Stevie’s French '98, Mid-90's WR/YZ/DT (An idiotproof guide to building your own DTR)
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I had an old Suzuki gn/dr 400 single cylinder mongrel that I put a sidecar on so I could ride it on L plates. It was like riding a tractor it was so torque’y. Uphill or down, pull away whatever gear, it just loved to pull
Gotta love torque!I lost a lot of brake power to having a worn slide pin. The calliper just kinda tilted sideways for a big part on the levers throw. I was going to drill out the calliper (the hole was oval-ed) and put an oversized pin in, but couldn’t find one.
Failing that put a brass sleeve in it and a standard size new one, but couldn’t find one! Got a titanium one that turned out to be too small diameter. Gave up and just stripped it and replaced the rubbers and seals. Grease the pin!Apart from major heat I’d soak it in vinegar or washing soda, or even caustic soda to try and release it. Also, if it’s that corroded I’d replace the piston with a stainless or titanium one…
Good luck bud, nice to know you’re still about…
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@Calum when I rode a CBR900rr fire blade it still produces that same style of power but was no where near as revvy as the fazer.
The fazer wanted to be ridden past 8k everywhere, by all means you could ride it under but it just didn’t feel like you was using it properly
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Good looking thing! Love the decals in front.
My bike got stolen and smashed to pieces and I was sick of the sight of it, hence why it went and got modified.
Both my previous DT125's were stolen, smashed up, and found in a ditch. First in 1991, second in 1999. What it is with DT's and sadistic thieves?
The second one had done a thorough job, there were wooden sticks protruding from holes in the expansion chamber and headlight.
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@Hark_Ptooie said in Stevie’s French '98, Mid-90's WR/YZ/DT (An idiotproof guide to building your own DTR):
Good looking thing! Love the decals in front.
My bike got stolen and smashed to pieces and I was sick of the sight of it, hence why it went and got modified.
Both my previous DT125's were stolen, smashed up, and found in a ditch. First in 1991, second in 1999. What it is with DT's and sadistic thieves?
The second one had done a thorough job, there were wooden sticks protruding from holes in the expansion chamber and headlight.
@Hark_Ptooie I think it's jealousy. When you're 17-18 yrs old and rock up on a flash 125, it really gets people's backs up, specially if they're the kinds of teenagers who aren't capable of anything more than sitting in a bus shelter, drinking two litres of cider and endlessly complaining "there's nothing to do round here".
When I got my 1st DTR at 17 it changed my life, we lived somewhere pretty remote by UK standards but suddenly I was able to ride out 7 or 8 miles to the nearest town and see some mates. So I unwittingly came in for rather a lot of this because I had a nice DTR, plus the fact I was faced with the petty-minded attitude of people who realised I didn't grow up on their street, go to the same school as them etc. This included:
My bike being vandalised several times when parking it in the middle of town.
An endless supply of bozos flicking the kill switch to "off" when I wasn't looking.
On one occasion I parked the bike outside a pub full of "local people" and someone pulled the 2T oil feed pipe off the reed block which resulted in the engine seizing solid at nearly 70mph. AC lighting + seizure = the lights go out when the rear wheel locks in pitch darkness. I saved it with the clutch but this was a terrifying experience and extremely spiteful, whoever did that knew what they were doing with two-strokes and fully intended to cause harm. I never found out who did it.
I went to school in the 80s where we had it drummed into us that we were very lucky to live in the free world. The Berlin Wall came down when I was 15 and I'll never forget watching the people streaming across the border on the news, it was the 1st political event I ever paid attention to. Looking around at all the beautiful consumer products we're able to own in industrialised western countries, it's a great shame that jealousy, cowardice and fragile egos conspire to mean one has to be careful. If you read the chapter in Animal Farm where one of the younger pigs comes up with some new ideas to run the farm more efficiently, and the senior pig urinates all over them before storming off, that is basically the mindset you're coming up against with such people. In the USSR they could send you off to the gulag but in a free society, they have to be content with fucking up something owned and enjoyed by you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znb_X48WXUg&t=3s
Please don't consider this a negative post. Individualism is a lonely and difficult journey but 100% worth it.
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Yeah, I suppose. I went back to uni when I was 30 and had a CBR929RR. The rest were all like 19 year old and didn't even meet my gaze, least of all talked to me. And one day I found a hole in the saddle.
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@Hark_Ptooie oohh lovely bike that!
