What colour should my frame be? YZ50

[Nafen]

Hi there,

I have 83 model YZ50 with frame prefix 5x7 and it has white frame, handle bars, swing arm and expansion chamber.
Searching around the net i cant find any with this same colour combo, most have black frames etc.
I've had the bike since it was 3 yrs old so im pretty sure it was never painted and these colours are correct but i want to make sure before it gets redone.

Any help would be good
Cheers,
Nathan

[cyclegod]

[caps 999]

red the one in the photo is a j 82 model same bike black frame

[Nafen]

So one vote for a black frame and one for red. I didnt think red frames came out til 84?
The one in the pic above looks like it has a white swingarm but black frame and my bike looks identical to that except for being all white

[YZ250H]

The swingarm is painted silver.   I would go with Caps - I know H and J are black frame and I have a feeling the K was red frame (?).  A popular "upgrade" was to paint the frames on the earlier ones red.  Gave you at least another 2 horsepower and definitely good for the holeshot 

[Nafen]

Ok cool, confuses me even more as i have no idea how it got a white frame haha!
Is there a way for me to confirm its actually an 83 model and not an 82 as im just going off what i was told when i 1st got it.

[yz490rules]

Hi,

That's my kid on the yz50 when he was about 6 or 7... lol  Bikepics from years ago.  He is now 11 and a definite KTM65 fan.

That is still under the house along side a complete 1980 3r0 g that I was given for parts.  I have had to rebuild it when unfortunatly he was learning to go up hills I stupidly told him to go back a gear without a clear explanation.  He viciously kicked it back to first and screamed up the track holding it flat until it burnt out the crank bearings.  Then with a crank and new top end it was only riden for a short time before I moved him onto a JR80.

I dont think Ill give it to his three younger siblings because I might clean it up a bit one day and return it to him when he is old enough to care.  You are always in love your first bike with a real powerband.



Stephen

[Nafen]

  You are always in love your first bike with a real powerband.

I know what you mean, this was my second bike and it was damn fast after getting off the obligatory PeeWee 50.

I think im just going to redo it white again as im not going for originality or anything just cleaning it up so it is in good nick for the future.

[DIRTPILOT72]

I was about to start a new thread along the same lines. I have a 83 YZ250K. Anyone know what color frame they had? At the moment its hand painted red. Research says it should be black?

[caps 999]

83 onward = red
82 down = black
as for working out the year of your yz50 if it has the same tank as the one pictured its will be either a j or k now the first 3 digits of your frame will read 5x7 the prefix 5x is only for the j models and the 7 indicate that it is a 50 eg
5x1= yz60j
5x2=yz80j
5x3=yz100j
5x4=yz125j
5x5=yz250j
5x6=yz490j
5x7=yz50j
all yz50s are the same 1980 onward all they did was in 82 put the yz60 tank and safety seat on it and i believe the k was just the remaing build stock with differnt stickers frame colour and prefix i can rember the prefix for the k but if its got a safety seat and its not a 5x7 prefix its a k

[Nafen]

Thanks caps thats some good info.
My bike is definitely a 5x7 prefix, heres a pic of it albeit stripped

[ba-02-xr]

Ks (83) were the last black frame. L(84) was the first red frame. Can't remember the year they went white.