TT250 restoration - double the fun

[Wired1]

My latest project is to restore two 1980 Yamaha TT250's to racing form in time for the VMX 2008 season. I originally bought a 1982 XT250 to get some dirt bike fun when I wasn't riding my Harley but have now sold the Sportster to fund this restoration project. Early on I advertised here for spare parts for the XT and was lucky enough to be offered the basis of my twin TT restoration project by another KB member (LB99) in Blenheim in return for delivering a bike for him. The bike delivery was a bit of a drama involving the police and a fair amount of too-ing and fro-ing but eventually I had the job done and was very happy to pick up the starting bikes (pictured in all their glory below).
I also got a spare engine frome Lindsay and have sourced another engine from a local wrecker (bazz) for the missing parts from number 1. Number 1 had a stripped final drive shaft, bent selector rod, broken cam chain (and bits in the case), bent and chipped valve and a few scrapes and scratches in the bore. As I write this I have just reassembled the bottom end of number 1 with the newer parts from the donor engines and are working my way up the bore to the head I am rebuilding. Oh, I also needed a new cam shaft as the top sprocket had ripped itself off the end of the old on in all the excitement.
I stripped the best two frames I had and have sent them off for sand blasting and painting last week. Both will be "Quick silver" which should make them go faster, one with a blue trim to tell them apart but other than that the plan is to make them identical.
Anyway I will post more pictures as these bikes progress.

[barty5]

http://hometown.aol.com/vintageyz/index.html

here is a link i have used in the past it is mostly for old yz s but you never know what will pop up in the addvertising lists we got some old 1983 tt600 part a few years back worth a shot

[Damz]

This should be good to watch bud, just bought an '81 TT250 myself, nice bikes!

[Wired1]

Thanks, I'll try to post a video of each stage as I do it on u-tube too. Right now I am finishing the motor, should get it done this week with any luck. Post a picture of your bike please, I'm still trying to track down the side covers and I would like to see what yours look like.

[Wired1]

Well I got the frame back from the sand blasters today. I used two different companys because the first one couldn't do powder coating. So both frames plus one swingarm and set of engine mounts, pegs and brake lever were done with sandblaster "A". These guys blasted the parts, undercoated them, painted them in 'Quick silver' and clear coated them. The other swingarm, engine mounts and triple trees were sent to sandblaster "B" who blasted them and powdercoated them blue. The plan is to use the blue bits on one bike and the other bike will be all silver with polished alloy trees.
I also completed the first engine overhaul this week and spent a total of about 6 hours all told. The donor engine had a stripped main shaft, bent selector rod, a few gritty bearings, plenty of sludge in the oil paths and a f*%ked left hand engine case. Luckily I had another left hand case so was able to frankenstein a complete engine together. The donor engine had also had a valve to piston episode and so had a damaged head, piston, valve, cam shaft and bore but I was lucky enough to find the missing bits in my pile of parts plus the local bike wrecker (Bazz). As well as the above mentioned replaced part the rebuilt engine also has new gaskets, seals, o-rings, some new bearings and a magneto from another donor as this one looked dodgy!

I have posted a video of the engine rebuild on u-tube and here is the link if you are interested (and have broadband! - it is 4 minutes long). I am planning on making a video of each stage of the rebuild so stay tuned! Click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTSccuFB24E

Lastly, the only major item I can't find is the bloody side covers so if you know where a set are, or even one side, then drop me a line. I don't care what shape they are in as I can use them to make molds for new ones from fibreglass, I just need a pair to start with.

[Bonez]

Good on ya.

[Damz]

Man thats nuts... Would love to know how to build engines like that! Like I said, as soon as my bikes outta the shop, ill put some pics up!

[motorbyclist]

looks like a very good project you've got there...
i'm looking at selling my old '85 tt250 if you're interested, but it's the monoshock and disc brake on the front model, maybe a bit newer than what you're looking for

and see this first---> http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh....php?p=1323116

[Wired1]

looks like a very good project you've got there...
i'm looking at selling my old '85 tt250 if you're interested, but it's the monoshock and disc brake on the front model, maybe a bit newer than what you're looking for

and see this first---> http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh....php?p=1323116

Does that mean it has a poked engine? I do like a challenge but I fear the trip from Auckland would make it too expensive.

[98tls]

Great thread......love seeing guys bringing them back from dead,makes me want to finally start on the old yamaha triple thats mostly in boxes in the garage........its a money thing

[motorbyclist]

Does that mean it has a poked engine? I do like a challenge but I fear the trip from Auckland would make it too expensive.

surprisingly the old girl doesn't seem to have suffered any damage

[Wired1]

I'd better finish these two before I get into any more trouble with the wife!
I am now assembling the B bike. The story will probably change as I go along so don't get confused if you read my earlier entries and find they don't agree with what I'm saying now, but basically I'm building the mint version A bike and the to-be-ridden B bike. Both will be ridden and both will be a mint as I can make them but you always get some difference between parts so the best ones will go on the A bike which is in the backgound of the photos below. It's all going basically to plan at the moment, the paint is good and I have the old XT to copy from if I get stuck for where parts go. They are slightly different but basically it's the same bike.

[Damz]

Hey just saw this on trademe, could help, but maybe not being a different year. Finally got my bike back yesterday, will get pics today for ya, if all goes well

http://www.trademe.co.nz/a.asp?id=131086580

[Wired1]

Hey just saw this on trademe, could help, but maybe not being a different year. Finally got my bike back yesterday, will get pics today for ya, if all goes well

http://www.trademe.co.nz/a.asp?id=131086580

Yes it's mine! I bought it thinking I could use parts from it including the side covers but none of it is useful so I am listing it as parts to see if I can get some money back for it, it's a pretty limited market so I might be stuck with it. They completely redesigned the '85 bike, even the engine is different. About the only thing useful is the front wheel which is wrong for this bike but I think will fit my bikes.

I put together a set of cases and covers earlier this week and took it along to the sandblaster to see what they could do with it. The result is below, they reckon it's called "bead blasting" which is a bit milder than sand. It looks brand new but is a bit dull. It was an interesting experiment but I think I will end up painting it black again, just looks too raw.

[tri boy]

I'm hooked.