Posts made by Calum

@mhbikesnbits I bought all new panels and jusf applied new graphics over the top. Unpainted.

@Stevie-Wonder The RX/SX/MX just have better bits, immediately I can see that the shock is better, the swinging arm is better and probably the engine might be less restrictive.

I've ordered an RX swinging arm, SX shock for it. New piston, rings and gaskets. New plug, two stroke oil and gearbox oil. Full Arrow system, 28mm Flat Slide and VForce3 reed system for it. Would benefit from a new 28mm inlet as this one is starting to perish.

I need to raise the bike a few mm as it's a bit short for me, company in Germany make a jack up kit, but appears they won't ship to the UK, so I will probably just make my own jack up kit.

I'll whip the clutch cover off and make sure it's not going to shred the balancer shaft gears. There is a heavy rattling sound under load, that needs looking at.

I'll take off a few pieces run them through my shot blasting cabinet and get them looking pucker.

Plan is to thrash it on some green lanes, keep an eye out for brand new genuine panels and get it all refurbished in the future. But for now, I'm enjoying the dutty look as all my other bikes are pristine.

@mhbikesnbits Cheers bud, I'm excited myself to get stuck in, I've ordered all the bits to give it a good service and just eye ball that it's safe to ride for the time being. Ordered a brand new Full Arrow System, it's not for this bike so may need chopping and welding, but I won't be fitting it until the bike goes into for a restore anyhow. Be night and day when it rolls in and out of the garage over a weekend of tuning

Two weeks ago, I fired up my Aprilia RS 125 for the first time in twelve months, put some fresh fuel in it and took it for a blast around my ways. THE RUSH!

[Inserts old photo]

It was so refreshing to ride something with the RS's power delivery. It's not just that it's fast (notwithstanding it's just a 125 not a 600), but it's the way that power is delivered that puts this big grin across your face.

The DT is just simply not the same.

It's night and day the difference between the two models, the Rotax 122 is just from the ground up, a competition engine. The DTR has been shoehorned into that zone.

(I need to discuss the current setup as it's properly awesome. Forget RS 125 power delivery, it's simply never going to be that, but set it up differently and I am absolutely in love with this bike. It's running better than any other setup I've had for it.)

So I made the decision that I need that Rotax power in a DTR frame, initially I was looking at an Aprilia MX 125.

I found a few for sale, in varying conditions, none of which frightened me. The problem I had, was I have no need for another Supermoto. If I had this bike, I'd have no reason to visit my Yamaha, and I don't want to sell the Yamaha, so what? It'd become a bike I never ride.

I widened my search, simply "Aprilia 125", that's where this Aprilia ETX 125 came up.

It's basically a DTR with a Rotax 122 engine inside it. It comes factory with upside down forks, brembo brakes and Sachs adjustable rear suspension.

This bike serves a purpose.....the green lanes.

I supermoto'd my DT because, I was young, I could only have one machine, and the DT had recently been destroyed after it got stolen, but I wasn't earning enough to outright buy, let alone store, another motorcycle.

A few years later, my friend bought a bone stock DTR and we swapped bikes on a ride out, it was SO MUCH FUN riding his bouncy soft Yamaha in stark contrast to mine.

Where mine handles and grips, his stepped out, wheelied and didn't stop (although that last point is one of the true perks of my DT). Ultimately, I had more fun on his Yamaha in five minutes, than I had ever had on my SM'd DT. For the purposes of commuting, which is what I did at the time, my SM'd DTRE was easier to live with. But as a weekend warrior, a bone stock DTR just put a grin on your face.

I've had my Yamaha 13 years, and with a bit of luck I'll keep it until my passing, that's for sure. This is much like my RS, I virtually NEVER ride my RS. I've done less than 1000 miles in the 4 years of ownership on it. But I love that bike, I open the garage and I just love seeing it. My life has changed, I don't drink/smoke/drugs/party and I virtually cycle/run everywhere I want to go. Motor bikes to me are something I tinker with and very occasionally ride. I mainly cycle everywhere.

The Aprilia ETX 125 is a trail bike fitted with a Rotax 122 engine with a variation of the Gilardoni barrel found in the RS 125. It's very similar to the Yamaha DTR in that it's a trail bike with a tubular steel frame and steel swinging arm.

It comes equipped with upside down forks and front/back Brembo brakes.

The trail setup makes it ideal for light greenlaning.

Just don't expect to go motocrossing and competing with the big boys on their KTM EXCs or GasGas's.

Despite the wonderfully fitted Rotax 122 engine, I'd be very surprised if this bike is putting down more than 11 horsepower. The Gilardoni barrel differs greatly from the ones fitted to the RS's and there are no powervalves fitted here.

It's running the same round slide Dellorto PHBH Carburettor found on many Aprilia RS's throughout the years, but comes fitted with a kick starter only.

