being in a stained and tarnished mess on the outside the inside wasn't too bad. Barrel needed re-plating, crank was...

Rich_leek2040 Added a reply to 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/6/2015 11:55am
I spent about 18 months searching for and buying bits here and there. Cradley Kawasaki's website gave me schematics and part numbers. To give you an idea, one list for bolts and fixings alone came to £300. Not a chance.

Rich_leek2040 Added a reply to 1990 KX250 restoration - Labour of love

12/6/2015 11:39am
There was no unlimited budget so I had to be thrifty without cutting corners. It's surprising what you come across from around the world though. The problem is though that once you start, all the things you'd though would be OK turn out to be parts for the bin.