DTGordo

Hi MartiniMan, You'd really need to test ride and make sure that you'd be comfortable. They look reasonably low to me and your knees might be up around your ears. That would be annoying for me anyway once the novelty wore off and I'd regret it. Make sure you get something that suits you and that you'd be happy with in the long term. Gordo (6'6 and a bit)

Hi Rick, I got as far as seeing if any forks that would take the disc brake wheel could fit into the steering. Nothing that I could find. Then I looked at steering bearing compatability to replace the whole front end. The only compatable ones are drum brakes anyway as far as I could find out. The first discs started coming out in the early 80's and things changed a bit in terms of longer and different diameter forks. Looks to be impossible to find a narrow and short fork that will takea disc brake wheel! I have a mate that was also looking into it for his IT465 and he didn't get too far with it. You're at least a bit closer in years so maybe you can do better. I'd love to hear if anyone has done it or if you work it out. Gordo

Thanks all, I must admit I'm starting to like the idea of heated grips but will probably take a while to get around to that. Any problems wiring them up on a '74 DT? It looks like they don't have much power running around the circuits as it is. Got my 5XL wiese gloves in the mail Monday. Yay. Heading up into the mountains on Friday. Weather's been filthy with snow around so I'll see how I go. Gordo

Yellow

Haddock

Hi Hoon, The bike shop had a coil in shop the same: 6V/12V. $40ish from memory. I don't need it so I left it. Fingers crossed the original will have a few more km's in it. If you can get another CT cheap that might get most of what you need except a bigger shed? Yeah I'm really happy with the bike now. Got it on EBay a couple of years ago. Lucky really. I was scrolling through anything for sale in the area and saw that flash through. Wasn't looking for a bike but it only had $50 on it so that got me thinking. In the end it was $250 and with a bit of cleaning up, new piston and barrel bore it was running pretty well. Took 6months to get it on the road legally with various bits and pieces and I ride it maybe 2-3 times a week to work and try to get out off-road once a week which is what I really wanted it for. I'd do that every day if I could. Got to go to Sydney for work so the bike is parked until Monday..... More soon, Gordo

ant

Love it. It's great seeing kids be passionate about something and watching them grow through that. Can't underestimate the power of that and how it can change lives for the better. Sure there's risk and all of that but that's living. Then, how good is being able to share something that is significant to your kids?

Sorry Pie, I don't know enough about that bike but from what you say: chain too loose, it came off before, can't adjust the wheel any further, don't have the new chain yet, riding through the city and add to that the comments from the others......... Take the car. 2hrs extra sounds like a fair trade. The bike will still be there when you get back. Gordo

Hi pie, You can move the rear wheel further back, taking the excessive slack out of the chain which causes it too jump off. That's something that needs regular checking. It can change depending on wether the chain is lubed or dry and the chain will gradually stretch out anyway over its life. I reckon adjusted right it should have about half to one inch of movement if you push it up and down in the middle. If it's too tight you move the wheel forward. Sometimes the chainring might be slightly offset so you should spin it right round to check that it's not too tight or too loose in different spots. To move the wheel, loosen the axle a bit then there should be a mechanism to move it on the left and right side (so it;s even). Either a camber thing or a bolt on either side. It's worth checking regularly as the chain can do a lot of damage if it comes off. That should get you out of trouble. Check the sprockets to see how much the teeth have worn. Once they start to look dodgy and really uneven on the front and back surface (in relation to the bike) you should replace the chain and both sprockets at the same time. Gordo

Yeah sounds dodgy. Gravel's the worst and glad you're walking. Can police help with that? I'm sure it would be a fine for whoever lets their gravel spill on to the road. Especially where it causes an accident resulting in injury and damage. Whatever you do, getting onto it the sooner the better as they would probably clean it up pretty quickly if they new someone got hurt and was looking at recovering damages. If it happened here and I went to the Council they would probably "look into it" and then race up there to clean it up, maybe claiming it was never that bad. People should be made to take responsibility for things like that as it can really have crappy outcomes. At the least you can pester them about it so they might be able to avoid it happening again. Gordo

Bugger, Just came from the bike shop and Mr parts man got it wrong about a coil being available. He could have got the condenser wrong too......

