Aye yes, looking back I was a bit of a bellend for not cleaning it. Can't remember why I didn't, it was so long ago.

Thanks a lot! I’m glad you enjoyed the vid. Appreciate the support and the sub.

Yeah, you're absolutely right. The suspension in this bike and its components definitely do often end up forgotten about. A few weeks before filming this video, I took out the rear mono shock and its linkages. This bike always had an extremely stiff suspension, and I was finally sick of it. I thought the monoshock had seized up and allowed for very little movement, but I was completely wrong. It turned out the linkages were so rusted and corroded that they literally fused together in one piece. I thought the shock might be salvageable, but no.. it was just a spring. The swing arm, though, was grand surprisingly. I bought a new yss shock a few weeks ago, need to put it in very soon. Wasn't planning to film it but now I might do.

In May

I got the coil from Sheridan Marine. They're a crowd in Oxfordshire UK. They do a good bit of stuff.

Thanks!

Editing magic ✨️

Thanks!

Thanks for watching and for your comment! Sounds like you've got quite the project with your DR 250. It’s definitely a challenge finding parts, but it’ll be worth it in the end. I agree, the DR 350 does seem to get more attention, so it's awesome to connect with fellow DR 250 owner. The Dominator exhaust has been a solid upgrade for me-definitely helps with performance. Best of luck with your restoration, and feel free to reach out if you need any tips or just want to share progress.

Thank you! Great to hear on that exhaust it is definitely on the list!

Thanks very much, that means a lot.

Awesome, thank you!

Bikes that store oil in an auxiliary tank or in this case in the frame are using what's called a Dry Sump system, where the oil is stored outside of the engine and not stored in the crank case sump, like in most regular motorcycle engines. It’s not super common, but a lot of older bikes, like BSAs and Nortons, use this setup.

Oh, I get you! That's interesting! Thanks for educating me 👍🏻

Thanks! It starts much easier now, I made some adjustments and followed some of the tips you commented in the other vid. Before, it was a real pain.

Glad you enjoyed it. It's always rewarding to repair machines that have served us well

What a fantastic story! Thanks for sharing. It's amazing how these Seagulls have such resilience and history, even making their way back into use decades later. Seagulls really do just need a bit of TLC to keep them running!

Nice bit away, Galway.

@@motor_mastery Feck ! I can't believe there's no lads that go around in a van doing bike service and tyres.

I'm surprised there isn't anyone that does it near you. 🤔

@@motor_mastery There's a lad in Kilkenny, I brought the bike to him and he had it around 9 weeks and did nothing to it, said it was old at first and not worth it........ but he kept it all the same to look at it. I was pissed off. There's a place in Wexford around 1 hr or bit more away or place in Nass around 30-40 mins away and all 6-8 weeks booked up. We really need to get motorcycle mechanics, there needs to be some form of qualification people can get to be recognised as being qualified, it should be worth more money too. To be honest if I had a garage to work in I'd be able to do a lot myself, I used to maintain my old diesels, everything except timing belts. So I'd like to be able to service my own bikes once I get a decent garage to work in. Getting people into bikes and become mechanics, seems like few younger people want bikes these days all on battery scooters with no lights at night and riding at 8 km/h up hills on my local back roads. Can't remember the last time I saw a young person on a 50cc scooter for example, can't even remember the last time I saw a 50cc scooter. But they're far safer than those battery yokes and can go far further and you don't have to plug the thing in and wait for it to charge. There needs to be an easier way into motorcycling too, the current A1, A2 and A setup and IBT is a joke. Just make it one license and restrict young people to 125 under 20 then when 21 can ride restricted bike then 24 years old unrestricted. In my opinion there should be no IBT and needing to take 3 days off work, the local Instructor should do the IBT and then your lessons with him if you prefer. This thing of IBT 3 day arsing around is ridiculous and just a money making racket. Lol sorry for the rant !

Might be worth while.

Definitely worth a try

Thanks!

That's a bummer. I'd say if you ever dived down and retrieved it'll probably still work 😉

sorry to say it is over 1,200" of alaska waters

Nice one! I think the one in the Vid is a 1990 too. Does yours have inverted forks?

It does not have inverted forks.

Thanks a mill, i dont have a manual that'll be really useful to have. I found that the decompression lever didn't really help at all to get started, is this normal? Maybe I'm using it wrong.

I'm not sure, sometimes it requires decompression, and sometimes you have to just find the compression stroke with the kicker, bring the lever back up, and give it a full swift kick. It's a little tricky sometimes, but once you figure out the best method your bike likes, it'll be easier. Also sounds like you need a new choke lever. The detents on mine were worn down so it would pop back in on its own. And before I did a valve adjustment on my bike it needed the decompression, but after putting the valves back in spec, the decompression doesn't seem to help.

@@motor_mastery After further adjusting, my bike is now properly tuned in. For a cold start: full choke, decomp lever in, push kick lever until decomp pops out, bring kicker all the way back up, and give a good kick. (you need the decomp to avoid chance of cracking your crankcase) It almost goes on the first kick but I have to do the decomp again and give a second kick. but it's consistently been 2 kicks cold, 1 kick warmed. I had to do some fine-tuning on my carburetor, fine tuning the fuel screw and then the idle speed. But my bike now starts with the procedure described in the owner's manual. Take a look at the DR350 Wiki Fandom. (everything there applies to DR250 as well) Great place for info on these bikes.

Thank you!

A 350 would be awesome. Is the difference between the 250 and 350 only engine cc?

@@motor_mastery different bore and stroke. You can get a big bore kit for a 250.

That's good to know because, the little air filter fell off into the abyss on the last boat trip 😅

Takeoff that filter! 1, it looks awful 2, it is not required 3, to stop a Seagull, (if I remember correctly) you throttle back and place your hand over the air intake. It has no emergency ignition cut off, perhaps it is worth making one.

Wym? It looks radical. Probobly adds another 2hp at least. Pimped up seagull, classic. 😎

I'm not sure what thread size the jets are. Keihin CVK main jets are measured by diameter of opening in 1/100th of mm. 130 = 1.30mm. I think 130 is stock for the EX500, but the EX-4 probably has smaller. There are plenty of jet kits online for this bike.

le ménage dans la vidéo ne m'appartient pas.

Thanks, my brother told me that to0, laughing face

Thank you!

Oh yes, I do see now, I will change the title.

@@motor_mastery Japan and its naming is worse than Nvidia and AMD 😆

Really?

I would have used the center stand on the bike, but it was banjaxed.

Centrestand banjoed - no shortcuts lol fix the stand 1st or at a minimum do the change with the bike on its sidestand instead 👀

Yeah, you're dead right. should've fixed the center stand first or maybe use a paddock stand. Not the right right protocol. I was extra careful but I won't do it again. It's not worth the chance of the bike falling 😅

Why semi. Does it matter if it's mineral, semi syth, or fully syth?

I believe older models that are carb'd will prefer semi-synthetic as they like to have "some" mineral involved. @@motor_mastery Typically if you're getting Castrol or Motul like the racing 10W40 it's all fine anyway

Nice one. I prefer the older model look rather than the new type like the one in the Vid.

Yeah you've a fox eye version only difference is the front fairing really. I do like the older style of the 98-99 models though. The engines are reliable on all fzs though 👍

Thanks Dan Dan Dad Dan Dan

Where did you get those heated grips? Pretty sweet design!