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Having fun making a goofy riding video:
Not too long ago I picked up a 2001 Yamaha WR250F for a super bargain. The previous owner recently had the engine professionally rebuilt with a bunch of goodies:
Bored out to 262cc
New Crank
New Main Bearings
New Cam Chain
New seals throughout bottom end
Ported cylinder head with a 3/angle valve job
Kibblewhite stainless steel valves
Hot Cams with auto/decompression
Some other goodies came with the bike as well:
Dr. D Quietexhaust
spare gas tank and seat
a couple of spare air filters
and some other goodies
All in all, I got this bike for a steal of a price.
March 07
Since at the time I didn't have a truck or a trailer, I had to borrow a truck to go pick up the bike. Its been a number of years since I have ridden a dirt bike, so getting back on the bike this year took some getting used to. However, I've really grown to love the thrill of trail riding.
Since the bike won't fit into my 4Runner, and getting a cheap aluminum hitch carrier was a bit scary, I decided to build my own hitch carrier. Yes, I have a glue-gun as well, so building this wasn't a big deal. Here are some pics of my bike loaded on the hitch carrier, ready to be taken to the trails. I have since changed the way I strap it down, more pics of that to come.
Here the bike is loaded on the hitch carrier. Distance shot
to show the carrier and bike relative to the vehicle.
Close up shot to see the hitch carrier. Notice the ramp is
sitting just below the bike, in the center of the wheel rails. I'm still
debating about putting a couple of bars on the sides of the front tire. Probably
will at some point in the near future. I have driving plenty of washboard
roads without the tires moving an inch.
Here is a side shot. Because I have custom suspension on my
4Runner (notice the rear shackles on this 99 4Runner Limited), I had to build
a hitch drop. Of course, its all 1/4" steel, and glued together with a Miller
DVI Mig welder.
June 08
Well, since I've sold the 4Runner, I thought I may be appropriate to update my page with the latest bike transportation.
Picked up a 2005 Double Cab Taco that seems to fit the bill.
Along with the truck, I need a way to get the bike into the truck, so I picked up a 3-way folding ramp from Discountramps.com for about $70 bucks.
The small 1' high step I picked p from Walmart for about $20 bucks. It folds down flat, and can easily hold a good 200lbs.
The larger step I picked up at Home Depot, and is 2' high, just right to help get into the back of the truck. This step ladder also folds down so it fits into the cab of the truck.
September, 2007
So, many of you in the dirt bike scene are aware that Rekluse makes automatic clutches. The reviews on these clutches, if properly setup, have been simply awesome. Well, I must agree, they are simply awesome. I did a lot of research on this clutch before I put down the money for this clutch. Was it worth it? Absolutely! During my installation process, I took a few pictures to help anybody else who is interested in this type of clutch.
Here are a few of the basic tools you will need to get the
clutch installed. What you don't see in the picture (yes, I'll need to get
it updated) is a dental pic tool. These are really handy when you are trying
to pull the clutch packs out. Yes, it can be done with a flat tip screwdriver,
but its much easier with the right tool.
Here is a close up picture of the cable operated clutch actuator
that sits on top of the case. Mine was kinda dirty due to a leaking seal
on the front sprocket.
So, lay the bike on its left side. I believe the instructions
call for you to drain the oil. In my case, I didn't need to do that, as the
oil moved to the low side of the case.
Don't forget to remove the pin on the back side of the bolt
that holds the rear brake pedal on.
I though I would show you the differences in the bolt sizes
for the crank case cover. The two larger ones are the same size, and then
there is a 3rd one that goes with the centering pin, which is a little longer
than the other 4 shorter bolts.
I have never delved into the motorcycles mechanics before.
However, as you can see from my web site, I'm no rookie to handling sockets.
These pics are for the person who has the bike, but has yet to do any real
maintenance on their bike. Here is a shot of inside the clutch cover.
Here you can see the friction plates stacked up.
At first, I put tape down to seal off the rest of the case
from clutch. However, I found that the tape would stick to the clutch boss,
and the make getting the friction plates out a little more difficult. I then
moved to the back up plan; terry cloths. These worked quite well, and I was
able to seal up the gaps very well.
Here you can see the clutch springs coming out. These won't
be used anymore. However, don't throw them away. You may end up selling the
bike down the road and may want to keep your Rekluse.
Here is a shot of the clutch boss and the friction plates.
Another shot of the friction plates
Here you can see the centering pins going into the clutch boss.
