SUBJECT: BREAK IN FIASCO Dear Mr. Know it all, In the second sentence the author said he scoured the web. That means he took the info that fit his logic. The name of the guy detailing the procedure is Freez, which is not only spelled wrong but is also what your new motor will do if you follow these instruction. However this info is not
entirely false. YZ490 owners should follow it word for word. Thanks for the informative email, Brad. Your logic about the YZ 490 is dead nuts on. Funny stuff.
SUBJECT: 1987 HONDA CR250 I own a 1987 Honda CR250. It had been sitting in my brother in law's garage for 2 years when I convinced him to give it me. After replacing the top end gaskets, rings, water pump shaft, cleaning the carburetor, putting carburetor settings back to factory specs, and adding fresh gas/oil mixture I got to run. However, it does not idle when the engine warms up and the choke is off. When it's cold and the choke is on it idles fine. I've tried adjusting the air screw and even went to a smaller main jet (168 suggested by my Clymer manual). The spark plug is a little wet around the rim, but the electrode is a dry, tanish grey. Also, I'm new to 2-stroke dirt bikes and was wondering if it's normal to have seepage where the expansion chamber connects to the exhaust manifold. The current expansion chamber is pretty beat up and needs to be replaced but even with a new one, is this to be expected? It's making an oily mess down the front of the engine. Thank you, The 87 CR 250 is not set up to idle, period. The air screw has no function over the ability of the bike to idle. A lot MX bikes are like that. As far as the leaky exhaust goes, the pipe can be made healthy once more. There are several companies advertising in Cycle News that rebuild pipes for around $35. When you get the pipe ready, clean the manifold free of grease and oil and use an exhaust sealant. Problem solved.
SUBJECT: SUZUKI RM 80 Rick Thanks. The mechanic is correct. Although I prefer to use 32:1.
SUBJECT: NEED TO KNOW THE YEAR! Hello Rick, Thanks, Your YZ 80 could be most any year, as the YZs were yellow for a long time. Try this: look at the steering stem directly behind the front number plate. There should be a stamping, or a metal plate, that should tell you the year of manufacture. If it was built in say 10/76, then it's probably a 77 model. Most of the bikes were built in the fall for the year to come. I can't give you a value without knowing the year.
SUBJECT: CR 125 Hello And what pipe would be the best for my bike. I either want to get a FMF Factory Fatty, SST, or a Pro Circuit Works or Platinum. I want more bottom end. Would i have to get a 2000 pipe if i get a 2000' cylinder head? I know this is alot of questions but i really need help. Thank you in advance Listen closely Junior. A real live mechanic told you what was wrong and you refused to listen to his diagnosis. You should pay attention to what he said. As far as modifying your bike, forget it. Fix the thing up with stock parts and just ride it. You're never going to get much low end power out of any high-strung 125. Don't waste any money on any aftermarket pipe on a three year old bike that you're not going to race in the pro class.
SUBJECT: KX 100 i bought my grandson a brand new kx 100. we broke it in and rode it until it had about 2 hrs. on it. i pulled the plug, ngkr6252k-105. as i expected it was black, sooty, not real oily or gooey. i changed the plug, put the same kind in. we rode it on the track for about another 4 hrs. i pulled the plug again. it looked just like the first plug. should i lean out the carburetor slightly? a friend of mine who has been racing forever, said that 32:1 is too much oil. he said to run it at 36 or 40:1? if this is o.k., should i still lean it out slightly or wait and check the plug after a couple of hours and if it still is black, then lean it out? or should i go to a ngk br9eix? also, what can i do to give his bike a little more power, a pro-circuit pipe and silencer? if so, will i have to rejet, the main and the slow jet, then willl i have to lean or richen the carb?? by the way, i put a twin air air filter in the bike!! thank you so much, brady clifton Your friend who has been racing forever has it all backwards. If you lean out the ratio (go from 32:1 to 40:1), it will richen up your jetting. Less oil equals more gas. More gas to the same amount of air means richer. Lean out the jetting a bit and retain the 32:1 ratio. By the way, nice punctuation.
SUBJECT: OLDER KX 250 I have a 87 kx 250. It usually starts on the 3rd or 4th kick, but on occasion when I have stopped for a break (after riding about 45 mins) and tried to restart the bike, it would not kick over. I usually end up flooding it. What sort of thing(s) might be the problem? Thanks. Reese Sounds like you have a leaking fuel needle and/or a poorly adjusted float. Try that first.
SUBJECT: XR 100 STUCK THROTTLE hey i have a 1995 xr 100 and the throttle is stuck wide open the whole time it is running and i have worked on it messing around with it to try to vigure out what it is but everytime i try it still dont work No Name It's Mister Hey to you, buster. So you're riding around on an XR with a stuck open throttle, eh? You don't think that an inspection of the throttle cable would help, do you? Nah. Just keep riding.
SUBJECT: VALUE OF 1978 250 HERCULES I was wondering the value of a 1978 hercules 250 it is in fair to good condition runs strong. Thanks Tough question. The Hercules is not a popular collectors bike. And getting parts would be a nightmare. My best bet would something in the $700 range ... unless you can find a fan.
SUBJECT: FOULING YZ 125 Rick, Do you recommend the BR8EG or the BR8ES ? Also what oil premix ration i.e. 30:1 - 40:1 ?....I do not ride hard MX track, more on the trail side....and if you know the proper carb settings ? Any assistance would be appreciated. Great site and info. Tks in advance, I would simply lean the jetting out until the black plugs ceased. For trail riding, the warmer B8 is the correct plug.
