...and another restoration bike, DT125...

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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As the DR650 will be on the road again in new beauty within this week, I needed something to look forward doing once the rains pour down. So I found this little 2-stroker/stinker and after a short discussion & chechup forked out some money.
Reason I took it is simple, it's plated, numbers match, no restamping and the basics are ok.
Although the engine runs like a chainsmoker and rattles like my lungs, it's a good point for starting anew.

Some fotos, sideview:
DT125-left-sm.jpg

DT125-right.jpg


front:
DT125-front-sm.jpg


engine:
DT125-engineright.jpg


and rack (rusted, bent, "Somchai welds"......)
DT125-rack.jpg


As you can see from the fotos, there's a lot to be done but I'm looking forward to do the work on that one. On a first ride around the Moo-Bahn just found out that the exhaust is already full with gunk which makes the engine a powerless asthmatic, with the oxygen torch I'm gonna free up that one first to see what's actually in that little stroker.......

Will keep you posted on how the work progresses. Cheers, Franz
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Hi Ian, yep will do but before finishing this one I'm sure tens of thousands of THB will change ownership just for parts and services.......cheers, Franz
 
Jul 25, 2010
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You do like a challenge Franz. I look forward to following the progress of this one.
 
Jan 14, 2010
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I've just been cleaning up my shed and found an owner's manual for DT100A, DT125EA, DT125FA, DT175A, DT360A. It's in English, French and German.

You're welcome to it if interested Franz. I can post it to you or bring it over on my next visit in October. Its only an owner's manual, not a workshop manual so probably only of historical interest rather than of practical use.
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Hi Colin, many thanks would appreciate to receive it in October, you just need to tell me then what I owe you ! Today ordered a parts catalogue via Ebay, still looking for a repair manual, but hopefully something will turn up soon although nothing on repairmanualclub or carlslater.com.
Although such a common bike in Asia, doesn't seem to be used that much in the Farang countries.
DR is finished, so next rainy weekend, work will start..................

Hi Ron, will post regulary about progress made, cheers, Franz
 
Nov 7, 2007
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Franz;280196 wrote: Hi Colin, many thanks would appreciate to receive it in October, you just need to tell me then what I owe you ! Today ordered a parts catalogue via Ebay, still looking for a repair manual, but hopefully something will turn up soon although nothing on repairmanualclub or carlslater.com.
Although such a common bike in Asia, doesn't seem to be used that much in the Farang countries.
DR is finished, so next rainy weekend, work will start..................

Hi Ron, will post regulary about progress made, cheers, Franz
Franz, I found a german TDR 125/Dt 125R repairmanual from Bucheli Verlag and sent you the link via PM

hope it is of help,

mbox
 
Jan 14, 2010
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Franz;280196 wrote: Hi Colin, many thanks would appreciate to receive it in October, you just need to tell me then what I owe you
No worries Franz. Now I just have to put it somewhere I can find it then remember to put it in my bag :think: :problem:

Nothing owed. You're welcome to it.
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Hi Colin, owe you some beers when you come !!

Hi Reinhard, thanks a lot, looked it up already it's for the new LC models, but got a cheap secondhand CLYMER one in Ungkrit via Ebay EU and this one should be already on its way.

Just today got several new parts from the shop near Khad Luang for a mere B 2,500.- (new ignition coil & lock, 2 new sidefairings, new cable harness, new switch on the left handlebar, 2 new front blinkers, new airfilter, 2 lts 2T-oil, 1 lt. engine oil, sparkplug Denso, new tacho line, 2 chromed mirrors, 2 front footpegs, kickstarter rubber) amazing how cheap......

Now looking for rear mudguard & steel bracket, end muffler, speedo & tachometer plus housing, helmet- & separated steering lock, chainguard rear but these ones I will need to buy secondhand somewhere. So anybody out there who has a defunct one or some partsand wants to sell me, please send me a PM.

