Messages

1

Yamaha / Re: MX360 Build of the Parts Bike

« on: January 26, 2017, 06:59:43 pm »

Made a little more progress tonight.


Carb cleaned, fresh jets, NOS throttle cable installed.















More as I get a bit more completed. Hoping to see smoke out the tailpipe this weekend!

2

Yamaha / Re: MX360 Build of the Parts Bike

« on: January 26, 2017, 06:32:43 pm »

We decided that until we get the motor going, and decide whether to hang onto the beast, we just spooned on some old but serviceable knobbies from the back of the shop. Metzlers with some aggressive treads.





You may have noticed the kick stand was bent in the first picture, like most of them are. I decided, as I have done on several of my twin shock DT's, to replace the stock with a 77-79 monoshock stand which only needs the mount tab hole to be enlarged a bit to be a direct fit.





The stand works better, holds the bike at a more correct lean angle, and the big pad keeps it upright in soft stuff.


Wheel bearings were all a bit on the sketchy side so were replaced with a set of All Balls Racing double seal versions.








Perfect fit and only about $25 for both ends of the bike. Brakes got a full disassembly, regrease the pivot shaft and fresh factory shoes. I like to be able to stop, and not have failing pads make that decision for me.


Where we left off last night was pretty satisfying.

3

Yamaha / Re: MX360 Build of the Parts Bike

« on: January 26, 2017, 06:24:59 pm »

The goal of the build was inspired by probably my favorite dealer brochure pic:





There is no way I am going to do a full on restoration, though it would be possible with what is still good on the bike. The only super high dollar item that is missing is the chain guide that hangs down from the rear swinger. They are out there, but more than I want to spend. The goal is a really nice play bike for trail riding. Eventually it may get a new ignition with outer flywheel to make the beast a bit more tractable. For now, the goal is make it run, then have some fun.


The tank shows normal racing wear, but it has a nice patina, and no rust inside. For now it will be kept as is. The side panels will be painted with new number plate backgrounds, and the fenders which are very rough will be replaced. Seat is a recover, but is fine. I do have a nice proper cover with Yamaha on the back, so it may get that if I fall in love with it.


The motor at this point has been gone through - fresh crank and rod, most all new bearings, new seals, NOS balancer chain, and a few other bits. Transmission was like new. The autolube was unhooked with the tank missing, but it will be restored to use.





The top end was bored to second over to clean things up. It was on a standard piston, but was really out of round. Cleaned up very nice and an OEM piston was sourced and installed. The only really non-stock part I am going with is some Boyesen Power Reeds that I had laying around.





I like the look of the polished fin edges, so got out my tools and spent some quality polishing time.





The goal is to make a fairly close low dollar cosmetic, but very nice mechanical bike.


Just a little tip - if you start one of these projects and have problems getting motivated to work on it, find a 14 year old who thinks he wants to ride it, and you can borrow all the motivation you will ever need!


We started assembly of this (Not including the motor as shown above) about a week ago, and progress has been brisk.


First we got the motor into the frame, then were able to check the old button ignition for spark - Woo Hoo - we have a fire in the hole!





Some new Fly Vintage bend bars up front and some fresh paint and bolts make the cockpit presentable.





For now we will use stock rear shocks. I had a set that had nicer springs, so bolted them up. Yes I know the reservoirs should be reversed 

4

Yamaha / MX360 Build of the Parts Bike

« on: January 26, 2017, 06:08:26 pm »

I assume I am not alone in that I sometimes acquire a bike for its parts, then after staring at it in the garage for awhile, decide it really needs to be rebuilt, not scrapped    And so it begins.


Some time ago, (about a decade) I purchased a 1973 US model MX360, mostly because I wanted the wheels and front suspension for one of my DT400 projects. It was cheap, didn't run, didn't even turn over. Kind of rusty and decrepit. In other words, Perfect.





Kind of cute in its own way.


