The return... With a twist.

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Dude......

Those KX125's look SICK when done right.

That being said, unless you have Mitch Payton working on that thing, it isnt worth anything more than a boat anchor. Have you ridden a 04 KX125? I have ridden a few. Cold honey moves faster than those things do.

Im pumped to see you at it though, if you are in my class on that 125 it just means you might only beat me by 30 sec instead of lapping me!
 
Cool idea!
In my opinion, Your chances of doing well in those age group classes would jump dramatically of you would have bought a 2006 + YZ250. Great suspension and motor from the start. You can swap on 2015 + plastic and it looks like a new one. Even a steel frame 2004 YZ is a great bike for the money.
 
Began disassembly last night. This thing has been hardly ridden. Most everything looks to be in great condition. Cylinder off and you can still read the letters on top of the piston. Only issue so far has been the linkage bolts. FORSURE it has never been apart. All the bolts are rusted and that makes the job tuff. Still have not got the pivot bolt out of the swingarm. Afraid of stripping the damn thing deep inside the swingarm. I have it soaking in a can of penetrating oil. Even had my dad in the garage with me tearing it apart. That made it feel like a time machine. Working on a Kaw 125 with my dad... it don't get any better then that. Did some say 1985???
Still have not decided what to do with the color... Kind of leaning on keeping the frame the original grey but each time I look at picture of other guys projects I almost change my mind. Everyone puts black rims on Kaws and that looks great...but I am not everyone. May just keep the stock rims since they are in perfect condition. I do think I am going to go for black plastic with green front fender and # plate. Just looks better with black backgrounds... but since I have to have white backgrounds for LL I may change my mind again on that.
Guess I will make my first parts purchase tonight. The list will be:
Top end kit $89
Swingarm, linkage and steering bearings $142
Levers $10
cables $26
Shock spring $100
fork springs $114
Air filter $17
Chain $60
Sprockets $72
throttle tube $25
grips $20
Order Total = $675

Leaves me $325 for tires, tubes, plastic and oils. No problem

Rocky Mountain is going to love me for this project. Oh, yeah... I have some gift cards to use... Money for more bling.
Pictures to be posted tonight once it is completely apart.
 
Clair Story said:
Cool idea!
In my opinion, Your chances of doing well in those age group classes would jump dramatically of you would have bought a 2006 + YZ250. Great suspension and motor from the start. You can swap on 2015 + plastic and it looks like a new one. Even a steel frame 2004 YZ is a great bike for the money.
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I am allergic to blue and red plastic.
 
Last time I had a really stuck swingarm pivot bolt, it got ugly. Not sawzall ugly, but still...

Take the rear brake pedal off to get it out of the way. Lay the bike down on it's RH side. Support the ground side of the swingarm pivot area with something solid (I used a cinder block). Thread the retaining nut on the end of the pivot bolt until the bolt and outer face of the nut are flush (keeping the nut on will prevent the end of the pivot bolt from mushrooming). Fill the area around the bolt with Kroil or some other good penetrating oil. Find a throwaway 8mm bolt and nut; you will use the bolt and nut as a punch to sit inside the hollow center of the swingarm pivot. Get a BFH or, better a light sledgehammer and start beating on the end of the throwaway bolt.

When the swingarm pivot nut bottoms against the frame, remove it and repeat.

The whole process might take 2-4 beers.
 
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ck1racerx said:
I am allergic to blue and red plastic.
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Hahaha... to each his own!
I did a simular project with a 2005 YZ250. I had a great time doing it. With the YZ you can even swap never YZF parts (like a 2013+ swingarm, linkage and rear wheel with a more progressive rate) that bolt right up. Not sure if that is possible with the KX. I'm sure you will have fun if nothing else.
 
Given the amount of bikes I have taken apart over the years, I've had some epic swingarm pivot bolt battles myself. Doing what BaxterJ stated is surprisingly effective, it's amazing how much more "effort" you can get into that stubborn SOB when it is laying on its side.
 
I applaud you for the 1-2-5 choice. Looks like a sweet machine.

I might have to go to Chilli just to race +30 now. Racing the Ironman GNCC in Indy the following weekend to. Lots of good events coming up shortly.
 
That's brutal. Henry didn't make it 3 laps before his bike was destroyed.

Dave jones had no problems on a kx 125 winning lorettas.
 
GeorgiePorgie said:
That's brutal. Henry didn't make it 3 laps before his bike was destroyed.

Dave jones had no problems on a kx 125 winning lorettas.
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Lol, that is no 125!!

Robbie Reynard waxed everyone on his real 125 at LL this year, except the moto when they changed the top end and didnt tighten the cylinder!
 
I have no idea why I'm posting this but I ran across it and it has a KX125 in it.

Just think this dude will put down "never raced" when he sells the bike!

 
I had to strip an 06 crf450 down to the engine cases and the swing arm. I beat on it for days, even drilled a hole in the back of the case where the pivot bushings are. Finally put it in a 20ton hydraulic press. I had to hang on the press handle and have someone hammer on it at the same time. When that thing popped loose I thought something blew up! Lol. After all that it only moved the bolt a fraction of an inch, so put it back on the bench and hit it back and fourth for an hour before it came out?
 
A very good friend of mine said "be patient" when I was getting the swingarm bolt out of my 83 CR in 2013 after what I am certain had never seen grease since new. PB blaster and a hammer/rubber mallet daily as much as possible. Took 2 weeks but it came out no problem. Still use the bolt today. If you ordered the parts and are waiting at least wait until they show up and give the penetrating oil time. I wanted to BTF out of mine but am glad I waited!
 
C Hudak said:
I had to strip an 06 crf450 down to the engine cases and the swing arm. I beat on it for days, even drilled a hole in the back of the case where the pivot bushings are. Finally put it in a 20ton hydraulic press. I had to hang on the press handle and have someone hammer on it at the same time. When that thing popped loose I thought something blew up! Lol. After all that it only moved the bolt a fraction of an inch, so put it back on the bench and hit it back and fourth for an hour before it came out?
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One of my old bikes came from a local pro, and I had to do the same exact thing. The bike was only 2 years old! By the way, that was after slamming on it for over a week like Baxter had mentioned.
I will be tearing my "new to me" bike (2014) all the way down this week to make sure this doesn't happen again.
 
I have had epic battles with the same bolts, many of them ! What has worked best for me is a air chisel with a blunt end in in it, get it to move just a bit spray lube on what You can then keep going from side to side, drive it out, drive it back in, I always get them ! You must leave the nut on them at first so You do not destroy the bolt !
Hope this makes sense !
 
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Tear down complete. The wd40 and an electric 1/2 inch impact gun took that linkage bolt right out. Tomorrow will be glass bead blasting of all aluminum parts and aluminum oxide blasting of the frame.
Got all the bearings pressed out tonight also. Every last one was completely locked up with rust. I guess they don't sell grease in Tennessee
Oh yeah. I got home from work and my dad was waiting outside my garage to help with the rest of tear down. Guess he enjoys going down memory lane as much as I did last night. So cool.
 
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