Just got of the phone from bike shop. I can get an ignition coil for the DT Ok and while I was there asked about the points and condenser for the CT (I'm twiddling my thumbs at work). Anyways, probably what you already know in that none available in Australia but Mr parts man seemed to think that they are available somwhere else in the world according to his computer. He may well be right so could be worth checking it out.......

Hey again, Yep the weak spark could be from a dodgy condenser if the coil is good. . For the coil and lead, it must be the same as the DT as it looks to be one unit with the cap that screws into the lead. Mine was cracked and kinked luckily right near the cap so I cut the end off. It's fine now but just long enough to reach the plug. The lead is loose in the coil so I'm guessing that's the next bit to fall out/off. The replacement will be the coil and lead as one unit. Hopefully it won't be too expensive if I need it.' Gordo

Hi Hoon, If it has at least a little spark you might be almost there. You'd want to change the points and condenser as part of a tune up but I've got no idea of parts availability. I went to the Yamaha dealer/shop and got what I needed and they were really helpful. I've been able to get most of the consumables that way for the '74 DT andI reckon it was easier than finding stuff on-line or at the wreckers. Give em a try if you haven't already. If you have, that's me done on that one. Have you tried cleaning the points until you get a new set? Back on the spark, have you checked the plug cap and lead? Mine was a bit dodgy and temperamental for a while and not so obvious. After that I'd be looking at the ignition coil. Hope that helps, Gordo

Yeah I'll nod/wave/whatever at anyone on two wheels. Definately less common now and I think that it will only get worse if we don't carry on nodding. I usually mutter something to myself at them if they don't nod back which is probably 50% of the time I guess. Out in the bush everyone still nods and it's not unusual to stop and have a chat. Me and a mate have noticed it while mountain biking as well and we're doing our best to keep it going/bring it back. I also noticed that cycling in Canada everyone said hello and were really friendly. After that I went to Germany where no-one seemed to give a shit, even other cycle/tourers. Gordo

You might need to change the fuel if it's been sitting for a while and clean out the old fuel. The fuel can evaporate leaving the oil to block things up and it might also take on some moisture. If you had blocked jets that could be part of the problem and depends on where and how the bike is stored. If it was running OK before the timing should be OK to at least get it started as you've got a new plug etc. Hope that helps, Gordo

Thanks again, All sorted. Cheap re-coil kit and easy to fit. Good as new. Gordo

Thanks for that, Thinking helicoil. Haven't got any of the stuff to do it apart from the drill it but will check some prices. Probably have to take the barrel to someone who can do it which is easy enough and probably not cost much. Cheers, Gordo

Hey all, I noticed the exhaust a little loose off the barrel and found the threads to both bolts are stripped when I tried to toghten them up. Maybe I did em up too tight a while ago It's still hanging on but will need to fix it. Anyway, the question is how? Put a helicoil in? Braize or weld a stud in? Ream out a bigger thread?......... Ta, Gordo

Got out for a quick ride last week west of Canberra. Only took a couple of snaps as it was cold and wet. But a great ride either way. 140km out and back. Low cloud and thick fog pretty much all the way when the dirt started. Only saw two other cars so had it to myself. Usually get snow here for a few weeks of the year and I've seen it 1m+

Thanks for that, Not too interested in heated grips so will persist with the gloves. Starting to get cold now with -5ish early for the next 6 weeks or so. Enjoy the summer.....

Getting cold here now and I've been looking for a good pair of winter gloves with no success. My main problem is that my hand is too big. I read a few posts on the the forum and looked at Weise gloves online. On their sizing I'm a 5XL and their only glove in that size is the "City Glove". At what looks a pretty good price inc. postage to Australia it's tempting. Any thoughts on this appreciated as I don't think Weise is available anywhere here. Anyone with big hands who rides in the snow? Thanks Gordo

Hi there, If it's been sitting for a while I'd be cleaning everything out in the fuel and oil systems and checking the piston/rings/bore as well. No tellling what you've got in there which could be disastrous. You might need to clean out the exhaust. A new plug too. It will always smoke to some degree and more when the engine is cold. It takes a while for everything to heat up through to the exhaust so should decrease on a longer ride. If you have pre-mixed oil as well as having the autolube on and working, that would obviously make it smokier too. If you're sure the autolube's working ok you can then put straight fuel in but make sure the tank and fuel filter are clean too.. I wouldn't think the atulube being out would contribute much to it being really smokey. hope that helps, Gordo