Well, other projects came and went, my focus being the streetable models, as here finding open dirt to ride can be a challenge, but a street titled old smoker can go anywhere a car can go . . .


My son, now 14, would walk to the back of the storage where it sat, and climb into the saddle, way before he could really even reach the footpegs. Most recently, we decided to take a closer look. An hour with a few wrenches and we had the lump of motor out and headed home to the garage to find out if the damage that had it locked was repairable. What we found was this:











Surprise of surprises, the piston was not locked or rusted to the cylinder. The problem was about the time the piston top melted, the main bearings self destructed and threw the crank out of alignment so it wouldn't turn. Most surprising, the cylinder was still on standard bore (probably a replacement considering the rest of the bike condition) and the carnage in the cases was limited to a stretched balancer chain and bearings! So the decision to bore it, fix the internals, and build the bike was made.


I will break these up into several posts for ease of posting and of reading.

5

Other Makes (CanAms, Coopers, etc) / New Hodaka Only Classified Site!

« on: November 30, 2014, 07:05:53 pm »

So there has been some discussion on making a place specifically for Hodaka owners and others would be able to list, buy and sell used or NOS parts and or full Hodakas. They tend to get lost on some of the general purpose sites. So as the Club webmaster, I decided we needed an answer, and here it is:





www.HodakaClassified.com

Membership is FREE and there are no costs either to list or to sell. Shipping may be more difficult, but we have quite an Aussie contingent in the Hodaka World, and you certainly can trade amongst yourselves 


Feel free to give me any feedback on the site, either good or bad. It is just a service for Hodaka owners worldwide!   

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Other Makes (CanAms, Coopers, etc) / Re: Hodaka Club Website

« on: June 02, 2014, 04:26:01 am »

Why yes you DO!


Good to see you standing on your head .  . .

7

Other Makes (CanAms, Coopers, etc) / Hodaka Club Website

« on: April 19, 2014, 10:12:55 am »

For those of you with the affliction of Chrome Gas Tanks, we have a neat place for you to look at. Go to http://HodakaClub.org and take a peek.


We host the annual Hodaka Days event in Athena, Oregon, where all of the Hodaka faithful come to pay homage to the little town in Oregon where the Little bike that Could was conceived and assembled! You can join up for membership privileges and news of events and other cool stuff.


This is the 50 year celebration so we anticipate the event will be really big!

8

Introductions / Re: New Member from the States

« on: April 19, 2014, 10:07:04 am »

The overall ride was actually quite fun! On the leg through the white frozen sand    we went from Monticello, Utah to Port Orford, Oregon. We had every kind of weather from Hot to Snow to drizzle to really cold. Amazing ride.


The finish line photo was worth the whole trip though . . .

9

Introductions / Re: New Member from the States

« on: April 19, 2014, 08:18:22 am »

It CAN be done


The yellow bike partook of the USA TransAmerica Vintage ride,mine segment of which was documented in [size=78%]http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/features/122_1005_trans_america_trail/[/size].


We ultimately followed that with the Western section and the Eastern section. Great fun and a story I am starting to post in serial form. I will post links as it happens.


Here is a picture of a bad day on the western section . . .





Another of the bikes that day:

10

Yamaha / Re: 1971 Yamaha DT1 Gravel Tracker

« on: April 14, 2014, 04:38:57 pm »

Thanks! Pancho.


I try never to modify them in ways that are not returnable to stock unless they have been hacked before I got them. I have one DT400 that will get changed a bit, as it is destined to be a bit of a street tracker which may result in a few frame mods.


When I get that far I will post up some photos!

11

Yamaha / Re: 1971 Yamaha DT1 Gravel Tracker

« on: April 14, 2014, 11:52:14 am »

I can't tell you for sure the kicker. It is the one out of a box that fit 


It is likely off an RT1 but I can't say for sure.

12

Yamaha / Re: 1971 Yamaha DT1 Gravel Tracker

« on: April 14, 2014, 12:49:45 am »

I hadn't heard the term "tragics" before  - we call ourselves "Enduroholics". I think it means about the same!