SUBJECT: OEM PARTS DEALER FOR 81 XR200 This may sound like a dumb question, but I can't seem to find any parts listings for the pro-link suspension on the early 80's XR200. I bought the old bike for my son, and we broke the lower shock link bolt (the one that attaches the link to the frame) on it's first ride. The (large) Honda dealer here in Renton WA can't seem to figure out how to order any parts for the rear suspension (they must think it never breaks or wears out--according to their computer this bike didn't come with a rear suspension). They use the same online fiche that BikeBandit and others use...It's got lots of parts, but not a single one from the rear suspension (the girl at the parts counter said "well, I could spend all day looking for this...) meaning it wasn't worth their time. Remember when the person behind the parts counter knew more about the machine than the manufacturer? I've looked and looked, to no avail. Surely the great Super Hunky has a crystal ball that can suggest an OEM parts dealer that actually wants to sell parts? At this point, I'd pay a hefty price for it (the part, not the crystal ball)! Thanks, You should have no trouble finding the parts, as the XR 200 has not changed much in years. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the link from the CRF230F fit. It's worth investigating.
SUBJECT: YZ125 2003 FOULING PLUGS LIKE THERE'S NOT TOMORROW Rick, Thanks It's obvious that you have a leaking fuel inlet needle and seat. Fix that and your problem should go away.
SUBJECT: CT 175 STALLING Rick, Jennifer Howard Sounds like the coil is going bad. I'd have a shop bench check the coil.
SUBJECT: DON'T ASK! i was wondering do you know the top speed of a 2002 rm 125 Slimjim Yes, I do.
SUBJECT: DRZ 400 Rick Mike Belleville, IL The decompression was used primarily as an aid to kicking the bike over. With an electric start, you should notice no difference in the starting.
SUBJECT: 2-CYCLE OIL I have a 2001 ya125 (stock) and a 2001 KDX 200 (also stock). I have been mixing Yamalube 36-1 with premium gas, but would like to switch to Amsoil synthetic 2-cycle oil (50-1). Have you had much experience with the Amsoil 2-cycle oils? Is the switch ok, or should I stick with what the bikes are used to? Thank you so much for your
time, the forum information is great! I used Yamalube for many years with great luck at 32:1 ratio. I have no experience with Amsoil, but I personally don't like ultra lean ratios.
SUBJECT: SINCE 1972 Rick, Recently I bought a 2005 XR650L. A bike I believe to be the great grandson of the infamous XL line. It is quite a bike - although heavy - as proclaimed to be, but it also weighs about the same as my 74 XL-350! so It does not bother me as I am a casual trail rider. Well just thought I would taek a few minutes of your time, and hope to hear back from you. Like I said I always admired you and your articles. Spent 30 years in the Navy and alotof the times while away from home those articles brought a smile to my face. Thanks! and take care. All The Best Good site, Dave. XL people will love this one. I've included your site address in the column.
SUBJECT: CLUTCH QUESTION What type of clutch do I need for a 11 Horse Motor on an off-road go kart?? It is chain drive. Thanks so much! This comes under the heading of a dumb-assed email. No motor type, size or year. Kid, go to your room and stare at the corner for a month or so.
SUBJECT: HOW FAST? Hey I got a question to ask you and please answer it 100% correctly. I wanted to ask you this question because it looks like u know a lot about dirt bikes. Well my question is what's he max-speed of a Yamaha 125yz Ryan Exactly? How about 61.2542278901 miles per hour. Get a life, kid.
SUBJECT: DYING Hi Rick, Thanks, You don't think the carb slobbering gas all over the floor could have anything to do with it, do you?
SUBJECT: IGNITION OUTPUT VOLTAGES Hi Rick. Thanks. Sorry Mike, but I don't have any data on that. Your only option would be to take an existing properly functioning ignition unit and take the readings off that.
SUBJECT: BROKEN SPOKES My son has a Honda XR100 that has about 6 broken spokes on the back tire. How can you replace these? Or do you have to buy a whole new tire? Thanks for your help. This
is his first dirt bike. Simple. Just remove the tire, remove the broken spokes and replace them with new spokes. Then adjust all the spokes. Oh yes, replace the tire.
SUBJECT: ENGINE BREAK-IN QUESTION Dear Mr. Sieman, Ian Westcott I've been to many factories and the bikes are started and run. But not to high revs in each gear. Do a proper break in on your bike.
SUBJECT: BREAKING IN A 2000 CR 125 Dear sir, Also i have been told at least 5 different ways to do it. Your help will be appreciated. Thanks Like any motor, the break in should done thusly: Start the engine and warm it up thoroughly before you take off. Then, ride at a moderate speed for a half hour or so, letting it cool down before riding again. Repeat for the first three or four hours of operation, then drain the engine/trans oil. You are now ready to run the engine to the redline a few times, letting the engine cool down properly between each run. You are now ready to let it run hard.
SUBJECT: TT 225 Hi, I have a 2001 Yamaha TT-R225. I had it major serviced at a Yamaha dealer in the spring of 2004, and it ran great all year. Last fall we put it in storage (drained the fuel tank, took the battery out for trickle charging) and felt pretty smart. About 1 month ago we got it out, set it up - fueled it up and [tried] to fire it up. Granted, it is a cold blooded motor, and it was only about 40 degrees F, but it simply would not start. Turns over (electric start), has good spark, fuel lines drains fuel out (line to carb). Now, that it is warmer - here is what it does if you let it set for hours. It may start - with full choke at about 60-65 degrees. It may run - poorly (because of the choke), and you may be able to ride it. As you are riding it (1-3 minutes), it will go slower, and slower, until it just stops. Then it won't start again, unless you let it set for hours or days and it is at least as warm. I am planning on disassembling the entire fuel path, carb, etc... what do you think is going on??? Regards, You drained the tank, but did not drain or properly clean the carb. Your bike displays all the symptoms of a badly plugged set of jets, especially the pilot jet.
SUBJECT: HOT XR 650 Gaday, Can you get thermo fans for them? Thanks Yes, the early 650s tended to overheat at idle, or at ultra low speeds in tight woods. They improved somewhat, but are not perfect. I haven't seen any fan kits yet.
