YZ125 L 1984 Basket Case Restore

[Ji Gantor]

Clutch holding tool from Mr Ballard.

Ji

[Davey Crocket]

Buccannons ARE the only people in the WORLD that can make Z spokes!!!!!!!

[Ji Gantor]

Hi DC,
Cool.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

Oh well vmxken I will keep pushing forward.
I guess my images are too dark.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

Hey DC,
Is this the Z spoke that Buchanan's sell for the YZ125 L 1984?
8SZSPOKE 8 ga STAINLESS STEEL Z SPOKE - single dia. $4.31

Web site address so others can see.
http://www.buchananspokes.net/products/individual_stainless_steel_spokes.asp

Ji       

[vmxken]

Oh well vmxken I will keep pushing forward.
I guess my images are too dark.

Ji

Hi Robert (Ji) - if you want to have a go at me then it might be best to let all the forum readers in on your cryptic message.  The short story is that some months ago Robert asked me if I wanted to put his blow by blow CZ resto in the magazine - after it had appeared on the forum.  I declined, stating that the world had already seen it once, therefore it would be a bit repetitive to show it to everyone again in the magazine.  Robert appeared to take offense that even under these circumstances I wouldn't publish his resto project.  I haven't been asked directly about featuring this YZ125 resto in the magazine, although there was an earlier comment in this thread making just such an enquiry (after the resto had already started).

As for the dark images, I had advised Robert that some of the images he sent me of his finished CZ were a bit dark and he seems to have again taken some offense to that comment, although none was implied.  I was merely commenting on his images, as I was asked.

For the sake of Robert and all other forum members, I am always keen to publish restoration articles or feature 'Reader Restos' in the magazine.  Ideally, a step by step resto article would need to be discussed well before it commenced, so the direction and scope of the article could be jointly decided.  As for photos taken by the owner of their restored bike, Jeff or myself are only too happy to advise on images that are most suitable for submission.

Keep up the good work with your forum-based YZ125 resto Robert, it looks like it will turn out very well.

Regards

'vmxken' Ken Smith - Editor, VMX Magazine
 

[Ji Gantor]

Hi Ken (vmxken)
Hi Robert (Ji) - if you want to have a go at me then it might be best to let all the forum readers in on your cryptic message I am not trying to have a go at you Ken, This is how other members lead friends into a discussion after all this is part of the restore process .  The short story is that some months ago Robert asked me if I wanted to put his blow by blow CZ resto in the magazine - after it had appeared on the forum This is quite correct.  I declined, stating that the world had already seen it once, therefore it would be a bit repetitive to show it to everyone again in the magazine.  Robert appeared to take offense that even under these circumstances I wouldn't publish his resto project Now, Now Ken you should take another look at our emails, at no stage did I ever get upset.  I haven't been asked directly about featuring this YZ125 resto in the magazine, although there was an earlier comment in this thread making just such an enquiry (after the resto had already started) .

As for the dark images, I had advised Robert that some of the images he sent me of his finished CZ were a bit dark and he seems to have again taken some offense to that comment, although none was implied.  I was merely commenting on his images, as I was asked. I am a big boy and not easily offended, I certainly did not take your comments about my images as an attack. This said your comments are not quite correct and I quote your words "They're all very dark and low res we couldn't use them in the magazine" This was the actual reason given for the rejection. After I explained that the images were perfect Ken then suggested that all the forum members had already seen the restore. My actual pitch was not a blow by blow rebuild but images of the bike completed and sited on the track at Conondale.
For the sake of Robert and all other forum members, I am always keen to publish restoration articles or feature 'Reader Restos' in the magazine.  Ideally, a step by step resto article would need to be discussed well before it commenced, so the direction and scope of the article could be jointly decided.  As for photos taken by the owner of their restored bike, Jeff or myself are only too happy to advise on images that are most suitable for submission.
a)  After all this effort does this mean that a readers restore would be published?
b) How much does a reader/writer get for his effort $ ?
c) How long from submission to publication should said reader wait?
Keep up the good work with your forum-based YZ125 resto Robert, it looks like it will turn out very well.
Thanks for the kind words I will do what I can.
I would like all members to know that this is a forum where discussions occur on all levels.
This is another level of discussion and not an attack on Ken nor the VMX magazine.
I look forward to seeing Ken in the future and wish him a Merry Christmas.


