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Thread: Son's wee beastie project, a new biker.

  1. #1
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    7th March 2006 - 21:17
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    Son's wee beastie project, a new biker.

    Our son has been busting to own and ride a bike on the road. He turned the magic number late last year and has been doing the usual licence prep.

    Both my wife and I are bikers so are keen to support the cause, however thought we would take a different route than simply buying a bike and handing him the keys.

    So we took the project rebuild route. Thought this is a better option so he learns about the bike, mechanicals, electrical and home DIY. Thought it would also serve to build some pride in what he has achieved once done.

    After looking at many bikes, fuck there is a lot of people wanting stupid money for shitters! We found a sorry looking 2003 Yamaha XT225 project bike for five hundy. The bike was 100% complete and ran ok but was in the usual mess having been lost in storage and needing a good do over replacing the usual bearings, seals, carb clean, engine Maint and numerous other mechanical bits to make it reliable and safe (as possible) The rego had lapsed from sitting in storage but not a biggie having all the req'd paperwork etc.

    So we managed to hide the bike and gifted as a Chrissy present. After a month of hard graft the wee beastie is all done and running like a top.

    For a young fella he's done a great job, working his back side off doing all the shity stuff and getting stuck in. He's turned a crapper into a great first bike. Absolutely stoked & proud of his work to get the bike to where it is (with the usual dad input, haha) Next step is to sort the rego, go sit his licence and importantly partake in rider training days to maximise his skills and awareness.

    Once all sorted it's road time with the olds racking up miles and smiles .




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  2. #2
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    8th January 2005 - 15:05
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    Good effort. 10/10 dad.
    There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop

  3. #3
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    25th October 2002 - 17:30
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    Great thread. Bike looks fantastic, awesome job all round.

  4. #4
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    25th January 2008 - 17:56
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    Well done Lad and dad, looks bloody tidy considering it's age and the problems it came with.
    You are going to love having him out with you guys and seeing the confidence and the skil level rise.
    Enjoy your! bike young fella.
    Every day above ground is a good day!:

  5. #5
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    7th September 2009 - 09:47
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    Quote Originally Posted by ruaphu View Post
    Our son has been busting to own and ride a bike on the road. He turned the magic number late last year and has been doing the usual licence prep.

    Both my wife and I are bikers so are keen to support the cause, however thought we would take a different route than simply buying a bike and handing him the keys.

    So we took the project rebuild route. Thought this is a better option so he learns about the bike, mechanicals, electrical and home DIY. Thought it would also serve to build some pride in what he has achieved once done.

    After looking at many bikes, fuck there is a lot of people wanting stupid money for shitters! We found a sorry looking 2003 Yamaha XT225 project bike for five hundy. The bike was 100% complete and ran ok but was in the usual mess having been lost in storage and needing a good do over replacing the usual bearings, seals, carb clean, engine Maint and numerous other mechanical bits to make it reliable and safe (as possible) The rego had lapsed from sitting in storage but not a biggie having all the req'd paperwork etc.

    So we managed to hide the bike and gifted as a Chrissy present. After a month of hard graft the wee beastie is all done and running like a top.

    For a young fella he's done a great job, working his back side off doing all the shity stuff and getting stuck in. He's turned a crapper into a great first bike. Absolutely stoked & proud of his work to get the bike to where it is (with the usual dad input, haha) Next step is to sort the rego, go sit his licence and importantly partake in rider training days to maximise his skills and awareness.

    Once all sorted it's road time with the olds racking up miles and smiles .




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    That's a great first bike and how can you go wrong for $500!!! Bargain!!!
    Last edited by onearmedbandit; 6th February 2017 at 19:04.

  6. #6
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    19th January 2013 - 16:56
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    Great way to have quality dad/lad time!

    Yesterday stopped in Ohakune for a coffee, at the café were a group of riders from Wanganui and there was a dad and lad in the group - dad on a 'Busa and lad on dad's old 750 something...