SUBJECT: PLUG IT Dear Mr. Super Hunky, Any advice that I can use to cork them both up? Appreciate your time. There is some pressure in the cooling system, no doubt about that. Go for a real plug, not a cork.
SUBJECT: WIDE RATIO GEARBOX Hi Rick, Thanks for your time! Nope. The XR series and the CR trans are not interchangeable. The reason you don't see the CR wide ratio gears available anymore is because the CR500 is not made or sold anymore.
SUBJECT: DIRT BIKE EVOLUTION PROJECT..PLEASE HELP!! Hi, Thank you, Nobody - including me - cares because you waited until the last minute. Basically, I hope you get an F and have to repeat the year.
SUBJECT: GUIDE Rick, I am planning to get bikes for me and my teen sons and enjoy the magic again, but 20 years absence has left a blank as to what bikes to look for. I like your Ultimate Vintage Dirt Bike Guide, but with all the four stroke technology (whoda thunk) I don't know what to look for. What about a guide for fairly late models to choose from. I heard some of the early aluminum frame bikes reminded one of the old Yamaha 400's. Scary. Dave Kramer I don't have the interest in compiling such a guide. But thanks for the pleasant thoughts.
SUBJECT: FORK OIL Hir Rick. Surfkid Good timing. In the July issue of ORC, I'll have a tech article on how put oil in your forks. Meanwhile, try six inches of oil level, springs out and the forks compressed.
SUBJECT: FUEL MIXTURE FOR THE HONDA 250 2 CYCLE ENGINE Rick: JT As with most any two stroke, try a 32:1 ratio. However, you might have a worn out motor. Check the top end for worn rings.
SUBJECT: HUSKY OR 1979 What is the value of a 1979 Husqvarna, with original fenders, etc... Good shape and starts like a dream. Thanks. Jean It's not a true vintage bike, so figure on about $1000, depending on how it looks.
SUBJECT: RE: TEN WORST DIRT BIKES OF ALL TIME That was by far the funniest thing I have read in a looooong time, and I don't even ride dirt bikes. Scott Thanks for the feedback. Anyone interested in vintage bikes should read this.
SUBJECT: 1975 HONDA MT 250 ELSINORE Rick, Thanks, If the motor is from a 75 MT, then don't worry about the extra plug. It's just that - an extra plug. Run your plug wire to the center plug.
Subject: Honda v Kawasaki Hi Rick. I am surprised that a second hand Honda is almost the same as a new KDX - what advise can you give? Thanks Go for the KDX. It's a good all around bike and much more suited for enduro and trail riding that the CR 250. When new, the CR 250 cost about $1200 (US) more than the KDX, which would explain the price differential.
SUBJECT: RE-RING IT Hey, great site....I started riding on old British bike many moons ago also, but have little experience with 2 strokes...however Ive just re ringed my sons 87 yz80( as well as new back brakeshoes, front end seals etc..) he bought a few weeks ago.What Im interested in is the likely ring life in this machine..the manual says re-ring every 2 races, and at the moment he's giving it heaps for 2 or 3 hours a pop at the local(ish) riding area.Ive bought a new piston, 4th oversize, for when it does eventually give up the ghost again, but was wondering if theres any way you could predict life between re-rings or rebores, thanks, It all depends on how clean the kid keeps the air cleaner. If he takes care of the bike, he could get a full year of riding figuring a few times riding each month.
SUBJECT: SMOKIN' XR Rick; I bought the bike for $150 Australian with a dead motor (dropped valve, smashed piston etc) but otherwise in mint condition, I rebuilt the engine with a new Wiseco piston .040" over, rebored the cylinder (.0025" clearance), rebuilt the head (lots of welding, new guides, seats, valves and stem seals) new timing chain and new gaskets, while I was at it I ported the head, welded on extensions to the cooling fins, match ported the headers, bumped the compression to 12:1 (we've got good fuel over here!), fitted a second hand alloy muffler, opened up the airbox and fitted a twinair air filter. The bike goes hard, I regularly outrun mates on their newer, bigger bikes (2001 XR400, 1998 XR250), which annoys them greatly as I've spent 1/8 of the cost of their bikes. All was good for about 1500 miles and then the bike started to smoke at idle, performance did not drop off at first but the smoking quickly developed until it became chronic and started to foul the plug at idle, under power the smoke clears and the bike runs fine. When the motor was cold it dosen't smoke at all, I guess wherever it's pulling oil from is to small a gap for cold, thick oil to get through. I figured it was probably pulling oil through the valve stem seals or around the outside of the inlet guides so I pulled the motor down again, the stem seals looked fine but the guides were a little loose (not wobbly, just fairly easy to knock out) so I refitted them with heaps of loctite and some sealant under the flange that sits against the head, re-cut the seats, honed the bore lightly and put it back together again. All was good until this morning, I got caught in traffic on the way to work and the bike got fairly warm and started smoking at idle again, I let it cool down then fired it up again - no smoke until it warms up (the bike did 100 miles since I had it apart). I'm assuming the loctite has let go and it's pulling oil around the guides again but I would appreciate your input before I pull it down again so I only have to do it one more time. I am a qualified Automotive Machinist and Engine builder by trade, I own my own machine shop and have twelve years experience behind me so as you can imagine this is driving me nut's, not to mention becoming embarrassing. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and may stop me from burning what is otherwise a very nice early XR. Thanks, No doubt about it, the valve guides are worn and letting oil into the combustion chamber, Replace 'em.
SUBJECT: SUZUKI PE 175 X (MOD 1981) Hello I'm interested in buying some spare parts for the motorcycle in the "subject" that is as coming from the parts catalogue: PART NO DESCRIPTION Q/ty Please let me know: Thanks in advance What do I look like, a used parts store? Read the rules.
SUBJECT: SUNSET TRIPPER What ever became of Triumph of Burbank and the "Sunset Trippers"? Any known survivors of either? Were the "Trippers" done by any other Calif shops also? Wayne Roberts They sold the Sunset Tripper into the mid-70s. I had a chance to buy the bike that I raced in the Mint 400 in 1970, but passed on it, much to my everlasting regret. I don't know where any of the bikes are at this point in time.