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It was nice, but after four years I developed chronic neck and wrist problems from the seating position. These days I ache if I so much as look at a sportsbike.
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New set of clocks has arrived
I’ve got the speedo drive working with the WR450 / 250 setup
All that’s left to do is make a new frame / bracket for the clocks then hook them up.
A small victory knowing I’ve managed to do the USD swap and get the original clocks working. I’m very pleased with this.
I’m putting the original headlight back on, I just need to hook up and attached to the headlight frame and write down what have gone missing in the time it’s been off and order on fowlers.
I’ve also stuck the original front fender on.
I’ve noticed some leaking from underneath at the bottom the engine around the casing gasket and water pump (right side). Not good but it’s been sitting since being rebuilt a year ago.
Lots lots more to be done before she’s properly done but I’m back in business and getting my arse in gear again. Peace. Hope all of you are doing well and always thank you for your help and being a part of this journey
Ride on. -
As for the leakages this is more then likely my water pump needing some attention as I seem to remember it leaking slightly before.
Failing that it’s possibly because most of the casing bolts weren’t tightened properly or to spec as per the manual
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@Calum I lost my job a week before my first ever stag do in Spain, had to borrow money for the whole trip, then got made homeless and basically everything went to shit for a while, I had to sell the fazer for £750 despite it running. The guy knew me and my scenario and wouldn’t even budge to £800 despite my position or the fact I’d just installed £100 worth HEL racing braided lines on her. A big kick in the balls that was, goes to show who your friends are. Karma works in mysterious ways, I later found out he got thrown off of it and got hurt badly, he broke 3 ribs amongst other things. I’d never wish anything like that on another biker but karmas a bitch. Serves you right for kicking a man when he’s down.
I then found out a certain very close family member took out credit cards in my name and used my name for bills and direct debits and hadn’t paid them leaving me with a CCJ which prevented me renting privately without a guarantor meaning that after me and my other half managed to get nearly 3k together between us it was all for nothing. This also meant I sold the fazer whatever else I could for no reason.
Speaking of which I lost a lot of friends too, including childhood friends that have been with my entire life. It’s really true what they say that people are never there when you’re down and out. Things like that are a blessing in disguise though. But yeah I basically lost a whole year of my life and was living out of a bedbug infested hostel with 14 people to one shower, no running water or means to make food living next to junkies and pissheads. Police where a regular occurrence and at one point the whole place was turned into a crime scene and someone was being investigated for drugging and neglecting/abandoning their children.
So yeah, I basically lost an entire year of my life. Got fucked over by near enough every one close to me, a lot of my immediate family turned their backs on me. They’d rather I slept on the street then get involved and every possible thing that could go wrong went wrong. I even landed a trial shift with MSS Performance of Kawasaki only for a resident at the hostel to try assault me after calling him out for being a wrongen (i couldn’t retaliate or physically hit him otherwise I’m then the bad guy and the council would’ve stopped providing me accommodation) and then having to leave in an emergency the day before the trial shift. Meaning I turned up using my girlfriend’s granny bike with mismatched clothes and my head filled with everything from the day before. To make matters worse I lost out on the job to one of my girlfriend’s friends. What where the chances.
I also missed out on a one off opportunity to be an apprentice for Betongpark, a very reputable company and skatepark designer thanks to being homeless and not knowing where I’d be staying in a months time.
The lexmoto I had rebuilt, I paid a years insurance on and never got to use, my CBT ran out only to find out renewing one these days is £170 so that had to wait and the DTR despite having the engine rebuilt didn’t get ridden any further then to the end of the road and back the day it was rebuilt. Sad really.
I’m not one for airing out my dirty laundry but like I said, everything that could go wrong was going wrong and didn’t stop for nearly an entire year. It was shit and beggars belief it was actually happening.
I’m very lucky though because throughout this whole ordeal my other half never faltered, left me or stopped supporting me for a single second. I’m extremely fortunate and grateful for her. If things were different and I didn’t have her I’m not sure if I’d be here today writing this. It’s reminder to always cherish what love you have in your life even when you don’t have any love left for life itself. Life can be cruel but nothing worth doing was ever easy.
One last thing to tie all this up is of course my DT, I’d sooner walk the streets then sell that bike. Sad? Maybe. But that bike has been a beacon of hope in my darkest hours on many occasion, a reminder that no matter how bad things get I’ve still got something. You take away hope or something to strive for and you’re left with what? Nothing. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that bike is so much more than a bike to me. It’s an educator, a passion project, a healthy distraction but most importantly a reminder that no matter how bad things get to keep going.
