Finally, I own a Mugen...

Tbteam
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2/23/2018 7:20pm Edited Date/Time 8/21/2019 7:01pm
I've been drooling over these bikes for too long. I finally found just thee right one. 83 with repro swingarm, aluminum subframe/airbox assembly, Excel rims, Pro Circuit pipe, Carbon fiber silencer...I'm pretty pumped.

Now, if anyone can't direct me to some factory suspension or some conventional Ohlins forks???











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MaxPower
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2/23/2018 9:43pm
that thing is bad ass
Good for you Mark
I hope you ride the wheels off that thing and use it as it was made for
Bearuno
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2/23/2018 11:24pm
The story of your pursuit, find and purchase would be interesting to know.

It's quite the thing to finally get.

You can put anything you want on it, but , as far as I can recall, Ohlins Conventionals didn't exist when that bike was made, and / or campaigned. Ohlins USDs were before the RWUs. The conventionals it has, were the period appropriate things. I think Lucky Nino has Mugen Kit RWU forks (if yours aren't Mugen kitted) on one of his VRP / Mugens, but they are a few years younger than this bike.

But, a modern(er) fork and a disc would certainly be a performance upgrade.

Either way, congratulations on getting what you wanted!
wertman194
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2/24/2018 3:26am
Wow, would love to see a pic of that subframe/airbox with the panels removed.

The Shop

a22
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2/24/2018 8:11am
Lovely looking bike- brings back memories... from those years.

Was maybe about 5-10 bikes I reckon that I remember like this from that time in UK. Quick riders who had this bike or similar here were Mark Banks (Son of John Banks) and Paul Bickers (son of Dave Bickers) and a few others, who also did quite good. May have been alot more (Mugen kitted bikes) but they were expensive, the kits and stuff- as they are now! I maybe recall seeing about 5-10 maybe back at the time.

Think Mark Banks won quite abit on Mugens very much like this in 1983/84 before he went onto adults and then onto the GP's.
Uncle Tony
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2/24/2018 11:38am
That's really cool man, good luck
philG
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2/24/2018 2:34pm
Of the 8 Mugens bought into the UK in 1983 , there are only 23 left... nice bike though.
chuckie108
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2/25/2018 6:04pm
Wow!! That thing is outstanding!!
Tbteam
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2/25/2018 6:52pm
Bearuno wrote:
The story of your pursuit, find and purchase would be interesting to know. It's quite the thing to finally get. You can put anything you want...
The story of your pursuit, find and purchase would be interesting to know.

It's quite the thing to finally get.

You can put anything you want on it, but , as far as I can recall, Ohlins Conventionals didn't exist when that bike was made, and / or campaigned. Ohlins USDs were before the RWUs. The conventionals it has, were the period appropriate things. I think Lucky Nino has Mugen Kit RWU forks (if yours aren't Mugen kitted) on one of his VRP / Mugens, but they are a few years younger than this bike.

But, a modern(er) fork and a disc would certainly be a performance upgrade.

Either way, congratulations on getting what you wanted!
So, I went crazy and bought some 44mm Fox Factory forks. I’ll need to press in the 83 stem and maybe mess with axle and spacers, but I’m pumped on finding these forks. Now, on to a rear shock!
Wandell
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2/25/2018 7:15pm
Damn!! That's nice!
Bearuno
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2/26/2018 12:12am
Tbteam wrote:
So, I went crazy and bought some 44mm Fox Factory forks. I’ll need to press in the 83 stem and maybe mess with axle and spacers...
So, I went crazy and bought some 44mm Fox Factory forks. I’ll need to press in the 83 stem and maybe mess with axle and spacers, but I’m pumped on finding these forks. Now, on to a rear shock!
A good , era appropriate choice are the Fox 44s.

.I've a set of 44s hanging on the wall, plus the original box they came in and other bits. I ran them on my RM/XR hybrids, and a few other bikes.

By doing a caliper carrier along the lines of the rear type we are all familiar with, you can fit a disc brake - that's what I did when I got fed up with the Dual Leading Shoe front brake I had. I would Never weld any sort of mount to the forged legs - ever. The 'baby' Brembo ( the caliper Huskies / Cagivas first used on the front) I initially fitted, was almost as bad - it flexed open by well over a mm as you used the lever. A Gold Line rear Brembo Caliper sorted things out..

