Stevie’s French '98, Mid-90's WR/YZ/DT (An idiotproof guide to building your own DTR)

[Calum]

@SpookDog It's not always as straight forward as that. Normally the stem needs a collar made up else it won't fit into the USD stem.

If you need to get something fabricated then why not just make th bearing cup?

[Stevie Wonder]

@Calum said in Stevie’s French '98, Mid-90's WR/YZ/DT (An idiotproof guide to building your own DTR):

@SpookDog It's not always as straight forward as that. Normally the stem needs a collar made up else it won't fit into the USD stem.

If you need to get something fabricated then why not just make th bearing cup?

link text

Read through my ramblings and everyone else educating me, you’ll understand why that just isn’t an option.

Also they’re mystery forks, I thought they might be 89 yz USD’s thinking from memory they didn’t taper the upper fork leg inbetween yolks but a quick check says they where and from what I’ve seen the majority of YZ’s and USD’s in general have this. It’s why despite what anyone says 99% you can’t just press the DT stem into different yolks

[Calum]

@Stevie-Wonder You can use the DTR stem, you just make a collar if the taper is not big enough, or machine down the stem if it's too fat, although I suspect the former.

Again, anything is possible, but bearing cup is just simple.

[SpookDog]

@Calum
Yeah. There is a small thin collar that widens the top of the stem to fit snug into the Yz top yoke. Or do you mean the stem/stock presses into the bottom yoke?...
I does get what stevie means, if you don’t know the model/year/ext, it throws things off. I first thought that mine was a Yz stock that someone cut and lathed/threaded down. Without talking to the previous, previous owner it’s just a mystery. I’ll see if I can connect with them...

[SpookDog]

@Calum

Sorry, I think I’ve confused things. Getting the vernacular right is half the battle sometimes!...

Top yoke
Head-stock/stem
Bottom yoke

@Stevie-Wonder

I will try to read the whole tread when I have a spare hour or so and am not too wasted!

Check out this pic

Mine has ‘tapered’ forks as well...
The bottom yoke has been raised an inch (you can see the ‘shadow’ line) but still has plenty of meat to grip. The only thing that’s been done is a Dtr headstock stem pressed in. If you’re really worried you can reprofile the bottom yoke clamp inners to match the fork profile...
Hope this helps...

If anything, if you want to maintain the distance between tapers, the bearing cup would be the best option...

I will read the whole thread though!!

P.S. Calum, are you using ball bearing races or taper bearings on top? Taper bearings would just need a spacer, no? Not a cup? Or am I confusing things again! 🤪

[Calum]

@SpookDog Taper bearing. No it needed the cup. The overall height of the forks are a good few cm taller.

[Stevie Wonder]

@Calum said in Stevie’s French '98, Mid-90's WR/YZ/DT (An idiotproof guide to building your own DTR):

@SpookDog Taper bearing. No it needed the cup. The overall height of the forks are a good few cm taller.

Taper bearingsss. Unsealed bearings just make me uncomfortable tbh.
If spookdog chucks those photos on my old USD post it’ll make Callum’s explanation a lot easier to understand as quite a few people still seem to believe that straight swapping the stems is a visible option.
Perfect for someone like me who hadn’t the foggiest.

In other news...
A while back I stumbled across these. I was on eBay and trying to find a WR200 calliper guard (3JD-2749-100) when I come across these little gems.

link text
Never seen them before, must be pretty rare?
I couldn’t find much info about them, I know they also do a front rotor guard too.

Rear disc guard, calliper guard and master cylinder guard all in one! Result...
All metal, OEM and a wicked vintage Mx look too.

[Stevie Wonder]

@SpookDog said in Stevie’s French '98, Mid-90's WR/YZ/DT (An idiotproof guide to building your own DTR):

I haven’t had a chance to get a really good look into it. It’s just replacing the right side spacer with the gearwheel. Matching the diameter of the front wheel spindle and width. Then fixing 1 or 3 ‘teeth’ to the wheel hub to drive the gear-wheel...
That’s oversimplifying it, but it ...
I’ll get round to it when I finish MOT readying my bike. Weather s’been A bit of a bee-atch lately...
If someone has done it already I’d love a link...

