mouseover

Bike of the Month - March 2009
1977 CR125M
Graeme Bliss
WaggaWagga, NSW, Australia

 

Photos

Hi guys,

 

I purchased this bike for $600 (Aud) as a rolling wreck with spare frame, discarded original frame, wheels, shocks, seat, fenders, bars & controls, and engine cases. Painting was done by my cousin who is a Truck smash repairer. It’s his red mix off the new fenders under computer camera in clear coat over red base with extra clear on frame

 

Wheels are custom heavy gauge steel spokes with new alloy vintage drilled rims on original hubs refurbed by me at home in my shed using my hand tools. It has all new seals and bearings and brake pads. I also re-spoked the rims and had them trued by local bike shop. Original shocks were rebuilt by a riding buddy who is also an engineer. He made new seal heads on a lathe.

 

I painted the springs and shock bodies with pressure packs mixed with correct colours. Tank and side covers are original. They were filled, repaired and painted by myself and my cousin the painter. The seat cover, foam and base came from DC PLASTICS. Fenders are reproduction from a vintage supplier here, but originally from the States. Controls are close to OEM. The throttle is a side-pull and bars are PRO TAPER. I would like to replace these with OEM gear in future.

 

Engine was a full tear down including a new rod kit, bearings and seals, clutch springs, 2nd and 3rd gears and selectors, new Wiseco piston kit with a 57.50mm bore. It came with a 2nd hand ’75 barrel and head so I replaced them with a correct ’77 top end. I also installed a new Mikuni 32mm carb from AMS Racing with new OEM air filter. All cables were replaced with new or better than what was on it.

 

Currently its starts and runs, but needs fine tuning to the jetting. When it cools down a bit from the 43 degrees celsius we have now I will look at it. My other riding buddy has a ‘77 with gold rims and gold DG head. It looks fantastic. We got these bikes at the same time and finished around the same time. It has taken about 12 months and around $4000 (Aud) for my bike. The guy who rebuilt my shocks races one as well as a ‘76 CR250M2 in dirt track. The vintage scene here is growing.

 

Thanks for your time and interest.

 

Regards,

 

Graeme Bliss