TDR 125 extra power
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Before I go down the rabbit hole spend needless amounts of cash what’s the best route to get more reliable power from a TDR125, I’ve seen 170 big bore kits advertised, crazy BAracing kits from Portugal which really hit the spot. But you just know it’s gonna go bang if not kept in top fettle. Will a WR200 engine drop in ? No autolube ?? 230 Lanza hard to find do these run the autolube ?? And did I say I want to keep the autolube. I want the bike to be a sleeper and want 200cc plus performance if possible. And if it’s available 30-40hp.
A decent road tune and pipe to match. A bike that’s quick enough to get you in and out of trouble but not quick enough to get you banned. Well not 30 over the limit on a motorway. But close enough. I don’t mind spending the money but I want it to be well spent. The TDR125 is a big heavy bike imo and the 1st thing to loose weight will be with the wheels. Subtle changes new rear shock should save a Kg or two and loose the 24 year old bouncy wallow. Rims n spokes will replace the cast alloy items. Has anyone done this ? I love the excel rims talon hubs combo but want to retain the speedo drive and standard clocks. Brakes will need a look at. The front is a dual piston item which is ok but are they better bolt on items ? Any ideas will be gratefully received,Cheers Gaz
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@Scootjockey Lanza wheels fit into DTR forks and are aluminium as far as I know. Possibly same speedo drive? So look down that route.
170 kit isn't bad for the money, but it certainly isn't 30+ bhp, not without some savage porting anyway.
I'd say the 200 3XP would be a good upgrade, or the 230 Lanza engine if you can get one. The 200 3ET engines aren't much better than the 170 kit.
My biggest "Bang for buck" upgrade was ditching the stock ignition system for a Zeeltronic and a nice pipe will probably see you high teens if not 20bhp.
But agree, shedding weight will see dividends. Get yourself a lithium battery to shave some easy pounds as well as the DT200R aluminium swining arm.
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Pass your test. Buy a TDR250
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@SpookDog
Ha ha ! I passed my test some 30 years ago and owned a TDR250 as winter bike when I didn’t want my Gixxer 750 to get dirty. I’d love another one now but all of the ones I’ve seen recently have either been abused or will cost a fortune to get back to some sort of normality. Spare parts are like hens teeth and French love them that much they don’t want to sell the ones they’ve got ! Least not for a premium … I’ve seen some lovely ones go for a song in the sales in Japan but It costs a fortune to share a container at the moment so it’s just not worth getting one. But my biggest problem is the room at home. I don’t have much of it !Still we’ll see how next year plays out I can always loose the dining table and have another bike in the lounge
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Fair enough! I thought you were probably 17!
My bad!!...
I’d seriously consider a wr250/400 4stroke myself. I just love ‘trail’ bikes though ... -
@SpookDog
I know what you mean about the WR250/400. There’s no substitute for big CC’s and a torquey motor. My problem is I just love little 2 strokes !
But it’s been a while since I’ve got my hands dirty and stripping and rebuilding the DT125R for my son has been fun, as we all say I just wish I knew last year what I know now …! The problem I’ve got to remember it’s his and when his done his 28 weeks training he’s going to want it back. -
@Calum That particular TDR250 has been on eBay for a while and in the pics, the temp gauge is literally a couple of mm away from the red zone. Not sure how they managed that as the only time mine went that high was after a rebuild when I forgot to connect up one of the carb warmer hoses
In my defence several so-called mates were in my 8' x 14' shed at the time ripping the p!ss out of me to put it together quicker.I'm not sure I'd pay £7k for any TDR250 as it was my 1st "big bike" after passing my test at 18 and although great fun to ride they were something of a disappointment after the DTR. Forks felt (and looked) like they were straight off an air-cooled 70s RD and the frames on all mine had a habit of snapping mounting lugs off through vibration. And the rear suspension linkage don't even get me started; if that was fitted to a bike today I'd consider it a Greta/WEF Nudge Unit plot to discourage motorcycle ownership! Cr@ppy copper/teflon wrapped bushes everywhere which developed MOT failure play about 300 miles after replacement even when road riding without a passenger. I eventually bought a tap and die set and fitted grease nipples to mine which helped but I still had to keep an eye on them. And the plastics broke if a butterfly flapped its wings in the southern hemisphere. I've never really understood this because the R1-Z never suffered from any of these problems as far as I'm aware.
They all seemed to be bought by yobbos who just ran them into the ground as well, I've never known any other bike to have that much appeal to those kinds of people. Such a shame because you could get them to run rings round sportsbikes with a few cheap mods like Renthals, decent tyres etc. I rode one of mine at the '94 Yamaha Track Day at Donington and mixed it with a lot of bigger bikes, including a particularly obnoxious married couple with matching brand new His 'n' Hers YZF750s who made fun of our oily jeans, last-minute setup changes etc.
It was also my 1st taste of modding in the shape of a TZR wheel conversion and a rear light made of 2mm sheet aluminium with a tool-free snap fitting into the tailpiece. A mate with a TZR parallel twin suggested we swap bikes and when following him, I was shocked I looked like that to other road users chucking it round corners with 6" of space above the back wheel, like a sort of Jeremy McGrath/Kevin Schwantz lab experiment gone haywire!
You have to remember the TDR250 was originally a parts bin special to use up all the surplus TZR parallel twin engines and Yamaha can almost be credited with inventing Supermoto by accident just by making it. Many happy memories for me overall, just a shame they didn't run with it and come up with an updated version after a couple of years...
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: @HOTSHOT-III class story
I had heard nothing but good things about the TDR to be fair.
I am not sure I'd pay the asking price, but if the above person wants a bit more grunt out of their 125 then I'd recommend my above statement.
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@Calum
What clocks did you use with the Zeeltronic ignition did you use the stock item or go for digital ones like Koso or Daytona as I’ve currently got a kmh speedo I’m looking at a digital set anyway . -
@Scootjockey zeeltronic ignition is a direct replacement for the CDI unit and has no effect on the speedo/clocks. You can control the advance/retard of the ignition and the opening and closing of the powervalve. I think I have a spare mph Speedo in my workshop if you're interested.
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@markus-w
I realise that they won’t effect the speedo but the electronic ignition gives a digital output or voltage pulse that can be interpreted by the digital clocks ? Or have I read that wrong ? -
@Scootjockey Clocks as in the rev counter
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@Scootjockey but the speedo and rev counter are mechanical not electric?
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@markus-w
Yes I understand that and my train of thought is if ive got KMH clocks, bin these and buy Koso or Daytona the Zeeltronic ignition will give an electronic pulse for the rev counter, after just having a look at the info for the Daytona clocks you would need to install a magnet on the wheel or disk brake to give a pulse for the speedo sensor. If I’m going down the route of installing the Zeeltronic ignition I might as well go the whole hog and go digital clocks for the speedo and rev counter as well ? Hence my question to Callum once installed the Zeeltronic ignition did he replace his clocks as well or just use the standard ones ? -
@Scootjockey zeeltronic ignition is completely separate from the speedo and rev counter. The pulse for the electronic rev counter is taken by simply wrapping a wire around the HT lead to count sparks per minute. But with a zeeltronic you can take or leave the digital clocks are they are independent of each other.
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@Scootjockey I ran vapor trail digital clocks, but not because of the Zeel, but because I swapped out the forks and wheels for USDs and Aprilia RS 125 wheels respectively.