SUBJECT: 1983 PW50 my pw50 is making a small pinging noise, like a piece of metal clinging, but i think that most of that is normal until yesterday when it just started making the loudess pinging noise, when me and my sons were on it a little too much weight i am sure but, so i shut it off, and started it back up and it ran fine at idle but if i gave it some throttle is started pings really load again and i let the throttle go back to normal idle but it would not stay running, so then i let it cool down. i then tried it again and it started but the load pinging noise was gone, i rode and it had the same power before this happened, i seem to run fine, but it will not hold and idle, it just quits. what do ya think, i am sure it could use a rebuild. thanks It sounds very much like you have old or bad gas in there. What you're describing sounds like ignition pinging. If your fuel is fresh, chances are you have some crud or water in the float bowl of your carb.
SUBJECT: JETTING QUESTION i need help with some exaust issues on a 1989 cr 125r. i bought a fmf fatty pipe and silencer. do i have to change the jets in the carb? it has a 165 main and a 60slow. if you have any answers please let me know. thank you, Let's see ... you bought the pipe from FMF and you're asking me the jetting that works best with their pipe? Something is wrong here. You don't think that FMF knows, do you?
SUBJECT: KDX 200 I have a 1997 KDX 200 that I blew the engine on. I am thinking of boring it out to be a 220 engine. Do you know what I would need to do to the carb? Also I was looking at buying a 2000 KDX 220 engine if it was too much to fix mine. Will that bolt on to my KDX 200? Thanks, The 200 and 220 engines are virtually identical except for the carb size and the bore. Take it from there.
SUBJECT: 1991 HONDA CR 80R I was wondering what would make the right side of the crankcase cover blow a hole from the inside out in a perfect circle shape. What is weird about this to me is it had allready blown the hole and was still shifting gears fine even after we noticed the damage. Can you possibly return an answer for me? thanks much, Sounds like the crankcase vent hose got pinched or clogged up. When that happened, the hole appeared, as if by magic. It'll shift fine until it runs out of oil.
SUBJECT: HEAT RANGE Hello thank you again Chances are your son is not riding the bike fast enough to keep the colder 10 plug clean. If he is riding the bike hard, he could indeed smoke the top end. Try a B9 plug first as a compromise.
SUBJECT: TURN SIGNALS/BRAKE LIGHT/REAR BRAKE Dear Mr. Hunky, My question: What does the rear brake switch have to do (if anything) with the signals not working? Also, I am thinking of replacing the rear brake cable since I'll probably have to take the thing apart anyway. When should you replace the rear brake cable? What about the brake shoes while I'm at it? Thanks, Finding switches for your old H-D would be nearly impossible, so trying to track down new OEM parts would be an exercise in futility. Your best bet would be to trace down the dead short/s in your system and start from scratch. Pick up an auto brake switch (a few bucks at most auto parts stores), the universal type. Run fresh wire all the way around from the battery on back. As for the turn signals, same thing there.
SUBJECT: 1982 XT 125 CARBURETOR PROBLEMS Rick, Symptoms: 1. Non-existant idle. It would simply die if you didn't continually blip the throttle. 2. After riding it for several hours, we noticed a "moderately" high amount of carbon fouling on the plug. Performance didn't seem to suffer, but there was a fair amount of carbon on it. Maintenance steps we have performed on the bike thus far: 1. We checked and replaced the fuel line and inline filter. 2. We checked the screen inside the petcock to make sure it was clean and we had good gasoline. 3. We took the carb apart and cleaned it as best we could using carb cleaner, toothbrush, small soft bristle brass brush, and canned air to blow out all the jets and the carb, taking care to ensure all the parts were clean, and no jets were plugged from dirt, or gummed up after several years of non-use. Not so good stuff I found: As I was cleaning the carb, I noticed the seating area for the jet (I assume that piece of the carb would be called the "main" jet seat, anyway) had a small piece missing from the side of it. To describe this as best I can considering my lengthy abscence from bike maintenance, I guess if you could picture an ice cream cone someone has taken a small bite out of, that would describe it best. It's a very small piece, and it looks as if it has been missing many years, as the metal at the fracture point is no longer shiny... The bike "seems" to run well otherwise, and is in suprisingly good mechanical and cosmetic shape considering its advanced age, but the idle just doesn't seem to work well at all. Workaround steps: 1. I adjusted the idle circuit as much as I could, but had to resort to using the cable adjusters to get anything near an idle that works. However, it still dies if left idling for more than a short period of time. Questions: 1. I have no idea what the proper range of sparkplugs are for this bike, so what range/models of spark plug should be used for this bike? 2. Would using a hotter plug (assuming it's within theproper range for the bike) reduce the carbon fouling? (I plan on having him run some injector cleaner through the bike to see if it removes some of the carbon that has built up over the years) I haven't changed the clip position on the needle because I simply forgot...I guess my long abscence has caused a lapse of memory... 3. Would the missing part of the jet seat area interfere with the idle of the bike? 4. As it is an older bike, I initially assumed partswould be hard to find. However, I have been able to find some 28mm Mikuni carbs on eBay for a reasonable price. Would it be better to just bite the proverbial bullet and buy a new carb? Thanks for taking the time to read this, and thanks for the years of entertainment you have provided to us, the readers, when you rip our grammer, spelling, and knowledge. "True" caustic wit is an artform, and you sir, are a DaVinci. P.S. What's the difference between a "Butt Kisser" and a "Brown Noser"? (see below) Depth Perception I suspect that your problem might stem from simple thing like a tired old plug. Try a new B8E, because that's what the bike is happiest with. Yes, a thing like a cracked or broken main jet holder would make your bike run erratically, especially at idle. A small leak will display the traits you described. Instead of buying a new carb, fix the old one with a dab of JB weld. You can thread the stuff when it hardens.
