Stevie’s French '98, Mid-90's WR/YZ/DT (An idiotproof guide to building your own DTR)
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HOOOMOTHERFUCKINGRAYYY
I’ve cracked uploading photos on here on my iPhone!
Must say feels bloody good to bring this into the 21st century and it not just be walls of text now
Here’s a couple pics to celebrate
Found this cool mural after an afternoon in the woods. Couldn’t pass up grabbing a photo.
One of the local slices of bliss I have the ability of being able to ride to with a motorbike.Only issue is now I’ve got about a year and half worth/500+ photos to sort through all of which are completely out of order. I’m sure one night with some beers I’ll get it done.
At least with everything sorted now posts become a lot easier for me, I don’t have to type as much because I can use photos and everything from here on in will come out chronologically as it happens. -
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@Calum said in Stevie’s French '98, Mid-90's WR/YZ/DT (An idiotproof guide to building your own DTR):
Bike looks clean bud!
My advice, don't modify it! That little gem will go up in value nicely.
Well now you tell me!! Well it’s a bit bloody for that now don’t you think
Thank you for the compliments by the way, always appreciated.
Believe it or not I actually picked one of the rougher bikes unit 5 had when I ventured there. Even better I almost had a completely different bike. I almost walked out of their with a KDX125sr if I’m honest with you, a much better bike in every way but not a “1998 Yamaha DT125R” like I’d dreamt of owning and searched ages for (that and the ‘KDX was an extra £200-300. Yes I know how rare the SR is too and my chances of buying another especially that clean and original are practically 0).
But as the story goes it weren’t a DT made the same year I was so I wasn’t happy. I had to find one.
I can’t even lie it was a bit obsessive I’d been searching high and low in every corner of the world, then one magical day one pops up for sale on EBay...
“Yamaha DT125R 1998” - Romford 50 miles away.
I bloody shit myself. Worst thing was I don’t remember having the money available to me right away and having to spend a week watching it on eBay praying it didn’t sell because I couldn’t do anything yet (I didn’t get a lot of sleep that week)
Luckily though all went well and here we are!
I think the thing that annoyed me the most though was the fact after nearly year and a half continuously looking me and my mum pull up to unit 5 only to find an identical 1998 registered bike parked next to mine not yet listed.
Fucking typical.
I had to mute the sound so you don’t have to listen to my mum try charm Tony or my mouth dragging along the floor like a kid in a two stroke sweet shop.
This was right after my first ride, I honestly couldn’t believe how smooth, comfortable and quiet she was. I remember a couple times trying to put her into powerband but getting scared because I hadn’t bought the bike yet, the yard was small and the engine cold.
Right next to mine stands an all original DTX. Wish I took a bit more interest in it now because it’s only now I realise how rare these models become.
She was grubby girl compared to everything that was on display at Unit 5 at the time
But I’m honest with you seeing her grubbiness only made me feel more like I’d found a diamond in the rough and haggle the price even harder.
I just remember seeing her looking all filthy and thinking “it’s my turn to take you home and love you now”
Notice here Tony holds the bike whilst my mum used a bit of female charm. I remember backing the bike out and shitting myself like it was yesterday. Sidenote too: one of my favourite photos of my bike. There’s just so much signature 90’s OEM crosser style in there. The old Dunlop D952’s, graphics/colourway and the stance of the bike just make it for me
Can you tell that I’m going to get a set of Kenda K270’s and probably gonna end up just replicating that like this?
After I bought her it was just a long 3 month wait for the DVLA to do their bit.
During this time I just spent time getting to know the bike, looking back it’s crazy to think how foreign felt to me and how it blew the head of anything I’d ever rode before. Aside from no real previous experience it also blew my head off because everything was bone stock OEM.
It could do little power wheelies pulling away in first and still sound as tame as your nans Yaris. Even better because of DVLA the only way I could ride it is by having little blast around my neighbourhood or very illegally through some trails so everything about it just felt fun, fast and naughty.
I took her to a track once too but I did about 5 laps without knobblies and decided that wasn’t how I wanted to break myself or my bike before it’s even registered
To be honest with you though Cal, I’m not really bothered by the value of her, I mean it’s nice that’s she worth a bit but ultimately useless to me because I could never sell her. It’s
I’m the only registered keeper and she just means to much to me.
