56 replies to this topic

[Brian]

Started this project last August, finished last Wed. What a pain......lol

 

 

 

 

 

[Joe Mig]

Ahh I love old dirt bikes and miss riding them. The last one I had was a 1981 honda cr 450.
It looks like you did a nice job.. I still have a few bikes to this day but the closest one I have to being a dirt
Bike is my 1970 sl350.

[garyvmachines]

Nice Job !!!!!  Sweet ............

 

 GAV

[48 Pitch]

I remember those!... Looks like you did a real good job on the restoration. Was that the first year for longer travel suspension? As I recall 1974 is the cutoff for a vintage racer.

I had a 1973 F7-175 I got from a bone yard that had the whole front end stolen, someone had cut the cables and loosened the triple clamp bolts and the steering stem bolt and just slid the forks and front wheel and bottom triple clamp and stem out; so it still had the top clamp and bars and instruments. I think I got it for $350.00 and then found a front end for an F7 at a bone yard in San Diego for maybe 100. I stripped all the street stuff off and made it strictly dirt. I had a lot of fun with that bike.

The Bultaco shop gave me something for it in trade when I bought a new 1975 250 Pursang from them.

I went back to my roots and now the only bike I have is a 1976 KE-175 all stripped down for dirt that runs great. Got it at another bone yard out there maybe 15 years ago for $75.00 and had to split the cases and change a crank bearing.

 

Are you going to vintage race your KX 250?

 

Jeff

Attached Files

•  2.BMP   297.05KB   29 downloads
•  3.BMP   297.05KB   16 downloads

[Dr. Gamma]

Nice job!!!

 

Reminds me of the first true dirtbike I ever rode, a 1974 KX450!!!

 

That thing had some much torque, I never even downshifted going up hills!!

 

I still walk with a bit of a limb from starting that monster.

 

God, I miss the smell of R30!!!!

[Mark H]

WOAH wasnt expecting that result! most awesome! great job. kind of wish my dad didnt sell his 86 YZ490 now. 

 

love the smell of castor in the morning

[brnursebmt]

Sweet bike, Brian.

[Brian]

I remember those!... Looks like you did a real good job on the restoration. Was that the first year for longer travel suspension? As I recall 1974 is the cutoff for a vintage racer.

I had a 1973 F7-175 I got from a bone yard that had the whole front end stolen, someone had cut the cables and loosened the triple clamp bolts and the steering stem bolt and just slid the forks and front wheel and bottom triple clamp and stem out; so it still had the top clamp and bars and instruments. I think I got it for $350.00 and then found a front end for an F7 at a bone yard in San Diego for maybe 100. I stripped all the street stuff off and made it strictly dirt. I had a lot of fun with that bike.

The Bultaco shop gave me something for it in trade when I bought a new 1975 250 Pursang from them.

I went back to my roots and now the only bike I have is a 1976 KE-175 all stripped down for dirt that runs great. Got it at another bone yard out there maybe 15 years ago for $75.00 and had to split the cases and change a crank bearing.

 

Are you going to vintage race your KX 250?

 

Jeff

The KE is sweet! My first motorcycle was a 75' KE100, I always could count on it starting.

 

We see alot of Bulls at the vintage races, very popular.

 

Yes, I'm racing it. Raced Saturday in Southern Ohio at the first AMA Grand National event, placed 7th in 250A & 8th in 50+A. I need to change gearing, had alot of motor work done & timing may need adjusted a bit. I lost over 35lbs. to race this series & had not raced since 89'. Have a 1980 RM125 I'm going to practice on, God knows, I need it.....lol.

 

Here's a couple of pics. before & after the first race

 

 

 

The track was perfect & really fun too! Big uphills & downhills, long sweepers, it was a BLAST!

 

Thanks for the nice comments guys,

[Brian]

Nice job!!!

 

Reminds me of the first true dirtbike I ever rode, a 1974 KX450!!!

 

That thing had some much torque, I never even downshifted going up hills!!

 

I still walk with a bit of a limb from starting that monster.

 

God, I miss the smell of R30!!!!