SUBJECT: GEARING CHANGES Hi Rick, Regards Unless you live in Bangladesh, I can't see how you are going to make a 125 MXer street legal. Should you somehow get it licensed, run the biggest countershaft sprocket and the smallest rear one you can find. Even then, you won't be breaking 80 mph. Use 32:1 for a ratio.
SUBJECT: MORE GEARING Rick, I am thinking about a change to a 14 front and 43 rear, which I think will yield a 17% change from original in final drive ratio, and wondered if this was close to the set up you are using. Craig I use a 15 countershaft sprocket (given to me Larry Roesseler when he worked for Team Green) and a 43 rear. This gave me an outrageous top end. Hope this helps.
SUBJECT: 1988 HONDA NX 125 Hey thanks for reading it even if you don't feel its worthy to answer. My sons honda nx 125 loses spark intermitantlly, it is not the kill switch on the handle bars, can you give me a way to test the cdi unit, the ign coil, and or pickup coil? ohms or otherwise? I am an auto mechanic and like teaching my son to fix everything on his own. if you could help with a little info or specs it would be greatly appreacited. thanks.. if you every need any info on autos, let me know ... thanks Do a bench check on the CDI or the coil by hooking a battery to it and leaving on while you take a reading. You'll need to refer to a workshop manual to get the correct readings and time for a proper bench check, as I don't have anything on the NX 125.
SUBJECT: ZUNDAPP Super-Spunky, My question, Rick, is that I can't find any source of information about this bike. I've bought a few Zundapp ads on ebay from 67-68 with Dave Eakins screaming along on the bike I've got, but I've never been able to track down much else about its popularity, availability, and value. I've tracked down an engine workshop manual, but not one for the frame/suspension. What I really need is advice on rebuilding the pneumatic fork system. I also need to locate new front and rear shoes; yesterday I slid around a sharp, dirt road corner to find myself almost riding up the red laquer paint on the trunk of my neighbor's 54 convertible Coupe DeVille, which had just eased onto the road. I look forward to absorbing whatever oozes out of your brain regarding my beloved Z. One more thing: Cosmetically the bike is rough but original. Is this a case where it's more valuable to pepaint, stripe, etc? Or should I not molest it? Lost in Rural Arkansas Jason, you're not trying in the right places. I did a GOOGLE search on the Zundapp 100 and came up with no less than 32,000 possible sources. While I only accessed a few pages, in the first page I found the Zundapp owners club. You should do the same.
SUBJECT: WATER LOGGED Dear Rick, Worried Dad There is no cheap way out. It's time to split the cases and rebuild the engine. Sorry.
SUBJECT: BARSTOW TO VEGAS MAP From a faithful Dirt Bike magazine reader era 1969 to 1980's. I was talking to a old dirt bike riding buddy (1970's) and the name Super Hunky and Dirt Bike magazine came up. Searched for your name on the internet and there you are. I remembered back in time when I had read the articles about the Barstow to Vegas race. Unfortunately I have heard that today the old race route is, shall we say, not an environmentally responsible route to take and is essentially off limits. Is there an off road route that would somewhat replicate the old race that can be ridden on dual sport bikes? I currently ride in some awesome areas north of Phoenix Arizona and would like to get my old buddies together for old time sakes and do the Barstow to Vegas route. I am 50 years old now and have many, but not enough two wheel toys and am looking for some adventure. It is great to see that you are still around shoveling out your wisdom. Thanks, I have a limited number of Barstow to Vegas posters for sale on my new Website, www.superhunky.com. Send me your address and I'll mail you one for free. These have several legal routes shown.
SUBJECT: EARNING IT Rick- Thanks You're being horribly selfish. Your mother is going through a rough time, both financially and mentally. A real supportive daughter would get off her dead ass and earn enough money to buy her own bike. Of course, that's just my opinion.
SUBJECT: DIFFERENT STUFF hey hunk, is a clutch from
a 01 dr200 zook the same as a yam ttr125? wanting to put a rekluse clutch on it
and cannot get an answer. Are you nuts? Your answer is short and sweet: NO.
SUBJECT: CHAINS Hey Rick, I have a quick question about chains. I have a 1992 Yamaha RT 180 and the chain has been damaged due to falling off (and becoming bent). I have not yet priced the chain however the chain on it is a 428 DID. I happen to have a brand new 10 foot roll of 400 type chain, Can I use it? I can't visibly see a difference when comparing the 2 chains but I don't want to cause further damage. Thanks in advance, Nope. Stick with the stock sized 428 chain.
SUBJECT: ARE THE NEW 4-STROKES WORTH THE COST? Cheers Rick, Since my CX500 is easy and inexpensive to maintain would you recommend that anyone purchase a new KX,RM,YZ, or CR 4-stroke that needs the top end (piston, valves, springs, etc..) replaced after about 50hrs or at least 2 times a year? Wouldn't a person be better off with a DR,XR, KLR, or other easy to maintain non-competition motorcycle? Would you recommend that a person who is shopping for a new/used motorcycle look into the maintenance cost before they make the purchase? Thank you for your
opinion. The sad fact of the matter is that most people never think about maintenance when they get a bike. In fact, most bike owners only work on their bikes when they have to.
SUBJECT: FORKED UP! Rick, Mike Yep. Go right ahead and swap.
SUBJECT: NAME THAT YEAR Hi Rick, I am a 60 year-old Grandma and have no use for this bike. I am interested in selling the bike but don't have a clue as to how to set the correct asking price. After market equipment includes a pipe, sprocket, and air filter. By now you have probably guessed that I do not have a clue as to either the importance or function of the after market equipment. Help! and thanks. It's a 2004 model. The tag indicates when the bike was built, which is usually in the fall of the actual model year. If the bike is ultra clean and has not been abused in any way, figure about $4000 for it. The sprocket and air filter don't add much to the value, while a "name" pipe like FMF, etc., will add about $100 to the resale.