I don’t think anyone’s done it before bud, but I think me and you where planning the same/similar thing!

The YZ wheel I have is in good nick, only needs a couple spokes replaced nothing drastic!
(Funnily enough too in my years riding BMX I picked up how to lace and true wheels.
Never in all my time doing sick stuntzz did I think that’d get use on a motorbike)

Only issue is being from a YZ theres no ‘teeth’ for the speedo gear drive to be driven by... shit!

See this ‘96 YZ front? Missing something

Teeth! Not how one rim is a ‘96 and the latter an ‘04.

That’s where like you mentioned I was thinking of just getting someone with a welder to fix that for me. £160 for WRF wheel with tabs or £30/£40 for welding some tabs? I know what I’d choose
Although just to save me relying on someone else I’ll probably buy a WRF wheel and sell the YZ. Perhaps a breakers would take it in Part-Ex?

Anyway...
From what I can tell there’s a lot of interchangeability going on with the front ends from ‘96-‘02 the YZ, WRF line. Flexibility.
However even though front wheel and forks appear to be shared up until ‘06 a quick cross reference does not suggest the same for much of the speedo drive assy.
Fowler’s reckons they’re the same from ‘98-‘03 and then after they change.
Regardless It’s the speedo drive gear and cable that’s important to me so I can get those clocks working.

Not that I have any issue with not knowing my speed, it’s just I miss approaching speeding cameras and slowing to ridiculous speeds because I can’t read KPH or the DT can’t stop quick enough far too much

One More Thing
I very early on said interchangeability and convenience was so so so important to me with my build. I want everything to bolt on and bolt off nicely, Function over form right? Imagine the weathers nice and I just want to put some road/trail tyres on whilst it’s a sunny. I don’t want to spend an 45+ minutes changing set ups. That’s 45+ minutes riding lost.

Unlike a lot of people the SM setup doesn’t do it for me. that’s why I’m stealing @Glynn123 idea I found, custom machined axle for DTR/WR200 hub. WR200 brake disc because same size rotor as ‘02 YZ except it fits DT because same hub obviously. Very very clever idea that fits me perfectly. 21”-19” Excel’s and AC10’s for partying, 21”-18” DT hoops with Pirelli MT21’s or Kenda K270’s for chilling. Bangingggg

[Stevie Wonder]

Note To Self

Racebikes don’t have road bike stuffs...
There’s me thinking I learned my lesson when I realised the tabs on the DT200WR swingarm matched a DT’s mudguard suspiciously well

Well I made an oops again
Just realised YZ forks need locator tabs for the gear drive. Reckon some JB weld would hold up? Hahaha

Note To Everyone
MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER AND BUY A WRF FRONT END

So now I gotta sort some tabs (and not the ones that‘ll make the likes of Pink Floyd and Jefferson Airplane infinitely more enjoyable) to make the drive gear thing not an issue.

I saw my uncle yesterday and we got chatting bo an alternative option was to see if we could use what we already had.
The idea being that turn down the YZ axle for the DT wheel or buy some custom bearings from a local shop to just run the stock DT front wheel but with WR200 front rotor so everything matches up with the YZ brakes.
Really its just a spitball idea that we never got much of a chance to talk about but an idea nonetheless + still the issue of the gear drive locator tabs.

Something Else
Whilst this was going on I was looking at what guys in the motorcross and enduro scene have been doing over the years to solve this problem when I stumbled across this little gadget

link text

The “Daytona Asura” a very smart tidy little computer lesser known and used from what I’ve found. From what I can tell it’s been about for sometime and for whatever reason never got the attention of those “Trailtech: Vapour” units you see everyone and there mum owning.

Unlike the trailtech it’s cheaper and has an oil light, temperature gauge (for both Air and Engine) and a much much nicer display.

