Measures

That's handy then. The previous owner has already removed the indicator switch from the left hand switch set anyway, and half the wires for them - hence the need for a new loom. Cheers for that, saved me some cash.

With any luck I'll have the engine finished this weekend. I had to Heliciol the head stud threads in the end, was a bitch getting the old ones out. Hope to take my bike test this year before the Gov change the system. My Uncle has said I can have his Z650 to reassemble once I dig my way to his shed, so hopefully I should have that when I'm 19. Will be a nice project for me though, think I might make a cafe racer of it but I'm unsure. Anyway, here are some recent pictures of the DT. I got the seat for my birthday, nicely finished and a quick delivery. I've got a 2nd kick stand on the way from eBay so I'll be modifying that so I don't need the toolbox. Aside from that, and of course the engine, I might buy a new wiring loom from Yuniparts so I can fit indicators to allow a full MOT. Won't be long!

I managed to get the phone number of the last owner to have it on the road, a good friend of the person that gave it to me. He'd fitted the 125R front end and also told me he'd done some work on the swing arm. How I hadn't spotted it before hand I'll never know but he's welded some substantial bits of bar to where the shock should have originally attached. It's moved the mounting point up and towards the engine by about 1.5" so would have messed with the ride of the bike had I of changed the front back to standard. Checking on the Direct.gov website, it says the bike is unlicensed. I presume to get rid of this I will need to tax it? It's odd because I sent off a SORN form at the same time as my V5 application. Any ideas? Harry.

Not me but the oh-so-kind previous owner. The 'bashing' of the tank is pretty much even (I'm talking less that 5mm difference either side) so I'm not overly fussed by it, it still holds petrol at the end of the day. He has also sawn the front off the seat frame (by about 2 inches) I presume to accommodate where the tank was mounted previously, and cut or torn off half of the padding so I think it might just be easier to buy one of these instead of try to resurrect the original seat: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360378354622?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_5092wt_1037

Got busy these last couple of weeks. Decided to keep with the DT125R front end and just limit the steering lock with the tank mounted correctly - despite this the turning circle is still better than that of my dad's VFR400. Desicion was made on the basis that the shocks were fine, the wheel was fine and the fact dad advised (well told me) he would much rather me have a disk at the front. You can't argue with the powers that must be obeyed. Saved pending money for the sake of it too. Here's a picture of it as of today: Cheers, Harry.

Bit pricey! What d'ya reckon the the ones they stock on Yambits?

Hmmm so its about 50/50 then, nothing to say they're crap. I've put a lot of overtime in this week so I think I may just treat myself to the genuine thing. Thanks all.

Hi, Looking to replace the piston in my DT175MX when I get the barrel rebored, but a genuine Yamaha piston is £100, with rings being £40. The bloke at Webbs of Eye said that patent pistons have a nasty habit of imploding or shattering after a few miles or so due to the square exhaust ports. Now is this marketing BS or is he talking sense? Because it's a lot of money between the patent part and the original. It's money I can afford but money I also need for other things. Cheers, Harry.

Here's a couple of decent photos of my exhaust. I didn't get any before photos but I think you can get the idea from the photo of the bike before I stripped it down. It had been (badly) welded at the upright bit of it and was blowing a bit. I asked my Uncle to have a look at it and he did quite a nice job of it - not perfect to look at I know but a huge improvement on before and it is no longer falling to bits. It is handy having Perkins trained engineers in the family, especially as that's one of my career hopes. The project is gaining momentum and my wallet is becoming thinner at an alarming rate... And the engine is fucked. I started to strip it down, starting with the head. At some point in the bikes checkered history, someone has either sawn off or snapped the top of a couple of the headbolts, meaning that at most you can get approx 4 or 5 'turns' before it's pretty tight. Now this wasn't a problem at first, until I went to put the head back on having replaced the gasket and cleaned it up a bit, one of the bolts sheared it's thread in the head. Out of curiosity (and the fact the shortened bolt needed replacing anyway) I removed a second head bolt using the 2 nuts method. Again it took the majority of the thread with it :/ So, in my normal way of doing things, I've bought another head and barrel off of eBay. I've also found an engine tuning specialist in Peterborough and I;m waiting for them to get back to me about fitting/re-boring it, however I guess this will cost copious amounts of money. Ah well. The bike was free so I can't complain, and most of the problems are of my own making anyway. Harry.

Started painting the frame and swing arm and a few other bits:

Thank you very much for that link!

Cheers mate. I'll get in touch via PM. Just had a vital part drop through my door.... THE V5 HAS ARRIVED! With absolutely no problems! Last registered keeper was in 1989. I'll order all the parts I need soon, and then start painting and re-assembling!

Sorry, I meant to reply to your PM but it slipped my mind... I'm near Stamford, so about an hour away from you. If all else fails I shall just have to move the tank and seat back a bit. The DT125 shocks are in by far the best condition out of the lot.

