street legal 2-strokes

[loudbeard]

yes, I saw those!

LED tech has gotten remarkably good with excellent battery life...but with the variety of options, reviews help pick out the good from the bad

and yes I agree good LED bike headlight + good helmet light (turns with your head) = you can run baja

I sense you will be doing a night trail run in your trail system this fall/winter

The nice thing about the Niterider is the intuitive mode switching. Basically, you have 3 brightness levels, then you have 2 strobe settings. When the light is off, press and hold to turn it on. To turn it off, you press and hold for 7 seconds. Here's where it gets cool; when you turn it on it defaults to non-strobe. A quick press will toggle between high/med/low and back. If you want strobe, you have to hold for 3 seconds, then a quick press will toggle between the 2 strobe settings.

Anyway, what it boils down to is most of the time when I'm riding I ride with the light on low (10 hours of use) to conserve battery, I only crank it up to high (2 hours of use) when things are super sketchy or long fast sections. You can toggle between the modes with out fear of accidentally shutting the light off or turning it into an EDM party.

But yes, definitely planning on doing some night riding out back as that frosty bitch Mother Nature robs more and more precious vitamin D from us.

[breakdirt916]

not stocked at the local CG so I just did Amazon



hopefully next week!

[breakdirt916]

and the nearby forest is open again...



the squadron was awesome in the forests!

It had good throw down the trail at any rolling rpm...only flickered if the idle was low enough that it was was gonna near stall

[breakdirt916]

and we're in!





caking on the linkage will come off...with a spatula

I can see the metal again! it's salvageable



next: new linkage bearings & swap out for WR swingarm

EDIT#1 : I also need a new chain/sprocket. Chapmoto only stocks the "bikemaster" when I search by vehicle...anyone run those?

EDIT#2: F ChapMoto - rocky mountain carries the "Primary Drive" brand recommended by Everide.

stock on yz trans: 13/49 = 0.265

current: 14/48 = 0.291 - nearly perfect cuz of the street slab to the trails, but want more torque/tractor feel
extreme: 13/52 = 0.25
other extreme: 15/44 = 0.34

I tried 14/45 (0.31) but it wasn't much different than 14/48 on the street slab, and it gave up a little too much in 1st gear...so no need to go any higher than 0.29 or 0.3...for anything.

ordered 13/49 next

GOAL: get more torque/tractor feel, but be able to swap to a 15t front sprocket if I need to slab more.

If anything I'd consider a sportsman setup; get the stickiest, most aggressive 21/18 tire setup and slap that on your spare wheels. Keep something knarly on the dirt wheels. With an 18/18 swap finding compromise gearing that works for both is easier.

and this

my spare 21/18" will get the stickiest rubber I can find; same gearing as the dirt rims. Minimal to no chain adjusting during the rim swap. My only application there is supermoto track days 1-2 times/year, so I don't need a small rear sprocket for long slab duty on slicks...track gearing for those rims will be better suited. Anything more than that on the road goes to Ninja duty.

[breakdirt916]

I love how easy it is to gain access to the inner compartments of the bike just by removing 2 bolts & swinging up the subframe



now that the airbox is unhooked, the carb comes off easily, and you get into that tight little area above the motor



and now it's finally clean!

but the better question is - why was it dirty?

What caused an oil film to start, then collect dirt?



missing anything?

there's supposed to be an o-ring there...and I can't for the life of me remember when it fell out

oh well...carb ultrasonic cleaned



muffler cleaned up pretty well



but check out the spooge amount now that it's been repacked



and where exactly is the spark arrestor? shouldn't there be a screen at the end?

loving the exposed studs in the moto shed...doubles as storage shelves when disassembling the bike and keeps them out of the way



Next 1-2 weeks:
-new grips
-Cycra ProBend handguards
-Tusk front signals on handguards
-clean carb, new carb overflow tubes
-drain fluids
-clean air filter
-swingarm clean/swap
-tighten spokes
-mount dirt rims/tires
-aim headlight
-install new plastics
-hour meter
next 2-3 weeks:
-drop off bike to mechanic for motor inspection of bottom end, water pump, & counter shaft sprocket seal. New top end w' ported cylinder install. Linkage bearings.
4-6 weeks out:
-new chain/sprockets
-new front/rear tires w' new UHD tubes
-new graphics installed
-IMS Pro Series pegs
-maybe: fly wheel weight, Lectron

and that should do it for the rest of the season...after that it's just maintenance and monitoring. With a fresh motor I'll have a baseline reference for future maintenance.

[Kurlon]

You kids with your fancy removable subframes...

That spot on the motor is right under the airbox's drain. If you look there is an opening on the bottom of the airbox, and it's a serpentine path from there to the main chamber. Over time filter oil drips down into that drain and onto the motor. Most of it typically hits the crossbrace of the swingarm, but once you're rolling it can splatter in a wide pattern.

[breakdirt916]

you're telling me!



