A forum for owners of Yamaha TTR250 trail and enduro bikes!

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

1994 RAID RESURRECTION

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

After a thorough wash, I made a to do list. In no special order, it is;

Ignition switch. Original broken by a thief who didn't quite make off with the Yamaha. Ordered from Brian.

Front brakes. Functioning but I'll overhauling both the master and wheel cylinders, simply because the bike is 20 years old!

Drive chain. Still fitted with OE 428 unit, sprockets are good so I've replaced the worn chain only. Will convert to 520 kit when replacement is needed.

Numberplate mount and light. Sourced a cheap plastic bracket locally, and will make a light to suit. It will probably only be on the bike to pass registration.

Mirrors. Bought a pair of basic ones locally, for registration requirements.

Frame paint. Brushed a coat of epoxy enamel, it's no concourse job but it'll stop the rust!

That's about it.

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

After the initial clean up and assessment, I changed the engine oil and filter. That's where I met my first hiccup. The sump plug was as though it was welded in place! In the end I resorted to a hammer, cold chisel and a propane torch. It eventually came out..after much swearing and cursing the previous owner biggrin I replaced the plug with a metric car type, fibrous washer and with a 17mm hex rather than the wimpy 12mm original. After the oil change I left the engine idling for a few minutes and noticed a significant oil leak from the seal that covers the hole where the decompressor fitting would be installed. I've since learnt this is common, and ordered a new plug from Brian along with the other bits.

I've replaced some of the rusted fasteners with stainless steel ones, and noticed the broken stud at the front wheel axle. I thought removing that would have been a worse drama than the sump bolt was, but to my surprise it came out fairly easily with two nuts locked together, and just unscrewed it like a bolt. I replaced the stud with an M6 high tensile bolt. The other three studs look fine.

Today I turned my attention to the exhaust system. The header pipe is in good condition, steel wool was all it needed. The muffler, well, has seen better days. It looks like it's been opened up at some time in the last 20 years-then very badly welded back together. Strange. It still feels heavy, isn't noisy and doesn't leak so I just hit it with some matt black and refitted it biggrin

I still need to remove the front brake assembly and give it the once over. I'll repaint the master cylinder and the clutch perch matt black and reuse them. One thing about the TTR that surprised me was how good the stock headlight is...............it's a ripper!

More to come biggrin

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

I've always like small bore Yamahas....................and the colour Blue biggrin

Even Stink Wheels!

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

This is my other Dual Purpose biggrin

TTRfan · Super Guru

Looking good William! The plastics came up very well.

The Raid headlight is the best of the TTR ones and I used to fit one to my OE to do overnight Long Distance Trials (LDTs) which include a lot of night-time road work and trials sections.

Looking forward to seeing more pics wink

Brian

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

Thanks Brian, I'm going to have a go at buffing the plastics.............the sidecovers have a lot of fine scratches. The front guard looks like Freddy Kruger had a go at it

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

Did a little more to the TTR this weekend whilst waiting for work. Fitted a generic rego plate holder, and a set of mirrors to pass roadworthy. Modified wiring to suit the new ignition switch when it arrives, once that is installed I can refit the tank & seat and book it in for its roadworthy check. I've ordered a set of new levers and pivot bolts as the originals are both bent and worn.

The rego holder needed quite a bit of modifying to fit, but is more than adequate for its intended purpose and was certainly cheap enough biggrin I also repainted the front brake master cylinder, clutch perch, footrests and sidestand as they were looking very tatty. It should be road legal, and maybe road registered by next weekend biggrin Can't wait to ride it!

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

I couldn't resist the Renthal crossbar pad I spotted while buying some chain lube at my local bike parts store

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

My first little order of parts arrived today, thanks Brian and Trish biggrin

Installed the new ignition switch, and the new blanking plug for the decompressor device fitting in the cylinder head. No more oil leak! Reinstalled the tank and seat. Only waiting on a light for the rego plate to arrive then I can book it in for a blue slip. Nearly done biggrin and can't wait to take it for a proper ride!

Looks a lot better with the seat and tank refitted biggrin

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

Took the TTR out for it's maiden road ride today with the Macquarie Towns Motorcycle Restoration Preservation Club's rally And it bucketed down. The TTR handled the conditions far better than my old body did, I had to call it quits at midday...........never been so cold or wet on a bike in 35 years

My local bike mechanic fitted a 520 driveline conversion and a new road legal full knobby rear yesterday, so I was a little coy splashing around the bends until I got used to the TTR's quick and light steering. Up until the point my body's core temp fell too low I was having a ball! Clutchless changes easy and smooth, and that little four valve thumper likes to rev biggrin

Only need to get the front brakes sorted when the other bits arrive from Brian & Trish, and I'll be ready to hit the trails when our Winter buggers off. It was probably a good thing the front brake wasn't working very well, in today's early conditions it would have been easy to grab too much and be on one's butt! biggrin

All things considered, I enjoyed my first proper ride on the TTR.............lots of horsepower aren't needed to bring out the grin factor eh! biggrin