This bike appears to be BONE STOCK and has completely linear power characteristics, unlike the ear to ear grinning RS described earlier. It tops out at around the same as a Yamaha DTR and, whilst it's been an awfully long time since I've ridden a stock DTR, I'd say it's a tad slower than the Yamaha getting there.

The ETX differs slightly from the RX/SX/MX models, which I'd argue are superior to the ETX, but this bike was DIRTY cheap and came from a good honest seller, whom I've directed to this website as they too have a DTR.

I bought the bike sight unseen, wired over the monies and sent a courier to collect. The photos taken were done at my first sighting of the bike in person.

It's old, tatty and I love it!

Expect a build thread on this over the coming years, but I can say immediately, that top end needs overhauling. Next month I'll be swapping out the piston and rings to freshen it back up. New gearbox oil, spark plug and binning the 2 stroke oil that's in there

As time goes by, I've learned to love the styling of the DTR. That classic retro style will always fetch more than my highly modified Yamaha. With that in mind, the plans will be to restore this to some former glory, bearing in mind that I want to go green laning on this machine so I don't want it mint.

That engine is going to see a complete overhaul including:

• Italkit 140cc
• VHM Head for Italkit
• Italkit Pneumatic Powervalve
• Arrow Exhaust Pipe
• VForce3 Reed System
• VHST Dellorto Flat Slide Carbuerettor
• Zeeltronic Ignition System (Assuming they fit)

I know what these Rotax engines are capable of, with a little fettling, this ETX will be an absolute wheelie machine.

I'm looking forward to getting the frame re-powdercoated and the swinging arm done, I want to know if the aluminium arms from the RX/SX/MX fit this frame and wheel setup, as that'll be a little upgrade for it.

There will be a project thread for this in the fullness of time, but for now, I'm just going to enjoy the bike for what it is.

@HOTSHOT-III Take the URL and put it in side the () of a []().

The syntax is Markdown

@HOTSHOT-III Uhh, you edited your post with the URL in it.

I don't use flicr personally, but Right Click + Copy Image Location ought to give you the URL.

@SpookDog That's why I'm thinking it's a bottom end issue. As it's not the head/barrel so the only thing left is either, you or the bottom end. Given how simple the job is, I'm betting on the bottom end.

@SpookDog I'd seriously be contemplating that engine. Something must be amiss.

@HOTSHOT-III You can embed images bud:

Just got to use the right link: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52172141696_84e3b69382_b.jpg

@SpookDog This is fucking mental!!!!!!

Seriously what the hell is going on? Where abouts do you live? I'm half tempted to drive round and do this myself! There is no way you should be having this much trouble with the head gasket. How have you not given up by now!

I don't understand

There HAS to be some underlying issue here we aren't seeing.

Maybe there is a crack in the bottom end, where the coolant chambers meet. This would cause pressure into the engine and potentially blow a gasket. My only problem with that theory is that it'll induce black two stroke into the coolant system.

@mhbikesnbits Very smart, I got a YSS on my RS and I'm happy with it. But I probably ought to consider an upgrade on the DTRE. It's always been good enough for my uses however, plus I have larger dog bones fitted so height wise it's spot on for me.

@andyjack You might be wanting to grab a copy of a Haynes manual and consider making your own loom. These bikes were notorious for getting stolen and the like and the looms typically were the first thing to get chopped.

@MadGyver Looks sick, I was wondering what the motivation behind this was.

Be interested to know how this goes once it's all done! Keep up the work.

@HOTSHOT-III They certainly don't last forever, can't recall the service intervals but it should be rings at 7k miles which means new gaskets etc.

But I've heard stories of people running 30k km on original everything lol.

@Stevie-Wonder Yeah, especially as OEM gaskets rise in price and get harder to obtain, it's certainly worth considering. And again, if it does raise compression for more power

@Stevie-Wonder That's interesting, in the 12 years I've had my DT I've never had head gasket issues. The only person I know to have problems is @SpookDog

I assumed it was so they can run higher compression and therefore more power.

@moggy74 I can't comment on YZ or DT conversions I've not done it myself.

The Aprilia RS 125 uses O-Rings and I had a cylinder lying around. 1.50mm

@theportingmaster I mean, it's 20 years old so I wouldn't be too worried if it's not concourse. Espcially if you want to use the bike daily etc.

@StuKing94 Obviously aftermarket graphics kit, looks smart.

As I say, there seems to be an influx of european imports that I'm less familiar with. But they're probably better spec than UK ones.

I know early UK Models omitted the powervalve servo due to people killing themselves on the RD's. I am not aware of the european models doing the same.

@StuKing94 these are some of worst with regards to restrictions.

If you buy a Zeeltronic of Ignitech then it will be full power. Just need to replace the exhaust. That looks clean, be a shame to mess about with it though.