Yamaha DT250A restoration

johnnyc14 · 12-04-2009, 07:49 AM

Well I have finished my Honda CL450 project from last winter so I've got to find something else to keep the long winter bearable here.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...ight=johnnyc14

I found a 74 DT250 locally on Kijiji and I'm going to bring it back to life. It actually runs pretty well but needs a lot of TLC to make it presentable.

There are lots of parts on ebay so it should go fairly fast I think. At least I hope so.

Cogswell · 12-04-2009, 11:49 AM

Nice classic bike, I'll be watching your progress.

Mike

MayerMR · 12-04-2009, 02:08 PM

great base to start with. will be following!

eyedragaknee · 12-04-2009, 03:16 PM

Man, that is in great shape to start with

eyedragaknee · 12-04-2009, 03:17 PM

there is hope

* SHAG * · 12-04-2009, 06:22 PM

That was my first new bike. I was a Junior in High School

Snr Moment · 12-04-2009, 06:28 PM

Good luck with the project. I have a '77 DT400 that I'm working on. Was going to disassemble it and sell off the parts, but didn't have the heart to do it. Got it running, spent a few $$$$ for necessary parts and now it's rideable. Waiting on some warmer weather to test it out.

johnnyc14 · 12-04-2009, 07:39 PM

It's nice to know there's other people out there who can't stand to see old bikes die.

johnnyc14 · 12-05-2009, 10:22 AM

Well it's a start. I got the bike completely disassembled and ordered a bunch of small parts. We had a giant snow storm here yesterday so I'm settled in the garage for the weekend.

MayerMR · 12-05-2009, 02:38 PM

I really love the color of that bike, it just works perfectly with the lines.

Looks like you've made some great headway so far. My frame looked like that a few days ago. It was pretty de-motivating to look around your garage and just see parts everywhere but after you throw some paint around things start looking up again!

MNellis · 12-05-2009, 04:32 PM

Congratulations on the DT250 Johnny. It was fun watching your CL450 build and I look forward to this one as well.

Snr Moment · 12-05-2009, 04:42 PM

This 400, although it's a year or two older, serves as an inspiration:

sjsred323i · 12-05-2009, 05:37 PM

1974 DT 250 was my first motorcycle. Good luck with the project. What a nice way to spend a cold winter.

johnnyc14 · 12-29-2009, 09:20 AM

I've been working n the bike slowly over the past couple of weeks. It's kinda cool to see some of the stuff on these old bikes. This one still has the original front tire, a Dunlop Trials Universal.

It's completely dis-assembled and I've bead blasted most of the parts.

Not much left of the seat base so I'm hunting for a seat if any one knows where one is let me know.

The engine is not too bad. The bore is .002" tapered, right at the limit of the spec so I've got a OS piston ordered. The main bearings are a little rough so they are also getting replaced. The trans looks like new. Parts are still readily available.

You can see it must have sat with some water in the bottom of the engine at one time by the rust on the crank but thankfully the water did not touch the rod bearing, it is till good.

I still have to get the frame stripped and I haven't decided where to get that done yet. I'll check out some vendors at the bike show and see who will give a good deal on that.

Anyway I'm having fun, I'll keep you posted.

anonny · 12-29-2009, 09:34 AM

Cool project(s)

I suggest buying a powder coating system, they are only $200 and you seem to do enough restoring to warrant one. I will be following along.

12-04-2009, 07:49 AM	#1
johnnyc14 ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2008 Location: St. Albert, Alberta Oddometer: 199	Yamaha DT250A restoration Well I have finished my Honda CL450 project from last winter so I've got to find something else to keep the long winter bearable here. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...ight=johnnyc14 I found a 74 DT250 locally on Kijiji and I'm going to bring it back to life. It actually runs pretty well but needs a lot of TLC to make it presentable. There are lots of parts on ebay so it should go fairly fast I think. At least I hope so. __________________ John 1971 Honda CL450 http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ight=johnnyc14 1972 Kawasaki F9 Bighorn 1973 Kawasaki H1D Mach III http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=634816 1974 Yamaha DT250 http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ighlight=dt250 2003 Suzuki DRZ400S 2008 Kawasaki ZG1400

12-04-2009, 11:49 AM	#2
Cogswell Spudly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2005 Location: Riding with my pal Richard Cranium Oddometer: 3,254	Nice classic bike, I'll be watching your progress. Mike __________________ Cogswell Rides To Big Bend See my airhead project here Time Warp Vintage Motorcycle Club The good thing is, your damn motor can't read. If it says oil on the container, it's pretty much OK to dump in there.... ED.

