2004 YZ125 Build (Round 2)

Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
2/19/2018 1:16pm Edited Date/Time 5/11/2021 11:26am
Snagged this bike while on a business trip to SoCal. It was in pretty decent shape actually so it was more of a pleasure to work on than a pain. $1,200 with a clean title seemed like a sweet deal.

Still had the original front tire on! Unfortunately, it still had the original grease in all the bearings as well.

I tried to keep this as "budget build" as possible seeing as I just slid this one in the garage without prior approval if you know what I'm sayin...This build took about two weeks of late night beer drinkin sessions.

So far:
-Tag bars
-Tusk levers
-Tusk clutch perch
-Honda front brake conversion (MC & Caliper)
-Galfer brake line
-ODI grips
-Guts seat cover
-Vertex piston
-Mix of Rtech, Acerbis, and Cycra plastic (pain in the ass to get the colors I wanted)
-UFO frame guards
-Vortex Sprockets
-EK Chain
-Tusk Pegs
-Tusk Impact Wheels/Hubs
-Pivot Works bearings
-No Toil filters
-PC 304 shorty
-SSS forks & 08 YZ450F Shock
-Graphics by fellow vitard @215



Here it is after hosing it off the first day.


It's about to go down...











|
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
2/19/2018 1:26pm
Cleaning and reassembly



Obligatory linkage polishing (that's NOT a euphemism)





Stripped the stock pipe and blued the welds for that fake fast look





Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
2/19/2018 1:41pm
Waiting on wheels Whistling

I've read a lot of reviews/tests/testimonials on "cheap" wheels. These Tusk sets seem to have very high satisfaction rates so I went for it. Pleased with the quality, though the front wheel had bearings for a '14+ axle. Currently waiting on the retrofit bearings.


Mounted some fresh meats


Almost there!


3
yak651
Posts
6642
Joined
8/26/2006
Location
Appleton, WI US
Fantasy
168th
2/19/2018 5:12pm
Looks good!

The Shop

b_kowalsk
Posts
476
Joined
3/27/2016
Location
Thomaston, CT US
2/19/2018 5:27pm
Very cool build. Brings back memories. I used to have an 04, was a great bike!



byronf29
Posts
51
Joined
2/16/2017
Location
Orick, CA US
2/19/2018 5:28pm
I think your wheels have spacers to make them fit your bike. Mine came with enough different spacers to make them fit any yz
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
2/19/2018 5:59pm
byronf29 wrote:
I think your wheels have spacers to make them fit your bike. Mine came with enough different spacers to make them fit any yz
Yeah I thought one of the 3 sets they sent would work but alas all for the wrong size axle.
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
2/21/2018 6:44pm
Thanks dudes! Got it out to the track tonight. She rips.



2
samcampbell
Posts
209
Joined
3/31/2016
Location
Bozeman, MT US
2/21/2018 8:53pm
Bike turned out awesome. How'd you strip the paint off the factory pipe?
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
2/22/2018 8:24am
Bike turned out awesome. How'd you strip the paint off the factory pipe?
Thanks, man!

It took about two hours of wire wheeling, then another hours worth of sanding and scotchbrite. My fingers were about as raw as the pipe by the time I finished.
1
DTR830
Posts
964
Joined
8/14/2017
Location
Mountain Top, PA US
Fantasy
1131st
2/22/2018 9:15am
bike looks sick, makes me want to do a steel frame 125
motomojo
Posts
443
Joined
12/3/2015
Location
Kingman, AZ US
2/22/2018 10:11am
Very nice now i won't be the only 125 at the gulch.
Looks good Tyler!!
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
2/23/2018 3:35pm
b_kowalsk wrote:
Very cool build. Brings back memories. I used to have an 04, was a great bike! [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/02/19/244910/s1200_DSCF1968.jpg[/img]
Very cool build. Brings back memories. I used to have an 04, was a great bike!



Always love me some YOT.
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
2/24/2018 2:20pm
RiverockMX wrote:
Nice work Tyler! Memories of my YOT [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/02/24/245854/s1200_2000YZ125.jpg[/img]
Nice work Tyler! Memories of my YOT





So clean!
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
3/13/2018 1:48pm
Picked up a new noise enhancer. I’m having so much damn fun riding this bike. Haven’t ridden my 350 since I finished this thing.

