Moderator Cynic Posted March 12, 2009 Moderator Posted March 12, 2009 Having a chat at work today and Pete asked me when i was going to restore the old nail (the DT). I said i wouldnt want to as after having the bike since 1988 just about every scratch dent and bodge are mine. Its generally tidy although the engine needs some hugs and kisses, rattle can paintjob and it has been used to commute, trail, enduro. Everything. He couldn't see this and said it would look great if i restored it to its former glory. We couldnt agree and i wonderd what you lot thought......?
Blades_2 Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 lol tbh i think you should go for it soo rewarding the finial finished product
wild foamy Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 go for it!, the DTs' are simple little bikes that are great fun to work with, ive had mine apart more times than ive had it out on the road and if i was allowed another DT i would deffo get one to tinker with
Moderator Cynic Posted March 12, 2009 Author Moderator Posted March 12, 2009 But its never had a 'former glory' the bloke who bought it new used it for enduro and i got it as a worn out non runner at 6 years old (the bike that is)for twenty quid twenty odd years ago. I ask the same question as i said to pete, WHY is it better to take away what it is, a lot of resto's read like a shopping list of NOS parts.
JimR Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 go for it!, the DTs' are simple little bikes that are great fun to work with, ive had mine apart more times than ive had it out on the road and if i was allowed another DT i would deffo get one to tinker with Hi W/F the DT175 is a bit more difficult to work on than the DT50mx as it contains m/c parts & chasiss over the 50's bog std bits. I guess you cnnot have another DT as you have the old Czech 350 to restore in fact a DT175 is much simplier to restore over the Jawa (i would suggest restore in both cases is worth while) so we need you to do the Jawa and a bigger DT o boot Regards Jim
Moderator Airhead Posted March 12, 2009 Moderator Posted March 12, 2009 I ask the same question as i said to pete, WHY is it better to take away what it is, a lot of resto's read like a shopping list of NOS parts. Thats a good point and the NOS parts for these bikes are very expensive, on the other hand people get pleasure from turning A into B, I think if nothing else you should get that engine sorted and painted up nice and possible paint the tank guards and exhaust, a good job can be done with rattle cans at little expense when it comes to painting.
Blades_2 Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 ahh if she only worth £20 and was never running in the first place then is it worth the time or money hmmm.... but i guess satisfaction o doin it nd ridin her rather den jus lookin at it could bee good lol
wild foamy Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 If you dont want to spend money on all the NOS parts, why not make it something a bit more "personal"? maybe a different headlamp for better night riding (the Acerbis ones are good), little bits and pieces, paint the plastics and the tank up nicely with rattle cans and add a seat cover. there will always be anoraks who say it isnt original, but theres a difference between being Original and Functional, i know which i'd rather have... BTW i think im gonna have to put new alternator brushes in the jawa, seal up the carb, put some different forks on and sell it on, need something like a 250 four stroker to get around on... a big DT does sound very tempting though.... hmm...
Moderator Cynic Posted March 13, 2009 Author Moderator Posted March 13, 2009 I think if nothing else you should get that engine sorted and painted up nice and possible paint the tank guards and exhaust, a good job can be done with rattle cans at little expense when it comes to painting. Thats propb what will happen, need to find a good front muddie tho..... ahh if she only worth £20 and was never running in the first place then is it worth the time or money hmmm.... but i guess satisfaction o doin it nd ridin her rather den jus lookin at it could bee good lol You are missing the point, it cost me 20 quid TWENTY YEARS ago, we have both been through quite a lot since. It survived me as a teen, my old mans mid life crisis ( got pulled after pulling a wheelie long enough to take him to fourth gear up gold street in northampton, when he took off his lid the copper told him to fcuk off and grow up LOL.) i used it for a few years with the TRF green laning and even commuted to market harborough on it for 6 weeks one winter , thats a 40 odd mile run each way. Its been in general on and off use ever since. If you dont want to spend money on all the NOS parts, why not make it something a bit more "personal"? It is personal and i dont want to steralise it by replacing half of it. there will always be anoraks who say it isnt original, but theres a difference between being Original and Functional, i know which i'd rather have... HA as for original ha ha ha its got the front end from a DTR125, noblies and me and mother nature, with a little help from the black stuff have removed all the non essential parts. I say again, a lot of resto's that i see have so few of the original components left in em that they should be on a bloody Q plate but they win prizes, surely that is missing the point.
JimR Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 If you dont want to spend money on all the NOS parts, why not make it something a bit more "personal"? maybe a different headlamp for better night riding (the Acerbis ones are good), little bits and pieces, paint the plastics and the tank up nicely with rattle cans and add a seat cover. there will always be anoraks who say it isnt original, but theres a difference between being Original and Functional, i know which i'd rather have... BTW i think im gonna have to put new alternator brushes in the jawa, seal up the carb, put some different forks on and sell it on, need something like a 250 four stroker to get around on... a big DT does sound very tempting though.... hmm... hmm a bike of that age will have more metal than plastic that is beside the point, so I guess you are saying that in original form the bike was not functional ? i guess the bike was functional in it's day but as time goes by there will be the need by younger people to 'upgrade' I was guilty in the early/mid 70's banging expansion chambers onto my 60's 2 strokes (chambers were 'new tech' ) and you are saying the same ... upgrade... what is wrong with replace with compatible ? Regards Jim
chappers Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 Unless it looks really scabby and crappy I'd leave it, or tidy it up a bit. My BM R90s is still in the original daytona orange metallic livery and polish marks around the tank edges give it a distinctive patina - that's antiques roadshow speak for a 'genuinely distressed' condition ie authentic bumps and dints which add character. Plus you remember every bump and bodge, and all the fun that went with it. Trouble with full on resto's is once you start, where do you stop? And spring's on the way, so the more time it's in dock the less time for riding. Whatever you do, good luck!
wild foamy Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 never said upgrade it, if you want to keep it stock then go ahead, just if you want to tart it up a bit there are cheaper ways of doing it than using NOS parts, quite often its simpler and cheaper to replace the (often missing) original parts with aftermarket ones
motophil Posted March 16, 2009 Posted March 16, 2009 Thats propb what will happen, need to find a good front muddie tho..... You are missing the point, it cost me 20 quid TWENTY YEARS ago, we have both been through quite a lot since. It survived me as a teen, my old mans mid life crisis ( got pulled after pulling a wheelie long enough to take him to fourth gear up gold street in northampton, when he took off his lid the copper told him to fcuk off and grow up LOL.) i used it for a few years with the TRF green laning and even commuted to market harborough on it for 6 weeks one winter , thats a 40 odd mile run each way. Its been in general on and off use ever since. It is personal and i dont want to steralise it by replacing half of it. HA as for original ha ha ha its got the front end from a DTR125, noblies and me and mother nature, with a little help from the black stuff have removed all the non essential parts. I say again, a lot of resto's that i see have so few of the original components left in em that they should be on a bloody Q plate but they win prizes, surely that is missing the point. hi im new to the site but its good to see lots of dts are still about! i had a 125 with 175 barrel and piston fitted! i managed to do a lot of green laning and a 100mile road trial on it before it was ritten off! i say sort the engine then maybe put newer suspention and brakes!
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