An Introduction To Old Bike Rehab

[oldbikerehab]

An Introduction To Old Bike Rehab

Or, in other words: What I've learned rebuilding my first motorcycle/ share your top tips for a 2 stroke rebuild and startup so it doesn't blow up and or short out the electrics.

I live in southern Illinois, in the U.S. After being off two wheels for close to a couple decades I decided it was time to get back in the game. The main reasons I started looking for a bike again were good gas mileage for running around town and also a second vehicle in case of a car breakdown, or a zombie outbreak where I have to head for the hills.

After much research, I settled on the DT series because I wanted something that I could work on myself. What better than a line of 2 strokes with a long history of near indestructibility and lots of interchangeable parts?

I found a 1978 DT175 with 22,000 miles on it for $400 and commenced with the hair pulling.

Anyway, on to what I've learned thus far, in no particular order:

1. Just because the ad says "runs great" doesn't mean that it will run great for more than a few minutes, which is what my test ride was. When I got home to enjoy a ride on my new old bike I stalled out about a mile from my house and later learned that the float in my carb was shot, jet threads were stripped and packed in with a ton of gasket sealer.

2. When looking at a used bike, check the flywheel if the owner will let you. You want this rock solid. Any movement in the flywheel and you are looking at a pricey bottom end rebuild. I didn't check this but was lucky to find mine in good shape and likely rebuilt about a year earlier. I came to find out through the local bike shop grapevine that my bike had been owned by a bike mechanic who kept everything top notch until he sold it to the guy I bought it from who proceeded to leave it uncovered in his back yard for a year and a half.

3. Just because someone on ebay says a part will work for your bike doesn't mean it actually will. Not without welding, machining, rewiring, etc. Make them give you measurements and specs. Can't emphasize this enough.

4. Buy a good manual and label everything in detail in ziplock bags.

5. Find a place to set up shop in one place and keep everything there. If you don't have a garage, I remember seeing where someone on another forum bought a portable greenhouse for around $100. That would have been a small price to pay for the sanity of not having parts in my shed, dining room, living room, office . . . Every time you have to pack/unpack/move parts and tools is time you could be rebuilding and getting closer to riding.

6. Make friends with the local mechanic. Stay away from dealers if you can and find a private shop with lots of parts bikes that can give you options and advice other than new and expensive. These guys might not have the flashiest showrooms or the best public relations skills, but your bike and definitely your wallet will thank you.

7. Use real penetrating oil, not WD-40, on every bolt you plan to remove and let it soak overnight. Breaking off bolts is not fun and extracting them is less fun.

8. Invest in at least a good basic mechanics socket set. Just because a bike comes with a tool kit to do basic maintenance doesn't mean they are the best tools for a major tear down. Having everything in one place will make the process much more efficient and enjoyable. Always use the right tool for the job.

8a. Auto parts stores often have free tool borrowing services. My local Auto Zone has a deal where you can put down a $100 deposit and borrow torque wrenches, compression testers, tool sets, among many others. Return the tools and get your deposit back = free tools.

9. If it seems like you have to use a lot of force to get something apart, loosened, or back together, you're probably doing something wrong. The one exception in my experience was the shock mount pivot shaft. I thought I was going to break my hammer getting that thing out.

10. Everything will take longer and cost more than you think. The one exception here being my trips to the local, grungy bike shop. Great deals and 9 times out of ten when I expected them to say "That's gonna take a while or cost a lot of money," I got, "Sure, no problem. I'll just do it now." Or, "Let me go check in the basement, I think I have part x on an old model x that will work." That never happened at the dealer.

Well, those are the basics I've learned so far. I still have plenty of questions as I near restarting this bike, but I didn't want to be the guy that shows up to the party empty handed and just asks for a beer. Hopefully someone else has some tips to share. I've gotten a lot of good ones already from this forum. I have a nagging fear that this bike is going to blow to bits if the stars don't align just right when I finish and try to start it in the next day or so. Wish me luck.

The current state of affairs. (Rapidly changing.)

http://www.flickr.co.../in/photostream

[Cynic]

As intro's go thats a biggy.

Welcome to the boards there are several old sweats on here who are long time DT 175 owners so help is only a click away.

[oldbikerehab]

Apparently the coffee got the best of me this morning. Had no plans to ramble near that much. LOL

[Airhead]

wow you certainly didnt show up empty handed !

Greetings and

[neversaydie]

Great intro, much of spot on

I built my own garage some years ago, expressly for ME (selfish bastard). Regretably, most of the junk from everywhere else in the house/garden/stables has migrated into my sanctuary. Can still get both bikes in, but not much else. I need a summerhouse (a cunningly disguised workshop) down the bottom of the garden now

[DirtyDT]

Hi and welcome.

A great intro and a very good indication of the pitfalls of old 2 stroke bike buying and running.

[drewpy]

to the YOC