RD125

[Johnwebley]

well,I have done it,

 got a scruffy little RD125,

 tiny next to the Honda,going to need some work,and tiding up,

as soon as I get it looking halfway decent,I will post some pics,

[MarkCR750]

Great fun 2 strokes, really easy to work on as well, 4 bolts and the heads off!, look fwd to seeing the photos John .

[Johnwebley]

Great fun 2 strokes, really easy to work on as well, 4 bolts and the heads off!, look fwd to seeing the photos John .

  first pic,needs TLC,just like me,I have already joined the AircooledRD forum,had a quick read ,got some links to parts in the USA,
ordered so about £200 worth,pounds !!   not dollars,although they do seem very fair and consolidate postage,and sends refunds,

[MarkCR750]

Oh it's the early round tank "torque induction" brilliant , that will be a little cracker when it's done, always had a hankering for the 350 version, getting too expensive now though, does it run?

[Johnwebley]

Oh it's the early round tank "torque induction" brilliant , that will be a little cracker when it's done, always had a hankering for the 350 version, getting too expensive now though, does it run?

 yes,it sounds quiet,a nice burble ,


 but no chain or battery,so will be a little time before it runs properly,
Yambits,a sort of Yamaha David Silver,dated it at 1974,early RD,

when I last had a 125 yam,it was a YAS1,and at times I ordered spares from a London company,Sondel  Sport,
guess who used to work there??

 David Silver,


   small world !!!

[cbcoops]

Yes, RDs are great. I have an RD350A which I've owned for years. My brother has a 1973 Yam CS5E 200, similar to this 125 that he is looking to sell, fairly tidy although a bit non standard and been sat for a few years. It used to belong to a friend of mine back in the day when I was riding my CB200 (all my bikes seem to be off the road), and when we took them up the by-pass I used to be able to get mine flat out up to about 85mph (that's what it said on the speedo anyway) and he would always be able to overtake me on the Yam. He was really annoying like that as before that I had a Yam FS1E and he had a Suzuki AP50 and mine would just about reach 45mph and he would pass me and then change up into fifth. The fizzie only had 4 gears as I remember.

[wolfheze]

Yes fs1e was 4 speed. I had an AP and it was slightly faster,especially downhill when you could make full use of the slightly taller top gear. The old Honda ss 50 always gets slated for being slow but I seem to remember that the later 5 speed version was okay once it was wound up.

[GTB981]

I have both RD125 that I restored and RD200 (bought restored). Coffin tank 1980 versions. Great fun !

[MarkCR750]

How's the restoration going john have you started to progress it yet?

[Johnwebley]

yes,mainly spraying Plusgas and other products over all the rusted bolts,

  spending all over the world using fleabay,

 mudguards,airbox,air inlet tubes,filters,cables,stacks of odds and ends,not been able to get in the garage,but will soon,and more later

[Johnwebley]

quick update,

   it seems to be coming apart quite well,as the pictures show,

  main problem is the simple steering damper,the adjuster rod is rusted into the bottom disc,being a small threaded rod,I don't
want to force it,still trying Plusgas,or oil,or Redex,anything to try to free the threads,

[Bryanj]

 Try Heat and plusgas/wd40 at the same time----just be prepared for the flames!!

[Trigger]

A lot of heat works every time with me.

[Johnwebley]

still not attacked the steering damper,

 just lots of Plusgas etc ,

 so while that is (starting) to work,I hope,

 I decided to start taking the "blues" away,

 see a few before and after pics,nice to see some alloy again,

[K2-K6]

As well as the above good advice,  I've been undoing some very corroded parts with the following method but it does rely on getting a socket or some form of drive onto the part (I'm unfamiliar with the non stuck end of your damper rod).

Using a drill with screwdriver with variable clutch (not one of the newer types of impact screwdriver as the torque is too high and will snap components) if you get a square drive socket bit you can set the clutch really low and just persistently rattle with a socket first one way and then the other to free the corrosion,  it make take a little working but it will usually get things moving.

Don't turn the torque setting up much as you are not at that point trying to undo it and it may snap easily, but just keep gently working it until it starts to free itself and you can get more lubricant into it before getting it to turn further.

Works well on case screws as well by using an impact driver bit to get some stuck ones moving,  also exhaust studs are fairly easy even when quite corroded.