1975 RD250 Trial By Fire

NoahAbs

NoahAbs

New Member
Hey guys,

Been lurking for a while, gathering inspiration from all the awesome wrenchers on this site and looking for a bike to pick up. Finally got it, a '75 RD250 in pretty rough shape.

Unlike a lot of you guys, I don't come from an engineering or very mechanical background at all. I've been riding for a few years but other than general self service stuff I have never done too much work on a bike. So I envision this as quite a learning experience.

Other challenges are that I don't have other friends who ride (so no second opinions), and I live in NYC so my garage is actually just a cleared out part of my apartment.

The bike has no key, and no spark plugs currently, but the engine turns over, the electrical system seems to be in decent shape and the frame and forks are solid. The exhaust is a mess, really rusty.

Ok I am going to try and load a few pics. I am going to attempt to tear this thing down and slowly build it back up again, hopefully gaining a bunch of experience along the way. Any advice on where to start, what to avoid, what not to do would be great. Excited to join the ranks.

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Alright Abs! Another 2 stroke!!

I have a thread started for my '72 R5 350. ("A clock work orange" check it out) lets work together. I have a pretty much mint exhaust on mine. I haven't decided if I'm keeping that or changing out for a race style exhaust I'll give you first crack at it if I decide to let it go.

I'm leaning towards a street tracker style for mine with a brat style seat, to keep it a 2 up bike, but again I haven't completely decided. right now its all apart and I'm waiting for my sand blaster to arrive from Harbor freight.

Check out www.motocarera.com they are a great source for parts, history and info.

Looks like you have your hands full as well can't wait to see what you do with it.
 
Thanks Diesel, hadnt come across MotoCarrera yet, definitely going to be a resource.

I was thinking about doing a street tracker for ease of use, but for some sick reason I really want to try my hand at doing some fiberglass work. Maybe I just want to be itchy for days or something.

I have got some concept of what I want it to end up looking like, but I want the thing to run run run. I opted for an RD over a CB for performance reasons, and I want the bike to be a screamer first, and then I will really worry about the detailed aesthetics.

I was thinking about aftermarket pipes too, mainly cause the stock ones on the RD are looong and a bit oogly.
 
Ah, Man, I really like the stock pipes, Just not sure they will fit what I want to do with it. These bikes do scream, I had a 74 RD350 years ago and really miss it. It was stolen right out of my driveway (I still have the title). I'm going to post some new pics of my progress later tonight. check that out.
 
sweet im in NYC also...

my bikes in my basement ;)

great bike you got their- I have a thing for the old RDs.

when my bike is done well have to ride sometime.
 
Rocan- Absolutely. Hopefully I won't have a long grey beard by the time its done. Gotta love NYC, its all about the compromises you are willing to make.

Diesel- I think it might just be my pipes being SO gnarly that is influencing. I spent some time at work (!) today checking out other pipe setups for the RDs and the stock is looking better and better. Checked out your build page and it looks like we started in a similar position: engine not seized, low miles, decent looking electrics, just gunky as hell. You are smoking me so far, which is unsurprising, I'm gonna be slow.

I'm thinking about a metallic dark red for the frame, with a charcoal and black scheme throughout with some touches of the red elsewhere (fork ears, master cyl, etc.)

Slow and steady...I hope.
 
Man, I haven't done much but take her apart and hit the parts with simple green. I did rebuild the carbs and I also have spent a bunch of money on parts, which I'm waiting for. I'm going to keep the same orange color but since I'm painting it myself I'm simplifying the scheme a bit.

I like the idea of the red frame for yours. If you do red on the frame and subdued colors elsewhere you may find that you don't need to add more red anywhere but the frame. Keep the ideas coming. I'm working on a few different bikes so my progress will be somewhat slow as well.

Side note; I love NYC, I live in Portland, ME but try to get down to the city once a year or so. What do you do in the city and where are you from?
 
Well, I'd trade NYC for Portland in a sec. I've lived and worked in VT and NH and would love to get back up that way sometime.

Yeah, I'm thinking the paint will be generally pretty subdued except for the bones, and then we will see about a part here or there just to make it "pop."

I'm slow going, my work schedule can be a bummer sometimes and plans get cancelled.

Oh yeah, I paid 75 bucks for the bike, btw. Cool guy, got it thrown in with a Honda Hawk and just wanted it gone. Plus no key and no title, but thats a headache I can work around.
 
Ok, so I finally got the bike down to the frame. Took me kind of forever in between work (I have very unpredictable hours), lack of tools, and stripped screws. Apparently the Yamaha engineers decided they should make all the engine case screws out of gummi bears, because if I even look at them with a screwdriver in my hand they start spitting pieces of metal all over. So here's where I'm at: down to the frame, have started stripping and primering some parts, and am going to paint everything and get it back to a rolling frame (forks, frame, swingarm, bars, controls, etc.) before I tackle the engine, which is gnarly, and time/reject carbs, decide on exhaust, etc. Any tips? Also, it it just me or does anyone else love how stuff looks in primer? I kinda of want to just primer everything and ride around looking like a Storm Trooper.