2 bolts takes off the swingarm

GREAT access to the top & rear sides of the motor



which exposes...





holy cow...hidden corner of the engine bay

also, rather than using contact or carb cleaner, WD is great for cleaning 2T spooge without doing damage.

nailed it!



but it doesn't end in that dark, difficult to access corner





dang...it's time

& a breaker bar won't fit over that nut...and a ratchet doesn't have the leverage

I should've hit it with penetrating fluid before I left

but I'll just buy a 22mm box ended wrench next

I was hoping to get it to the mechanic this week, but I think it's better to have him push in new linkage bearings first, then install the WR swingarm/dirt rims, and bring over the roller chasis w' a tank + seat so he can test it after he rebuilds it

[gregp]

"and where exactly is the spark arrestor? shouldn't there be a screen at the end?" - That muffler has a Centrifugal type spark arrestor - also known as a Krizman spark arrestor - No screen. This is the "Turbine" that FMF refers to.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark_...k_arrester.png

[breakdirt916]

very cool! I had no idea

did I mention how fun it is to have you on here greg?

you don't post much on NESR, but when you do, it's always with concise, accurate, random but useful bits of knowledge that add to the thread

actually the whole dirty bastards forum is my favorite part of NESR

[loudbeard]

actually the whole dirty bastards forum is my favorite part of NESR

Disagree. Ninja 500r 2005 as track bike

[gregp]

very cool! I had no idea

did I mention how fun it is to have you on here greg?

you don't post much on NESR, but when you do, it's always with concise, accurate, random but useful bits of knowledge that add to the thread

actually the whole dirty bastards forum is my favorite part of NESR

Lol. Thanks. I am an old (er) guy, so - yea - my brain gets pretty random - but I have been riding in the dirt for over 50 years.

[breakdirt916]

the more I disassemble it, the worse it looks

but I'll just buy a 22mm box ended wrench next

WRONG

the motion pro tire iron is 22mm

and w' the chain roller out of the way, you can get a breaker bar in!



first time it's ever been off the bike...it was on tight!

after scraping caked mud, wiping down w' WD40, & 3 mins in the ultrasonic cleaner, it started to clean up





tomorrow: drop off linkage mechanic for bearing installation

hoping to be ready by Dec 12th weekend for Ocotillo Wells

do some husky monument runs in the Mojave desert...hit some classic SoCal dirt bike spots from the Crusty films...a trials class next year, jimmy lewis class, and Everide rally next fall.

[Kurlon]

The rollers being nice and loose like that isn't a bad sign. They're not corroded in place, just lacking grease. (They aren't captive, nothing failed, that's just how that bearing is designed, the through bushing is what keeps the rollers in place.

[number9]

tomorrow: drop off linkage mechanic for bearing installation

hoping to be ready by Dec 12th weekend for Ocotillo Wells

Can you make your own? Get a threaded rod, some pipe end caps, a drill, and some grease. Then a couple of big washers and nuts and Robert's Vikram's your father's brother.

[aldend123]

The rollers being nice and loose like that isn't a bad sign. They're not corroded in place, just lacking grease. (They aren't captive, nothing failed, that's just how that bearing is designed, the through bushing is what keeps the rollers in place.

Ya, they don't look half bad. Assuming they didn't have any play prior to disassembly, I'd probably grease and install.

Can you make your own? Get a threaded rod, some pipe end caps, a drill, and some grease. Then a couple of big washers and nuts and Robert's Vikram's your father's brother.

Big sockets also can work well for this. Although if the mechanic's easy and cheap, the efficiency may be hard to beat.

[breakdirt916]

"Oi! Vikramuncle!" kinda everyone that's not your Dad is called an uncle in the culture, so...I guess we all have a Vikramuncle

and negative on the home made tools

I pick and choose the tasks that require finesse...fortunately for this bike it's mostly just crank & bearings. In the past I've installed crank bearings crooked on an RM125 and smashed in wheel bearings on a Vstrom with a hammer and a socket. Plus most of the youtube videos use a vise, and possibly a slide hammer (if it's a blind bearing) and/or motion pro tools to remove old races. Naah...sounds like frustration and/or tool expense I'd happily pay an hour of labor or whatever it takes a mechanic to do.

but good to know they weren't terrible

I literally did no maintenance on them for 4 years and they were presumably all original since 1994...and I ran them in the sand at pismo

here's the Devol and stock 1994 linkage side by side:



it's hard to eyeball, but it looks like the DeVol links are a *little* bit longer



and the knuckle looks shaped a little differently



the smaller hole where the shock lines up looks a little farther away

it blows my mind, that in 1994, DeVol looked at the stock linkage on a YZ250, and said:

"oh that sucks it has a high rising rate. let's enginner, and manufacture, a completely different dogbone length & knuckle by extending it (randomly?) here and here and, voila! it will have a linear rising rate!"

like wtf...it's such a random hop up mod to me...I would have never hopped on this bike and thought "oh they definitely f'd the linkage up".

The only thing I'd do w' suspension is re-spring for my weight (which most of the time 136-140lbs I'm at the target weight) and re-valve it for trails/dual sport.