SUBJECT: XR 100 What is the best gear ratio for improving low end torque on a XR100? My son is starting to hit the tracks and I want to give him a little more low end. Just changed the back sprocket to 52 tooth because it was worn. This helped out but I think he will need more. I just don't want to over kill. Eric Watkins An XR 100 isn't going to have bags of torque, no matter what you do to it. Just gear the bike where it's easiest for the kid to ride and leave it at that. At this level, conditioning and skill are the most important things he can have.
SUBJECT: HONDA XR 200R With price as no barrier... is it possible to make a Honda XR 200R street legal? If so, could you please direct me in how to go about doing so? Thank you, You can do it cheaper than you think. All you need is a dead XL 185 and the title that came with it. Use the XL frame and all the stuff that came with it, and bolt all of your XR stuff on. Simple as that.
SUBJECT: KILL BUTTON Hi Rick, My big question is should i replace this unit and see if that is the problem or is there other things i should check? The bike runs great there are no other problems, it starts on the first kick with no problems while its running. If you you could help me with this problem it would be greatly appreciated. Tom Brace yourself for the price of a new CD unit! Your best bet is to trace the wire from the kill button to the CD unit and check to see if it's frayed or broken internally. Also, the button should short out on the bars metal.
SUBJECT: GUTLESS CR 125 Hey, Mark The bottom line is that your 125 has very little top speed, about 58-62 mph is the real number. The mild-mannered 230 has a six speed gearbox and a top end in the mid-70s. So there.
SUBJECT: OIL IT UP Dear Sir, Thank you Play it safe and put 1200 ml in your bike. And change the oil often, like every three rides or so.
SUBJECT: KAWASAKI KX 100 Dear Rick, Dale Cardwell You gave me precious little information to go on, but I suspect you have something in the float bowl of your carb that's momentarily blocking the main jet when you run through the gears. There's nothing in the trans that would make a particular gear bog the engine.
SUBJECT: 1978 MAICO 440 MAGNUM Dear Rick, What were the weakest points of this model and what are some of the fixes you might recommend. Any info, however brief, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a ton for your time. Rob Loubier (had the priveledge of meeting you in person briefly in San Felipe in 1989 while riding a Chris Hanes Baja off road tour trail ride) The 78 440 is not legal for vintage racing. Anything up to 1974 is vintage legal. You could race the bike in the evolution class, but as good as the bike is, you'll be up against a bunch of 490 Maicos, which are markedly better than the 440. As far as weak points on the bike, make sure you have the small clutch in it, a Yamaha front brake, install a good air filter and put Works Performance shocks on instead of Girlings. Say hello to Chris for me if you see him.
SUBJECT: HONDA 250 MXER Hi Rick Thank you The 88 CR 250 is a motocross bike with not much low end power to speak of. It's all mid-range and upper rpm. Sorry, that's the nature of the beast.
SUBJECT: CARB OVERFLOW HOSES I have a 1989 Yamaha YZ250RWR. I have recently rebuilt the carbureator. I threw out the old carb vent hoses because they were old and cracked up. What is a good place to get replacement hoses for Carbs? Best Regards, Most any auto parts or good hardware store will have what you need. I get mine at Home Depot.
SUBJECT: BULTACOS, RIDINGSTYLES, AND CR500S Dear Mr. Hunky, I can get suspension mods to help with the suspension and a steering dampener can help with the head shake so I don't think those two aspects will be that much of a problem. I have to ask again, Just how powerful is this bike? Can this bike be ridden safely in the woods? Does it run hot when ridden at a slow speed? As for you recommending ktms, I realize that the open class ktms are good bikes but I am just not interested in them(except for the ktm 550). Since the 500cc two stroke has lost it's poppularity these bikes can be had for a low cost which is one of the reasons why this bike has peaked my interest. My second question is about riding styles. I have been involed in bicycle freestyle and bicycle trials since I was 10 years old. Because of this my riding style is a little different than the standard off roading style. I almost never put my feet down(except for those times when I need to in turns) I also don't put my feet down when I come to a stop, I always standup and balance. I use pivots, flip turns, floater turns, jap zaps, tail taps, bunny hops, 180 bunny hops, abubicus, nose wheelies and various other techniques to navigate in extra tight terrain. I have been told that this is the wrong way to ride any off-road bike. I have never been injuried and I rarely fall or crash. There was one instance when I was riding with a few other people and one of them was a msf instructor(I did not know this guy) I rode up a wall that was more than six feet high and was maybe 5 degrees short of completly vertical. I made it all the way up with out a problem and when I rode back around he told me that it was wrong for me to have riden up that wall. I have been doing things like this for years and it makes getting around in tight terrain alot easier. I asked him did he know what trials was and he said yes, then I asked if you know what trials is than how can object to me riding this way. He gave me a whole bunch of jibberish which I am not going to waste time in writing. In the group that I ride with I am the only one who does not have a whole bunch of injuries, I all ways make sure that I am in balance and in control. What I am asking is, is it alright to ride a regular off road bike like a trials bike? I find it odd to teach trials techniques and then tell people not use them or to experement and create your own techniques. My final question is about the Bultaco Sherpa T 350 and Bultaco Alpina 350. I am very interested in getting one of these bikes but I don't know what to look for. If you can, can you tell me which ones out of the Sherpa model line 49 through 199 are best? Is there anything I should look out for? And which Alpina models out of the model 85 through model 116 are best. To things a little more clear about the alpina, I plan to turn it into to a trials bike. Thank you very much Trust me on this Tim, the CR 500 is all wrong for woods riding. It has a blast of power that would have you fighting the bike all the time. There are plenty of better bikes for the trails. The Sherpa T is a pure trials bike, while the Alpina has a saddle and larger tank and is much more suited to trail riding than trials competition. The latest model of the Sherpa is the best to have.
