Originally Posted by Makko
Tony,
I have always been into Motocross (Scramblers as they were known way back!). I have never ridden a bike on the road as I consider it far too dangerous!
My favourite was a Gilera 50cc ISDE. about 13HP. It weighed nothing and was wonderfully reliable. When I came to live in Mexico, my brother cannibalized it for his scooters. Looking around, the are worth up to 5,000 now, in original condition.
We also modified a Kawasaki Z-200 as a sand-racer. We weighed the components, such as the starter motor, battery and mudguards, as we took them off and replaced/scrapped them. When the project was finishing, I sent my brother on his bike to get a back tyre and inner tube, along with a signed blank check. He came back, 70 pounds later, with a Metzler Enduro Cross 6.50 tyre! An absolute beast! We had left the street gearing/sprockets as original and boy, could that bike rip! We never raced it though.
I have a Yamaha MX400 1975, monoshock, which I bought in 1984. Over the summer, I rebuilt the engine and installed a SmartCarb 2 flat slide carb (If you don't know this brand, check it out - recommended!). You can start the engine by hand, it is now so "tight". However, when I started it for the first time after the rebuild, I found that the kill switch was inoperative. I had to crank up the gears and stall it on the tiled garage floor, no mean feat! I shall have to post a photo........ I am now looking to get a transverse trailer ramp fitted so that I can take it up to my daughter's house in Monterrey - She lives, literally, at the entrance to the Huasteca National Park, so no need to transport it or traverse official roadways. Take a look at the magnificence of the Huasteca, you will be surprised!
Rgds.
Dave
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