I don't think I explained clearly enough, and for the record, it's was £25, not £205! At this moment in time I have 3 pairs of front shocks, one original pair or DT175 MX shocks (but with no yolks, or wheel ect), one pair of DT125 LC shocks with yolks but no wheel or brake assembly, and a pair of DTR125 shocks with all the gubbins. However, this is what the pair of 175 shocks looks like: Not good.

Hmmm. The condition of the DT175 shocks is great, until you peep under the gaitor - then its rust, and it's not just surface rust I CBA with returning them over £205 TBH. Looks like I'm going to have to keep the DT125 shocks, and get imaginative.

If you wouldn't mind that'd be superb! Where are you based? If it's too far I'd be more than happy to cover postage And here's the bits I've just won on eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150771413624?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_987wt_1274 They'll need a bit of tidying up and maybe some new seals but I'm all for getting my hands dirty, after all that's the whole point of a restoration isn't it? Cheers, Harry.

Having said that I've just spotted a set of forks and yokes and the bit they all go on to (long day). I'll see how the auction goes - however I'd still need to find a front wheel. Starting on the engine tomorrow, or more like continuing where I left it. Which would be as far as taking the carb off, and then getting stuck at the magneto cover because the oik who had it before me did the screws up so tight that any effort with even the correct size allen key just ends up with a rounded screw. I think I'll have to use an impact driver, as I don't trust myself with a drill near the engine.

Well I'll keep my eye on the bay - However the budget is a little on the low side so will probably end up keeping the front end as it is for now, and focus on the things that desperately need to be replaced first rather than fixing things that didn't entirely need fixing. Thanks for the advice though.

Yeah I know, it's faint enough as it is. It's almost tempting to just leave that little but primed, it'll look naff, but better than loosing the VIN. Yup, I figured it was from a newer DT125 a while ago. I replaced the caliper and reservoir a while ago now as the ones on it originally were pretty much fooked. I was hoping to leave that front end on there if I'm honest - I'm not being anal about the restoration by any means. I'll have to work out a new way of securing the tank though, it was only held on with one bolt previously.

Long time no post. There's been nothing happening over winter but I've suddenly realised I could be riding this on the road next month! So I finally got my act together and after happily discovering the frame and engine number match so I've sent off my V62, along with the SORN form. I'm not spending any money on it until my V5 drops through my door - The history of the bike is a bit unknown, and there is of course the slightest chance it was stolen. Unlikely, but the cards are still on the table so to speak. I've been spending my free periods up in the workshop at school (well 6th form) working on bits for it, I've fabricated a new rear brake rod as the old one was just made of rust, and cleaned the wiring loom up. I've also discovered somewhere in the past the owner has decided he didn't like the indicators so has ripped the rear plugs off leaving just one wire with a bare end for the rear indicators. I think I'll leave them out unless I can get creative with the front plugs... I'm going to start just changing a few gaskets on the engine on Monday, and cleaning up and re spraying the head. The exhaust returned from my Uncle looking a lot better, not like new but as close as he could get it - after all he is a Perkins trained fabricator. So until I get the V5 the bike is staying in bits in my garage. I've got my order on Yambits ready so I can get the parts ASAP! Stay tuned, this *should* get interesting soon! Harry.

It's been sandblasted and primed, not put a top coat on it yet. The frame number is really, really faint at the moment so I'll have to take note of it before I put a top coat on myself.

I will be sending off for a new log book in the near future hopefully! And I've got some photos of the frame for you to have a look at, see what you think about the headstock area. And the shiny shiny fuel tank: Cheers, Harry.

Hi chaps, sorry for the huge gap. I've not forgotten it's just taken this long for Barker Signs to sandblast and prime the frame, swing arm, tank and a few other bits and pieces, I got them to power coat the tank although I shall be spraying the rest of it myself. I've also replaced the front brake reservoir and calliper and have asked my uncle to make the patch on the exhaust a bit prettier. Not quite moving at the pace I'd have hoped but hey!

I'm unsure. I'll have a good look at it when it returns from being sandblasted. I'll also ask the previous owner although I highly doubt it was done recently (ie last 10 years). I'm sure if our friend knew he would have mentioned it, although he's barely used it for the last few years.

Yes looking at it it doesn't appear to be sitting right - Although it was sat on what looked like an inner tube sellotaped to the frame, as well as the foam thing that also attaches to the frame. There is a picture of the frame here (notice the Yamaha lawnmower! lol) whether you tell tell anything else from that I'm unsure. I've got a sneaking suspicion that the front brake at least is off a newer DT125 but again I'm unsure. Yes I don't really intend to get it road worthy, It'd be 5 years until I could ride it on the road anyway unless I converted it to a 125. Thanks again, Harry.