Vintage Dirt Bike Q & A

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 Post subject: Newby questions
PostPosted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:09 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:56 pm
Posts: 1
I am looking at a couple of different bikes to possibly restore. I am a complete newby at this and
it would also be my first rebuild of any kind. The two bikes I am looking at are a 77 RM 250, looks pretty
good, needs a new tank but has a hand made works looking pipe and rebuilt Fox Air shocks. The other is
a 73 or 74 Honda CR250 but I'm still waitng for pics. I guess what I want to know is which bike would it
be easier and cheaper to find parts for? I saw some posts on here that kinda scared me with $1500-$1800 price
tags for a restored CR250 tank. I didn't see any posts to compare to an RM tank. Any general info for a vintage
newby would be appreciated. I am kinda partial to the Suzuki RM's and TM's since that is what I rode as a kid.
But those old CR's look awesome also. Oh, and I really want to stick with something pre plastic gas tank era.


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 Post subject: Re: Newby questions
PostPosted: Fri May 02, 2008 9:33 am 
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Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 10:35 am
Posts: 254
I have not been able to finish any Suzuki project yet. I have a 73 TM250 and a ~1980 RM125 but parts availability has been pretty bad. Just as an example, I believe the Suzuki used different kick starters on each displacement so a TM400 kick starter will not work on a TM250. I followed a TM400 kick starter on eBay and it eventually went for ~$75.

Other parts I have been having trouble finding are pipes at any price, magneto cover, and swing arm for the 1980. I did find a swing arm for the 1980 and it ended up being cracked. The CDI's used in these frequently go south. I ended up buying a broken one and took it apart to reverse engineer it. I did build something that worked but haven't had the gut$ to get in a bidding war for a pristine one.

I was in my 20's and married with children => broke, when Joel Robert and Roger DeCoster were winning on Suzuki. Left me with a desire to have one that lingers now that my children are grown and all have children of their own. The lack of availability of parts is tempering my enthusiasm a bit. I will eventually weld up the broken swing arm and make or find more CDIs. I am just good enough to build my own pipes but it won't end up being anything but a baling wire and shade tree return to service vs. a restoration.

Rick


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