Basket Cases

[Greg Harding]

Hi Everyone,

Mark, how big is that basket, because I need quite a few bits! KT 250's use 34mm forks,as do TY250 twinshocks, my KT forks are pretty rusty and need to be rechromed. This is why I am looking at alternatives, as have people before me, 34mm is not a very common size.

Ross, yes the seat is custom, evolution of time and deterioration plus the mounting bolts are seized and broken off. Just between you and I, actually completed a couple of sections at the SQTA trial after the ejection seat had been deployed!

David, thanks for the photos and offers of parts, see what you mean about clearance issues on the header pipe.

Graham and Reinald, are we going to get you involved in the Green Japanese theme at Conondale?

Suppose I should start the want list, Engine first as I think it is important:

Piston kit and gasket and seal set.

Exhaust fittings, have header pipe and not much else.

Front sprocket, tab washer and nut, want to run 520 as my first preference.

Inlet manifold, carby and air cleaner lid.

There is a coil and stator/flywheel, all unknown quality, but no blackbox!

If anyone can help me, please reply, PM or call /text me on 0428 789854 thanks in advance.

[David Lahey]

Photo of KT250 with TY250 forks and wheel - mainly for Greg Harding

Hi David,
This has got me really curious.
Did this combination come about simply because of a lack of serviceable Kawasaki parts, and an abundance of Yamaha ones?
Or were you actually trying to change some aspect of the bike? and if so, what was it? The suspension rate? Steering geometry? Brakes? or something all together different?

Or was it simply the fact that every good bike should have at least a bit of Yamaha?

Argh! so many questions
Mark K
Yes Mark, the steering. A few years ago, the late Mark Beechy and I did some collaborative experimentation on some of our bikes. Mark was starting to experiment with twinshock bikes and along the way there was a KT, a TY250A, another TY250 and his Godden Majesty. Mark was a fanatic about rear suspension, and steering on his twinshock bikes. While Mark was developing his KT250, we both fitted TY250 forks and front wheel to our KTs and had lots of email discussions on the subject. The geometry is quite different to the standard KT because the TY forks are a bit shorter, and there is a lot more trail with the in-line TY forks (we retained the KT triple clamps). Anyway we both thought the KT steering was improved with the TY forks, but there is a serious problem if the forks compress fully with the steering straight because the mudguard hits the exhaust.
Bullylover
I have no idea what standard shockie length is for KTs, but because my 360mm Falcons have a large mounting hole at the top end to suit my OSSA, they also fitted the KT perfectly with its large upper shock mounts. The steering is pretty raked out on the KT so I wouldn't want anything shorter on the rear anyway.
Ross
The other problem with having the TY forks on the KT is that it no longer looked like a KT at the front - so that experiment only lasted a week or so. I like my bikes to look recognisable for what they are so people can say "hey I had one just like that when I was a kid" when they check it out.
Reinald
That KT is entitled to be in Basket Cases, because it was brought back from a cane farm at Bundaberg with the smaller parts in many boxes and crates and an abundance of larger parts that filled my box trailer. The parts were gathered up from two chook pens and a tractor shed, and it took six months to finally get the last of the parts to complete one bike which was a carby that the seller had left at his work, and was collected at the Calliope Markets when the KT seller was there working on his coffee stall. There was a deal with the purchase too - I had to give him photos that showed me actually riding it in a trial, which I did at a much later Calliope Markets when the bike was complete. I didn't really want a basket case KT, but back when I was looking for a KT in the late 1990s, it was the only one I had come across for sale in many years of searching. Of course now they are as common as Hondas - so much so that at a Brooweena Trial a few years ago, there were seven KT250s side-by-side.

[David Lahey]

Oh I get it the the basket in the background .

That basket is for holding up the air-rifle target

[Bully fanatic]

Hello Greg. A green japanese theme, not very likely. A green theme, a possability. A good friend has just bought a white Italjet which he wants to have going for the twinshock masters and another friend still owns a green Italjet so there is a faint possability that I might show up on a green bike. Also if you are going down a big enough hill an engine is entirerly optional. Just my point of view Greg. Graham.

[bigal]

Green basket would look ok attached to triple grips and would come in handy for pamphlet deliveries. Streamers from hand grips optional.

Alan

[Reinald]

Hi Greg, the only green you'll see is me turning green whenever i see a fantic/majesty/Kato/aprillia tx300.
Any body ever seen a Aprillia twin shock or air cooled mono in Oz?
Oh and my justification for posting in "Basket Cases" - is cause I am one .

[PRITCH39]

Hi all,
heres a couple of piccies of my RL tidy up.

parts still needed if anyone can help

*R/H seat bracket or complete seat.
*Rear brake stay BOLT AND SPACER that fixes brake stay to rear brake plate.
*Exhaust manifold
*Sprocket cover/guard for motor

Brian Mob:0434 676 373

[Greg Harding]

Hi Everyone,

PRITCH39, your RL is looking good, are you rebuilding the motor as well and do you intend on competing on it?

David, thankyou for sending down the KT front brake backing plate, rear spokes, exhaust flange, axle spacer and air cleaner body. Already have an air cleaner body and need to make tooling to make access doors for Chippy and myself, so I will make one for your spare and send them back to you.

Chippy, Snapped a photo of RL sprocket cover before leaving for Mayday trial

Original is at the bottom and my Stainless steel reproduction is above.Thankyou for KT carby, exhaust rubber and gasket, front 13T sprocket and tab washer. Will still be looking for an 11T or 12T as I think 13T will be a bit tall!

Have ordered inlet manifold and gasket, front sprocket nut and cover from our new Kawasaki dealer in town.

One other part that I don't have for the motor is a magneto cover, can anyone help me?

[PRITCH39]

PRITCH39, your RL is looking good, are you rebuilding the motor as well and do you intend on competing on it?

Greg I am just throwing in a pair of main bearings to start with, and then see how it goes from there.
I hope to have a go with one of the local brisbane clubs maybe Western districs I think they are called, as A bloke I know from dirt track has a bit to do with that club. I am over 100kg so wont be breaking any records just out to have some fun.

Can you let me know how much you would charge me to fix my airbox as previously discussed and do yo sell those trick sprocket covers??

Brian

[Greg Harding]

Can you let me know how much you would charge me to fix my airbox as previously discussed and do yo sell those trick sprocket covers??

Brian

Hi Brian,

Probably best to send your aircleaner down, will be able to quote when I have a look, I do have a good one to copy. With the sprocket cover, a little fiddly, but I can make another as I have the punches sorted.