Sorry no photos............my digital camera isn't even water resistant cry

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

Sunshine today...would have been nice yesterday for the Rally disbelief Anyway, got everything cleaned up and dried after the drenching yesterday biggrin

Managed to fit a seat/tail bag to the TTR's rear today, I used it as a backpack yesterday and spent last night in pain[crook back]and I think it'll travel OK the way it is. I'll post some photos of the setup tomorrow arvo if I don't get called up for a job. It's an Oxford unit and does a great job. I had some spare time today so I thought I'd have a closer look at the front brake issue. The master cylinder issue was is wouldn't operate smoothly , seemed to 'ratchet' when the lever was squeezed, and the brake itself didn't work at all for the first 10mm, then it would lock without warning and remain partially applied for about three seconds confuse

I've ordered a new lever and pivot post, as both are worn as I figured that had something to do with the erratic lever action. I wasn't completely correct..as usual biggrin biggrin

There is an allen headed screw through the lever with a lock nut on it, and the screw bears on the piston when the lever is squeezed. The end of the screw was very sharp, and needs to move laterally ever so slightly when brakes are applied and it was being stuck/loose in quick succession. The cure was to remove it, and round the end to a hemisphere and polish it. The master cylinder operates as it should now, even with the bent and worn pivot bolt and lever!

Feeling I was on a roll, I decided to pull the caliper and check it out. Brakes scare me a little, and I usually leave anything to with them to my local bike mechanic. Armed with fiche diagram I removed it and disassembled it. Turns out there was a little corrosion where it shouldn't be on the sliding pins, and also on the pad mounting pins. The pad pins were also very slightly bent. I have some parts coming from the UK to address all the issues I found, but I decided to clean up and lubricate the existing ones regardless. 800 grit wet & dry followed by Autosol metal polish. I think the caliper was binding because of the corrosion. The rubber boots were OK. It looks like the PO just stopped using the front brake completely, as when I test rode the bike and asked him about why they weren't working he just said he didn't feel confident pulling it apart. Fair enough!

Anyway, reassembled the caliper and refitted it. Went for a short ride and gradually used the front brake more and more.....it now works brilliantly! There is enough power there to overwhelm the knobby front tyre's grip in the dry.

Glad I decided to 'have a go'

TTRfan · Super Guru

Well done William - very satisfying when you have a go and the fix works biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin wink

Something for other owners to check is that the correct brake lever has been fitted to their TTR. Surprising how many non-TTR levers are fitted where the Allen bolt doesn't sit in the centre of the master cylinder plunger. Instead they work on the edge and often chew up the plunger boot

Brian

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

Agreed Brian, I think that's one of the issues with mine. One reason why I splurged on two new levers from you guys

I'm saving for a set of bigger footpegs now

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

Fitted the number plate light today. ready for my first dirt ride! biggrin

ttr steve · Super Guru

Looks good, shame to get it dirty wink wink wink . I have the wider foot pegs, they are great!

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

ttr steve wrote:
Looks good, shame to get it dirty. I have the wider foot pegs, they are great!

Yeah Steve, I'll be ordering a set of those wider 'pegs in the very near future biggrin

KNjonjo · Veteran Member

Hi William,

Good job getting the Raid back to good shape. What tail bag do you have fitted? Looks like it fits very well.

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

KNjonjo wrote:
Hi William,

Good job getting the Raid back to good shape. What tail bag do you have fitted? Looks like it fits very well.

It's an Oxford #36 tail/seat bag. Travels well on the back of the TTR, I don't carry passengers so the rear of the seat is just wasted space otherwise and though the tank is steel, it's an awkward shape to get even a tiny tank bag to adhere to biggrin I have a set of generic throw over soft panniers that should fit as well if I decide to do an overnighter in the bush. I can't wear backpacks due to a knackered lower back :-/

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

By sheer chance tracked down a stainless steel/alloy slip on for the TTR at a wreckers locally. Now I can replace the badly rusted and repaired OEM one with something that is half the weight and will probably outlast me biggrin

It has some type of lacquer on it, steel wool was shifting it albeit very slowly!

KNjonjo · Veteran Member

Thanks for the bag info. Looks like lady luck smiled on you with the exhaust find. Hope it just needs repacking.

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

Fitted my bargain slip on today. Has a 'fruity' note, but not to over the top in my opinion biggrin

It's got a few marks on it but it's in much better shape than the OEM one that was on the bike when I bought it. I'll hang on to the original and refit it at rego time. It's also half the weight of the stocker smile

TTRfan · Super Guru

Looks like an Oshiro.

Mine was a tad loud but I slipped a copper pipe fitting in the end which directed the gases downward and it was surprising how much quieter it made it.

Brian

Oshiro exhaust extension.jpg

WillsTTR · Veteran Member

I do believe you are right there Brian. There appears to be the remnants of small blind rivets in the skin where the manufacturers plate would have been. It is a little noisy, but I had a look at the pipe exit and I doubt it would be too hard to fashion a removable fitting to kill off a few decibels!