It ain’t pretty.....

[Nashcat]

But it runs! Yamaha TTR-125 that I bought to ride in the 5 acres of woods behind my house. I wanted something cheap and already beat up, and I got exactly what I was looking for. A little more beat up, than I thought, but it gave me something to do for the last month. I took my trailer to pick it up and the owner rode it around the parking lot a couple of times, then rode it on my trailer, into the chock. I didn’t do a close inspection, as I should have. Did I mention it was cheap?

Got it home, hit the starter, and it fired right up. Running rough, but well enough for a trip around the yard. WHERE’S THE BRAKE PEDAL?

On further inspection, it didn’t need a pedal, since the rear brake hardware is missing. No problem. eBay had brake and pedal hardware. Got the brake, but it doesn’t fit because they had changed the rear wheel. Back to eBay for rear wheel and tire. Started to mount the wheel and noticed the bent swingarm. Back to eBay for a swingarm for less money than the old one is worth in scrap aluminum.

In the meantime, I started sanding off the several coats of rattle can paint. The rims had even been painted, along with most of the tires.

Now for the part that you won’t believe!

Couldn’t get it to run smoothly, so I ordered a genuine pre-jetted Mikuni carb to replace the generic Chinese carb. The new carb didn’t look right, so I called to verify the fitment. That‘s when I found out the carb on the bike was mounted BACKWARDS! I don’t know how it was running, but it did.

Now it starts, runs, idles, and climbs hills. It just needs a couple of cans of paint. Oh, and a muffler.

John

 

[Mellow]

LOL.. always nice to have a little project to keep you busy.

 

[red one]

It ain't pretty.....but she runs

 

[Indian Express]

It looks like a bad a$$ little dirt bike; you could audition for a Mad Max movie now!

 

[Sadlsor]

Nice find!
And cheap is good (sometimes)!
So, you paid, what... about $90?

 

[mello dude]

Bassakward carburetor! LOL! Good story.

 

[Sadlsor]

Sounds like a California-inspired safety feature from the '70s, doesn't it?
There is no point in trying to ascribe any kind of logic to their ideas for keeping us safe from ourselves, and our environment pristine and priordial.

 

[Nashcat]

I think it was owned by a 12 year old, who did his own maintenance. The carb that was on it had a 2 bolt flange mount, but that wouldn’t fit the rubber, boot mount on the cylinder, so I guess he just turned it around so it would attach. Then the flange wouldn’t fit the air box, so he removed it.

Here‘s the first rear wheel.

 

[Sadlsor]

I think it was owned by a 12 year old, who did his own maintenance. The carb that was on it had a 2 bolt flange mount, but that wouldn’t fit the rubber, boot mount on the cylinder, so I guess he just turned it around so it would attach. Then the flange wouldn’t fit the air box, so he removed it.

Here‘s the first rear wheel.

OK, I revise my guesstimate: you paid $75 for it, not $90.

 

[Obo]

So it was setup as a push suck and not a suck push configuration. Makes sense it ran rough with the choke on the wrong side. You'd end up leaning it when it needed to be enriched.

Ya gotta love someone elses problems when you inherit them. Glad you got her sorted and she's ready to rip around on.

 

[SMSW]

I like those exposed wheel bearings. Easy to lube them. Did you say you wanted a diamond in the rough? I hope the original cost plus the parts you put on it were
worth it.

 

[Upt' North]

I like the little Rat, too clean though.
Upt'North.

 

[Nashcat]

I hope the original cost plus the parts you put on it were
worth it

Hey, it’s a motorcycle. Of course, it’s worth it! Who can put a value on freedom of the road, wind in you face, living your own life?

Nah, it’s a pit bike. I just didn’t know that it was a money pit.

John

 

[SMSW]

Hey, it’s a motorcycle. Of course, it’s worth it! Who can put a value on freedom of the road, wind in you face, living your own life?
Nah, it’s a pit bike. I just didn’t know that it was a money pit.

I agree with you, but I've found every old bike that needs parts/fixing ends up costing way more than anticipated.

 

[Obo]

I agree with you, but I've found every old bike that needs parts/fixing ends up costing way more than anticipated.

DIY frame repair.

 

[motofisch]

I installed the carburetor backwards on my dirtbike last year. It runs fine but I have to stop periodically to drain off all the excess fuel it's producing.