Yamaico's new el Cheapo Project.

[mx250]

I reckon it looks about 'right'.

With 400 instead  of 125 it would have that factory look that should confound the pundits and cause a few WTF's

[YZ250H]

am still undecided about having the tank polished aluminium or painting it to match the guards.[/b]
 

i like a lot of Yamaha paint jobs but must admit to not being too much of a fan of the polished tank look, except on some of the Brit bikes.
i wonder what a black tank/yellow stripe would look like as opposed to the yellow tank/black stripe

I've been thinking about a TT500 style combination for my 250 C.  Paint the main bit of the tank and polish the bit inside the decal.  The best of both worlds 

[firko]

Not much to report on today as I’m waiting on the cylinder to get here from the US so I can build the pipe. Once the pipe is made I can pull the bike apart and paint the frame and build the wheels and engine. Still got the bike mocked up so I can make sure the pipe clears the front guard and tucks in beside the back guard. I did manage to fabricate the sidecover brackets and weld them in place, the chain runner on the swingarm made and installed (milled down some 15mm nylon with the router and the bent it with the heat gun – terrible colour, but you’ve got to take what you can get), notched the bottom of the seat to clear the rear tank mount and machined up a sleeve to replace the speedo drive on the front wheel (see photos). If the cylinder doesn’t get here today I can make the muffler for a start. I also have to move the fuel tap mount to the other side of the tank as the pipe will foul it in the original position.

[Freakshow]

tell you what it reminds me off,  that Rc 125 that Jonnyos selling. What barrell are you waiting on ?

[Davey Crocket]

I'll get in on the action here....I will donate a brand spanking new machined billet feul tap spigot if you like to weld on the tank.....send me your details if you want one....keep up the good work.

[vandy010]

the bikes just taken on a real Aussie theme now Pete with that green chain guide.
Green & Gold

I'll get in on the action here....I will donate a brand spanking new machined billet feul tap spigot if you like to weld on the tank.....

it'd be quicker if he machined his own Davey

[Slakewell]

I have some GC Yamaha yellow fork boots in 38mm if you want them.

[Marc.com]

tell you what it reminds me off,  that Rc 125 that Jonnyos selling.

Barbarian .....

Friend of mine did RM250c powered KLX back in the day that went like a shower of shit. But like the whole KLX/DT400 concept, one of the best handling twin shock chassis combined with.... an engine

[EML]

Nah yellow gaiters 'id be too much IMO

[yamaico]

I'll get in on the action here....I will donate a brand spanking new machined billet feul tap spigot if you like to weld on the tank.....send me your details if you want one....keep up the good work.

Hi Davey,
Thanks for the kind offer but I'm using a YZ465 tap out of the junk stash, so I have to make up a mounting plate and weld it in,
Pete.

[yamaico]

I have some GC Yamaha yellow fork boots in 38mm if you want them.

Geez, another kind offer, but the forks are only 36mm. The gaiters are stuffed so I'll probably just go with the bare look,
Thanks anyway,
Pete.

[Curly3]

Pete, you've got to stop all this new age motorcycle building.
You're making the rest of us look bad.

[grouty]

This is probably a really silly question Pete ....
Was there a reason you opted for using the DT frame with KLX dangly bits, as opposed to using the KLX roller with the DT motor.
I would have thought that a superb handling bike (KLX) with an engine such as yours would be perfect.

Did you have any luck with sorting the rear shoes ?

[mx250]

This is probably a really silly question Pete ....
Was there a reason you opted for using the DT frame with KLX dangly bits, as opposed to using the KLX roller with the DT motor.

I'll let Pete answer that but I'm prtetty sure the answer is "because I can" or "the bits were there" .

I would have thought that a superb handling bike (KLX) with an engine such as yours would be perfect.

An interesting question Grouty . I was thinking of the same thing but thinking of it in reverse - would the LTR and LT/front improve or change the basic characteristics of the centre loop?

The DT frame is essential the MX250/360/SC500 frame in every regard (AFAIK - with a few extra brackets welded on). I don't think it is a hopeless MX frame when it comes to strength and integrity. The geometry might be a little questioned for MX (The MX/DT was intended more for high speed (Play racing, Socal desert, trail and street) rather than cutting a line inside a Maico). The 'so so' cheap mass production suspension would only exasperate any geometry limitations. I believe the MX chassis can be improved by improving the suspension, quicken the steering by reducing the trail and lengthening the swingarm (25mm).  The dangling bits that Pete is adding will address all of these issues - for better or worst remains to be seen.

I would also question the assumption that the KLX is a great handling frame - I think it was a very 'untaxed' frame with the puny KL250 20hp trying to pull it out of shape and propel it forward . A tuned DT400 will be a very different proposition to the KL250 motor.

Besides, I think this approach is new and will give a very 'factory' appearance that will confound the pundits .

[yamaico]

This is probably a really silly question Pete ....
Was there a reason you opted for using the DT frame with KLX dangly bits, as opposed to using the KLX roller with the DT motor.
I would have thought that a superb handling bike (KLX) with an engine such as yours would be perfect.

Did you have any luck with sorting the rear shoes ?

Hi Ian,
I had to use the DT loop because the DT motor is centre exhaust port and the single downtube KLX frame won't work. I opted for the DT motor because it was cheap and they're are very tunable. I've always been primarily a Yamaha guy, and I wanted to use a YZ400 motor but Vandy offered me a DT400 with YZ gearset for $100. Unfortunately the motor had been sitting in water for some time before Vandy got it and the bore was on last over and heavily rusted. I managed to find a complete top end from a YZ400 on Mark's swapmeet for $75 so I'm going to have pretty close to a YZ400 when I'm finished.
As Graeme says, I'm really not too sure if this will work but what the heck, it's not a very expensive experiment. If it doesn't work I'll still have a good almost YZ400 motor and some rebuilt KLX wheels and suspension.
Thanks for the help with the brake shoes - I got some EBC DT ones ready to go in once I've repaired the rear hub,
Pete.