Thanks Robert,

 

If you look at the pic.of after the race, the kickstarter bent when I went to fire it up for the second moto of the 250A, Got to do something about that, it got in the way for both second motos of the classes.....The track had this section where you came around a long sweeper to the right, hit a 90, right, at the top of this hill, jump down it, 90, left, back up with double jump in the middle of the hill, super cool section! The bike handled that great, but, at the top of that hill, left, jump down the longest of steepest of hills, turning at the bottom then right back up, that's where the bike had trouble....or me....had to clutch the bike in second gear from mid-way, to top. Going to tighten up the gearing & see where that leads....

 

I run Bel-Ray at 50:1 with Sunoco race fuel...smells great!!!!!

[Bob Kurkowski]

Brian,

 

Was a 'downpipe' original to that bike ?

 

Bob K.

[Brian]

Ya, but came across the "Bassani", so we think....."Smashed" on ebay.

 

 

 

 

 

I used compressed air & a torch to get this....

 

 

 

 

Almost screwed up by pushing it....if you look at the third pic. of repair, the seam just about let go......Had to add length to the intake side &  end cap too, wanted to repack baffle. Replaced top mount & added one to the rear for support.

[HarV Wallbanger III]

Beautiful job! Have fun!

Was this still called The "Green Streak" in 75' ???? I think that was what they called their first 250 dirt bike???

[Tom Eatherly]

Hmmm, I hope Tore Anderson and Phil Nyland see this, as they are old dirt bikers like myself. I think they'd like this.

Aw, the memories! BTW, Phil still rides; he's got some nice stuff.

[Tom Eatherly]

Geez, how rude of me! NICE job on the bike Brian. Enjoy!

[HarV Wallbanger III]

Phil picked up an very nice old Penton .... ISDT (Int. 6 Days Trials) 125 or MX..... I think? Maybe he will see this post. I grew up in the High Desert Of So. Cal. and watched as the old 4 stroke "Desert Sleds" lost ground to the "Ring-aDings" in the mid 60's.

Oh what fun to see 4 stroke 305 Honda Scramblers and 650 BSA's slam their way through whoops at Dead Man's Point Hare and Hounds.... with a paper plate taped to the front and a guy hanging on for dear life!.... with Hodaka 100's, Rickman's, Bultaco Pursang's, Greeves and many others ... flying by as well.   

[Brian]

Beautiful job! Have fun!

Was this still called The "Green Streak" in 75' ???? I think that was what they called their first 250 dirt bike???

I think your correct, Barney. Can't remenber what year it was though...... they also made 100cc & a 238cc that they called "Greenstreaks".

 

I had Phil involved with this, called him a few times.....He did say he was working on the Penton, He should be getting close to finish...... I hope he post too!

[Brian]

Here's a few more pics. of mods. I did:

 

The footpegs were prone to breaking off, I used a friend's tig machine to do all the welding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Head & Cylinder work was done by PR Racing, one of my old sponsors, out of Toledo, Oh. The jug was then sent out for rechrome. The 75' was the first year for the chrome coated liner.

 

 

Intake

 

Transfers

 

 

Exhaust

 

This bike is a runner, just ironing out some bugs. Changed the timing last night & waitng for a 51t rear sprocket, Stock is a 48t. This bike wants to rev.....

[Brian]

By the way, this isn't my bike. I've got a sponsor that wanted me to race the AMA Grand National series for fat, old guys. I build it, I get to race it....sweet deal! After the series the bike will be cleaned up & put in his collection. I've been doing bike restorations for him, for about, 15yrs. Have about 35 completed, English, Europeon, & Japenense. He's talking about opening a museum in this area....we'll see

[Dr. Gamma]

I think your correct, Barney. Can't remenber what year it was though...... they also made 100cc & a 238cc that they called "Greenstreaks".

 

I had Phil involved with this, called him a few times.....He did say he was working on the Penton, He should be getting close to finish...... I hope he post too!

 

The first Greenstreak was the 100cc G31M back around 1970/1971. It was more of a flat tracker if I remember right. I guy I used to ride with back then, Lloyd Miller had one in his living room back then. I remember a F21M, was that the 238cc bike back around 1970?? What was the F12M?? 

[Brian]

Barney...got me curious...Robert, I Googled it, it does look like a Flat Tracker. The "12" is a 450cc, I think....., Phil would know without googling....I know there's one with an extra frame in the "Pile".....Owner keeps talking about it. It's a shame not many of these bikes were made, here or there....with a few mods., they run & handle!