12-04-2009, 03:16 PM	#4
eyedragaknee McGuyver Joined: Jul 2004 Location: Triangle Oddometer: 2,259	DT's little brother Man, that is in great shape to start with __________________ 2008 KTM250-XCFW 2011 Gas Gas TXT250 1966 Honda 305 Scrambler eyedragaknee screwed with this post 12-07-2010 at 07:30 PM

12-04-2009, 03:17 PM	#5
eyedragaknee McGuyver Joined: Jul 2004 Location: Triangle Oddometer: 2,259	after hacking there is hope __________________ 2008 KTM250-XCFW 2011 Gas Gas TXT250 1966 Honda 305 Scrambler eyedragaknee screwed with this post 12-07-2010 at 07:30 PM

12-04-2009, 06:22 PM	#6
* SHAG * Unstable Joined: Nov 2001 Location: Bradford, Pa Oddometer: 3,920	That was my first new bike. I was a Junior in High School __________________ Go like hell, You'll get there quicker! 99-RT- Graphite 50k Gone 01-GS- Mandarin 42k Gone 05-GS- Rock Red 83k 06-GS- Dakar-40k Sold

12-04-2009, 02:08 PM	#3
MayerMR Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Hubert, NC Oddometer: 214	great base to start with. will be following!

12-04-2009, 06:28 PM	#7
Snr Moment Unafarkler Joined: Nov 2008 Location: Billings, MT Oddometer: 2,137	Good luck with the project. I have a '77 DT400 that I'm working on. Was going to disassemble it and sell off the parts, but didn't have the heart to do it. Got it running, spent a few $$$$ for necessary parts and now it's rideable. Waiting on some warmer weather to test it out. __________________ Love is blind, marriage is an eye-opener. YAAK

12-04-2009, 07:39 PM	#8
johnnyc14 ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2008 Location: St. Albert, Alberta Oddometer: 199	It's nice to know there's other people out there who can't stand to see old bikes die. __________________ John 1971 Honda CL450 http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ight=johnnyc14 1972 Kawasaki F9 Bighorn 1973 Kawasaki H1D Mach III http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=634816 1974 Yamaha DT250 http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ighlight=dt250 2003 Suzuki DRZ400S 2008 Kawasaki ZG1400

12-05-2009, 10:22 AM	#9
johnnyc14 ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2008 Location: St. Albert, Alberta Oddometer: 199	Well it's a start. I got the bike completely disassembled and ordered a bunch of small parts. We had a giant snow storm here yesterday so I'm settled in the garage for the weekend. __________________ John 1971 Honda CL450 http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ight=johnnyc14 1972 Kawasaki F9 Bighorn 1973 Kawasaki H1D Mach III http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=634816 1974 Yamaha DT250 http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ighlight=dt250 2003 Suzuki DRZ400S 2008 Kawasaki ZG1400

12-05-2009, 02:38 PM	#10
MayerMR Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Hubert, NC Oddometer: 214	I really love the color of that bike, it just works perfectly with the lines. Looks like you've made some great headway so far. My frame looked like that a few days ago. It was pretty de-motivating to look around your garage and just see parts everywhere but after you throw some paint around things start looking up again! __________________ 2007 Buell Super TT (Rider) 1972 Honda CB450 (Rebuilding - For Sale) 1971 Ducati 450 R/T (utter disrepair)

12-05-2009, 04:32 PM	#11
MNellis Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2008 Location: Georgetown, TX Oddometer: 126	Congratulations on the DT250 Johnny. It was fun watching your CL450 build and I look forward to this one as well.

12-05-2009, 04:42 PM	#12
Snr Moment Unafarkler Joined: Nov 2008 Location: Billings, MT Oddometer: 2,137	This 400, although it's a year or two older, serves as an inspiration: __________________ Love is blind, marriage is an eye-opener. YAAK

12-05-2009, 05:37 PM	#13
sjsred323i Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2007 Location: CAK - Ohio Oddometer: 180	1974 DT 250 was my first motorcycle. Good luck with the project. What a nice way to spend a cold winter.

12-29-2009, 09:20 AM	#14
johnnyc14 ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2008 Location: St. Albert, Alberta Oddometer: 199	I've been working n the bike slowly over the past couple of weeks. It's kinda cool to see some of the stuff on these old bikes. This one still has the original front tire, a Dunlop Trials Universal. It's completely dis-assembled and I've bead blasted most of the parts. Not much left of the seat base so I'm hunting for a seat if any one knows where one is let me know. The engine is not too bad. The bore is .002" tapered, right at the limit of the spec so I've got a OS piston ordered. The main bearings are a little rough so they are also getting replaced. The trans looks like new. Parts are still readily available. You can see it must have sat with some water in the bottom of the engine at one time by the rust on the crank but thankfully the water did not touch the rod bearing, it is till good. I still have to get the frame stripped and I haven't decided where to get that done yet. I'll check out some vendors at the bike show and see who will give a good deal on that. Anyway I'm having fun, I'll keep you posted. __________________ John 1971 Honda CL450 http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ight=johnnyc14 1972 Kawasaki F9 Bighorn 1973 Kawasaki H1D Mach III http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=634816 1974 Yamaha DT250 http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ighlight=dt250 2003 Suzuki DRZ400S 2008 Kawasaki ZG1400

12-29-2009, 09:34 AM	#15
anonny What could go wrong? Joined: Mar 2007 Location: Beautiful Revelstoke BC Oddometer: 4,959	Cool project(s) I suggest buying a powder coating system, they are only $200 and you seem to do enough restoring to warrant one. I will be following along. __________________ Kawasaki H1 build thread 71- 450 Honda CL re & re Just another pathetic sheep following the herd

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: .
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode