Benedictine Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi, I am new to biking and just bought my first bike a Yamaha SR 125 1993 model. It was a bit dirty with a bit of rust but it has scrubbed up really well and I am happy with it. Anyway, I have a couple of questions which I hope someone can answer please. I was starting it up today when I noticed the fuel reserve on the bike was 'on'. Should this be switched to 'off'? I assume so but want to check. What happens if you ride with the reserve on? The tank is about 3/4 full at the moment. Another thing. The bike has a crack on the front around where the front head light is. It's not a real problem just cosmetic, but is it possible to buy a new piece for this, I would like to if possible? I have ordered the Haynes manual it's in the post at the moment. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted February 23, 2013 Moderator Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi. Welcome to the forum. You may want to post a "hello" in the new members section telling us a little about you. People tend to get better replies to their posts if they do. Now to the questions; Q) I noticed the fuel reserve on the bike was 'on'. Should this be switched to 'off'? I assume so but want to check. What happens if you ride with the reserve on? The tank is about 3/4 full at the moment. A) Does the tap have 3 positions - off, on, reserve)? The tap should be on, "on" and as the fuel level goes down the bike will splutter and eventually stop. Then switch to reserve to get you to the nearest petrol station, remembering to turn the tap back to the on position when full. If you ride on reserve and run out of fuel, you are stuck! Switch to off when you park up. Experienced riders can tell by a bike spluttering when to switch to reserve without pulling over. Q) Another thing. The bike has a crack on the front around where the front head light is. It's not a real problem just cosmetic, but is it possible to buy a new piece for this, I would like to if possible? A) providing it is not in the glass, then it should still be legal. That said, most of the wiring connections are behind the headlight so any water ingress will eventually damage these and then you will have gremlins. The best place to get a replacement is off ebay. These are still popular bikes and there are lots around. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 Thanks for your reply. Yes I will post a hello shortly. I'm checking on the fuel switch. Here is a mini picture of the crack I am talking about if you can see it. I'm hopelessly new to this. I have identified what I think is this part on ebay, here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=yamaha+sr+125+headlight+dish&_sacat=0&_odkw=yamaha+sr+125&_osacat=0&_from=R40 Is that the correct part and is it easy to fit? Thanks again. Just can't wait to get sorted and finaly get out on the road! EDIT: Yes it has three positions, 'on' 'off' and 'reserve'. When I am driving around it needs to be in 'on' position then? But when in the garage swtich it to 'off', when running out of fuel switch to 'reserve'? Is that correct? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted February 23, 2013 Moderator Share Posted February 23, 2013 The part looks the same and the ad says off a 2000 model. Is this the same year as yours? I would look for one where the advert has more pictures. All are going to have some wear but it is surprising the amount of junk that people on ebay sell. The question about fitting is a difficult one. How much use of a spanner do you have (hence the intro)? The glass and surround are normally held in with a philips bolt or two, The fitting to the frame and indicators are a simple spanner job. The hardest part will be to unplug all of the electrics to get the old one out and new one in. I would get the glass and rim parts off. See what needs to be unplugged, check what holes each wire is fed through, a spray with some plus gas, pull each connector apart that you have to one by one and as you do each one put a piece of masking tape around both wires and mark them. Something as simple as 1, 2, 3 etc so when you go to plug them back in you just match the numbers up. It is normally tight with wires so have a good look before you disturb the wiring and a top tip is always take plenty of photos at each stage. While you are at it, a little wet and dry around each connecter should clear any muck before you reconnect the wires. A little luck and no issues - less than 1 hour to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 HI, thanks, No mine is a 1993 model, I wonder if the desesign has changed at all? I will have to look into this. I will have a look at the casing again. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted February 23, 2013 Moderator Share Posted February 23, 2013 There were major changes in '99 on that model. Not sure if the headlight changed, if at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhat250 Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Welcome benedict" your not a monk by any chance " ,, try and fill up before reserve, running out in traffic can be dangerous , imagine outside lane duel carrigeway, As for Experienced riders, check the 2010 squires ride-out, lots never even swiched the pet cock on, [ up yours ] resulting in near rear enders from following riders,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 No I'm not a monk, it's a long story, would be cool though a bike riding monk! There's no chance that I will let it get to reserve. As there's no fuel gauge it's going to keep me looking. I'm planning on keeping it at least half full. I just didn't want to be riding it around on the wrong setting and it causing some issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sacha Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 There's no chance that I will let it get to reserve. As there's no fuel gauge it's going to keep me looking. I'm planning on keeping it at least half full. I just didn't want to be riding it around on the wrong setting and it causing some issue. You can also gauge fuel level by mileage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 Cheers, that's a good idea. I have found the part here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111017397550 Going to order it. It should be simple