1974 Yamaha DT250 Time Machine

The 3 year, $3,000 restoration of the 1974 Yamaha DT250A I have had since 1980. First ride and renos explained. Giddy up!

[@liberalforfreedom]

... That was my first Bike .. In the US the Name on it is Enduro ... Brought back memories .. I could feel the bike as you went thru the gears ... good job

[@markrobinson4981]

I bought a 73 RT 360 that’s having an entire engine rebuild. 12 volt conversion. I live in Blackwood SA so your contacts for painting and shock absorbers would be very helpful. Cheers

[@kawakarma]

@@markrobinson4981 Hi Mark, here are the contact details for who I used and would recommend for paint and shocks. Going to make some vids of your restoration? Keen to see how it turns out! Cheers Daniel Stone Auto Paint - did a great job on my tank and oil tank 0405 500 471 41 Chapman Rd, Hackham Hard Chrome Services - straightened and re-hard chromed the front shock inner tubes. 8295 2822 135 Mooringie Ave, Camden Park *I did get rear springs re-chromed somewhere near Daws Rd but can’t find the details - lots of companies around that can do this. Hoey Racing - put the front and rear shocks together 8262 3600 3/111 Research Rd, Pooraka

[@markrobinson4981]

@@kawakarma thanks so much for the info. I will take some photos and videos of the process and would like to put it together for a KZbin video or give it to my lad to do. Thanks again

[@dlrmon1]

Nice job...Sadly to many of the DT’s were MX’d (stripped) back in the day. I broke the frame (multiple times) and bent the crankshaft on mine. Fortunately parts bikes were cheap. I would love to come across a good DT250 again with a pile of parts...I’d be a lot nicer to it today.

[@davekeehn8388]

74 was Virginia Gold.

[@717rocket]

Nice restoration, I owned a silver 1971 RT360 back in 1978 the sound brings back great memories. Thanks.

[@kawakarma]

Cheers! It’s the sound + the smell of course that truly transports me back to when I first climbed on the DT250 back in about 1981! Just bought a new CRF450RL to do some trips in the Finders Ranges with my son but should just do it on the DT for the experience. Have to embrace the vibration of every bone in my body tho if I do!😁👊

[@budbud2509]

@@kawakarma I bought mine new in 1975 its a 250 B , still got it !! 1 careless owner .......... 😂 I bought it as a simple motorbike to get me to work, 2 strokes are simple and reliable . Condition is ok , Ive tidied it up a few times , done some off road as well. Ive not started it for a few years, bought some new rings that I will put in when house renovations are done ! Great to see the transformation in yours !

[@nkd2883]

I do want to hop on that beast after you get her kickstarted…. Wait for her to warm up then take her for a proper rip!🤙

[@davtreloar9236]

Great job Mate, are you in Adelaide?

[@davecass9486]

give it some welly then !! she wants to fly

[@qtrhors1]

Looks like a 73

[@kawakarma]

Hi, definitely a 74. Got the original owners book!👊

[@michaelhowarth-w1e]

nice job love it❤

[@mndbinaisse8382]

Hi mate , you have done a great job on your DT . Just picked up a 76 model yesterday , it’s a 250 as well . Looking forward to getting into it . All the best with it .Safe biking . Cheers Reece . From Drouin .

[@kawakarma]

@@mndbinaisse8382 Awesome! ‘76 was a great year for the bike. Just changing tank shape and paint job really stepped up its enduro appearance. All the best with the restoration. I found it so therapeutic and stuck my mantra of only working on it when I felt like it (which was most of the time anyway!) and just stopped when anything got a bit frustrating! Look forward to seeing how your comes up if you post a vid. Cheers

[@johngy40]

She is a beauty

[@martinholt2844]

That’s got my juices flowing. I bought a Dt250a last year and stripped it down. It’s still on boxes until I move to my new home with a double garage and workshop….. I can’t wait to get back on it!

[@kawakarma]

Excellent Martin! I recall your comment from a year ago when I started putting up some videos for this bike. Took longer than I thought it would but important for me was that whenever I got a bit sick of working on it I just gave it a break until I felt like it again. It is a hobby after all and an excuse for some shed therapy! Best of luck with it. Looking forward to seeing how yours comes up. Cheers

[@martinholt2844]

@@kawakarma thanks for the response, I will post some updates when I get going on this, I can’t waIt as I have collected a lot of the missing parts in readiness!