Cynic

From your OP i would say that you haven't the faintest idea what next.... You have 1200quid for something useable as an all rounder, why not search your soul for what you actually want. Something that you thought "Fcuk me i like that" when you were out. Irrelevant of cc etc. Then you can narrow things down a touch, as an example of what i'm trying badly to explain. I have had yamaha's and loved them, also a couple of suzuki's which were very raw and easy to make fast and a honda, THE most boringly competant bike i have ever had, not yet repeated. Never had or wanted a Kwak TBH. I appreciate them as motorcycles before blackhat goes all braveheart on me but i have never wanted one. Just because a bike looks ok it may not suit your personality or your riding style, eg I cannot get a big single to perform, never have. Friend of mine inherited his fathers XBR500 when his dad bought a Duc and he was lightning on it. I'm losing things here.... Write out what you want the bike to do, then a list of bikes you really like cc HP irrelevant, then you will have proper options.

:babyha:

Another 2 stroke in good hands If you have a leaky exhaust fix it and fast its a killer on these, (TDR/TZR 250) gaskets are a good upgrade. And the centre stand, If you really want it fine, but its ugly, hard work to use and decks out real easy. It also rattles and bangs like a bastard unless you have the rubbers for the exhaust.

Y'know, sometimes a waterfall sandwich isn't really that bad. What are the odds on the OP coming back.........

There doesent look to be that much in there TBH, as preload said check your levels first as it is the easiest thing in the world to get the oil level wrong. But. Don't forget these engines have positive crank ventilation, they would be blowing seals left right and centre without it. The vapour is drawn into the engine to be burnt and not allow nasty gasses out to upset the trees. The downside of multi cylinder engines is that the vapour has to enter equally to every cylinder. That makes tapping the inlet rubbers out of the question. The next convenient soloution is to have the oil vapour vent on the engine side of the airbox. The oil won't contaminate the filter as its already past that point and the vapour will burn cleanly leaving only heavier drops inside the airbox where they will be cleared out during a service. If you wanted my view, i would say the bike needs a good long run at a decent speed to get the engine nice and hot and the oil all runny so she settles( better than any flushing gunk). Then replace the seal on the bottom of the airbox. My old suzuki airbox looked similar to that inside from the first service. As to the crank issue, drags vibrate period, and a worn crank on a 5000mile vtwin . That mechanic should try politics.

the only bad bit if there was one in the film was Hopkins American/australian/anglo kinda accent

Even better, my 250 is the size of a DTR, the weight of a DTR with the aerodynamics of a DTR but better brakes and tyres, not to mention the tiny issue of 4 times the horsepower and that will do.......... 100mph , it might do more (thats a sat nav 100mph too not the optimeter on the dash that is pointing to nigh on 120 at this point) but holding on to the bastard is getting tricky at that speed and thats on road tyres and a 19" front wheel. On a DTR nah!

Well i'm with OG on this one, my 175 has always been an 'in' bike, i parked it in march when the weather broke....and started it again at the end of September. Was a real bugger to start, ooooh must have taken 4 even 5 kicks after priming. A suzuki i had though did the dirty on me twice with dodgy jets from crusty petrol. I think its more to do with how you leave the bike, oldskool stroker habit of mine is turning the fuel off as i pull up and letting the bike idle for a miute while i take my lid off and such. That may cause the fuel to drop away from the jet, dunno.

Yes i know its been in all the papers that we will be living in igloo's tommorow but. Last year the TDR played sulky just as the weather turned to ratshit, this morning it dumped the better part of a litre of liquid gold from the left carb (thats after struggling home on 11/2 cylinders )so i had to go back in the car.... So back to the DT now then, heh neighbours will be chuffed at 0400 tommorow.....

Think you must have defened him with the noise of the valve gear, then the shear mass of the motor obviously affected the gravity of the planet causing massive drag to the RD. I'm only jealous cos you got to play on a track, was the tracker not allowed then?

1000euro on a 50, i have seen it all now. Keep your cash in your pocket and spend it on something worthwhile. Of at least 125cc, preferably 2 stroke......

Cost me nigh on £600 + a full race system and a dynojet kit (total £1500 to get close to a power curve that smooth) on my old 600.....Took 28 dyno runs and ended up with different jets in the centre carbs due to temperature differences. Looks pretty good to me.

Yep i know, i know. The first time i ever filled that DT of mine up was in 1987, from totally and utterly bone dry to brimmed cost £1.80.

Not fair i want your shed

Thats tricky, balance and aim are really difficult.... The replacement manifold is the first place to check, possibly a leaky gasket, disturbing the carbs can always bring problems.

Filled the DT up today and went to que up. While in the que the coloured gentleman in front pipes up with his pump number, 11. Couple of seconds later the penny drops as the clerk repeats £7.48. Yes the man says. "OI" sayes i " Thats my fucking pump". All of a sudden the mans english becomes barely comprehensable with a lot of "so sorry my bad english"; bollocks he was trying to dodge the 80 odd quid he's put in his Q7. Cheeky f#ker

Its just me being me but i can help feeling that the stress load point on that hub is the shock mount. That flange isn't there to take load thats all. I may just be being over the top.

Not my thing but fair play to you bikes are very personal things. Only thing bothering me and its my engineering head, that integration of the hub.... Those bolts on the shaft flange, are they REALLY man enough to do all that your asking? Hold the torque of the shaft and hold on to the rear hub, as well as coping with the torque reaction of the drum brake, esp being a hard tail? Sorry to be a bore, just it lept off the screen at me thats all.

I knew a fellow like that, he monitored the fuel consumption on his car from the very first tank, when the figure changed significantly for the worse by say 10% and servicing made no odds, he sold it. As far as i know he has never sufferd a preventable brakedown of any kind bar punctures.

How do you think i feel, the bridgestone sahara is long gone so according to the insurers and possibly the eu logic my bike is illegal and uninsurable..........

After losing 2 of those 'c' clips on the road i drilled mine and have a split pin performing retaining duties. Find it much more secure with a nice thick washer behind it.

Age and under inflation causes the cracking as the rubber hardens the same as a tyre, tubes 'should' be changed with the tyre i suppose. I go with every other tyre myself but everybody has a preference. A tube is a tube, isn't really a specific one, the tyre does the hard work, i have whatever the tyre fitter took of the shelf when he did the tyres. And no the heavy duty ones make no difference, like i said the tyre does the hard work. My DT has been through most every extreem a tyre can expect on normall off the shelf tubes. HTH

If there is no proper seal on the exhaust then the engine will suck air in instead of the charge from the expantion chamber and go lean sending all your carb settings out the window. Add the float height being all to heck and the crank seals its hardly suitable for your lad to get to grips with. Surely your better to fix it and then hand it over.

As a rewarding and engrosing pastime for the next 6-12-? month go for it.... As a finantial investment, nope......

Me too.......