KT250 resto...help appreciated
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:58 am
Hello all,
I've had my KT250 since about '82 and haven't ridden it for well over 20 years, or ridden in a trial for that matter. It was started and ridden briefly a few times in the early '90s but that's about it. I've had plans to restore it to as good as I could and probably just sit it on a stand. It wasn't competitive against the early '80s bikes so I figured I may as well buy a recent one if and when I drifted back to trials. I knew there was a VMX movement but wasn't aware of the whole twinshock trials thing until recently. Wow! seeing all these pics and youtube footage of KTs being used is unreal!
I think I've only ever seen 1 other KT in the flesh and that was at a trial out near Picton I think...waaaaay back.
So anyway I recently bought a mini bike for the kids ('70s Puch ...no pit bikes for my kids) to learn to ride on and it's spurred me on to get the KT running again.
To the business at hand:
Here's the bike
I'd like to keep it as original as possible, so the after market bars are going.
Known knowns...
Parts and work needed: Throttle cable, throttle grip assembly and lhs grip. Clutch and front brake cables. Front forks pitted and leaking, rear shock springs rusty and shocks leaking. Tank is full of crud but doesn't seem to leak, paint is flakey and rusty in spots. Air filter element. Side covers are there but rhs has only 1 lug left. Chain is smothered in oil but I'll get a new one anyway. Various screws and bolts.
Known unknowns....
carb kit, wheel bearings, brake shoes, steering head bearings, engine (ran OK when last shutdown, slight resistance initially but turned over), clutch, gearbox, front and rear sprocket, swingarm bushings, ignition and elecs.
The frame has copped the odd whack under the engine. I guess when I strip it down I'll be able to tell if it's straight. Can these normally be returned to straight by a repairer?
I'll do the work myself wherever possible. Not the $$ factor, but the zen of it all. Also I'm the twit who neglected it while I was off chasing various...err...things, so it's the right thing to do.
Any hints on where to get parts and work done like the shocks and forks would be much appreciated. I'm on the north side of Sydney, but get around to the other capitals for work a fair bit.
I've found Fred and Deb's page and I guess they are good for things like the repro bars and gaskets. Are the air filter elements, gaskets, carb kits still available here? Bearings from the local bearing supplier or Kawasaki?
Thanks for reading and thanks in advance,
Dino
I've had my KT250 since about '82 and haven't ridden it for well over 20 years, or ridden in a trial for that matter. It was started and ridden briefly a few times in the early '90s but that's about it. I've had plans to restore it to as good as I could and probably just sit it on a stand. It wasn't competitive against the early '80s bikes so I figured I may as well buy a recent one if and when I drifted back to trials. I knew there was a VMX movement but wasn't aware of the whole twinshock trials thing until recently. Wow! seeing all these pics and youtube footage of KTs being used is unreal!
I think I've only ever seen 1 other KT in the flesh and that was at a trial out near Picton I think...waaaaay back.
So anyway I recently bought a mini bike for the kids ('70s Puch ...no pit bikes for my kids) to learn to ride on and it's spurred me on to get the KT running again.
To the business at hand:
Here's the bike
I'd like to keep it as original as possible, so the after market bars are going.
Known knowns...
Parts and work needed: Throttle cable, throttle grip assembly and lhs grip. Clutch and front brake cables. Front forks pitted and leaking, rear shock springs rusty and shocks leaking. Tank is full of crud but doesn't seem to leak, paint is flakey and rusty in spots. Air filter element. Side covers are there but rhs has only 1 lug left. Chain is smothered in oil but I'll get a new one anyway. Various screws and bolts.
Known unknowns....
carb kit, wheel bearings, brake shoes, steering head bearings, engine (ran OK when last shutdown, slight resistance initially but turned over), clutch, gearbox, front and rear sprocket, swingarm bushings, ignition and elecs.
The frame has copped the odd whack under the engine. I guess when I strip it down I'll be able to tell if it's straight. Can these normally be returned to straight by a repairer?
I'll do the work myself wherever possible. Not the $$ factor, but the zen of it all. Also I'm the twit who neglected it while I was off chasing various...err...things, so it's the right thing to do.
Any hints on where to get parts and work done like the shocks and forks would be much appreciated. I'm on the north side of Sydney, but get around to the other capitals for work a fair bit.
I've found Fred and Deb's page and I guess they are good for things like the repro bars and gaskets. Are the air filter elements, gaskets, carb kits still available here? Bearings from the local bearing supplier or Kawasaki?
Thanks for reading and thanks in advance,
Dino