Thanks for the welcome!

13

Yamaha / 1971 Yamaha DT1 Gravel Tracker

« on: April 11, 2014, 05:24:28 pm »

HI Folks - Long time Yamaha enduro fan from the US. I thought I would toss out a few pictures and the back story for my 1971 Yamaha DT1 Suntanker Gravel Tracker.


The short story is I got the bike as part of a trade - three old bikes for an old aluminum boat. I only wanted one of the bikes, but the other two got tossed on the trailer before I could get out of the driveway.


The one I wanted was an XR70 for my son, but this old vintaged MX Enduro also intrigued me.





So the Black bike went to the storage for awhile, and parts sourcing began over a couple of years. last year I decided to get the darned thing done for a trip to Utah I had planned.


The tank was kind of rough, so I decided a full re-paint was necessary. I used Urethane primer, then water based color coat applied via a cheap air brush followed by a catalyzed clear. My first attempt at such a graphic job.

















The bike had a lot of neat parts that came with it, so a lot of what I was doing was just replacing rubber bits, cables, and a lot of elbow grease. The seat I completely rebuilt with new foam, refinished the pan, and a seat cover from Ryder in Canada. The motor is fairly stock with a fresh top end and still running autolube.


The wheels are vintage shouldered Akront rims, and they are wrapped with Dunlop D606 Road approved knobbies. The front suspension is 72 or so MX with the aluminum triple tree and the rear shocks are NOS Redwing hammerhead units.





Fly front bars and a custom painted NOS front fork brace finishes things out. The rear fender is a one off and the rack, though it started as a vintage aftermarket has been modified (lowered a bit) to more closely hug the rear fender.








Vintage aluminum K&N Desert foot pegs were discovered on Ebay late one night!











I am running an aftermarket aluminum sprocket in a 44 tooth version on a non-dampered MX rear hub. The size of this sprocket off the MX required a bit of massaging the lower chain guard to fit.








The use of MX hubs left me with no provision to run a stock speedo, and this bike is intended to be a streetable rider. The result was the need for a modern electronic gauge setup from Trailtech featuring a Speedo, Tach and several other features. It is mounted to the original triple tree mounts for the factory gauges, and uses a magnetic pickup on the front wheel for the speedo.





I built the bike to be my interpretation of what a Yamaha "Works" enduro might have looked like back in the day. I built it to be a looker, but not to be a garage or trailer queen. In May of 2013, the bike accompanied me to Moab, UTAH and spent a few hours enjoying the dust and views of the desert Southwest!











Thanks for following along! I will post up some of the other recent builds as soon as I get some more free time.

14

Introductions / New Member from the States

« on: April 11, 2014, 04:16:28 pm »

Greetings from the Northern Hemisphere! Thanks for the add Graeme!

Long time rider and Yamaha Enduroholic (That's what we call you if you can't seem to say "NO" to just one more!). I am also member of a group informally known as GruppeTAT - a bunch of old farts who undertook, mostly successfully, a ride across the USA from coast to coast, on the Trans America Trail (www.transamtrail.com) . . . on 1971-1975 Yamaha 2-stroke enduros. Seriously. http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/features/122_1005_trans_america_trail I am the one on the bad end of the two rope . . .

Our group met on an online forum, and after several adventures, now we are building what we hope will be a true compendium of information about the Yammies from 1968 - 1983, mostly focused on the two strokers. It is hoped to contain a lot of the stories of our adventures, as well as grow a community of hopelessly addicted enduro riders.

We have a forum, blog, and a growing library of other information. The site is free though it does require registration to get to some resources. Drop in and poke around: www.Yamaha-Enduros.com

The bike I rode across the country was a specially prepped 1975 Yamaha DT400B shown below:




I am also one of the webmasters at the Hodaka Club at hodakaclub.org which is focused exclusively around the "Little Bike that Could!"

I am looking forward to exploring your forums and website and contributing what I can!