Basket Cases

[Greg Harding]

Hi Everyone,

Just thought I would share woks cooking in the new year, finally a KT, the only Japanese 70`s trials bike that I have had very little to do with! Only ever ridden one which is a pretty good original example and was very impressed with the power delivery but not the handling. Will wait and see what soft tyres, personally set preload and gearing to suit me makes it feel like before I form a lasting opinion.

What`s missing? Thought I would lay out all the pieces (except some motor parts as rain was threatening) and ask if anyone has any of the missing pieces to help me get it back to riding stage. All of my bikes get ridden and none are perfect, I am willing to trade and less than perfect is OK with me.

David, I know you are looking and just for you there is an extra foreign piece in the photo other than cooking or eating utensils. Sorry in advance for the sleepless nights working it out!

Look forward to the mission in the new year as when it`s rideable, anyone who comes to my place for a ride can do their own 70`s 250 Japanese comparion test.

Special thanks to Chippy and Robert E for this Basket Case.

[Stu]

isnt it scary that Greg has laid all the pieces out on the dish and they are in perfect condition already??

[David Lahey]

I'm wondering if the rest of the gardening tools are also highly polished

[David Lahey]

David, I know you are looking and just for you there is an extra foreign piece in the photo other than cooking or eating utensils. Sorry in advance for the sleepless nights working it out!

There is a little pressed steel bracket between the front wheel and the front mudguard that I don't remember as being part of a KT

[David Lahey]

I guess this is not a basket case? A dish case? A plate case? A wok case?

[Scorps]

Howdy Y'all,

There is a little pressed steel bracket between the front wheel and the front mudguard that I don't remember as being part of a KT

That is the front brake cable mount David. Is a separate piece on one year, and integrated with the mudguard brackets on the other.

It's not totally clear, but Is it possibly home made engine mounts on the lower frame cradle?

[Greg Harding]

Hi Everyone,

Stu, perfect condition? Not really, however some bits are really good and some are missing for now. Thought I would give an example in the photo on the left.

David, Rob W gave me some tips (in TLR sidecar post) on how to use precision tools! Only shiny from hard work, obviously not council tools! Anyway in this case they are cooking utensils! The bracket on the right, is that the one you mean? Not being that familiar with KT`s, but I thought that was original. In any CASE, you will have to do better than that, so maybe another sleepless night!?????

Scorps, Hows things? Thought KT photos might stimulate some interest from you. Judging by the description of a KT on ebay, your collection should be kept in Fort Knox! The frame looks unmolested to me and has been powdercoated, other than the rear mudguard loop which is misaligned and chain tensioner bracket is missing. Can you date the KT by the seperate brake cable mount?

The foreign piece is on its own in clear view (albeit small) in the photo.

[David Lahey]

Greg yes it is tantalising and my next guess is that it's gotta be that straightish darkish thing between the airbox and the home-made aluminium sidecover (unless that is the rear fuel tank strap)- hard to see from such a distance with 51 year old eyes.

The seat looks too short too

Scorps is definitely the man for sorting out front brake cable mounts and front guard mounts. He had quite a time a few years ago sorting out what went where when trying to get a new aftermarket cable to fit. Not only are there different front brake cable mounts, but there are at least two different shape front brake arms as well. Welcome to KT250 puzzle world. Have you ever noticed that some KTs have a big letter K on the mag cover while others have the word Kawasaki there?

I bought 2.5 incomplete bikes originally that were spread through 2 chook sheds and a workshop on a sugar-cane farm and finally got the (one) KT carby from the seller about a year after picking up most of the ju...sorry - errr valuable KT components so I had a great time doing the puzzle so I could get a KT to ride.

Left over stray parts from my personal KT puzzle basket case were - valve springs from a car motor, a gearbox shaft from some unknown agricultural implement and several front mudguard mounts that initially looked just like KT mounts to my untrained eye but ended up just totally confusing me.

Regards
David

[tat ty]

I've never ridden a KT nor seen one so dismembered and prostrate ..................

but my money is on the little rubbery strappy thingy just below the side panel.

Alastair

By the way guys, there is a particularly pretty one appeared on Ebay (not the dreamer) in the last day or so.

[David Lahey]

I've never ridden a KT nor seen one so dismembered and prostrate ..................

but my money is on the little rubbery strappy thingy just below the side panel.

Alastair

By the way guys, there is a particularly pretty one appeared on Ebay (not the dreamer) in the last day or so.

Whats the fun in buying one with all the pieces in the right places?