[Phil Nyland]

Awesome restoration Brian!    Not many Kawasaki's from that era are around anymore. Beautiful Job!  When Kawasaki got into national motocross in '73 Jerry Marcell was the lead engineer.  Jerry measured the steering head angle, trail, triple clamp offset, etc.etc.of the Maico, CZ, Bultaco, and Husky. When he designed the factory frames he split the difference between all those dimensions. They were cromoly and built by C&J frames. Brad Lackey said that his bike handled so good his little sister could have won on it. The F12mx was the production 450 I believe.

[Brian]

Thanks Phil, also, thanks for all your help & knowledge.....really like listening/reading you my brother. I hope you post the "Bull".....Maybe I should get Lackey's sister to ride it...lol. I am very fortunate to be in this place...what a BLAST to ride! It wasn't easy finding parts, didn't have the correct piston till early last week...was going to machine a 74',..the oversized 74' piston needed the skirts cut .018 & two holes added at the exhaust side....glad I didn't have to do that....don't like that situation...had a bike grande on me due to skirt hieght, I really like these bikes. we got second in the AMA 500cc Intermediate 251-500cc Class & won the 50+ Intermediate 251-500cc last year...took 7yrs.,.....We know now what needs to be done....love these Kaws!

 

Thanks again for all your help, Phil

[48 Pitch]

Nice looking welds Brian,.... And I can’t believe how you got the big dent out of that pipe. Are you saying you were able to get the inside of the pipe under air compression, and then heat the dented area with a torch to soften the steel enough for the air pressure to start pushing the dent back out? That’s GREAT! I don’t think I would have thought of that.
That cylinder has some serious ports in it. Is this a piston port with reed valve or straight piston port?

About the Greenstreaks, as I remember only the 100 and the 238 were called Greenstreaks.

Kawasaki had some interesting names for their early 2 stroke singles though.
There was a 100 Trail Boss, the 175 was the Bushwacker, the rotary valve 250 (Blue) was the Big Bear (I think) and of course the most well known was probably the 360 Big Horne
And my Dad had the 120 Road Runner, It was a rotary shift as I remember. You could go from 4th straight to 1st and it had a dual range lever in the side also.
You don’t see a lot of 120 Road Runners around.
I hope I didn’t get the names mixed up; I’m just calling this up from memory.

Jeff

[Brian]

Nice looking welds Brian,.... And I can’t believe how you got the big dent out of that pipe. Are you saying you were able to get the inside of the pipe under air compression, and then heat the dented area with a torch to soften the steel enough for the air pressure to start pushing the dent back out? That’s GREAT! I don’t think I would have thought of that.
That cylinder has some serious ports in it. Is this a piston port with reed valve or straight piston port?

About the Greenstreaks, as I remember only the 100 and the 238 were called Greenstreaks.

Kawasaki had some interesting names for their early 2 stroke singles though.
There was a 100 Trail Boss, the 175 was the Bushwacker, the rotary valve 250 (Blue) was the Big Bear (I think) and of course the most well known was probably the 360 Big Horne
And my Dad had the 120 Road Runner, It was a rotary shift as I remember. You could go from 4th straight to 1st and it had a dual range lever in the side also.
You don’t see a lot of 120 Road Runners around.
I hope I didn’t get the names mixed up; I’m just calling this up from memory.

Jeff

 

 

I did all the pipe repair from the outside, about an hour or so after setup.

 

Kawasaki had some attractive names...Jmo too. When I first started riding/racing with a friend from school & his older brothers, they called us Trail king & Trail blazer.....lol.  Jim Rhea, my friend's brother, rode for CZ back in 72 '. raced nationals & support classes in the Trans-am series., he rode some Inter-am races before that too, but got no paper. Have a pic. of a Klotz ad with him going over the "Tower" jump at Mid-Ohio.

 

I have that memory too, "Road Runner" sounds right...never forget those days with my friends & father.....70's was good for most, miss that ERA......

[Brian]

Phil,

 

That is so cool that he took all the geometry from those manufacturers to get...., what he got. I rode a 501 Maico when I was 15yrs., didn't have a clue how it handled till a few years later....