'71 DT1 Project...

[Hamr Mark]

So this looks like the right place to post this...

Ended buying a '71 Yamaha DT1 250 for $340 2 weeks ago. The goal is to get it safe, and on the road for $360, bringing the total price of the bike to $700. Which hopefully is well within the attainable range.

I will try to keep you posted (if anyone cares) on progress.

Right now the:

fenders, tank, front wheel, oil filter, left side cover, magneto + flywheel, oil tank are all off. Hoping to do some sand blasting and some quick paint within the next 2 weeks. So far it needs new shoes, sprocket, chain, and electrical set-up...

Good way to pass the winter if I do say so myself. The pics are from way before I picked it up / how I picked it up with the dirt on it / and buddy's '78 KE175 which he bought for $480, leaving him $220 to spend

 

[buckstoy]

Cool little bike, looks like a fun project!

 

[ThruxTonUp]

DT-1 are super cool - specially the early 68/69 versions. I used to stare at ads for those bikes for hours as a kid. Finally got a JT-1 enduro when I was ten. This 68 was at a show Joel and I went to in the Fall. I'd love to have one to tool around on up in the mountains and fire roads.

 

[KingBear]

Oh yeah, my family owned three of those Yamahas (including my Mini Enduro). To me that was the golden age of enduro riding.

 

[DandyDoug]

I had a DT 1, rode the snot out of it and traded it for a sail boat after I got tired of picking it and me up in the dirt.
I could never quite get the hang of MX , oh you mean that's not an MX bike ?? LOL

I'm still not too sure of these dual sport bikes today, even though I own one. They have come a long way since the DT 1 though.

 

[D9]

Great project Mark!

The DT/AT's were gorgeous ... my older brother had this exact bike, not
quite as cool as the AT series but still a damn good looking bike...

man, would I love to own it now...

Keep us posted on progress...

 

[Hamr Mark]

Ok, my bike looks nothing like the ones posted here. Right now, she sits stripped of everything (including exhaust) I hope I need to have off to get it running properly and safely. A bit of a dilemma over front rear sprocket sizes...some owners say 14/44, but the info I, and my parts guy read said 14/39. So, with 5 missing teeth, what kind of difference should (will) I notice? Tins should be sand blasted and painted this week, and most parts should be in by Christmas....c'mon Santa, do me a solid!

So far, the bad points have been...The electrical is a mess / broke the head off of 1 exhaust bolt / sprocket size potential mess up / did I mention the wiring? ...so, so far not too bad I guess for a first timer, must be my lucky rabbit's foot.

 

[Hamr Mark]

So it has been almost 2 months since I last posted so we go:

The rear suspension was donated to a KE175, so I tried using my oem Bonnie rears, and I felt like I was going to fall over the handlebars, so off to ebay for correct rear shocks. Rebuilt the carb, new magneto/flywheel and timed it up. New gaskets all around, so the engine is together including exhaust. The front rim was (is) pooched, and Mr. UPS just brought in my replacement today, so it's off to the shop for some new rubber on that. The old gas tank was not period correct, and altough a Yamaha tank, did not properly fit the bike, so I was lucky enough to find the proper tank for my bike...painted and it's good to go. The electrical is still a bit of a mess, but since are going back together, I am able to connect the wires, so it does tidy it up a bit.

So as of last sat, after 10 hours the bike is running. Finally figured the timing out, got the blue spark to jump from the plug to the engine, so threw everything back together and actually took it for a quick lap around the block. Only made it to 2nd gear, but the torque so far is any indication of what I can expect...holy crap!

Back to the garage this sat where it should have:
the new front tire, and other front end goodies done (fender, cables etc)
and hopefully the electrical somewhat sorted out...my front light supplier isn't being as helpful as I first thought, so lights may take another week.

I will have some updated pics sometime next week.

That's all fer now.

 

[D9]

Sounds like great progress...looking foward to seeing more pics!

 

[Hamr Mark]

Ok,

So, the bike is running, and ended up taking out for aboot 5kms last night, check out the fancy headlight, and seat. Anyways, needs some fine tuning, and lights/electrical, and I think that's about it for this year. The end of the '09 season is when it will get a frame off re-do...

The picture with the shiny tank is the tank was recieved with the bike. Nice and clean on the inside, but the forks were hitting on every turn and the p.o. was nice enought to bondo in before he sold it. The flat black tank is correct for this year bike.

The bike handles ok I guess. Not bad for me fixing a 37 yr old ride. 1,2, and 3rd gears there is alot of pull, 4th isn't too bad, and 5th is, well terrible. I am thinking that I will have to replace the rear sprocket. I am currently running 13/39, which I read was stock, but others were saying it was 13/45, so I will try that and hopefully all 5 gears will be a.ok. The front tire is a new Cheng Shin 3.00x19 Trail which is pretty good. Now this bike is not a knee-slider, but the front seem to hold it's line pretty good, and there wasn't alot of vibration. The current rear is a Pirelli, which will be replaced with a Cheng Shin 4.00x18, so no comment on that yet. The drum brakes are ALOT different from our discs, but do work, The rear is 'right there' while the front does have some give on it that I would like to take up, but it does the job in a timely and safe manner. There are some 'extra' wires that I will have to figure out where they go, but as it is right now, for a 37 yr old bike, that cost me $340, I am learning alot and having a pretty good time trying to figure all this crap out.

 

[bdavanza]

look for slack in the front brake cable. Also look for evidence of grease on the pads. You could get the shoes relined, or find new ones, they need to be grease free to work well, and once grease gets in them, they are kinda fubar.
A good drum brake trick is to glue sandpaper to the inside of the drum, spin the wheel and apply brakes, until the braking surface matches the drum. 95% of the time, there is minimal contact between shoe and drum.