I have a rm 100 and I drage it so what could i do to go faster

William Snider

It's always fun to start off the questions with a classic email. Not only is the missive poorly written, but the spelling is below second grade level. However, since a question of sorts was asked, it certainy deserves an answer.

So, Mr. Snider, I suggest that instead of dragging your bike behind you, a much higher speed could be realized by balancing it on both wheels and actually rolling it. I've found, over the years, this works better.

Lastly, you are allowed to use a spell checker without parental supervision.

TWO STROKE OR FOUR STROKE?

Hi Rick,

Having read through your previous responses to e-mails, you really seem to have great sound advice for dirt bike riders. All of your comments and suggestions are really helpful for all of us.

If I don't find a decent used bike, I'm considering buying either a new Honda XR 100, or the Yamaha RT 100 for trail riding.

My questions are:

1) If I go with the 2-stroke Yamaha, is the auto lube injection system fail safe, especially in cold weather when the oil is thick and sluggish?

2) Would pre-mixing and corking the injection system be a better alternative?

3) Do you have any preferences on either bike, such as durability, longetivity, and reliability? 4) Also is there a significant speed difference between the two?

Thanks for your reply,
Phil

1. Yamaha's auto-lube system is near bullet-proof. Many of my friends have had Yamahas with this system over the years, and I never heard of a failure. In cold weather, you can always use a lighter grade injector oil, as per the manual's recommendation.

HUSKY CLUTCH WOES

Dear Rick

Last summer, I bought a 1987 Husquvarna 430 automatic dirt bike. I made some calls since I was unfamilar with the bike, and from what people said, it didn't sound like a bad bike. It was basically brand new. I rode it for about two months and something happened.

I took it to a local guy and he said it was the clutch drum. After I got it back, it ran good for a few weeks, then it started breaking the clutch springs. When I bought, the bike it came with several extra sets. After a few sets, it seemed to be ok

Well, I guess I spoke too soon.

The clutch basket seemed to have gone again. I am out of ideas. Do you have any clue why it keeps doing this?

Should I be using special oil, being its an automatic? Is there a adjustment after the clutch basket wears down? Any info would be great.

Steve Walker

I hate to break the news to you, Steve, but the Husky Auto was a nightmare to maintain, which is one of the reasons it was dropped from the line. Even the top Husky enduro riders used to carry extra clutch springs with them during an event. While these bikes were fun to ride, and very effective in the woods, that clutch set up was truly miserable.

One hint: do not roll the throttle on. Hit it hard so the clutch weights engage quickly, rather than slip. And absolutely use the special Husky trans fluid!

ENGINE FOR KTM

Dear Sir,

I bought a KTM250 86 Model without an engine. Can you please advise me with regards to where I can get an engine for this bike?

Thanks,
Ryan Todd

Call this a wild guess, but maybe, just maybe, your local KTM dealer can find you one. Hey, stranger things have happened.

RATIOS?

what is the ratio for a 2 stroke dirt bike?

thanks

Ah yes, another brilliant question. Obviously, the ratio is 1:1. This means one bike to one rider.

WHERE IS IT?

Dear Rick,

What happened to the Great Yellow Dirt Bike Truck (I think it was a El Camino)? As a young racer in the early seventies, I used to wait with great anticipation each month for my dad's subscription of Dirt Bike. When it arrived, I went right to From the Saddle first. Your column and that mag.(and my dad's love of dirt bikes) had started me on a life long love of off-roading and motocross. (I'm old and slow but still at it)

It was great to find you here. I'll be reading here every month from now on

C Tremble.

A humble and sincere thanks, C.T. The last time I saw the El Camino, it was flattened out on a truck with many other vehicles, no doubt heading off to Japan where they probably made cheap lighters out of the metal.