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I am a giant idiot.

Been making decently steady progress with some sanding, prepping, and painting. Got the swingarm painted today with Duplicolor Red Metal Specks and it looks great, a deep red metalflake. Between coats I began angle grinding the frame, taking off the mounts for the oil tank (I am going to premix), shortening the rear, and removing other useless things (seat tabs, etc.)

In my Grindation Frenzy I guess I fell asleep for a bit and I GROUND OFF THE PLUGS WHERE THE TOP EYE OF THE SHOCKS MOUNT!!!!!

So, I guess I am going to bring it to a metal shop and pray they can weld them back on well enough. Its a pretty clean cut, so I am optimistic, but man do I feel stupid. I don't even know what led me to thing I didn't need them, I think I might have momentarily confused them with mounts for the rear turn signals (I plan to run an integrated turn signal/brake light.)

What do you guys think? Weldable? Please feel free to mock me, I am deserving.

I am holding off on pics of the frame and swingarm until they are both painted and the shocks are on. I'd feel too stupid otherwise.
 
eek! If you do weld it back together instead of scrapping the frame make sure that they weld in some strong braces as well.

So you dont feel so bad Ill admit that when I was drawing on the frame with a sharpie to plan where to cut I drew a line that would also cut off my shock mounts. I too for some weird reason thought they were the turn signal mounts, which makes no sense. Luckily I caught the mistake while I was still sitting there marking the frame and smacked myself real good in the forehead for what could have been a hhhhhuge blunder.

So ya, dont kick yourself too much, and I hope all the kings men can put it back together again...
 
Yeah, I guess thats what I get for now drawing first and just going at it.

I was thinking I would maybe just drill out the holes, and but a long double sided bolt through the entire back of the frame, since I cut it off right about at the (former) shock mount. It would stabilize the seat and the shocks would bolt to either side of it with washers and spacers making sure it didnt move around while riding.

Does that make sense as opposed to hoping the welds are strong enough? I don't have much fabbing experience, I am mostly a "bolt whole part on" or "take whole part off" kind of person. In my head it makes sense, and I have the tools to do it.

Then again in my head lots of things make sense that have no bearing whatsoever on reality.
 
Going to be a great bike. The RDs are excellent machines. I do hope you stay with the red/white tank,side cover and tail. That was one of the best color schemes for the RDs. Just look at a nice white/red Daytona 400 and you'll see I'm correct. ;)
 
Ok, sad to say, but this thread is at an end. After spending only $100 bucks on the bike, and looking at a hefty price to pay to get the shock mounts re-welded (thanks stupidity) I am canning the project, although maybe if I find a frame in the future I will crank it back up again. I found a CB750F for a good deal, so I am going to work on that, not do a full tear down (which may have been too ambitious for me) and see where it goes. Heres the link:

http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=10480.0
 
Hi:

Elaborate on what happened toy he shock mounts. I bet the fix is not as difficult as you might think? Post some pics up...

--Thanks, Chris
 
Chris,

In short, I got all crazy with the angle grinder and just ground those suckers straight off. I still have them, and the cut was pretty straight. I guess I could go to a weld shop and get them welded back on, but I am worried that there will be alignment issues and/or structural issues. I'd hate to hit a pothole at speed and lose my back wheel, and NYC roads are garrrrbage.

Keep in mind I have about 1/10000 of your skills. I would try sticking them back on with chewing gum if I didn't read the forums a bunch.
 
NoahAbs said:
Chris,

In short, I got all crazy with the angle grinder and just ground those suckers straight off. I still have them, and the cut was pretty straight. I guess I could go to a weld shop and get them welded back on, but I am worried that there will be alignment issues and/or structural issues. I'd hate to hit a pothole at speed and lose my back wheel, and NYC roads are garrrrbage.

Keep in mind I have about 1/10000 of your skills. I would try sticking them back on with chewing gum if I didn't read the forums a bunch.
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before giving up Id at least inquire at a machine shop how much it would cost you. Any decent machine shop should be able to get the alignment right. I dont think they would use the old pieces but instead drill out the frame on either side, slide a rod through, tack it in place, grind off the center piece then lay some nice beads. Then they could just tap either end. Its not going to be $10 but it shouldnt be $500 either.
 
boomshakalaka said:
before giving up Id at least inquire at a machine shop how much it would cost you. Any decent machine shop should be able to get the alignment right. I dont think they would use the old pieces but instead drill out the frame on either side, slide a rod through, tack it in place, grind off the center piece then lay some nice beads. Then they could just tap either end. Its not going to be $10 but it shouldnt be $500 either.
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Quite right! Don't scrap it yet! Upper shock mounts get moved all the time!! Just keep asking around your area! You'll find the right shop for the job and be "back in business" in no time!! 8)
 
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