This weekend brought us the beginning of what I hope is the best build so far. I picked up this 2006 in North Houston Texas last weekend on trade for my 2012 KTM 125SX. There was nothing wrong with the KTM machine, but I have been wanting to build an aluminum frame YZ for some time now. Yes, I realize its not a unique topic, but this will hopefully be a different outcome from others that our kind have seen in the past both recent and distant.
I find it funny thinking back to my early days of competitive motocross back home in Southwestern Pennsylvania because my friends and I could think of nothing more than the new 2006 Honda CRF250R armed with the first dual exhaust system. My Dad had graciously blessed me with one of these red and silver beauties one cold February night before the 2nd round local arenacross series. For those of you local to the rolling, often muddy, hills of the tristate area, this was the notoriously dangerous event held in the low ceiling livestock show barn of the Waynesburg Fairgrounds. That bike was all the rage stemming from the Honda ads that ran through what was my junior year of high school at that time. Better cornering and balance was attributed to the dual cans that could easily be damaged beyond repair as I would soon learn following my first "first turn pileup" in the 250C class that June. All that being said, I regularly lined up next to and paid no attention to a few of what is now sitting in my garage with the potential of becoming a work of art that others will drool over, offer to trade for, or straight up buy.
Like many other aspects of my 30 years, I'm glad to have grown up in the early days of the four stroke inductions all the while cutting my teeth on a mostly stock 2001 Honda CR125R that I never truly appreciated let alone actually learned to ride. I'm sure there are many of us out there that glean some small(ish) level of pride from rolling up to the track armed with two wildly different eras of moto strapped down. The challenge of jumping from easy power of my 17 450 to the smooth free spin of well tuned 125 is comparably satisfying to that of what I assume others derive from the swish of a well executed free throw or the ping of perfect 300 yard drive.
Alright, if you've made it this far I owe it to you to shut up and get to the pictures. From here on out this will be a pic-heavy log. I'll keep the days gone by to a minimum. Thanks for following! All thoughts are welcomed!!!
Day 1: Saturday 1/19/2019
Here are the initial pictures of what I am working with:
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Here are the visible issues/views I have identified at this point:
Coming up next...
-suspension shipped out to Factory Connection for the works
-radiators shipped to ICW in North Carolina for repair and bracing
-seat cover will be installed to get that out of the way
-wheels are coming soon
-restyled body has proven challenging, but here is the plan
1. 2018-19 Cycra Power Flow Front Fender from a 250F/450 (black)
2. Restyled shrouds (black on blue tank)
3. Cycra Stadium style front number plate to go with fender (black)
4. FMF Factory Fatty and Shorty Silencer
5. JD Jetting Kit
6. Renthal Twinwalls (blue)
7. ASV 5 kit
8. Honda CRF250/450 front master cylinder adaptation (simply replacing) {performed on my 2003 in past build}
9. Renthal Diamond Soft Grips
10. Dunlop MX3S tires
11. Mototasinari Reed Block
12. Frame cleaning (possible coating)
13. Swingarm and linkage repair (unbelievably neglected)
14. Renthal Chainwheel Drive Kit (blue)
15. Yamaha OEM topend kit
16. Tusk Billet Throttle Tube