SUBJECT: YAMAHA ENGINE SWAP ADVICE OK, Here is my current situation: I have a 1973 Yamaha CT-1 with a bad fourth gear and no street parts left. the gas tank is totally screwed up with a bad dent and rust inside but the bike does run clean and crisp. I am being given another CT-1 that is beat to use the transmission parts from and being offered an old air cooled YZ 250. it has a bad CDI box and is seized from sitting too long. it got water down the crank and the bearings and seals are now wasted. the frame and suspension are in decent shape. do you think an engine swap would be wise? I was thinking it would make a nice and light bike that I could throw around trails no problem. Please go easy on my crappy letter and the fact that a decent new bike is in order. I am 17 as of June 12th and have little cash so that is why this swap looks promising. do you think the engine will fit? advice please!!!!! Tony Your current situation is sad. You're trying to make one decent running bike out of a bunch of junk. The price of a new CDI unit alone worth more than your entire bike. I beg you, take up something sensible, like eel juggling.
SUBJECT: 1974 POWER DYNE MX250 hi ri thanks, The Power Dyne was a rip-off of the Yamaha of that period. It was horribly unreliable and did things like the rings sticking in the exhaust ports. They're not worth much, except as a curiosity.
SUBJECT: RE: YZ125 1989 hi, i have a yz125 1989 model, i think its air cooled but my mate thought it was water cooled so we fillled up the radiator with water and it all went strait into the engine piston and all, what should i doooooo? thanks :) Hmmmm. My best bet would be to carefully mix some concrete with the water (50:50 ratio), pour it in the engine and let it get good and hard. That should solve your quandary.
SUBJECT: WHICH PLUG Rick, Easy. Try an NGKB9E and you'll be a happy camper.
SUBJECT: WOW! THANKS! Hi, Rick, Well, I got rid of the bike. I fell off a big extension ladder while painting our barn and hurt my foot. After I got off crutches, I couldn't kick-start it anymore. I sold it to some ding-dong for a small sum and while I had misgivings about that (ill-advised misgivings, you might say), I don't really miss the bike now. Anyway, the reason I'm writing is that I want to belatedly thank you--I think--for including one of my past bikes in the April 2004 "strange bikes" article on the Off-Road dot com site. I'm referring here to the GT380 triple with RM125 suspension. I posted those photos to the "reader's rides" section of Rat Bike dot org, a site I find pretty entertaining. On that site's message board, someone asked about wooden motorcycle frames and one of the responses led me to a link to that "strange bikes" piece. Scrolling down, I thought "Holy crap! There's my old GT! Famous at last!" That thing was a title-less $75 bike I bought to dink around with in college (mid-late 80s). In stock form it sounded cool and would do cool burnouts, but wasn't much to yell about apart from that. After putting the homemade expansion chambers on it, lighter RM forks and stiffer, taller RM shocks, it would do easy wheelies in the first four of its six gears. It didn't "handle," per se, but was reliable enough and fun enough to take it to Finger Lakes State Park, near Columbia, MO several times. With some imagination and bravado, you could entertain yourself for a weekend on the trails and on the motocross track. Back then there weren't any crazy astro-spiral quintuple acid-bath jumps or any of that other supercross bulls**t. I think it succumbed to crankcase seal deterioration, and I gave up on it. But it was a well-spent $150 or so overall; I had a good time on it and it made for some good stories and some priceless looks from kids on real motocross bikes out maintaining their identities at Finger Lakes. Later on, I tried a similar but less extreme treatment with a Yamaha XS650. Stock suspension, bike stripped down a bit, homemade upswept pipes, etc. You didn't want to jump that one, but it was fun on hills and trails once it was geared down a bit. I could see where a person, once upon a time, could have fun off-road on a stripped down British twin. that one's on the Rat Bike Zone's "reader's rides" page too, covered in mud and drooling chain lube all over the pavement below. So, glad you thought it
was strange enough for your piece. Keep flying the flag of proper
capitalization, punctuation and spelling in "Don't Ask," take care and
say hello to the missus and the KDX, etc. Wow! So you're the guy who made that wide bike! Congrats on some cool home made engineering.
SUBJECT: 1974 HUSKY 250WR BING MADNESS Hi Rick. I know what a decent 250 should feel like and this is way off on power. When I turn off the petcock and let the gas run out, the engine starts to run lean, and for a few "lean" moments runs exceptionally clean, then starts to run out of gas. What am I missing here? Is the float bowl sticking or is there some other mysterious problem I am not seeing. My web research shows there are three jets -- idle, main, and needle. I find it hard to believe all three circuits are out of whack as the engine runs poorly through all gears and at all rpm ranges. I have decent spark. The timing has been set to factory and the main seals have been replaced. The top end is new with great compression. The question is how to best approach dialing in the Bing? What insidious problem would cause such symptoms to appear? Should I consider a Mikuni swap like those found on vintage CZs? Any thoughts? I just want to take this Husky to Ocotillo Wells and Giant Rock for a great weekend getaway while the desert spring flowers are still blooming and it isn't so dang hot! Keep up the great writing.
I applaud you for not suffering fools and would-be-grammaticians . . . er is
that grammaticists. Take yer pick. (My spell checker doesn't recognize either
word but does recognize mortician -- thanks Bill Gates.) P.S. -- my next resto project -- a Falta 250 CZ. I'm second owner since 1978. I went through all my old Husky jetting specs, and came up with a set of numbers. Here they are: 195 Main Jet If that doesn't do the trick, then I would suspect sucking gearbox oil past the seals.
SUBJECT: WATER DAMAGE hey whats up rick, I have a question for you. I kinda ran my bike ('01 YZ250F) into a canal. We got it out in less than a minute so it wasnt in there too long. We got it home, drained the oil, took the gas tank off, took the spark plug out and cranked it to shoot the water out, then flipped it over and let it drain. since then I have changed the oil about 4 times to make sure no more water is in the engine. That same night we were able to start it with one crank, by hand. since then it has been starting up fine, and sounds as good as it did before going in the water. Is there anything else that I shouldve done or that I should do?? thanks dude You did the right thing. I would drain the oil a few times more, after about 20 minutes of riding, and then again after an hour or so.