Look closely, you can see 4 very small washers that are sitting around each
centering pin. These washers are very small, don't loose them. I had, lots,
and lots of washer left over. Don't be surprised. It appeared that they give
you a generic bag of parts, and you use what you need from the bag.
Here is the heart of the Rekluse. Hover over the picture
to see an image by Rekluse.
Here is something I found interesting, and nearly put a stop
to my whole setup. Notice how the centering pins don't pass through the Rotating
Hub Assembly. I was a little concerned when I came across this. However,
rotate the holes one more to the left or right, and the Assembly falls right
into place.
Rotating Hub Assembly in place.
Here the Pressure Plate and Ball Bearings are being installed. You
may be wondering if I put any oil on the bearings before I installed the
Top Plate. Actually, I installed the parts to make sure it would all go together
correctly, then I took it apart, lubed it as necessary, then put it back
together for the final install.
Next, the top plate is being installed.
Just about done.
Rekluse states that if you don't use their gasket, serious damage can occur. I noticed that their gasket is quite a bit thicker than the stock gasket.
Next up, I went through the break in procedure. Fortunately, it was a work day for most folks, so many people in my neighborhood were at work and didn't complain about me racing up and down the street. Because I installed new Friction Plates, Rekluse recommends that you check the gap between the top Friction Plate and Drive Plate. When I put it all together the 1st time, it was dead on. After the break in, the gap spread to the maximum allowed. So, I used another one of the Rekluse Drive Plates in place of one of my stock drive plates. Yes, you need to get back into the case, replace the Drive Plate, remeasure the gap, use Loctite again and put it all back again. But in light of the cost of this unit, and the simple 10 minutes it takes, its well worth it to ensure you have the right gap.
I rode the bike the very next day on some tight trails for a straight 4.5 hours. The clutch performed flawlessly. I never had an issue with the bike stalling. In fact, I noticed that when I started the bike in neutral, and then put it in 1st gear, the bike didn't move as much as it did when I had a standard cable clutch. Well worth the money, and when properly setup, performs awesomely.
Broken Kick-Stand
So, recently while I was changing my oil, I pushed my kick-stand down, and this action produced a very loud "BANG". Needless to say I was quite surprised, and then noticed that the return spring for the kick stand now had no tension. After close inspection, I discovered that the dowel that goes through "Side Stand Bracket", had broken off. This dowel had a small spot of welding on the face of the bracket that held it in place. After many movements of up and down, the metal had been worn all the way through a 5/16" dowel. So, what to do.....go riding of course!
Here is a close up picture of the 5/16" dowel that had the tip of it broken off. Take a close look and you can see how over time the metal was slowly eroded away.
After a couple of rides with not kick-stand, I knew I needed to get this thing fixed.
I checked around some of the sites and quickly found that this dowel is part of the "Side Stand Bracket", and could not be ordered separately. Now, you could go down to your local Ace Hardware and pickup a 5/16" steel dowel. However, you will be required to put another spot of weld on there to hold it in place. Since I have loaned out my welder, this was a no-go for me. Plus, the next time this thing wears through, I'll just have to replace the dowel again. So, I opted instead to put in a Grade 8 standard thread 5/16" bolt, with two nuts on each side of the bracket to hold it in place. This will allow a quick replacement in the future, when this hardened bolt starts to wear through.
Here is a exploded image of the Side Stand Bracket. Notice how the dowel that goes through part 18 is part of this Side Stand Bracket. Now, if you choose to replace this 1/4" plate of steel, you're probably going to have to cough up around $80 bucks. Pretty pricey.
part #24: Bracket side Stand, PN# 5GS-21458-50-00, about $80
part #18: Side Stand Link, PN# 5GS-27315-50-00, about $4.50
Ace Hardware Parts prices
Grade 8 bolt 1.5" x 5/16" = .60 cents
Grade 8 5/16" nuts x 2 = .50 cents
Now, to actually get the existing dowel out, you're going to need an angle grinder. I ground off the weld, then used a large hammer to pound the dowel out. Once it was out, the 5/16" bolt slide in very easily.
Here are some shots of the stand put back together.
Now, when I get off my bike to open the gate, I don't have to worry about it falling away from its leaning position on the fence post.
Much happier.
Disclaimer: What you see on these pages are my own experiences and what changes I have performed on my vehicle. Should you choose to attempt these type of changes to your vehicle, I am not responsible for any consequential damages that may result from these type of modifications. I do not encourage any readers to copy these modifications to their own vehicle. Modifying your vehicle can be dangerous to you and anybody else on the roadway. Please take care in what you do with your vehicle.