Cheers, Franz
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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No new fotos yet as trying to sort the screw-up first at the electrics. This bike is 32+ years old and of course still a 6V one. Funny enough cables are completely deteriorated, battery mounted was a 12V, some lamps 6V, some 12V, horn 12V, rectifier 6V and so on. Not to talk about the connections, sticky tape or none at all. Sparkplug shoe was missing the spring to keep it on the plug, coil from a bigger bike, and NO wedge between Dynowheel and crankshaft !!!!!! How this bike could even run, I don't know as no CDI installed although there should have been one, was one of the first model of this series with one the DT125 G or H.........
Found out that the swingarm is a little bent and the spokes on the rear wheel are not the original ones so rear wheel is out of center by 2.5 cms.........
A lot to do still..........................haven't taken the engine apart yet, hope no big surprises await me there too although piston looks new. Cheers, Franz
 

KenYam

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Nov 2, 2007
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G'day Franz it runs because its a Yamaha mate.
I hope you got her for a song Franz as sounds as if your going to spend money on buying many correct new parts.
Reading what your finding and what you need to replace, I am thinking Why, If it was a classic but a two stroker?
Your really like a challenge hey, good luck Franz I hope the joy of refurbishment is greater than the frustration of finding
replacement parts and extra's.
I brought 2 old XS650's once and made 1 nice bike, enjoyed doing it but the budget was heaps more than I ever expected.

Cheers Ken F
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Hi Ken, yes, amazing that she somehow still managed to run, did not pay too little for it but in the end it's difficult to find one with a still valid greenbook and insurance paid. Most of them are so old and used by the folks in the countryside/hills so they never bothered in renewing tax and insurance since more than 20 years, some lost the book, some the numberplate and never bothered.
Common parts are still available although I had to order the rear fender support & chainguard via Ebay US and these 2 parts cost me more than the heaps of local parts. Financially such a project can never get you the money spent back but as you said, it's the challenge. It somehow already developed to be my hobby and for what it's worth I'm enjoying it.
Cheers, Franz
 

cdrw

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Oct 6, 2006
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Franz;280983 wrote: ..... Financially such a project can never get you the money spent back but as you said, it's the challenge. It somehow already developed to be my hobby and for what it's worth I'm enjoying it. Cheers, Franz
We all look forward to updates on you latest project! And like you previous bike renovations, you 'can never get you the money spent back', so that make you good for the economy ;)
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Jay the recreational value for myslef cannot be paid up by money in doing such hobbies. Let alone the chuckles & laughs that can last for several minutes upon finding another screw up by Somchai. Just found another one: spokes on both wheels were from several other manufactorers, consequence both wheels are totally out of center............further on did no wheel have any sealring installed :lol-sign:..........me good for the economy? Well spend all my money here and pay tax as asked, support some locals who are not family, what else can someone wish for, cheers, Franz
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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.............short update about my progress, wheels have been given new correct spokes and also correct rims, the one on the back was too narrow and the spokes not the correct lenght which had the wheel being out of center by 1 inch, hubs have been polished and tyres refitted again. All new bearings & sealrings with the later ones haven't existed at all.
All electrics are new, only 2 coils from the generator are old ones. Managed even to get a brand new CDI which the bike was missing, had all electrics laid out and connected and did a 'cold' test, everything is fine now, meaning all is working properly. Seat has been refurbished with a new liner, new sidepanels, tank and rear fender have been painted anew with original stickers. Frontfender is brand new. The speedo/tachometers have been cleaned and the glasses polished, rear shock disassembled - repaired - painted. Exhaust repaired and painted, and and and.........
Here's some fotos of parts ready for assembly:
varpartsready1.jpg

tankready.jpg

varpartsready2.jpg


That's some jobs still to be done, such as sandblasting & painting all frameparts and swingarm, carburettor, engine and some other parts, but not that serious anymore:

framepartsforpainting.jpg

enginecarb.jpg

smallframeparts.jpg


I hope to be ready for assembly within 2 weeks and will post then fotos of the finished restoration. Cheers, Franz
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Ian, for smaller bikes the shop of the old Thai-Chinese guy near Kad Luang market is the place to go looking for parts. They have incredably many different makes and after a short discussion and waiting period they will come up with what you want. You mostly see Thai mechanics to go there and buy stuff, dirtcheap too but one needs to speak proper Thai. Rgds, FR
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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So another update of what has happened during the last 5-6 weekends is on order.
Amazing what you can do with a heap of srap which was neglected in the worst way; with some knowledge, patience, money and spent hours one will get there.
I reckon' it will take me another weekend to finish the DT but by then I will be lighter by in total B75k but will have a nice classic bike to ride.
Better than to invest in any of the breweries and/or 'Hello You' bar and staff 555555.

So here's some fotos of the bike and the progress made:
DSC02440.jpg

DSC02441.jpg


And 2 fotos of parts still needing a perfect fit:
DSC02443.jpg

DSC02444.jpg


Once finished I'll post some pictures of the run-in loop via Samoeng. Rgds, FR
 
Jul 25, 2010
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Look'n good Franz. Hurry up, I want to see the finished product. I really don't know where you find the parts for all the bikes that you restore!
 
