Introducing the YTM, My 1984 Yamaha YTM 200

[Thefox]

Thought I would share my latest project.  Over the last three and a half year I have been slowly piecing this thing together.  It started as an $80 parts bike which was mostly complete, well, the parts were there but whether they were usable or not is another thing.  Anyway, it took about a year and a half of working on it over breaks home from college to get it all together and running.  I thought I was good to go until I started it.  It had a bad top end knock which I spent the next year chasing.  After replacing the piston-cylinder with a fresh bore cylinder and oversized Wiesco (did this twice), buying a used crank (two of these also), I found the rockers to be worn out.  The head had already been replaced once as the cam; bushing and journals were worn out as well as the original rockers.  It is safe to say that this was the worst shape I have ever seen an engine, I am still using the cases and side covers, stator, part of the shifter shaft and misc. bolts but the rest has been pieced together.

But of course half the fun is working on these things so I couldn’t leave it alone.  After putting about 3 hours on it I took out the grinder and started adding the performance parts.  So far I have added a rear suspension kit, Kerker exhaust, uni clamp on filter, 3 inch wheel spacers, nos carb. (forget the leaky old one).  Over Easter break I added some new sprockets and a chain as well as a chain tensioner.

Next up will be jetting or a dial-a-jet, it needs it bad.  It runs well through half throttle but after that it’s got nothing.  I am also planning on getting some new tires at some point this summer.  I was thinking of trying some 18” mower tires on the rear and a something else on the front as I have a new 5x10 front rim that I want to try out.  I have new seals for the forks but I still need to figure out how to take apart the shocks, they have a horrible setup. 

Disk brakes would be nice , and the larger XR200 forks in my shed would be a good addition  …. Ahhh, there just isn’t enough time in the summer.

Here is a 2 min. video from Easter weekend….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pGcMZn7WAA

[Thefox]

Pictures would be nice wouldn't they.

[KURT]

Nice job!  Those old Yamahas are tough.  We saw 2 of them on the SNIRT ride, 1 was a 225 and the other was the 200.  I would love to check out that rear suspension kit up close.  We have to get together this summer and have a 3 wheeler only ride MIK6's place. (or someplace else you don't need reg.+ins.)

[Thefox]

I am hoping to make it to a few rides this year, I have been out to Mike's and it is a cool place to ride so I would definitely be up for that.  I'm not sure if I will have the YTM to take or not, I was talking with someone about getting the kit reproduced so I would have to pull it apart for a while.  The Big Red is always ready to go so that is not a problem, I may regester it this summer too.

[PJ]

Nice job!  Those old Yamahas are tough.  We saw 2 of them on the SNIRT ride, 1 was a 225 and the other was the 200.

The ones we saw looked nice too....
They had to have a hell of a time riding that day though.....

Pj