Hi from SW UK
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@yeolderaver RS is a cracking bike! My RS is super quick for a 125 and it's such a pleasure to ride. It handles so well I love it.
Yeah, my new build with the RD motor will be Monsteresque. Since Cagiva owned Ducati at the time, it seems like the 916 and the Monster were all based from the Mito/Planet respectively.
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Hope you get that sorted before the weather changes cant wait to see you finish that one up was chatting to the old man about it he was on about a grom with ducatti engine but ide go for your build any day of the week.
All the chat I ever heard about them RS was a nylon gear or something and ppl gettin over 120 out of them ide be happy doing 80 tbh had 100 once outa a small bike and wernt as fun as expected good job it didnt blow on me tryin to explain to my boy it aint about huge wheelies top speed and jumps its about the riding and just enjoying the freedom seems to be seeping in lost to many a brother to being silly on bikes but you gota be a lil silly now n then shhh dont tell him i said that haha.
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Loads of bikes use Nylon gears. The RD350 uses Nylon gears and so does the DTR.
That's the Rotax engine and the balancer shafts are nylon and are only designed to last 6000Km. Ultimately, very simple job to replace, the clutch isn't even bolted to the engine it just comes off and the balancer shaft gears are only held in by a circlip.
The problem is, the gears drive the water and oil pump. If you keep on the maintainence it's fine, it' just 17 year olds typically don't have any money.
My brothers went on him when he was up the hill, he was able to ride 5 miles home with no oil or coolant and his bike survived.
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No way learn something new glad it got him home safe. Something they should teach at school I rekon we would have so many more decent engines still living if the kids knew you dont just ride n hope it last forever.
And guess your more likely to hear about the downfalls of something like with me and the RS nylons failing than it actually being a good idea. Ive never been lucky enough to be in environments to help me learn about engine internals n stuff spent most my life fixing others mistakes or taking stuff part to see how it works than actually learning properly served me well just wish I had a few more ppl around me to learn and help out with. My dads always bogged under with car work n lost my best friend a few years back its nice now that 2 of my kids are taking an interest hopefully can clear some of these old parts make room so we can all rebuild stuff together as seen some sick moped builds ide like to test on her lil yammy once shes had enough experience to handle a lil more power
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@yeolderaver Only just seen you asked me about my bikes, back in 2021 I owned three French import DTRs, a '93 3NC (black/red Tecno/DEP pipe combo), a '98 3NC (black/red stock pipe) and a '98 3MB (blue/white knobbly tyres). The '93 I did a nut and bolt restoration so it basically looked new, then rebuilt the engine with a new crank, Athena 125cc top end, Zeeltronic ignition etc. Unfortunately I never got to ride it with the engine mods due to a few health problems but the new owner loves it apparently.
The '98 3NC I just cleaned up and rode for a few months, it had only done like 5000 dry miles from new so just needed a recommissioning. Although I did have to replace the oil seal behind the front sprocket as on my local green lanes, some extremely helpful person had left a woolly hat behind; this got sucked up behind the left engine cover and wound itself around the output shaft which knackered the oil seal. Lovely thing though and it turned heads everywhere it went.
The 3MB was owned by someone who used it for Paris commuting for over 20 years and it had racked up over 70000km; the highest mileage DTR I've ever seen anywhere. Despite this it was the fastest of the three, some of the steep hills near me there were places my (both full power) 3NCs would struggle but this just revved and revved. Amazingly when I replaced the head gasket I measured the bore and it was standard! I think the previous owner might have had so many rebores over the years they eventually had to just replace the barrel, French breakers are full of DTRs so you could probably get hold of a standard one quite easily.
I worked in the motorcycle trade when I was younger and that's kind of what led me back to the DTR 30 years later, I needed a Lockdown project and felt I had unfinished business with the bike industry because as a teenager/early 20s I found a lot of people I worked with quite dismissive and unhelpful, not sharing information etc.
