$400 Vintage Motorcycle Project - 1981 Yamaha SR250 , EP 1
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2019
- When this cool little 1981 Yamaha SR250 popped up on Craigslist for $500, it looked perfect for my next vintage motorcycle project. I really like the simplicity of vintage bikes, both when riding them and working on them, so after talking the previous owners down to $400 I became the proud owner of this sort of running, rusty little bike with a title. Uhhhh...what had I done?! But seriously, I knew there'd be some work ahead to get it back on the road and running safely. I invite you to follow along with the whole build series, from troubleshooting to customization, using this playlist: bit.ly/344S2uR
If you enjoy this video I hope you’ll give it a “like” and will consider hitting the subscribe button. Have a comment or thought? Please leave it below…comments are always encouraged and appreciated! For more content you can also follow me on Instagram at / jimmytmoto and at my website, jimmytmoto.com .
This channel is for motorcycle riders, mechanics, and enthusiasts who enjoy the simple joys of motorcycling, from dual sport riding to fixing up old bikes on a budget. My videos also consider the perspective of short motorcycle riders (when it’s helpful and relevant) in choosing and modifying bikes and equipment.
I’ve been hooked on motorcycles since 1975 when, at the age of 11, my dad brought home a shiny new Suzuki TM75 for me and a Suzuki TC185 for himself so that we could trail ride together in the hills of West Virginia. Since then I’ve worked as a mechanic, owned countless bikes, and even worked in the motorcycle industry for a number of years as a photographer and journalist. Now I do mainly video production and enjoy nothing more than making and sharing these motorcycle videos on RUclips.
Thanks again for watching. Ride safe!
- jimmytmoto 
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I had one of these for many years. Loved it. Had it customer painted two tone black and gunmetal, pin stripes and heads ported (my brother knew how to do that stuff and did it when I had it stripped down. It was a beast, really. Sold it 'cause I needed cash. One of many dumb decisions I made long ago. Thanks for the post Jimmy.
In 1990 I bought a Yamaha 400 i road it back and forth to work every day for one year and sold it for $400 which is what I paid for it and bought a bigger bike. The Little Yamaha was my first motorcycle. 💕
You have to really love and appreciate motorcycles to take on a build like this....
just as exciting as the decal... I have had 3 KZ-200's but never one of these.. always trashed.
Always fun to have a new project in the shop.
Got same bike for $250.00 from Local Cycle Salvage with 3300 miles on it. Tank is clean inside, just needs a coat of candy paint due to sun damage. NOS seat off eBay and it's done :) Has pizza box too!
Good vid thanks for info
I just found out your channel and I am in love with it! I m gonna check the other videos!
Thanks, Rui!
fun💪👏🏻
1:39 that’s what I call a permanent fix.
Best rear tire on the SR250 is a Bridgestone TW40, and the Duro HF-904 looks very similar. The TW40 was superb on everything including wet roads, and all the offroad the SR250 could handle. I would say it was the best road tire for the bike too, far better than the random street tires I had before. I remember feeling very distinctly like I was riding a radically improved / reinvented bike for how much better it was.
The SR250 is a wonderful bike. I have 1 3/4 of them in a shed, sadly not together in running order. My dad bought his SR250 new in 1982, and followed up shortly after buying me an SR185 from the dealer. I was still 15, but in a couple of months turned 16 and getting immediately on the road. Great bikes, a blast on the street and on the trails. I put a lot of miles on my 185, but eventually killed it, and my dad had quit riding and gave me his 250. Then a friend crashed and bent the frame on his 250, and sold it to me as a parts bike. I kept my dad's 250 alive until about 10 years ago, but sadly killed it by stupidly putting in some of that Lucas oil syrup without changing the oil filter, which starved the top end and chewed the exhaust cam and rocker. Life troubles and too much work, I never got around to rebuilding it.
But my soul was withering away with no bike. I bought an XT250 in 2016, and then bought an XT225 this year, after watching your video about "why I bought an XT225 in 2018". The XT225 is my bush crawler. Find the guy who makes the oversize foot pegs on XT225.com, and buy them, it radically improves the bike, a real game changer from the 1/2 size stock pegs.
