Motorcycle restoration - 1989 Yamaha FZR250R - Teardown

I start to dismantle my new project, a 1989 Yamaha FZR250R motorcycle. Follow along as I possibly get in way over my head in restoring this classic motorcycle.

[@paradiselost9946]

lol, i got a frame and engine half stripped standing up in the back of the shed. at some point i was musing over making it into a low rider... take the rear subframe off... throw some pegs off the steel engine brackets... got the ape-hangers ready... i hate cruisers but it would be hilarious... got plans on supercharging one anyway... one day. the way the alternator is stuck on like an afterthought, a belt will slip in behind the flywheel... um. valves. valve seats. they get "the chugs". they start, but give them WOT and they simply sit there and chug. everyone chases carbs... turning teh fuel off makes them come to life again, usually... its the inlet valves. good luck finding a shop to do them at this size! i made a whole bunch of custom cutters as there are no commercially available cutters to do the seats, and so any shop will charge a fortune just to tool up... so i get to charge the fortune for what takes five minutes! yeah, ok, about 4 hours... stripping valves, cleaning, grinding, re assembling, re-shimming. hate that part! gotta pull the cams 3 times! first with random small shims to get the first measurement, then again to check the new measurement, and then finally, to get the head back on... once you know whats in there, write it down and save it somewhere! yeah. dressing the valves properly takes a shed ridden POS to a running instant starting bike with no issues... if it has no other gremlins, that is... omfg. 30 year old bikes have LOTS of gremlins!

[@asaduppal5594]

Great video mate! Had one of these for my first project too. Called her "Frankie" - short for Frankenstein because she was basically two bikes in one because of how many bits I had to replace off a donor bike. Cant wait to see more!

[@LindseyExplores]

Thanks, appreciate that. Coincidentally I just got back from picking up a parts bike.... or potentially a secondary project depending how much I scavenge.

[@PeterChang93]

Just found a space to rebuild my FZR250R that I cracked the frame on. Keen to see how you get along with yours.

[@LindseyExplores]

I'm already thinking I need a second one for instant replacement parts access! Hopefully the videos will give a good idea of the journey without being to mind numbing. Should be able to release one every 5 to 10 days depending on if I need to wait on any supplies.

[@boostego1268]

Well done Bro!

[@LindseyExplores]

Thanks, quite enjoying it so far, I imagine the stress kicks in when it comes to putting it back together.

[@matiasignacioachurradiaz8422]

Bro what is the best oil for this kind of bikes? I have a yamaha fzr250 1988

[@PeterChang93]

Do you happen to know where the electrical grounding point (where the other end of the negative battery lead connects to) on the engine is? I got my engine out and am trying to bench test it and realised I'd forgotten where the black lead bolts onto...

[@LindseyExplores]

Now this is what I am worried about happening to me! Let me try to describe the location as best I can. Mine is connected on the rear right of the engine, if you locate where the long bolts that go through the frame and engine are, just below the upper one there are 3 bolts that connect the upper and lower engine casings, the negative lead is connected using the right hand side bolt the joins the casings. I am not 100% if this is where it should be though.

[@PeterChang93]

@@LindseyExplores Your description matches the FZR400 service manual and the previously loosened engine casing bolt on my engine! Many thanks!