[breakdirt916]

when I walk into this shop:
-there's always 60's-70's classic rock blasting
-he yells "yeah brotha, right on!" a lot
-he has a drum set in the corner



Monday: pickup linkage, install swingarm, rear sprocket, hand guards, front turn signals, mount wheels, and make it roll.

Wednesday: drop off at shop - crank/water pump inspection, top end w' ported cylinder install

[gregp]

IIRC - The Devol linkage may result in a slightly lower seat height, and a significant change in the way that the rear suspension behaves. The progression curve will be more linear by avoiding the sharp upward trend at the end of the stock linkage curve. It should result in the system effectively using all of the available travel more frequently.

[breakdirt916]

IIRC - The Devol linkage may result in a slightly lower seat height, and a significant change in the way that the rear suspension behaves. The progression curve will be more linear by avoiding the sharp upward trend at the end of the stock linkage curve. It should result in the system effectively using all of the available travel more frequently.

nailed it!

That's what Devol said when I called them...fixes the "high rising rate" at the end of the linkage curve. Very curious to try it!

Monday: pickup linkage, install swingarm, rear sprocket, hand guards, front turn signals, mount wheels, and make it roll.

EDIT: Even if their reviews are good, ALWAYS test mechanics with smaller jobs first & see how they do.

Mechanic said linkage would be ready by 11/9 and he hasn't gotten around to it yet (which I kind of expect for an independent mechanic/1 man job). We rescheduled for Weds 11/11. I may (1.) consider someone else for the motor (2.) mail it out to Eric Gorr or (3.) keep it as simple as possible - bring the motor out of the bike so there are fewer pieces to work on, and increases the liklihood of getting it done right on a realistic timeline.

new schedule:
-pickup linkage Weds 11/11
-put linkage/swingarm/rims on Friday...maybe pull out motor and bring to him or mail out

EDIT #2: Just talked to Eric Gorr - his turnaround is 3-4 weeks...should I send it to him?

EDIT #3: his website has a good graphic for ported cylinders:



neato

[typeone]

you should just bang out the linkage yourself, it's not hard + home made press works mint. super easy.

some tips here: How-To: Linkage Suspension Bearing Service 101

[Kurlon]

Be advised: EG and many others all have reputations for WAY overpromising turn around times. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't, but if you're on a fixed timeline to get the motor back... have a plan B.

[breakdirt916]

Hmm...that has generally been my experience 80% of the time...greatly overestimating turn around time.

It can always get done quickly myself, a dealer, or w’ a backyard mechanic that’s “done it before” or “all engines are the same I can figure it out”, but I really want quality and expertise by someone who’s done it before.

I really just want to be confident that I can be 2-3 hours in the desert and not worry about the bike blowing up.

So I guess I will just wait.

If I had to decide between local or Eric Gorr, I prefer local so I can drive over to retrieve it.

Is there anyway I can motivate him? More money? Schedule a time and nag him a lot? Smaller projects (ie. Bring bottom end w’ top end off)? Sativa? Jk jk. The last way is to drop off a 2nd motor to him so I can keep riding my current bike...but I had a spare motor and hated it. It sat for years outside and I eventually mailed it off to someone that’s more likely to use it than me.

I found a ‘19 EXC350 and ‘18 250 TPI for rent for the 14th...or the 500 EXC again

[breakdirt916]

mechanic couldn't get the pivot bolt off of the OEM linkage, so I dropped off the Devol linkage instead

meanwhile:



I love how easy it comes out!

last bit





took a peek at the easy part - up top:



honestly doesn't look that bad...guessing I ran 75-80 hours or so

the seal around the rings to the cylinder ports were tight, and a nice thin glassy layer of oil remained as the piston slid up and down



if you run your finger along that area with your eyes closed, you wouldn't know it was there



and well, well, well...the notorious 1994 YZ era power valve smasher



the stopper was actually wearing down to begin the slow descent towards the power valve smashing the piston.

you can get new stoppers...for $95

but cheaper than a top end

EDIT: as I was googling for alternative 2 stroke motor rebuilders, I realized I already had a thread about it in 2016

https://thumpertalk.com/forums/topic/1190828-2-stroke-engine-builder-shop-near-oc/

I called Q & E in Anaheim and while they are busy until Thanksgiving (everyone is), they could likely could start it after with a 3-4 week turn around.

[breakdirt916]

ahhh fugit

too much over analysis paralysis



out of my hands at this point

now we wait, and hope it gets done!

in the mean time, order up some more parts & start swapping out dried out hoses & missing fasteners

[aldend123]

mechanic couldn't get the pivot bolt off of the OEM linkage, so I dropped off the Devol linkage instead

Are you saying he couldn't get the bolt out that's pictured on the OE linkage below? If so, I don't know if that's enough to distrust their abilities, but it raises an eyebrow. A DIY'er with limited tools and 101 experience might struggle, but a shop should have a press. Was this just a case of 'not worth the effort'?