RL250 project and other pics for your amusement

[i-moto]

Hi chaps,

Thought I would share a few pics seeing as I'm taking my RL250 out for its first ride next weekend, and have picked up a lot on this site along the way of fixing it up!

It's worth noting that this bike has been built on a budget (I'm a typically poor musician / home owner) for use on our twice yearly (if we're lucky) camping trips at the family block. It's not meant to be a showbike, so if dodgy repairs and a disregard for replacing things unneccessarily aren't your thing, look away now!

So...bought this for $650 18 months ago, complete and fairly good apart from the obvious missing tank and frame colour.

Already had a 520 chain conversion, new tyres and was running well despite being un-used for 10 years. Checked that it selected all gears ok and proceeded to pull it apart for a basic fix up.

Started 2nd kick after sitting for the last 18 months and still runs great, rode up and down the lane a few times (furthest I've ridden it) and was surprised at the power - these things haul for a trials bike!

Only downside is the damn font sprocket I ordered to fix the gearing is wrong, so first ride will be with the terrible 13/39 gearing it came with. Feels like it will do 100kp/h as it is, so there will be lots of clutch work for the time being

Then I found this which I bought for $300, used the parts I could and it was worth it for those

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A few bearings, some paint and more dodgy repairs ensued, and I ended up with this:

Too poor to restore the tank and it will only get dented anyway, so it stays as purchased with maximum patina... Yes it looks stupid (as does my backyard engineered galvanised sprocket cover) but I actually kind of like it

[i-moto]

Will get some pics of the RL in action next weekend, in the meantime here are some other bikes we've had at the block.

There are a couple Italjet 350's missing that we never got pics of (one mine and the other belonged to the Sherpa owner), but these are long gone...

Other regulars at the camping trips are an '84 Husqvarna XC500 widow maker, IT250 Yamaha, CT70 Honda for the toilet runs (although it makes a surprisingly good trials bike) and strangest of all my mates 1982 Russian Ural 650!!! I also used to have a PE400 Suzuki which I miss dearly, will get another one in the future.

Next weekend will see three of us riding new bikes - me on the RL, my cousin on his '81 KDX175 Kawasaki and the Ural owner on something slightly more appropriate for the terrain - a '80 DT250 Yamaha.

All these pics taken at my family block near the Barossa Valley in SA - brilliant trials riding location and was actually the location for a trials event in the 70's.

Friend's restored 350 Sherpa, a beautiful machine to ride:

Another friend's 250 Alpina, too small for me

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Me on the Sherpa:

Me on the Alpina

Cheers

[i-moto]

As promised some pics of the RL in action for the first time.

Runs and rides really nicely and, apart from some minor issues, tackled a variety of tricky stuff with ease. Was impressed with the power and it's smooth and tractable delivery, and generally the bike feels very well balanced and turns really well. This was the longest I've spent on a trials bike so far, and it took my endless clutch work, mono attempts and trail riding antics brilliantly.

Main problems are soft forks, pathetic front brake and the gearing. It also gets a bit rattly when warm, although it was 30 degrees and was ridden for up to 20 minutes at a time.

The 13/39 gearing was funny - one photo shows a beautiful spot which was 7 kilometres from the block on quiet country dirt roads. I didn't have a trail bike and it was either the RL or my mates CT70 Honda, so I wisely chose the RL despite the CT70 being road legal. At one stage we were cruising at a comfortable 75km/h, and the RL was hardly breaking a sweat. Reckon it would have hit 100 easily which would no doubt be quite unnerving on a trials bike...

Also, and unsurprisingly, my precious fuel tank sprung a leak. Nothing too bad, and considering the condition of that basket case I bought I'm surprised it held fuel at all.

80 acres of undulating trials heaven with 1km of river bed, a dam, big rocks, cliffs and more! Very dry though...bring on winter!

Enjoy the pics!

[smiffy60]

Hi All
I bought a RL 250 from a mate who bought it from the Giltrap collection at the coast when it closed. IT was road registered and I rode it to work every day for a few years. It was good bike on the road and then you rode it to the bush you could go bush bashing and then ride it home so cool now I think about it, this was in the early nineties. We had kids and needed a bigger house and we built it and was short of funds and needed a drop saw (new gadget then) So I sold the suzie to a mate for $900 on the condition that when he sold it I had first option. 2 years later as I was finishing the house he needed to sell and I didn't have the brass to buy it back and it was sold. Mint condition with rego indicators horn the lot. Reading this article brings it all back and every time I see a suzie I check it isn't my old one.
Some think that we warble on about our old twin shocks but the memories are just gold !!
And part of why I got back into trials (on a modern because them are so easy to ride)
I found out I still ride like crap but enjoy the fun of friends out in the bush challenging themselves. Also this community is the friendliest of all bike codes.
So keep up the great yarns and I hope to have the pleasure of having a ride with you one day and maybe if I find that suzie ---
Cheers

[i-moto]

Thanks Smiffy60, yes the old RL's have a bit of a following now which was partly why I posted my little yarn.
And sorry you couldn't get yours back - the complianced ones are getting very rare and sought after indeed, although they do pop up every now and then and there have been a surprising number of RL's for sale recently in OZ.
Good to hear you're back into the trials again, and your skill level isn't nearly as important as the fact you enjoy riding bikes which is what it's all about! One day I would love a modern trials machine, but for the time being the old RL will have to do. Oh how sweet it would be to have disc brakes though...
Next ride will hopefully result in more pics of more bikes, greener ground to ride on and some improvements to the RL, so watch this space!
Cheers,
Tom

[i-moto]

Here are some pics and a vid of the RattLy 250 in action after a quick camping trip with the lads this weekend, was much greener this time and it's a top spot for this bike.

Haven't really had to touch anything on the bike so far, although it still has stupidly tall gearing and I think the head stem bearings needs replacement, and as you'll hear it is quite rattly. Eh...

Need to wax the tank though to stop it rusting any worse - as I've said previously I quite like it like it is...ratty!

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Various steeds were used over the weekend.

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[i-moto]

Went camping in freezing weather this weekend - was snowing 50km's away at Mt Lofty.

New brakes and new gearing sorted, now running a 45T rear with 11T front which has made a massive difference. Thanks to Paulo for the advice on the 11T front - it didn't rub on the engine case all weekend, and after copying his nylon chopping board swingarm guard there is no chain rub anywhere.

I really loved riding this bike before, but the new gearing has transformed it - I was able to tackle some fairly gnarly stuff this weekend which I haven't even looked at before. I'm considering entering my first event after some more improvements to the bike, but essentially it's now quite well sorted and working very well. So reliable - have probably clocked up 20+ hours on this since building with no major issues, just normal servicing and maintenance.

Couple pics from the weekend:

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[lorenzo]

Very nice, and that Bultaco looks fantastic. I would love to find one of those, want to sell it?

[i-moto]

The Sherpa belongs to a friend of mine and no, I don't think he'll ever sell it unfortunately! Several of us have asked already... Such a nice machine to ride.

[whitehillbilly]

I remember a few years ago a friend had a 250 Alpina.
It lacked bottom end power.
I had read somewhere you turn the piston 180 degrees.
We did this and it made a huge difference.
Cant remember, but it must have altered the port timing, due to cut away on the piston skirt.
I am sure other member will shed a bit more light on this Mod.

whitehillbilly