SUBJECT: PROJECT YAMAHA Hello, My question is this. The book calls for a pre mix of 20 to 1. 12 to 1 for break in. When I took this thing apart the exhaust system was almost completely plugged from what my guess is a heavy oil mixture. I will be using Klotz R50 oil and 93 octane gas. Can I run lets say 32 to 1 or 40 to 1 and if so do I need to rejet the carb (# 380 is the main jet size now ). I live in north carolina close to the coast at sea level and will mainly be riding in warm weather 70 to 90 degrees or so. I won't be racing but will run this thing as hard as my nerves will let me. Any advise would be of great help to this 1st timer. Thank You Run a 32:1 mix ratio and, yes, you might have to run a slightly smaller main jet. Break the fresh parts in carefully.
SUBJECT: XL 600 Hi Rick, all in all I am extremely
impressed with this bike, its the cleanest I have seen for 86. the guy selling
it used to be the mechanic at a local Yamaha dealer whom is very involved with
local racing, and he is including a ton of extra parts. i'm picking it up for
1500. the suspension is not bad, but I have 1997 CR500 forks and triple trees, I
was wondering if I personally wouldn't touch the bike. The bored-out 600s had a terrible track record in Baja racing.
SUBJECT: RIDING BAJA RICK: Anyway, all grown up now. Got back into riding, kids, 5th wheel, whole shootin' match. Remembered any article you wrote couple years ago essentially saying "Baja: Just do it before you die". It inspired me. I now have tentative commitments from about 15 of the guys that I ride with now. We want to do a Baja Ride in March 2006. Am trying to find that article to reprint, hoping to cinch the deal with them but could use the inspiration of a master word smith. Is that article something you remember and if so, could email to me? Thanks in advance for your help not to mention your hard work for the sport as well as your sense of humor. Randy Zorro No problem, Randy. The article on Trail Riding in Baja is on my website: www.superhunky.com By the way, that guy named Poole ended up marrying my sister. That'll teach him.
SUBJECT: RICKETS HAY SOOPER CHUNKY MY 125 WULL BEET ANY 250 Just kidding man, put your eyes back in your head. Over the course of my 30 years of trail riding, I have managed to squirrel away quite a few bikes. I keep almost everything I get my hands on, so when the revolution hits and our only remaining source of currency is orange soda pop and vintage dirtbike (that's right, dirtbike is one word) parts, I will be king. The last new bike I bought was over ten years ago (KDX 200) and I am leaning toward taking the leap again. I am no motocross rider, mostly due to the fact that I am built like a silver back gorilla. Strange thing is...I drink at least a six pack of beer a day, eat mostly cheese burgers and potato chips, yet the weight STILL wont come off (must be my thyroid). Anyway, I am going for a big bore four stroke and was thinking the KTM 525 EXC or the XR 650r. My question is, which one of these do you prefer (mostly Oregon trail riding) and is there any other bike in this category worth taking a look at? Have a good day Rick. The 525 KTM is brute, make no doubt about that. Still, it will require a lot more work to keep it happy than the XR 650. You won't like XR 650 at all in stock form. With the power-up kit in, the bike comes alive. If you just want have fun and not work much on a bike, the XR is the way to go. The KTM is 50 pounds lighter and is probably the fastest bike you can buy today.
SUBJECT: LEAKS Rick, Thanks Sounds like you got a head gasket leaking. Check that first.
SUBJECT: HOLIDAY DIRT BIKE RIDING AREA Hi Rick, Recently, a buddy of mine was out there again and asked me to join him that weekend. I was jazzed to re-live my youth! He went out the day before and that afternoon called me to say a retired "sheriff" came by his camp and hassled him and his buddies, threatening them each with a $450 ticket! Do you know what the specific law is about riding out there? Some of the riders who were out there actually own land right in the area and were equally upset by the "sheriff's" hassling. We are thinking of buying land out there so we can ride legally but are not sure of the laws. Thanks, Only about 2 ? percent of the land in California is available for riding, and only if you have a green sticker on your bike. You can ride on the land you own. That's why I live in Baja.
SUBJECT: YAMAHA YZ250F Hi, Do you have any ideas what is wrong? The problem appeared after I changed the throttle cable, so I probably caused the problem but don't know how I did it or what i did wrong. Regards, Yep. You have an air leak.
SUBJECT: CHINESE BIKES Hi Rick, A young man in my community recently purchased a mystery make 150cc Enduro. It lasted less than three weeks. While riding it over a speed bump in a parking lot, the frame failed at the steering head. The forks and triple clamp separated from the rest of the bike, sending the rider right on his head, then on to the hospital. His hospital stay far exceeded the cost of a real motorcycle. It does not surprise me that importers, operating on the fringe of the law, get away with selling cheap knock offs to ignorant buyers. Someday, we will likely see much higher quality bikes coming from China. At present however, these machines are very suspect, as you have pointed out, OEM parts are next to impossible to get because in most cases the distribution network is non existent. Chinese Motorcycles. Buyer beware. I have always enjoyed your articles and value your advise. Keep up the good work. Couldn't have said it better, Steve.
SUBJECT: THE STABLE Dear Rick, Frankly, what do we expect if we ride bikes that are so loud. Rick, it is all about stealth, period. I live in the suburbs and my son and I place quietness, the first criteria. I liked what you wrote about pocket bikes, and I felt it was neat they were available, until you explained. I like the way you think. I was sorry you had health problems, and I apologize for joking about you still kicking. Can you still ride a lot, and does it bother your back? Thanks, I have a KDX 200, a big XR, two 1970 Husky 400s that I'm restoring, and a brand new Honda CRF 230F. Oh yes, there are a whole bunch of leftover parts in the garage. The back doesn't bother me, but the knees are hurting. |
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