Please help ID year, RM125

mxtech1 wrote:

As I am getting a little older, I am starting to appreciate everything vintage and nostalgic with moto. My roots run deep, and I am thinking about tackling a vintage project.

Pictured below, me and my dad out for a ride around the track. I was 2 years old. This photo was taken fall of 1989. My dad has never had a new bike (other than his first few mini bikes that my grandparents helped him buy when he was a kid) so I am thinking the bike in this picture is a 1986 model.

Can anyone else help verify that it is a 1986? I don't want to ask him because it could tip him off that I might be up to something.

I would like to find an '86 model and start restoring it to match the photo. I am undecided if I will restore it to ride or for a sentimental piece that I maybe give back to him down the road.

Is it hard or relatively easy to find NOS/OEM parts?

That's an '86 alright, I remember my buddy bought a 250 brand new towards the end of the year.

Nice of you to surprise him with a restored bike. That is really cool. I can only imagine him getting a little teary-eyed when you finally hand it over. Good luck on the project. And yep, that's a 1986. My buddy had that same bike back in about 1990.

Good luck on the restore project. I just built a 1986 rm 125 and that thing was torture. Lol

Very nice of you to do something like this for your Old Man. If you even found a 87 or 88 you could call it a 86. That was the first year they got rid of the Full Floater rear end and it wasn't the best.
I feel of all vintage bikes Suzukis are easiest to get OEM parts for. Good luck and bring your project here

My son and I are in the process of restoring a 78 RM125 and new and old stock OEM parts are still readily available from Suzuki. Discontinued parts can be found new and used on eBay or as reproductions at VintageSuzuki.com so parts for an 86 RM should be even easier to find. Good luck and have fun with your build if you proceed. Your father will be ecstatic.

mb60 wrote:

Good luck on the restore project. I just built a 1986 rm 125 and that thing was torture. Lol

What kind of issues did you run into?

mb60 wrote:

Good luck on the restore project. I just built a 1986 rm 125 and that thing was torture. Lol

I owned an '86 when it was new and raced it in the 125A class. THAT was torture. I dumped 350 (1986) dollars into the motor and pipe, and against a stock '86 CR125, it was like a PW50 against a CR500. Well, not quite that bad, but close. Slowest bike I ever owned. If it's for sentimental reasons, then by all means, go forward with the project, but if you are rebuilding to have fun on, please spend your money on any other bike. The '87 was a huge jump over the '86.

mb60 wrote:

Good luck on the restore project. I just built a 1986 rm 125 and that thing was torture. Lol

mxtech1 wrote:

What kind of issues did you run into?

The bike was basically a one year design for the motor. Plenty of parts out there for them for the most part.

Yep, that's an '86. My buddy had one and I had an '86 YZ 125. Both bikes were turds compared to the CR and KX back then. Your dad was a real bad ass if he got that thing around the track fast

I think the biggest obstacle will be finding a good '86 to start with. I just started an '86 YZ, and it took long, long time to find the right bike. Everything was either beat beyond recognition, or people think their bike is worth twice its weight in gold. I also find it fascinating how many people don't know what year their bike is when they are trying to sell it.

It's awesome that you want to restore a bike for your dad! I wanted to do the same thing with a car (1965 Plymouth Satellite) for my dad. Unfortunately he died before it got that far.

mxtech1 wrote:

What kind of issues did you run into?

I might be interested in selling a completely restored 1986 rm 125 that I just did. Takes the fun out of rebuilding one but would save you some money in the long run.