During my recovery I realised I missed cycling more than motorcycling so this year I've restored a few mountain bikes, all mid-to-late 2000s Specialized Stumpjumpers. Eventually I want a 2005 (silver), 2007 (green) and 2008 (blue rims) in both large and medium so I can decide what year/frame size suits me best. The cycle industry can be pretty unhelpful as they're constantly trying to reinvent everything and convince buyers to get the latest thing (it's actually worse here than in the US) so it's quite a challenge hunting for parts all over the world but very satisfying.
Oh BTW talking of rear shock, I don't think the OEM one is rebuildable as it's under very high pressure like 300psi (Haynes tell you exactly where to drill a 3mm hole in it to release the pressure if you're throwing it away; WEAR GOGGLES) but the YSS DT125R shock is excellent. Also it's about 7mm shorter that the OEM shock which might help your daughter because when you factor in the linkage ratio it makes the rear of the bike sit about 21mm lower:
This vid shows why shocks are pressurised to stop the oil foaming:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBcRBOikb8c
@Calum Like your alloy (DT200R 3ET?) swingarm buddy. The plastic mud flap that protects the rear shock wears the (basically priceless) alloy swingarm away at the rear of the linkage bearing over time so it's worth installing something to prevent this (there's an Australian DT200R group on Facebook and almost every swingarm on there looks worn like this). Doesn't have to be expensive or flash, a lot of people with modern Huskies, KTMs etc. JB Weld a coin to the surface of the arm as they're prone to it as well. On mine I used the plastic sleeve which you get inside one of those boxes of sticky labels they sell in the post office cut open and cable tied on.
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Bless you @HOTSHOT-III sounds a bit like my story them are some beautiful rides shame you didnt get to ride the restoration n thanks for repying I hear you on the dismissive peeps one the reasons I work for free and help every time I can just fixed up a dangerous 3 year old keeyway for free for my daughter sbf MOT tomo so hopefully she passes if not I know ive made it 1000x safer.
I used to have a rockhopper sport my fave ride and later a Rockhopper FS oversized both 90s models I also used to work in the local Specialized dealer so had to build Stumps etc on the daily for customers such lovely bikes really wish I could have an old XTR equipped model. Got an old 93 Marin Rocky Ridge atm I try to take out now n then for the nostagia bagged a pair of RockShox at a car boot one year for 2 quid haha made it a real nice ride
Thanks for the advice on the mono thought as much ive not the funds right now for a YSS and left it intact for now as mot due got it booked for Thurs only to buy new tyres n find the front rim rotted inside out so managed to get fresh rubber in there for mot day hoping she wont blow only a mile away then hopefully some luck will come my way and i'll find a new front wheel for her gutted as threw a perfectly good rim away last year with a nice tyre just had a chip out the hub where bearing decided not to come out.
I'll read properly through your post again as today been a day and yeh not done tht shock or rear tyre icase more things need doing for mot be nice to have some cash i'm currently trying to fix my daughters BWs for her CBT and thats been neglected sine the late 90s and needs at least a whole new CVT train and forks. To many project right now n don't have the health cash or time to sort.
Hope your in better shape now if you get out on the Stumperz have a few back wheel hops n endos for me lad haha stay safe n thanks for the awesome reply.
PS if you have a 17 or lower spare mtb frame that would fit some retro gear ide be happy to take it off your hands my Marins a 19 incher n a bit to high for me little legs hehe or maybe a swap if you got something n fancy something different.Anyways bigup n bless happy times on two wheels init still trying to get my tribe enjoying it all whilst im still here to help
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Also got me thinking about that high mileage bike you had maybe it had a slightly diff sprocket setup or something or just a blessed engine my current one pulls so nice with a larger front sprocket I took the Keeway out for a test drive today and man its slow af compared to my DT rid it like a 2t lol trying to get it warmed up but rekon it only hit 40 max on my street my DT would happily hit 60 here hehe can't wait to get her mot'd but really itching to get the TZR running right and having a proper go of her before I decide to keep or part with her do really want the hat trick with a 90s TDR as well though a French import like you had would be the icing tbh