Dec 27, 2007
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That is going to be one seriously SWEET looking bike when you're done with it- can't wait to see the final product! :happy1:
 
Apr 20, 2009
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I love your restoration projects. Some of my favorite posts on GTR. Can't wait to see how this one looks.
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Thanks guys !! Especially Liam's comment made me smile, that's my award for putting in so much time and cash, first the nice little bike and second some soothing comments about the looks of it 55555555. Will be soon finished and ready to roll. Still to be done: some glitch in the headlight and speedolights, rebuilt & mount the front footpegs, do a bracket and mount the PVC container tube opposite the muffler as this bike has NO storage space at all and then for the first time fire her up............cheers, Franz
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Nearly done therefor some info & fotos of the near-finished bike.

Paid for the bike with up-to-date book & insurance THB 30k.
Spent on all parts needed, most local, some from Ebay-AUT & USA around THB 45k.
So in total I spent B 75,000.-.

Bike is approximately 1979 and the first model with a rear mono-shock.
Model is called DT125G or H.
Difficult as the Thai frame/engine numbers are not shown on the international sites but the bike was manufactored here.

Generally the bike had already xx owners and xx Somchai's working on her, so I found Honda-Kwaka-Suzook parts on her.
It was heavenly neglected in both repairs and cleaning. The electric system was a total foul up as were all frame parts, wrong or no sealrings, wrong bearings, wrong nuts//bolts and many bolts broken off with the threads still in the nuts.

It took me at least 30++ weekend & holidays each around 9-10 hours to come this far so in total around > 300 hours.
As this is my Hobby, I do not mind the financials or time spend as it gives me time and opportunity to clear my mind of any problems from my work.

So let's start with fotos of the bike in general:

front
DTfront.jpg


left
DTleft.jpg


right side
DTright.jpg


top side
DTtop.jpg


I know that the colour red is not matching fully but that cannot be avoided as I could not get the original front fender anymore. The paint used for tank, rear fender and sidecovers is the original one for this model. To paint the frontfender is absolutely a no-no as through the permanent movement the paint will peel off sooner than expected.

As mentioned in an earlier post, rims are new as are the spokes with original lenghts which puts the backwheel back into the swingarm center and not offset by 1 inch. Paint on hubs was removed and hubs polished. Still used from old bike: brakeshoes, hubs and tyres - quite new.

DTwheelRleft.jpg


DTwheelRright.jpg


DTfrontwheel.jpg


At the front, I still might get a shorter brakeline as not original lenght and it hangs out on the left side over the front blinker.

A big foul-up was also the engine with paint everywhere and nowhere, leaking oils everywhere and the piston shortly before seizing. Only the carbs are new as fitted before; some aftermarket crap anyway but useable. The only two technical details I need to fix later on is the engine-fresh-oil-pump which was repaired but once I get one needs replacement. Another one is the kickstarter assembly which was repaired by Khun S. in a very hmmmmmmmmmm way and I will keep on looking for one for replacement. Both current parts work but I'm not happy with the shape of both.

DTengineright.jpg


DTengineleft.jpg


Unfortunately the housing and cylinder plus head which are made from aluminium were both seriously oxidised and scratched so I did not dare to polish them to a mirror finish as I would have taken off too much material already.

Still need to do: fit the front footpegs, mount the PVC storage tube, fix the gasline, balance the backwheel through spoke adjustment, find the little glitch at the headlight.

One more foto from the front:

DTspeedo.jpg


Got both a screwed up speedo and tacho from Thai websites and managed to rebuilt 2x2 broken = 2 working ones, most difficult to get was the rear black PVC chain guard and the subframe below the rear fender both of which cost me B 10k from Ebay US. Handguards although not original have been fitted to protect the levers and my fingers. Mirrors are not original but do their job. Tank cover I got in the EU which is now lockable.
As for electric, all is new, the only old/original parts are: ignition coil and charge coil, sparkplug and kill-switch and that's it; everything else is new, all light, lamps, battery, coil, overload, rectifier,.........
Things like the chain tensioner were not wroking and I had to manufacore and fit a new brass bearing to get it going again. Rear muffler I got in Lampang and so on and on........

Must also mention that I outsourced the frame/tank/covers/fender paint job to Pistonshop and Nut made sure that the work satisfied me. Stickers are under a clear coat of paint.

In the end the near classic bike looks fine and I look forward for finishing everything and then firing her up again for the first time since work started.
Might get another one and remove everything and build a competition bike for offroad use only....5555555

So now I will make a small pause and maybe end of September start on my 2 DR250's........cheers, Franz