Best Wishes
Ji Robert Gantor

Regards

'vmxken' Ken Smith - Editor, VMX Magazine

[evo550]

Have you tried Ash's spoked wheels in Albion Ji, I have seen him doing "z" spokes in the past.

[Ji Gantor]

Thanks Evo for the spoke tip.
I will give Ash a call if I can not get a set.

Merry Christmas
Ji

[vmxken]

Hi Robert - in reply to your questions a, b and c there are no set answers to any of them.  They are all on a case by case basis.  If you or anyone else wants to contact me about a specific article then I'd be happy to discuss that particular case.  My phone and email details are on the Contents page of the magazine.

A very merry Christmas to you as well.

Regards

Ken

[zorroz]

I had an ex race YZ125n many moons ago was a great bike was much faster than stock later models. I done a full resto on it as well your thread brings back lots of memories!

[Ji Gantor]

Bloody Brilliant mate.
What a great looking bike.

Ji

[crash n bern]

There's an easier and quicker way to remove the steering head bearing cups.

Break out the old arc welder, run a bead of weld around the cup, and it should fall straight out into your lap.

[Ji Gantor]

If you are planning a restore and think the VMX community would pay money to read about it than you should consider approaching a magazine editor. As the planning and execution are critical to success here is a Readers restore article survival kit. As always I am only trying to help my fellow man with this thread and these are my experiances writing for fishing magazines. If any one especially Ken would like to add to this I would be very pleased.

First you have to have a bike to restore.
Check the last four issues of the magazine you will be targeting, if they have already run a YZ125 resto piece than they will not run another to soon.
Next as Ken has said you should contact the editor and pitch your idea. The editor should supply a contributors guide line and offer any help they think you will require. Normally the editors are all "That sounds great, We would be very interested" This is code for send in your stuff and I will take a look. Don't be to excited at this stage as an editor gets 20 calls like this a day.
The back bone of any magazine article are the pictures. You will need a digital SLR that produces Raw images to a size of about 10mb.
You will also have to be able to use it. Have a look at the hundreds of images I have posted on this forum and if yours are better than mine then good luck. The images also have to have great back drops, good lighting, lots of colour, be interesting and tell the story.
You should submit at least 20 images of magazine quality from the beginning to the end. The magazine will only use about 6 but the extras will allow the editor room to move.
Next comes the hard work.
I would say that your success will be higher if you do more that a spray can restore. Purchase products and labour from companies that advertise in your target magazine. After all the magazine survives on having at least 75% of its pages as paid ads. This gives your article a better chance because now the editor has some thing to sell.
During the fix up don't tell anyone about your project, don't let any one take photos of your project and most of all don't post any images of even a nut on a forum.
Now that the bike is finished and you have taken hundreds of images, spent thousands of hours and out laid a months pay packet it is time to turn to your keyboard.
Now you have to be a Wordsmith.
I would say that you should consider writing somewhere between 1000 to 2000 words. For most first timers this should take about 30 hours. Remember spelling and grammar are important as an editor is not going to fix up your mistakes. Words are just words so don't forget to make this article a story that others will not be able to stop reading. Captions to images should explain the hidden not the obvious.
At this stage if everything has gone well this process should have taken about 6 months.
It is now time to submit your masterpiece to the editor.
85% of first timer articles are returned within the first month.
There is no guarantee that your article will be published.
If it makes it past the first month and the editor says he will publish it the soonest it could appear would be 6 months from now as most magazines are at least one issue ahead.
You can wait up to two years for your article to appear depending on other high profile writers work and room in the mag.
Lets say that you have success and your words and images grace the glossy pages, how much will you be paid? I would say that you can expect to get around $350.00. So when do I get paid I hear you ask? Well about one month after the article has hit the news stands.

So your project has come to a successful end, it may have taken 2 and a half years but now you can tell your mates.

This has been a generalisation and should not be used as guide. Please contact target magazines and seek their policies.

Good luck
Ji

[All Things 414]

Or you can just ride the thing......