So Close!...
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@SpookDog Yes I sold the '93 just after Christmas and my original unrestored '98 3NC went a couple of weeks ago. I have ridden both since recovering from my injuries, just to make sure they were both running OK before selling them. Now trying to empty the house so I can have a holiday; here's the rebuilt wheelset I listed today:
Many thanks for your concern buddy, I'm nearly 50 so feel very lucky to have made pretty much a full recovery. Been getting back to full fitness over the winter with walking, cycling, upper body stuff etc and did a pretty cool MTB ride up on the Ox Drove (byway from Compton Abbas Airfield/Win Green to Sixpenny Handley) the other day. This felt pretty special as the last time I was there was on a DTR in October 2021. Here's my 2002 Specialized Epic with Brain rear suspension; most of the time it's a hardtail which helps on tarmac/hills but the rear shock can tell the difference between the rider pedalling and the rear wheel hitting a bump and starts working all on its own as soon as you get onto the trails. I rebuilt the shock over the winter (which nearly made my head explode) and so far all is well!
I'll be hanging around on here though as I like helping people out. And being helped; the other week @OllieDTR came and bought some bits off me, we were talking about headstock bearings and he said he put his bottom yoke in the freezer overnight and heated the lower bearing and it dropped straight on! All the engine bearings I fitted last summer doing that in reverse and I never thought of doing that on headstock bearings.
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Lovely wheels you’ve got listed!
I could spend all the house savings on the bits you’ve got listed but the mrs wouldn’t be happy
Glad you’re out and about and recovered now and still staying on the forum and around DTs!
I’ll have to come show you my DT when I’ve finished it but slow process at the moment as I’ve just picked up a RM125 for some offroad fun for the time being.Only problem with these bikes as they like to go through pistons as being 40bhp 125 but I’ve invested in dial bore gauge, micrometer and proper honing tools for the barrel so I can a very accurate measurement.
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@OllieDTR All sounds good bud, would be cool to see that and thank you
What year is your RM? I had an '89 (the last one they made with conventional forks before the 1st generation USDs appeared) in about 1991, loved it but had to sell it to get my 1st ever DTR and take my bike test! Sad day in some ways but the DTR gave me freedom and personal transport and you can't put a price on that when you're 17.
I think the RMs went back to conventional forks in about 1996 and apparently the DR-Z400 front end is pretty much the same as a '96 RM250. Check out "Airtime" Guy Cooper, 1990 was the year he won the US National 125cc MX Championship with a Suzuki factory ride after years of being a struggling privateer. Had his van and all his bikes stolen at a race in 1984 (it later transpired the local sheriff was in on the whole operation and was nicking cars/bikes on the side) but kept on in there and always had time/advice for the fans. I watched a mud race once and in the post-race interview he said in mud you have to push on the bike to get traction, in sand you have to pull on the bike to keep the front end from digging in, genius:
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OMG why did i not think of the freezer?! So many applications! Oh well, at least I know now!…
I think it works out £150 to get a wheel built with new rim and stainless spokes, so £200 a wheel is a really good price considering hub, bearings and tyres, ect!
That being said I’ll give you £300 for both!
…Being 53 this month is a strange experience, my body and my mentality are totally different ages!
I feel for ya! But that MB sounds sweet, and I recon you’re doing alright if you can pedal around Cranbourne Chase bud! … -
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It’s made a hell of a difference! It’s tracking better than I’ve ever had it before, confidence inspiring. Well chuffed!…
The embarrassing thing is I didn’t realise how bad it was affecting the ride. I thought of the rear wheel alignment, tyre balance and shock movement/condition before I even stumbled across the front spindle!
A lot of the problems I’ve had I didn’t even realise I had at first. This is the first bike I’ve ridden since the early 90’s! I’ve never ridden a good one, so I wasn’t aware of what was bad or wrong 🥴 Hell of a learning curve, but very satisfying when you get there… -
@SpookDog Is that a 4-cylinder DOHC 125? Must rev to the moon! If you like that kind of thing check out Allen Millyard on YouTube, he built a Mike Hailwood Honda six replica by chopping up two Yamaha FZR250 engines to make a 375cc six:
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It’s so sweet, no? I can’t remember the proper numbers but I think it’s 22~24bhp and 120mph!! And built in the early 1960’s…
If it’s who I’m thinking of, then that man was truly inspired, the imagination was not the limit with him!…
I’m only a bit familiar with his work, my old mate ‘Hairy Steve’ turned me onto his builds. He was a Z1000 nut back in the day , was into welded cranks and nitrous! Also loved his Mikuni flatslides for some reason!
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I just watched a big chunk of it and I find it hard to believe some of it! The man must be a functioning acid casualty! Seriously bends the laws of possibility. I’m guessing it’s the same bloke who did the six cylinders stuff that my bud enthused about. I have maximum respect for the man
seriously…Edit: just finished watching it, the man is seriously talented. Piss off Henry Cole and put this bloke on the box!
I’ve just got to find the crankshaft clip now!
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Though I’d give it a jet wash in celebration of the weather…
Nobody is going to call it pretty, but for a 35 year old workaday mongrel it looks OK, I think anyways…
It’s nice to be able to go over 50 without having to fight the bike. Since fitting the new front spindle it tracks straight and true even with hands off the bars. It doesn’t ‘dip & tuck’ the front end when cornering anymore either. I’m embarrassed it took me so long to get to the crux of the problem. In my defence nothing is straightforward with this basket case. I will get it properly righteous before the end though. I’m nothing if not stubborn
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Just a question mainly directed to some of the older peeps! (Tho not exclusively) Did road salt during the ‘winter’ used to be so prolific and so much of a problem? I don’t remember it ever being an issue 25 years ago! Maybe it was youthful ignorance but I don’t remember any rust damage from road salt back then? Then again, the country never ground to a halt because of six inches of snow back then, did it?…
The last two’winters’ (I want to call them wet seasons! ) have done quite a number to my little old bike 
I’ve really noticed it since given it a clean up… -
@SpookDog Well, if you had a Lancia it was rusting even in the hot climates.
I certainly think they are salting more now than ever. But whenever I use my bikes in the winter the one thing I do as soon as I get in is PTFE the exhaust and clean it off.
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Damn! I keep on having troubles getting my headstock bearings right! . The smallest adjustment means the steering is ‘wobbly’ unless I go through the whole resettling process. I’m starting to wonder if my headstock & bottom yoke are true or not…
I really need a half decent bike stand that’ll let me remove the front end, or the rear swing arm, without having to order from Germany and pay import dues cause it’s over £130 odd!
Any recommendations that are based on personal usage would be appreciated…I was trying to find this in the UK
But not having any luck
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No weird bind & twist as it was torqued up.