A good and easy mod I did on the SR250 was to replace the headlight can with one that takes a larger standard round bulb. I then bought a bulb that used a replaceable halogen lamp in the back, and that gave me WAY brighter headlight. Of course these days you can probably find an LED bulb that can be hacked into place in the stock headlight can. In any case, it's one of the few things I can curse Yamaha for, how they consistently use bastardized headlamp bulbs with weird mounting hardware attached, so you can only get replacements from them at stupid prices, if those parts even still exist.
Best of luck with your project :)
Thanks, it's great to get this guidance, especially since you've ridden the tires on so much different terrain with the SR. I'm so looking forward to seeing what this little bike will do! What were you running up front with the TW40? But...spoiler alert: I already went ahead bought the cheapest Shinko street tires (future episode) because I cheaped out and got hung up on which direction to go. The Bridgestones TWs look like they've getting fairly expensive and I was stumped on finding a good front to go with the Duro. I was thinking to go with the Shinko SR244 for the front (have them on my XT225) but the 3.00-18 has a low speed rating. So I think my goal now is to try and burn through the Shinkos and then spring for the matched set of Bridgestones (TW40/39) next time around, it sounds like they're definitely worth it.
@@jimmytmoto I was running a generic old street tire on the front. It had some tread, it wasn't cracked, and I only had the need and money at the time to replace the rear tire. As for the speed rating of L on that Shinko 244, I would not worry about it, because you'll be extremely hard pressed to exceed it on the SR250 anyways, and even then by no more than maybe 5 mph on a *steep* down hill with a *hard* tail wind. As for the TW39, sorry to say, but it's a 19" tire, not 18". Looking for potentially suitable tires, there are almost no choices for credible dual sport (ie worth buying). That Shinko 244 looks good, but the Kenda K270 equivalent is a 2.75x18, is specifically a front tire, might be lighter than the Shinko, and looks otherwise like an identical tire / tread / design.
@@exploder69 I had no clue about the K270 2.75-18, that sounds perfect! Pairing it with the Duro HF-904 could make a great budget tire setup. It doesn't look like more than a few small-bore Japanese bikes ran this 18/16 tire setup...I had a friend with a Honda Nighthawk 250 in the same situation.
exploder69 Oh, and I meant to mention that my XT225 does have the wide pegs already, put on by the previous owner. Love those things! I want to ditch the rubber pegs on the SR250 at some point, even if it means starting with older YZ pegs or something.
Glad those TW tires worked for you. I had them on a Honda NX250 and felt they lived up to their "Death Wing" nickname. The front loved to wash out with no warning. They did fine on the pavement though.
Thinking about using a used 1981 Yahama SCR250, 1,500$ 32500km on it.
Awesome. Watched all of these as I have the same bike and love what you did but can't find the idle adjustment setting anywhere. What do you have yours set too.
Hey I was wondering if you still had the old seats for the SR250 I’m looking for them so I can use the trunk thanks!
Does anyone know of a Yamaha Sr excited group to share questions ideas etc. Thanks for the great video.
This looks like my SR. Too fun to ride to wash it.
Right on! I’d rather have a bike I don’t mind getting dirty than having a museum piece in the garage. They are meant to be ridden!
Im planning to adquire one of this, 2007 model. This or the Suzuki 2008 250 Gn. Maybe an advice for this novice?
How tall are you? Trying to gauge height of this bike
Hey, Zackary, I'm 5'5" with a short 28 inch inseam. The bike has a really low seat height but it's a little bit wide. I hope this helps!
@@jimmytmoto appreciate the feedback, thanks!
How many millimeters are the forks?
Hey, Colton, the forks are 36mm. A bit on the spindly side but well suited to the bike and the speeds its typically ridden at. Could definitely use some stiffer springs and damping, though.
jimmytmoto thank you!
Good day. I have the same bike. Pulled out the shed after 18 years of sitting. The exhaust is noisy, do you have a undated exhaust and where did you get it