  7. #7
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    7th March 2006 - 21:17
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    Spent a few hours tweaking and riding coaching. My lad has done well, everything works as it should.

    The only issue picked up is a squeaky rear brake, suspect one of the springs is touching the hub occasionally, so will pull down and fix. Carb may need some tweaking but other that, cracker little bike.

    Spent a few hours doing laps in the neighbours paddocks on uneven sloped ground. Works a treat for bike control learning. One minor spill when applying the front brake during a corner. Valuable lesson there and one he really understands the 'why' factor about.

    Son has had a brilliant time and there is no way to wipe that big cheesy grin off his face, he is totally stoked with his work and the the bike.

    Dad to has to admit the bike is darn good, best five hundy ever spent on a bike.


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  8. #8
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    21st March 2010 - 13:28
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    awesome, looks good, well done that lad (and dad of course)

  9. #9
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    7th September 2009 - 09:47
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    Quote Originally Posted by ruaphu View Post

    Spent a few hours tweaking and riding coaching. My lad has done well, everything works as it should.

    The only issue picked up is a squeaky rear brake, suspect one of the springs is touching the hub occasionally, so will pull down and fix. Carb may need some tweaking but other that, cracker little bike.

    Spent a few hours doing laps in the neighbours paddocks on uneven sloped ground. Works a treat for bike control learning. One minor spill when applying the front brake during a corner. Valuable lesson there and one he really understands the 'why' factor about.

    Son has had a brilliant time and there is no way to wipe that big cheesy grin off his face, he is totally stoked with his work and the the bike.

    Dad to has to admit the bike is darn good, best five hundy ever spent on a bike.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Great stuff.
    My first ride was in a carpark not much bigger than your yard. I managed to side swipe the only car there so we buggared off...
    If the young 'un starts wearing the baseball cap on an angle give him a little slap from Uncle Jas.
    Last edited by onearmedbandit; 6th February 2017 at 19:05.

  10. #10
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    7th March 2006 - 21:17
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    Quote Originally Posted by jasonu View Post
    Great stuff.
    My first ride was in a carpark not much bigger than your yard. I managed to side swipe the only car there so we buggared off...
    If the young 'un starts wearing the baseball cap on an angle give him a little slap from Uncle Jas.
    Errrr yeah I did the same in a mini years ago, 5 acre paddock and this ditz smacks into the one and only tree in the paddock and wrote the mini off. To this day it has me fecked as to where the dam tree came from, lol.

    Cheers Jas and yeah will keep a close eye on the cap angle, haha.


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  11. #11
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    7th March 2006 - 21:17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Moi View Post
    Great way to have quality dad/lad time!

    Yesterday stopped in Ohakune for a coffee, at the café were a group of riders from Wanganui and there was a dad and lad in the group - dad on a 'Busa and lad on dad's old 750 something...
    Cheers Moi, looking forward to road time with my son. Interestingly he wants to get a cruiser later on cos they are 'real' bikes in his view, hahaha.


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  12. #12
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    7th March 2006 - 21:17
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    Son's wee beastie project, a new biker.

    Cheers for the feedback, appreciated. He even washed it when finished riding, made me feel guilty about my bike so dragged it for a wash. The liddle bugger didn't take the hint and left my bike sitting there.................. unwashed, lol. Oh well always next time


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  13. #13
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    13th July 2008 - 20:48
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    Can you be my dad......please please please please please.......

  14. #14
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    3rd March 2008 - 11:55
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    Bike looks very sharp, washing it after riding suggests that he wants to look after his own work, got to be a good thing for the future.

    I managed to get my not very mechanically inclined son with some spanners in hand when he bought his bike too, the prospect of getting out riding seems to be quite the incentive..

    Nice work.
    Riding cheap crappy old bikes badly since 1987

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  15. #15
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    7th March 2006 - 21:17
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    Quote Originally Posted by rastuscat View Post
    Can you be my dad......please please please please please.......
    Nah I hear your tastes are too expensive for My pockets, lol


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