SSS forks and new shock purchased from a fellow Vitard. Should have them in early April.



ledger
Posts
3673
Joined
1/17/2013
Location
TN US
3/13/2018 2:41pm
Agent, never let go of that bike.... It does not get any better than the 04 YZ125 !! I could write a book on how much fun my son and I had on the 04, it did everything Perfect and took one helluva beating, we changed the shift fork ( I think that's right ) ? at some point to be on the safe side, other than that, it was bullet proof. Anyway, good looking bike, you have done a mighty justice to the Ole 04. I'm a little jealous, lol.
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
3/13/2018 3:06pm
ledger wrote:
Agent, never let go of that bike.... It does not get any better than the 04 YZ125 !! I could write a book on how much...
Agent, never let go of that bike.... It does not get any better than the 04 YZ125 !! I could write a book on how much fun my son and I had on the 04, it did everything Perfect and took one helluva beating, we changed the shift fork ( I think that's right ) ? at some point to be on the safe side, other than that, it was bullet proof. Anyway, good looking bike, you have done a mighty justice to the Ole 04. I'm a little jealous, lol.
Funny, I was just telling a buddy how I think this will be one of those bikes I keep forever. It's pretty damn easy to make it new again every couple years and I can't imagine it ever being too far behind the curve in the two stroke world.

Cheers!
The Captain
Posts
51
Joined
5/4/2011
Location
Trabuco Canyon, CA US
Fantasy
1093rd
3/14/2018 10:21am
Nice budget build. I'm looking at doing something similar soon to an 04 YZ125. What was your process for cleaning up the frame and engine cases? Did you repaint any of the frame? How'd you polish the link? Looks good man!
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
4/24/2018 5:42pm
Nice budget build. I'm looking at doing something similar soon to an 04 YZ125. What was your process for cleaning up the frame and engine cases...
Nice budget build. I'm looking at doing something similar soon to an 04 YZ125. What was your process for cleaning up the frame and engine cases? Did you repaint any of the frame? How'd you polish the link? Looks good man!
Sorry for the late reply, I just saw your questions.

For basic cleaning duties I use a generic purple parts cleaner from Ace Hardware. Dont use it on the engine cases though, it will turn them a weird dark gray. I used a little bit of dish soap and water for the cases with a few different plastic and wire brushes. For the big surfaces I threw a wire wheel on the drill.

The frame was in pretty good shape and the only worn spots ware covered by the frame guards so no powder coat necessary.

Used a Dremel to take down the casting marks on the linkage then sanded it down in 3 steps. Finished with a light buffing wheel on the drill.

Cheers!
markamc
Posts
7
Joined
4/27/2018
Location
Franklin, TX US
4/27/2018 4:33am
Nice bike!
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
4/27/2018 12:02pm
CrGuy2T wrote:
I have a rare set of pro circuit triple clamps for 04 yz if anyone is interested Robertmartin517@yahoo.com [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/04/25/257605/s1200_211E3E90_8678_4743_BC3A_E4F50286836C.jpg[/img]
I have a rare set of pro circuit triple clamps for 04 yz if anyone is interested
Robertmartin517@yahoo.com
Just when I thought I was done spending money on this thing...
1
Agent717
Posts
587
Joined
9/6/2009
Location
Cedar Park, TX US
6/16/2018 6:00pm
She’s done! SSS and new shock setup installed. Stoked with how it turned out!

9
Jake125
Posts
14
Joined
6/16/2018
Location
Magnolia, TX US
6/16/2018 6:10pm
Dang! She's looking perdy now!!!
BenG
Posts
229
Joined
12/20/2017
Location
Denton, TX US
6/16/2018 6:59pm
Damn sexy!
Camp332
Posts
8352
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Zoo Jersey US
6/18/2018 8:12am Edited Date/Time 6/18/2018 8:13am
Nice job! I love it. I'm in the finishing stages of my 04 YZ125 build.

So, on the pipe. What was the process on the wire wheel/sanding to get the pipe looking good? Give me the breakdown of what wire wheel you used? brass? silver? Then the stages of grit on the sandpaper?

Thank you,
Danny

Post a reply to: 2004 YZ125 Build (Round 2)

The Latest