[Calum]

@Stevie-Wonder Looks like a Trial Tech copy Unit to me. The Trialtech does have Oil Light/Neutral Light/Indicator Light/Fuel Light/High Beam Light. Also has shift lights aswell. So I'm not sure this unit is any better.

I'm struggling to understand what the problem is? Why don't you just fit the forks etc that you've got on. Your reasoning about swapping it all out in a few minutes is moot at this point as you've spent more time debating what setup to go with than just doing sticking with what you got. At the end of the day, it doesn't take very long to swap the front end out of the bike so you shouldn't focus on it so much.

Just use the setup you've got, chuck the USDs on and just enjoy it. If for whatever reason you want the stock setup, then it's a few hours work and you're rolling again. Rather than months of umming and arring when you could be out enjoying

[Stevie Wonder]

@Calum I get what you’re saying but I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick, there aren’t no problems. I also think I forgot to blog that I gave up with trying to sell the YZ bits after about a day of people asking me how’d you put them on their DTR.

I’m just writing my discoveries, events and developments as they happen.. even if they’re stupid little fuck ups so I can look back and watch myself learn as I build my bike.
I bare no humility or shame in the fact I’m learning, there’s a reason why I called this “An Idiots Guide...” after all

After giving up with facebook

I’ll be fair with ya though, I get what you’re saying... you see lots of posts but not a lot of progress. So... as it stands I’ve got a 2 maybe 3 week window (If I’m lucky) to get as much shit done as possible, here’s where I’m at.

• I’ve ordered the missing fork bolts
• full set of OEM fairing bolts.
• Brake hose guide/Cover (something really cool and unique from ‘96-‘05 although I don’t think they where used until ‘99)
• got worried if my plan with the speedo gear drive was going to work and looked into alternative options in case.
• Spent a year on Fowler’s working out the backwards compatibility of everything on the YZ / WR / WRF’s front end so I can make 100% sure I don’t buy anything from the wrong year and fuck myself.
• Concluded I have to run a ‘02-‘05 front wheel wheel as if memory serves me right Yamaha changed axles and stopped using that gear drive for the odometer unit I need to pinch.
  Hubs didn’t change from ‘02-‘18 Either across WRF line. Pretty sure even the forks ran from ‘96-‘06 with very few changes.
• I got measurements for the bearing race etc and send them off to have the bearing cup made and bought a nice new taper rolling bearing to boot.

All I need is a WRF wheel, speedo drive and the other parts to get back to me then hopefully we can see this come to life!

Hopefully “SnoopDogg” cough cough @SpookDog saved that 200R shock for me so I can put some cash in his pockets or gives him some goodies, I might have a surprise in store for him.
If I get the shock then my plan is to get a bearing kit for the 200WR swingarm and chuck it along with the shock into my bike as quick as possible as the 200wr swinger is probably my favourite thing I’ve bought/found to date.
Imo axle block adjusters + Deltabox alloy and USD’s will just really bring the DT in to the modern age and away from the clunky boxy 80’s look. I’m infinitely excited to never have to see or use snail shell adjusters again

So yeah, I had a little moment where I kinda gave up on myself and my plan. I found out that at any moment my uni could pull me back there at a moments notice despite not sorting any provisions and to make things ten times worse I had no funds (can’t get a job because of uni potentially recalling me, even when I’ve got 2 job interviews and a trial shift), bike has no Mot or tax, weathers getting worse and it’s sat without me touching it for three months and the person who was meant to be helping... well, just wasn’t.
That last part is the worst part, after all there’s only so much you can do for yourself and to help yourself before you need someone to help you along the way.

My man Arild was actually the guy who give me some words of wisdom to reflect on, ended up realising I have 75-85% of the parts to build a sick bike I’m just being a wet wipe about it

Well, that and these images certainly helped too...

Found this original survivor WR in a foreign forum whilst trying to find info on those early YZ/WR brake disc guards.

Judging by the wear, she had a good life and spent her years being used as intended by her owner.

