Vintage MX Help Please

[NorCal_Prerunner]

So I came across a not quite vintage, but older bike yesterday for free, so I took it.
It is a 88 Yamaha 250. It's all there and in really goos shape for how old it is. I mainly picked it up as a project, and plan to just tool around on it a bit if I can get it running. I also wanted to get some experience working on bikes since I have never owned one. So yes, I know it's old, outdated suspension, and not running (some valve blew a hole in the bottom of the case), but it was free. Here are my questions. Any help would be great.

Motor:
1. Is there such a thing as used donor motors for dirtbikes. How much aprox.
2. Can I put a newer than 88 motor in it.
3. Where would I find a donor motor.
4. What would you do?

Parts:
1.Where do I get parts for a bike this old. (I searched online last night, couldn't find much. Most places only stock parts for newer bikes.)

Plastic:
1. The plastics are in pretty good shape but pretty dirty. Any tips on getting older beat plastic looking like new? They are white and have a brownish haze kind of embedded into them.

Thanks in advance.


It's never too late to be what you might have been....

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[Kritter]

carb cleaner works good on white plastic and amkes it look new...but watch out for the stickers...it will eat them right off.

I know down here there a few cycle salvage yards where you can pick up complete engines, but they are not cheap...

Kris
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.barneysprecision.com/fabproducts.htm> Fab Parts</A>

[NorCal_Prerunner]

It a YZ 250.

It's never too late to be what you might have been....

[sweetdevil]

I can't remember the name of the box I bought, but pick up a plastics refinisher kit. It comes with sandpaper (which you'll need to buy more of if it's as beat as the Metal Mulisha bike), cleaner, and a solution you wipe onto the plastics a couple times. The coarse paper gets the big scratches out, the fine makes it smooth, and that solution really makes them all shiny and new. It does wonders for white plastics, and it helps colored plastics out quite a bit. Old Honda Orange/Red that's been faded by sun is such an awful color anyway, but the blue should look nice!

<font color=red>Heaven Doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over</font color=red>

[NorCal_Prerunner]

Alright, cool, I am covered regarding the plastics. Thanks. What about the motor and parts in general for older bikes. How much can I expect to pay for a replacement motor and where. Can I put a newer motor in it. What years are compatible with a 88 YZ 250. Any URLs for replacement parts?

It's never too late to be what you might have been....

[John_Bitting]

Map, I dont think Vintage Yamahas came with blue plastics? They are either white or yellow. I dont think blue was until later in the 90's.. But I could be wrong.

[NorCal_Prerunner]

White plastics on the 88.

It's never too late to be what you might have been....

[sweetdevil]

you're right about the blue plastics, I'm pretty sure that didn't happen til late 90's. I think that all the plastics were white, and the seats were blue, but who knows... White plastics are great on old bikes, they clean up really nice.

Try these places for some used motors, they should probably know what years will work for your bike too... All these places are located in California.

http://www.cyclesalvage.com/
http://www.mc-concepts.com/

Good luck! I'll race ya on the Hodaka when you're done! lol, j/k

<font color=red>Heaven Doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over</font color=red>

[stuckthrottle]

for cleaning your plastics, you might want to try wd40.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.powersportspro.com/>http://www.powersportspro.com/</A> is great for finding oem parts
and you can check ebay, just type in *88 yz 250

[Tony_Barraza]

Josh-

Another resource that might point you in the right direction:

Hy-Tech ATV (formerly known as Hy-Tech ATV Salvage)
31933 Outer Hwy 10 So.
Yucaipa, CA
909.794.5776
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.hy-tech-atv.com>www.hy-tech-atv.com</A>

Good luck!

Tony B.

"Get Creative!"