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Sorry to hear that bud
That's really awful. Times appear worse than ever, but try and remember, it's always darkest before the dawn. Yeah, you're better off with one solid mate that'll always be there for you rather than a ton of leaches that would rather use you as a step ladder to achieve their own goals.I don't have a whole ton of friends, but the ones I do call "friend" I know I could depend on them for anything.
I am sorry to hear about your troubles.
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Now back to the bike stuff.
I’ve learned from my mistakes in the past working on my bike and have learned patience is a virtue.
This time around we’re starting from the front and working our way back.
One thing that I’ve noticed is how using the incorrect guides has started to eat at the brake hose.
Being extremely anal Id love to get some hose guides from a ‘03 WR/YZ so it has that factory fresh look, the downside is their pretty much non existent. Drawbacks of using enduro/motorcross parts is parts are extremely limited.
Any help looking for them would be greatly appreciatedI’m gonna be on the hunt for these parts
This little hose clip I bought the very last one of CMSNL only to crash my bike and it go missing. I often wonder if it’s still laying in the grass/street where I crashed.I also found out I was on the right path with the speedo drive however their must be an issue with them as I’ve bought 3 of them secondhand and none of them have worked, including one which has all the parts and operated perfectly until you put a cable in it.
£100+ pounds later for a brand new 5NG speedo drive (which I knew there was a solid chance might not even work) and I got lucky.
Now that I have a working speedo drive again I’m going to need these bits
The fork guards you can still buy and are widely available, although it’s a shame I can’t find aftermarket ones with the mount for speedo cable. Saying that I also noticed whilst fowlers sell the correct fork guard with built in guide they don’t come with the metal clip that attaches to them as seen here.
So any help finding the correct hose and speedo guides / anything front end related like that would be greatly appreciated!
I’m not sure if I mentioned but I managed to get another set of clocks too, they’re off an ‘01 French DT and are identical to mine. I tried at least 5 different companies to get them repaired but none of them would touch our jap nippon clocks. £170 too, ouch!
As it’s only my Rev side that’s seized all I’ve got to is unplug the original ones that are seized and plug in the new donor ones. Once this is done I’ll have a look at the originals to see why they’ve seized, may as well right? It’s not like I’ve got anything to lose.
Before I do this I first must get rid of the 3ET 200r headlight this meant acquiring a new headlight bracket as the original one got the chop shop treatment and was used to create a bracket for the 200r headlight.
A big thank you to Al for his help with this. Headlight frames aren’t that common and everyone wants stupid money for them.
I also managed to get a few other goodies which are worth their weight in gold, that number plate bracket especially. I don’t even want to talk about how much they’re going for now. I also got a spare front fender meaning I’ve ditched the one year only 96 pastel mineral blue yz fender and gone back to original. Something I plan to continue doing. Rather then trying to change the DT into something it isn’t I’m now going to just try and improve on all the things I don’t like about the bike, like a slightly modernised version / resto mod.This means that now I’ve got clocks, headlight frame x2 and a working speedo drive all that’s left is to put the headlight, headlight frame and cowel back together and jig a new mount for the ignition and headlight frame to attach too!
Since I took it apart so long ago I’ve lost many of the original bolts and fittings and can’t remember for the life of me how it all goes back together. No doubt an order from fowlers will be required as will lots of time spent staring at these diagrams!
Front end wise the only other thing besides sorting out the clocks/headlight cluster and sorting out some guides is to do to buy a tap and die set / thread chaser and thread chase all of the threads on the lower forks. When I crashed 95% of the bike got away without a scratch but a lot of the bolts in this area got pulled clean out and stripped the threads.
Once that’s all sorted the only thing preventing me getting an MOT is not having a rear brake. I went to change the brake pads on her only to find out the calliper is seized to the hanger and the seals have started to protrude. I’ve tried un-seizing the calliper but had no luck.
This leaves me two options, pay to have the original one fixed or alternatively get that DT200WR swinger that’s been laying around a while now painted and installed. I have the brake calliper and hanger for it (which as far as I’m aware work perfectly), I have the rear wheel spacers, axle blocks and everything else it just needs measuring up. Saying that it would be worth putting new bearings in as well as it’d be a shame to go to all that work only have to take it apart again.
