Posts
132
Joined
11/4/2015
Location
Rochester, NY
US
Edited Date/Time
5/16/2016 2:02am
Greetings, all. Long time lurker but finally decided to jump in. Those of us in the snow belt are about to endure another winter and I'm sure a lot of us have some restoration work going on in the basement to help keep us from killing ourselves. Here's mine, a 1978 YZ250 which is not my first choice (I was looking for the 400, I bought one new and it was the best bike ever) but it will certainly do.
I'd like to see some others!
Brian
I'd like to see some others!
Brian
This is my winter project, although it is going to take me much more than one winter to complete. It's a 2001 Honda cr250 frame I saw in one of my friends scrap pile, seeing as how I could not let the scrap yard give him 5 bucks for it I gladly gave him 10.00 lol. It came with nothing except footpegs, I finally got the seized alan bolts out and I am going to scrub it up like new, I obviously need everything else but from what I have researched everything is available, time and money is what I really need!!
Also have a 74 TM125 Suzuki that was given to me by a customer who was moving and could not take it with him. Really sweet original unmolested bike in need of a resto. Going back all original, no mods. Wife's bike to putt around the pits on.
Wanting to take one of these 1980 ME125 Mugens of mine and make a racer out of. That way both of the kids and I will all have a 125 Honda of that era to race against each other with. My brother has one he needs to get on the ball with too.
The Shop
Parts are non existent for it. It sat from 1983 until recently, when I ran into a guy with a couple of them. He is reproducing parts for me from patterns / molds off of his original Boy Racers.
Just need to find a tank painter that can pull off a close, nice, original type paint job.
As I found it in my Dad's garage in '83. It still fired off and ran.
Steering stop replicated to original look.
New number plates and fender cast from original Boy Racer patterns.
New seat molded from original Boy Racer pattern. That is the old style "horse hair" , originally used on the bike, that has since been finished off with a top layer of closed cell foam. Ford used this material in their Model T seat construction.
Engine rebuild parts for the Jawa type 23 engine. Had to send to Germany for these.
Wheels cleaned up.
Making very slow progress. More time freed up soon.
Seat mold.
Here mine....1974 Ossa Phantom.....Ihave restored a dozen of these over the years. One of my favorite racer bikes.
This one is quite special so a little extra attention will be in order.
Anyway, my winter project is this:
Found a 05 CRF 250 with everything but a motor (even have the exhaust) that I've been watching on Ebay for a while now. I got it for $550.
Tearing it down to get the frame powder coated Fighting Red ;-)
The suspension is set up for my weight, but the fork seals are gone. I'll be doing them along with my KTM's this winter which is my first time ever doing forks myself. I'm keeping to my promise of doing everything myself on this project, even the powder coating which I'll do at my work with our big oven.
So...the plan is to make this into a 500AF using my yet to have acquired CR 500. I bought the mounting jig off ebay and will get everything welded up so that when I find one near me, it's ready to drop in.
Make sure you have a jig or the engine when welding the new frame piece in.
hopeing to get these ready for 2016 season
Since the 400 is what floats your boat why not try to build a 400 engine. I imagine it will fit that frame. (Im not a YZ expert, maybe it wont)
Either way you have a good starting point.
Since im racing aging old men that work for a living being in good shape is even a bigger advantage than it was when I raced the kids in 30+.
Anyway, I know what you mean about training, it can only help. Were you at Unadilla Rewind? I was there too, as a spectator but it really got me fired up to run a few vintage races if I can get the time (I work weekends) off.
Some great projects in this thread!
Brian
You have more energy than me. Once I was done with my bike, I had it. Not sayying ill never do another bike project. But there is a good chance tbe next bike in my garage will be a complete race ready machine
Pit Row
The trick is to have a couple "future" projects in your mind so you can jump on and buy stuff when you get the chance, without finnish the ongoing projects first. The limit is the garagespace.
It's like an art/sport doing it, or curse if you ask the mother of my children..
Been in the garage the last few weeks getting my EML chassis KX500 sidecar ready for 2016, going all black back end with green front and sidecar fender and my GMX alloy tank made to 250 spec, motor will have new mains, genuine rod and piston kit, new billet clutch basket with genuine plates, new cables, grips, chain and sprockets, blue silicone hoses, new pads, fresh brake fluid and new tyres. Should be rolling by Feb and racing in March.
Did the best I could straightening up the rear shocks.
This one, you just can not find anything for it. Not a matter of ordering up parts. It is more like, what can you come up with that is period correct.
Big thanks to Jeff Lynema for making all of the unobtainable parts I have needed. He is a true savior in this build.
Brian
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