DT1 250 Transformation

[DCPlasticsguy]

I had two DT1's sitting around the shed, so I figured I would turn one of them into a racer. It's almost finished. I should have it done by the weekend. Just some tank decals, seat cover and numbers. It's turned into a nice looking bike.

[Andrew L]

Nice use of some bits laying around good stuff , what tank is that.

[EML]

Nice use of some bits laying around good stuff , what tank is that.

Elsinore.

[DCPlasticsguy]

74-78 cr 125 plastic tank. 77-79 maico seat. 74 mx 250 front forks. Ossa plastic airbox. 32mm mik carb. John Ritter porting and head work. Jemco pipe. Pvl ignition. It should be significantly faster than stock.

[jimson]

What's the part numbers for both mudguards. Looks good but at the same time looks like its lost  the DT1 old school pre 70 look. Jimson

[vandy010]

Looks good but at the same time looks like its lost  the DT1 old school pre 70 look. Jimson

I agree,
here in Australia it looks more pre~75 than pre~70.
whats the front wheel off?
it looks to be the later conical front hub...

[Richo52]

Like it looks way better than stock :-)

[DCPlasticsguy]

Front wheel is from a 75/76 DT 250 or TT 500. Our local series has no problem with using later model parts for the pre 75 class. The dt1's have to race with the 74 and olders here. The rear fender is an ossa phantom and the front is a 74 yz.

[firko]

The dt1's have to race with the 74 and olders 

Welcome to the cult Don . I have to agree with the others that by removing the distinctive original tank you lose the main thing that sets a DT1 aside from the rest. Of everything that goes towards making up the the DT1, I reckon the tank is the one thing that makes the model so distinctive and cool. Other than that I think you've got a neat little project going, I especially like the pipe. I'd like to see a close up of the OSSA airbox in place...you may have a buyer for one if it looks the goods.

Thankfully the DT1 fits into the pre '70 class down here where it races with bikes of similar age and performance parameters. Here's my recently completed 'Project Ratbike' DT1 that's also a bit more than stock with Webco head, PVL and ported GYT cylinder. I've tried to build mine as if I was living in 1971 and only using what performance parts that were available then. It's soon to get a '68 box section swingarm and a sprocket cover.
                                                                 
                                                                 

[DCPlasticsguy]

Hi Firko,
This is actually Tom. I do all of the sales/shipping/emails at DC. I'm not very fond of the original look, so that's why I went with another tank and different plastic. I'm just using the shell of the ossa airbox. I've got a 75 yamaha mx air boot connected to a piece of pvc then I connected a Uni pod filter that just fits inside of the ossa box. It's not waterproof, but it's better than just using a straight pod on it. I've adapted a 80/81 kx rear chain guide that acts like a tensioner. It requires a few extra spacers and one mounting bracket, but I think it will do the trick.

[John Orchard]

firko if you want to keep it era correct looking I'd be running old style 5 x 4 pattern knobby tyres.

[bazza]

pipe will keep your leg warm,going to put heat shield on it?

[firko]

firko if you want to keep it era correct looking I'd be running old style 5 x 4 pattern knobby tyres.

Well spotted John, the Michelins were on the bike when I got it but I'm thinking about whether I swap them with the Chen Shin C755 old school pattern tyres on my Cheney RT1 or just leave them where they are. I'm starting to think I'd be better off with the Michelin S12's on the more serious racer Cheney.

This is actually Tom ...I'm not very fond of the original look

Sorry Tom..That's cool, we're all different, while I prefer the original look, the little Elsinore style tank does look good in there, ditto the Maico seat. Before I fit the 'square' swingarm I'll weld a bracket to mount a NOS Pro-Tec spring loaded chain tensioner that I found in a bargain bin in a bike shop for 5 bucks If you have to race your DT1 in pre 75 in AHRMA competition, what class are you building your RT1 for Tahitian Red? It seems silly to throw a DT1 and a YZ250-A into the same class, there's a pronounced technological jump between the two models. I'd have thought that a piston port DT1 would fit into AHRMA's Classic 250 class.

[Tahitian_Red]

Firko,

My AHRMA region is testing the Pre-72 bike class out.  It will probably be a national class next year.  How long before DC Plastics starts making the DT-1 rear fenders in plastic?
 

[firko]

Red and Tom....I've just had a look at the AHRMA rulebook in regards to DT1 Yamaha eligibility and I'm now pretty confused. Why would AHRMA allow the Kawasaki Greenstreak, AJS Stormer, Rickman Montesa 4 sp, American Eagle and others in Classic 250 yet not allow the DT1? Why is the square barrel Maico disallowed but an oval alloy barrel is and best of all why is a '74 CCM frame allowed? With all respect to the good ship AHRMA and those who sail her.....the Classic 250 class rules are a farce. The oval barrel Maico is actually eligible for the Premier 250 class by my estimation and the square barrel should be eligible for Classic yet the square barrel and radials must race together in Sportsman (pre 75). These are only a small number of the many anomalies I've found in the half hour I had to scan the rulebook.

With the utmost respect, the AHRMA rules could do with a major hose out and whoever it is that oversees the rules fired and replaced with people who know their shit. Sorry for the thread hijack but I couldn't believe there could be so many mistakes in so few chapters. 
http://www.ahrma.org/ahrma_pdfs/Z-2013/forms/13_Handbook_forweb.pdf