Plus you just can’t put a price on the smiles the bike gives everyday. Wether that be popping down some local country roads, doing the occasional wheelie for the local yoofs, brapping your bike for a dads little boy or making some older guys day by stopping to listen to his two stroke glory days, letting him ask questions and appreciating eachothers history we just shared.Now whilst money and the bike mean nothing to me condition on the other hand matters a lot.
I want the bike looking better then I did when I first restored it.
Here’s what she looked like right after she turned legal and I was happy restoring her to a decent condition. (It was her first outing to Gt Bentley bike night. It was a special night because my mate got his ‘88 KMX out especially for it just so the DTR and KMX could park side by side eachother. To my surprise even amongst £20,000 custom choppers they still pulled a little crowd.)Now it is to my understanding you can’t keep everything perfect forever (especially when you ride it and use it like it was intended for) but it won’t stop me doing everything in my power to try. Oddly enough preservation was actually one of the earliest and biggest driving factors for modifying her, my thought being that wear and tear is inevitable but I can’t break what isn’t on the bike.
Essentially modify the bike, put 100% the original bits etc in the loft, forget about it so that in 5? 10? 30?/however many years time I can just pull them out and reconfigure her back to OEM settings.
Boom, all the parts are original to my bike specifically and everything just how it was when I first got her.
It also means that any mod that I think wasn’t worth it/I didn’t like can be undone eassyyyy.I must admit feel a bit guilty seeing how battered a lot of other people’s bikes began their lives like before turning into the builds they are now.
It does feel almost criminal knowing how clean it is and then ripping it a part anyway.It’s funny actually. One of the earliest things I ever remember from this forum was callum saying that after everything he’d done to his own bike the stock form was the most fun.
Now only a year and half into my ownership when I’ve not even done a lot to my bike and I already feel that sentiment heavily.
As mentioned in my last post, it dawned on me I spent more time fiddling with my bike then I have enjoying it.
Fairplay I’ve had 6k worth of enjoyment out of it but most of that the bike wasn’t working 100% due an improperly set up powervalve or has been on some knobbies that are way too big for the bike. -
@Stevie-Wonder That sounds grand. I love my SM setup, but trust me, the bike is most fun in stock trim. 100% believe that. Want a fast bike, do your test, want a bike that puts smiles on your face.... Well you found it!
My bike got stolen and smashed to pieces and I was sick of the sight of it, hence why it went and got modified. But if the bike never got stolen then I would have left it stock.
Part of the my enjoyment back then came from the rebuild. But I have long since grown tired of that and the headaches!
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@SpookDog
What forks are those? And let me post a couple pics for comparison
Here’s the DTR’s stem at the front. A lil stubby chodeThen YZ one at the back
I just had a quick glance at both pictures for comparison and yes it does look like the DTR stem. I don’t suppose those are Sinnis apache forks?
https://dt125r.co.uk/topic/2325/yz-usd-front-end-fork-swap/17
It took a lot of explaining for me to get it why you can’t just press the stems like I originally hoped and precisely why a USD swap is taking over 3 months.
Update
I toy’d with the idea of enjoying the originality of my bike and just getting some 200R forks and selling the USD’s to make some cash but I gave up in the end after having to deal with facebook buyers and realising the 200 forks sold.
(I find out those progressive springs will drop right into the 200R forks by the way)Wasn’t particularly gutted, I was just chancing the idea as it was anyway.
Although, I had thought of a really really cool build idea that a now couldn’t do without those forks. The idea included having yellow gaiters. Not sure if it really was an idea or an excuse for me to buy yellow for gaiters for the bike to wear...
I guess we’ll never knowLuckily though whilst searching for parts I stumbled some well ridden survivor WR200’s and some 89-90 YZ’s that give me inspiration.
I also started to look into custom YZ builds from 98-02 just to see what else everyone was doing with their bikes around that time and what kind of things you could customise -
@Stevie-Wonder
I believe they are Yz 125 USD, they were previously fitted to a Dtr. I got them with the ally swing arm, both callipers, spindles and spacers, ect. £150
Oh yeah! And ally wheels...If I was you I’d ask at a local engineer about getting the Dtr headstock pressed in. It’s how they’re manufactured. Nothing to be scared of!
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@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?
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
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@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.
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@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... -
Sorry, I think I’ve confused things. Getting the vernacular right is half the battle sometimes!...
Top yoke
Head-stock/stem
Bottom yokeI 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! 🤪
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@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. -
@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
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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 muchOne 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
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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 ENDSo 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
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.
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@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
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@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 allAfter 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 againSo 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 -
@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