Sports Motorcycles, now based in Un Zud, have externally adjustable Emulator type kits, but they cost a whole bunch of money .http://sportsvalve.com/sports-valve-fully-adjustable-damping-control/

They need to know the I.D. of the fork tube they are to go into. Bit 'iffy' that they have something for that size, though, as this listing goes to an ID of only 39mm - but if they make them, they could surely machine a bigger body and piston ring = $$$$$$$

biilyslad above might be the 'go to' guy for the shock you want.
Bearuno
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2/26/2018 12:14am
philG wrote:
Of the 8 Mugens bought into the UK in 1983 , there are only 23 left... nice bike though.
Funny how that works, isn't it philG?
Tbteam
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2/26/2018 6:55am
philG wrote:
Of the 8 Mugens bought into the UK in 1983 , there are only 23 left... nice bike though.
I'm not claiming this to be a true "built by Mugen" bike. But it has the top end kit and some cool parts. That's all.
lumpy790
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2/26/2018 7:15am Edited Date/Time 2/26/2018 7:28am
Suggestion..... contact Legends and heroes about bringing your Mugen in for display at Daytona.
lumpy790
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2/26/2018 7:26am Edited Date/Time 2/26/2018 7:29am
Reached out and Legends & Heroes cant do Daytona ...... not a feld race

Are you coming to Atlanta?
lumpy790
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2/26/2018 7:28am
philG wrote:
Of the 8 Mugens bought into the UK in 1983 , there are only 23 left... nice bike though.
Bearuno wrote:
Funny how that works, isn't it philG?
Mugen kits were sold here. I remember seeing some in supercross
Tbteam
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2/26/2018 8:47am
lumpy790 wrote:
Reached out and Legends & Heroes cant do Daytona ...... not a feld race

Are you coming to Atlanta?
I won't be at Atlanta. Daytona is 10 minutes from my home, but that's my day. I don't want to be dragging a bike there and worrying about it all day. Then they make you get it out of there by 6pm, so you need to be available for move out too.

newmann
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2/26/2018 10:25am
philG wrote:
Of the 8 Mugens bought into the UK in 1983 , there are only 23 left... nice bike though.
I think there are a few running jokes along those lines, even for here in the US. Truth is though that there was an absolute metric shit ton of Mugen parts, kits, suspension, body work, frames....you name it. Lots of it went unsold for years and a couple shipping containers full of Mugen parts, bikes, literature and personal effects were purchased from Al Bakers old business back in the 90's. I have one 1980 ME125 that is nearly complete and built mostly from NOS parts with part number labels still stuck to a lot of them. The other two I have/had were built from what was there left over from the Al and Johnny days. I bought a good bit of stuff when it was all going "cheap".Woohoo
newmann
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2/26/2018 10:38am
Tbteam wrote:
So, I went crazy and bought some 44mm Fox Factory forks. I’ll need to press in the 83 stem and maybe mess with axle and spacers...
So, I went crazy and bought some 44mm Fox Factory forks. I’ll need to press in the 83 stem and maybe mess with axle and spacers, but I’m pumped on finding these forks. Now, on to a rear shock!
Since you picked up a set of Fox Forx, check and see if a Fox Twin Clicker from a 1983 CR250 will fit. I may know the whereabouts of one.

On the forks, I went away from that soft negative pressure spring/air setup and stepped up to a set of Race Tech springs on mine. Eventually sent them in to be modded and emulators installed. They work way better than the other set I used to race with.
Bearuno
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2/26/2018 4:34pm
philG wrote:
Of the 8 Mugens bought into the UK in 1983 , there are only 23 left... nice bike though.
Tbteam wrote:
I'm not claiming this to be a true "built by Mugen" bike. But it has the top end kit and some cool parts. That's all.
Don't take it the wrong way.

PhilG was just commenting on his own 'scene', as was I. There's quite the chance of European Mugens' having come across to Britain. Europe was / is a Massive market for MX that Americans just don't seem to grasp. A lot of Mugens / Mugen parts were there, just as stuff like Genuine HRC kits and parts were sold there.
a22
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2/27/2018 7:47am
philG wrote:
Of the 8 Mugens bought into the UK in 1983 , there are only 23 left... nice bike though.
Tbteam wrote:
I'm not claiming this to be a true "built by Mugen" bike. But it has the top end kit and some cool parts. That's all.
Yes- that is what I figured it was, (i.e Kitted)- as was most of them.

Of the 5-10 or so I remember seeing/ racing against in 1983-1984, think nearly all of them were 'just' kitted Mugens. I think 'a built by Mugen/ Mugen' hardly existed then, may have possibly in GP's/ or Japan... not sure- but think all the ones I remember were just kitted- even Mark Banks one possibly also, may have just been a 'humble kitted one' ... despite his obvious talent and connections. Think most of them were kitted and I expect the numbers grew years after, because of the leftovers/ unsold kits/ parts as Newmann has stated. So yes, there may have just been a handful around in 1983-84 but if people bought parts years after then for sure the numbers may grow, whether parts/ kits bought in from Europe or wherever.

The only 'real Mugen/ built by Mugen' I remember was one of the white Johhny O ones- however that was way back in about 1980 with twin shocks. The UK DG Importers(way back in the day)) Son raced it around the Southern Areas/ regions in UK back then. Super cool bike it was for sure. That the only 'real' proper genuine Mugen I remember.