Surprisingly the other thing that’s given me a lot of inspiration is just seeing some of the clean and simple YZ builds out there are

Even this,

Or this really catches my eye.
I think it’s just because I’m really imagining my bike as that though

[SpookDog]

@Stevie-Wonder
Sorry bud, I never heard back from my offer. I can’t find the listing now. Only one I can find is a mint one in USA for about £110

[Stevie Wonder]

Welcome back,

The postman’s certainly been busy...

But then again he’s not the only one

Built in my bedroom.
My grandad would be proud right now.

My swingarm suffered the same fate as darty’s.
Shame. I’ve got a ‘89 chain slider with life in it, but I’m not chancy anything. The chain sliders aren’t designed to protect the swingarm very well in the first place.

k

Pure lack of care... the last owner didn’t run the correct spacers etc. Full OEM replacement had to be done all round, she’s like new now.

[Stevie Wonder]

Much Excite.
Bike is in workshop.
Big block of aluminium has arrived.
Lathe is ready and primed.
Sandwich bags full of OEM bolts prepared.
1 bike getting reassembled. (hopefully)

Whilst many people have dreaded another lockdown I couldn’t thank that wispy haired numpty of PM we have anymore right now.

I don’t have to return to study for a month giving me free time to get this done.. not that I was going to return to uni until it was done anyway

[Calum]

@stevie-wonder Keep us updated bud

[Stevie Wonder]

@calum said in Stevie’s French '98, Mid-90's WR/YZ/DT (An idiotproof guide to building your own DTR):

@stevie-wonder Keep us updated bud

Ahh. Houston we have a problem.
Block of ally’s to big for jaws of the of the lathe.
The issue is now that the person with the lathe big enough to do it wants £200. Not quite the £50 wanted originally.

Doing it yourself is fun but I’m honestly wishing I want to the machinist shop.
Does machining usually cost this much?

[Calum]

@stevie-wonder Custom fab is always going to pricey

[Stevie Wonder]

@calum so £200 actually isn’t too out of the question? Speaking to Ryan (my uncles mate) and my uncle they all reckon that even at that price the guy was doing it cheaper then anywhere else and was doing them a favour (the guy with the big lathe who offered to do it owns the workshop next to them so they’re all mates)

I’m shocked by the price but simultaneously I understand it’s also one of those things not everyone can do.

I should probably mention it’s a bloody good thing I have some £££ to afford it and really want to see those USD’s on my bike

[Calum]

@stevie-wonder Well I know from experience you're talking a few hours work. Most of the work is trueing the lathe etc. If you're on £100 an hour, which is typical for engineers, then yeah it's a good deal. It's not something that can CNC and make batches of, it's a custom job and requires a man to stand there and do it.

I had people asking how much for the Hydraulic clutch conversion on my RS and again, I would want £500 because of how long it takes and if I mess it up, you have to start again from scratch. So it is what it is.

[Stevie Wonder]

@calum said in Stevie’s French '98, Mid-90's WR/YZ/DT (An idiotproof guide to building your own DTR):

@stevie-wonder Well I know from experience you're talking a few hours work. Most of the work is trueing the lathe etc. If you're on £100 an hour, which is typical for engineers, then yeah it's a good deal. It's not something that can CNC and make batches of, it's a custom job and requires a man to stand there and do it.

I had people asking how much for the Hydraulic clutch conversion on my RS and again, I would want £500 because of how long it takes and if I mess it up, you have to start again from scratch. So it is what it is.

See, I can appreciate that. I imagined the skill being somewhat like tattooing in that sense. Only one go, hours of dedication to get good and a specialised skill. Except if you fuck up it comes out of your pocket. That’s why when I was quoted £200 I was keen to see if anywhere else could do it cheaper but I wasn’t quick to outright be insulting about the sum.

I did actually agree to paying £200 by the way. Having had that explained to me though makes it me realise someone’s looking after me, especially when knowing who’s doing it probably has 20+ years worth of experience. Something money can’t buy.
Speaking of which mate I remember you saying you where going to make a blog about USD conversion? Well as I’m doing mine I’m going to be taking videos of the entire process if they’ll be any use to you?