enough to fit on, even for a newbie like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Welcome Ben Great wee bikes. My son just sold his after riding in all weathers for the last 2 years. It looked a bit tired but a few hours of cleaning and it came up looking good. He sold it to a dealer and only made a £50 loss from his buying price, so a very desireable bike for the learner. Anyway the bike went well and only 1 major(ish) issue in that the CDI failed about a year ago, but a replacement was sourced for about £30 and no issues since. A small issue was the petrol tap. If he left it switched on in the garage, there would be a distinct smell of petrol the next day. May just have been his bike, but be aware. Another small issue was the choke and its reluctance to stay on. Yours will be the same type with a pull bar set up. If yours shows the same flaw (seemingly it is a common thing), the simple way to fix it is by stretching a thick elastic band between the choke lever and the petrol tap. The friction of the band is enough to hold the choke lever in place. Anything I can help with, and I'm sure it's the same with all the others on here, we will be more than happy to help if possible. Safe riding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 Great stuff thanks. Yes the choke has to be held out a bit when starting from cold but that's not a problem. I just hold it for about a minute and then let it back in and then the engine is ready to go. I've just had a very short run on it, to the end of the road and back (it's a dead end road) and it runs fine. It really seems to want to be in second gear almost immediately and jerks back a little if I go from second to first, if I'm going a little fast for first. The newer SR bikes I rode at the CBT and Get On weren't like that, it seemed a lot smoother to transition between 1-2 and 2-1 back down. I think I just have to get the feel for the bike. I can't really ride it out any further as I need to complete my CBT first but when I do I'll probably get a feel for the bike much better and get to now what speeds each gear needs before changing. I see you are into the old Triumph bikes? I was attracted to the Yamaha sr myself as I thought it had that classic look and more attractive to me than some of the other 125s on the market. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Bearing in mind your bike is 20 years old and will not have had the maintenance the training schools bike have. 1st gear is just for pulling away on and if you are going at anything over slow walking pace the bike will jerk if you drop back down to 1st gear. Wait till you get out on the road with it and you'll settle in to its style. Thinking back I remember fitting a new clutch cable almost right away as the boy was complaining about jerky action and he had stalled it a few times. New cable, problem solved Yea I'm working on my auld Speedtwin at the minute and have just discovered a load of emulsified oil in the outer gearbox casing. Hopefully a good clean out and a flushing oil will help it, if not it will be a gearbox strip down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 Yes I was probably going too fast, over walking pace when I switched from 2nd to 1st. I will get used to the changes no doubt. I will keep the clutch cable in mind if it is not that, but I am sure I was going a little fast. The bike is 20 years old but I'm hoping that there is still plenty of life it in yet, only got 12.5k on the clock and it looks to have been kept in general good maintainence (oil changes etc) if left a little dirty and rust gone too unchallenged then I would have allowed. A gearbox strip down sounds extremely difficult. I'm still fretting about changing the headlight surround - I can't see how it will fit around the indicators! Good luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Cheers Ben If I remember correctly you will need to disconnect the indicators, but its only one or two wires. I think the headlamp rim is held on with 2 allen bolts and once you remove them the rim will come off. Inside there is a collection of wires but the indicator wires are the only ones needing separated (although dont quote me on this, I'm working with a memory that hardly remembers what I had for last nights tea) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 Thanks. Yes there are two nuts on the rim but I didn't get chance to have a go at it today, besides the part has not come yet. I'm not sure how the indicators come away though and it doesn't mention anything in the manual about it. I will have a fiddle around as that is how you learn best I think and if not shout help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Just a nut screwed on the indicator stem, mate, It'll be a piece of piss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 Just a nut screwed on the indicator stem, mate, It'll be a piece of piss Oh right, cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benedictine Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Progress report: I've spent the last evenings sorting out the bike some more and it's now looking pretty damn good for it's age. Put the new part on no problem and just resprayed most of the tank getting rid of a few scuff marks. Also shined up the chrome really well from it's first dirty and rusty condition. Just got to sort the headlight as when I was was putting it back on I noticed the rubber seal was missing and there was a gap in the headlight. I'm getting some new sealant put on and then it's sorted. Very much pleased with it. Can't stop looking at it! Will try and post a before and after shot if I can, not got a recent photo yet. Thanks again for the help and advice. Oh one very minor issue left is the headlight warning light bulb needs replacing and I can't workout how to get into the dash to change it. Also, I was looking at the oil level today and there wasn't a dipstick attached, I'm sure there should be a dipstick attached to the oil cap, I'm going to look in the manual. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted February 28, 2013 Moderator Share Posted February 28, 2013 dash lights are sometimes just pushed into the bottom of the dash/clocks inside of rubber grommet/bung things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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