Jason Bonhams (son of Led Zepplin legend drummer John)- yea he had some super cool exotic bikes also, including a Mugen. Again though, it may have only been a 'kitted one', despite his connections and his Dads wealth. He was a pretty handy rider also, was Jason.

Even a kitted one was for sure a super desirable bike, as it still is today.
I'll take one or two if given the chance!!

Enjoy the bike- bet she rips if it is all setup nice!
2/27/2018 8:03am
Congrats on the beautiful bike Tbteam! I am hoping you will be riding/racing it? Or is it going to be a garage queen?
Keep us updated on how the Fox Forx come along, and thank you for sharing!!
newmann
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2/27/2018 10:01am
philG wrote:
Of the 8 Mugens bought into the UK in 1983 , there are only 23 left... nice bike though.
Tbteam wrote:
I'm not claiming this to be a true "built by Mugen" bike. But it has the top end kit and some cool parts. That's all.
a22 wrote:
Yes- that is what I figured it was, (i.e Kitted)- as was most of them. Of the 5-10 or so I remember seeing/ racing against in...
Yes- that is what I figured it was, (i.e Kitted)- as was most of them.

Of the 5-10 or so I remember seeing/ racing against in 1983-1984, think nearly all of them were 'just' kitted Mugens. I think 'a built by Mugen/ Mugen' hardly existed then, may have possibly in GP's/ or Japan... not sure- but think all the ones I remember were just kitted- even Mark Banks one possibly also, may have just been a 'humble kitted one' ... despite his obvious talent and connections. Think most of them were kitted and I expect the numbers grew years after, because of the leftovers/ unsold kits/ parts as Newmann has stated. So yes, there may have just been a handful around in 1983-84 but if people bought parts years after then for sure the numbers may grow, whether parts/ kits bought in from Europe or wherever.

The only 'real Mugen/ built by Mugen' I remember was one of the white Johhny O ones- however that was way back in about 1980 with twin shocks. The UK DG Importers(way back in the day)) Son raced it around the Southern Areas/ regions in UK back then. Super cool bike it was for sure. That the only 'real' proper genuine Mugen I remember.

Jason Bonhams (son of Led Zepplin legend drummer John)- yea he had some super cool exotic bikes also, including a Mugen. Again though, it may have only been a 'kitted one', despite his connections and his Dads wealth. He was a pretty handy rider also, was Jason.

Even a kitted one was for sure a super desirable bike, as it still is today.
I'll take one or two if given the chance!!

Enjoy the bike- bet she rips if it is all setup nice!
Mugen made a quite a few different complete bikes although in limited numbers. This brochure shows the 77 ME125, Johnny O on his air cooled 79 ME125, the 81 ME125.

























newmann
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2/27/2018 10:42am
Factory ME360




FreshTopEnd
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2/27/2018 10:45am
newmann wrote:
Factory ME360 [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/02/27/246485/s1200_vmx.jpg[/img]
Factory ME360




Curse you and my bank account when you sold that
a22
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2/27/2018 11:00am Edited Date/Time 2/27/2018 11:45am
Quote Newmann "Mugen made a quite a few different complete bikes although in limited numbers. This brochure shows the 77 ME125, Johnny O on his air cooled 79 ME125, the 81 ME125."

Newmann- yes, superb- never seen some of those pics/ literature before and also you must know really quite alot about these bikes etc. You own about 3 of them don't you?! How cool is that!

Yes- the only 'real Mugen, the' 'White one', that was in UK. back then , I think was a 1980 ME125, Water Cooled but still twin shock then- think it was probably one of the original hand built of the 5 Mugens(?) that were sent to America and then came to UK, via the DG importer for his son.... or at least that's how I remember it, although the old memory is becoming abit foggy now as was coming on 40 years ago!

Not sure what the exact specs were of other bikes like the OP's bike of 1983, think they were all pretty much 'kitted' to varying degrees/ specs(or at least the ones in UK), although maybe some may have been more Mugen made and 'less kitted' than others... not totally sure. I do remember though the lads who had these Mugens, 'kits or not/ whatever' were generally damn fast!
tobias56
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2/27/2018 9:39pm
That is totally neat and nice, great find!
MaxPower
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2/28/2018 9:08am Edited Date/Time 2/28/2018 9:09am
lumpy790 wrote:
Reached out and Legends & Heroes cant do Daytona ...... not a feld race

Are you coming to Atlanta?
Tbteam wrote:
I won't be at Atlanta. Daytona is 10 minutes from my home, but that's my day. I don't want to be dragging a bike there and...
I won't be at Atlanta. Daytona is 10 minutes from my home, but that's my day. I don't want to be dragging a bike there and worrying about it all day. Then they make you get it out of there by 6pm, so you need to be available for move out too.

Mark,you should drag it to Unadilla in June
MaxPower
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2/28/2018 9:11am
Joe, what did you ride at Unadilla ? didn't that have a radiator on the forks?

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