I’m a little hesitant with swapping the swingarm as even putting the original one back on after the rebuild was a total cunt and that was with two people doing it. It’s certainly not a job I want to attempt alone that’s for sure! That and I’ve been told how to measure up the difference between swingarms but for some reason I can’t seem to figure out the maths to it, like it isn’t clicking with me for some reason.
The other reason I’m hesitant is I’ve just spent this long without my bike either because of what’s happened or me modifying it and I’ve realised I’ve robbed myself of one of the most important things. The actual enjoyment of riding the thing!
Anyway, here’s some old photo’s I found of my bike when she was looking “plain Jane”
And here’s some other bikes that have been a source for inspiration
This old bush-wakka DT200 is my bikes aussie big brother
No glitz or glam, just made for one purpose riding trails in the bush.I can’t remember for the life of me where I saw this photo but I believe the bike to be Sri Lankan, believe it or not DTR’s are popular there. It’s what set a lightbulb off in my head that made me miss my bike as it was before this jackass decided he had to mess with it.
I don’t know why but I just love it, raw rugged, just as ready to be loaded up and driven 100 miles as it is chucking mud on a trail. Even though it’s essentially the same bike as what I began with it’s now my main source of inspiration and why I’ve started hunting duplicates of things like plastics, number plate holders etc etc so I can return her back to this point. -
@Calum @MadGyver my sincerest thank you’s that really means a lot.
From pressure come diamonds.
I may have lost a lot but I’d like to think I gained just as much as well.
I have new found appreciation for life, my loved ones, a cooked meal and running water and having a roof over your head.
I always said it’s better to have a few good friends than a load of bad ones but if there’s anything I’ve learned it’s always the ones you least expected who do the most. Finding out those people aren’t who you expected them to be hurts but it’s the biggest blessing. I’ve never focused so much on myself and doing what’s right for me.
Once again thank you boys,
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Wow! Sorry bud, I went though some shit back in 2009. I was brought up by my Grandmother, who was my mum to me! I was living with her in ‘the family home’ that I’d lived in on and off for most of 40 years since I was born. I was a carer for her at the time. The day she died I had my money cut off and the housing association declared me a ‘tolerated trespasser’ and threw me out. Me and my siss (aunty) had to clear out the home that Mum had lived in for 50 years while raising her five kids plus me and my half sister. So much stuff had to be dumped
My cousin took me in , then his girlfriend didn’t like me cause I showed no interest in her ‘open relationship’
He chose her and all my belongings!
I ended up caravaning in a lay-by known for doggers (5 bridges, Henstridge) with some travelers who tret me better than every member of my family (except my Siss/aunty)
Every person I knew suddenly smelt weakness and tret me like an absolute
cunt!
I was on the road for six years before I could get a place, even then it was only if I paid over £1000 for ‘damages’ to the family home that they saw me as no part of. Fuxin housing associations!…Having the rug pulled out from underneath your life fuxin hurts! There’s no bigger traumatic experience than having your life cut off and being left out in the cold. My Siss and my two dogs were my saving grace…
If I sometimes come across as cynical, well!…I feel for you bud, hope things are on the up and up…
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@Stevie-Wonder I am also at the point thinking go back to stock looking bike with a little improvement twist I already have.
Already the alloy 3ET parts are on the bike, now servicing a set of stock DT200 alloy wheels in very good condition for their 30 years old. -
@SpookDog thank you man, you’re right. I’ve been through some things but nothings ever felt like being vulnerable, entirely not yourself, not knowing where you’d sleep at night and relying purely on the kindness of other people. You see a side to yourself you never knew existed. Like you said, people smell weakness and in the position they either abuse that, turn their backs on you or do what they can to help. It’s safe to say things are only getting better. A couple weeks ago marked the 4 month mark of having my own place. I have a job again and whilst it’s not the best I can honestly say I like it. April will mark my second anniversary with my other half, my longest relationship to date. I’ve quit smoking/vaping + I don’t rely on smoking weed daily and drinking near enough every night anymore. I’m not an addict or anything and I’m not a depressed type either, I’ve just seen more and lost more people in my short lifetime than most adults ever do and developed some not so healthy coping mechanisms as a result. Life catches up with you and that’s been my escape for many years. However I now have a new found appreciation for life, the things/people I have in my life, myself, being clear headed and have learned a lot of lessons from everything that’s happened. I feel really optimistic and hopeful about the future. I’m grateful for everything and the growth that’s come from that.
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With that being said I’m going to leave a song to set the tone and keep the mood light. Onwards and upwards!