MAICO/HUSKY

Hello,

I have a few questions about Maicos, Husqvarnas and Japanese bikes. My first question is about how Japanese bikes compare to the older Maicos? I have seen numerous listings of the new Maicos horsepower and of some of the older Maicos.They have a lot of horse power! But, I have never seen any Japanese bike list its horse power.

Is it too low to mention?

I have heard a lot of people say their older Maicos from 74, the 440's, may not be able to beat the brand new 250's, but they still run neck to neck. And I have heard that the 1980-81 Maicos simply eat the new bikes alive. Do you have any comparisions on this and any specs on horsepower for Japanese bikes?

And typical top speed of a Maico to that of a Japanese bike and the typical acceleration time it takes to reach maxium speed?

My other question is about the mechanics of the Maicos. I got a 1981 Husqvarna 250CR for free. Every bearing in the bike was spun. The crank bearings were so bad, when you pulled the seals out, the crank locked. The connecting rod was pink from rubbing against the crank and there were no washers in the crank. The piston had a corner chunk taken off the top where a bolt was put in the adjacent spark plug hole (Sometimes for compression release) and must have been too long and cracked the piece off the piston.

The bike had no compression and there was not even a head gasket; the head was just bolted on and the ring (1 ring bike) was worn completely. Reeds were showing wear and some big gaps, and the carburetor was caked with dried old gas and dirt. There was also some add on kit that was installed between the carb and cylinder head where a tube goes from there to a completely closed in box, kind of like a suction. I figured this to be some kind of racing add on kit, but it was not put on correctly to where there was more or less a big hole between the carburetor and cylinder.

Even in the transmission, every bearing was spun and the cluth was starting to rub up against the side case. Well, when I first got it, I wanted to see if I could get it started. After a few kick starts and messing with the carb, the bike started and I rode it through my back yard until the pine board acting as a rear shock broke. I then tore it apart and wondered how that bike was able to run!

Until then, most my experience was with Japanese bikes, and they won't run if you got a wet leaf stuck to the gas tank.

I found more amazement when I tore the transmision apart. The shifting cam is very large and is complex. As soon as you open the bottom end, everything falls into a million pieces. The shifting forks had roller bearings on the bottom, making for the butter like shifting! In the Japanese bikes, the shifting cam is very small and the forks are just straight metal scraping in grooves.

The gears in the Husqvarana were also much thicker! When you shift in the Japanese bike and the gears lock together, those "nobbs" (Don't know the tech term) are square, and especially second.

After a lot of wear, it will begin to jump out of gear.

The Husqvarna had rounded "nobbs" that seemed easier for creating less wear and tear on the engine.

My question is, what are Maico transmissions designed like? Being one of the most superior manufacturer in motorcycles, I would think they follow the same line of high quality as Husqvarna does. I also wonder why Japanese bikes do not have any quality? Are they made to break?

I once had the opportunity to purchase a Maico when I was younger, but I passed. Unfortunately, it was an '81 490. There was something wrong with it though. It had to be pulled with a truck to start and you couldn't restart it even after it was warmed up without doing that over again. The bike did feel to have tons of compression, but the bike shook very bad. It also felt like it was holding back, I kept kicking down the throttle and it wouldn't even try to pull the front end up. It just felt like a normal bike that was big. It shook so bad that if you took your foot off the foot peg, you didn't know where it went. You would look down and have to feel around to see where it was. I was told by someone else the crank may have been bent.

Opferman.

I ran your email in its entirety, mostly because I was amazed! But, you did ask a few questions that make for interesting answers. So I'll give it a go and try to give you some information and opinions.

The older big-bore Maicos had excellent power for their days. The 400 and 440 models usually pulled about 38 horsepower at the rear wheel. While the Japanese bikes of that era registered similar numbers on the dyno, the Maico put out a very nice smooth spread of power that made the bike easy to ride and race. The fastest Maicos were the 1981 and 1983 490. I saw 52 horsepower on a dyno reading with test bikes. A crisp 490 from one of those bikes would accelerate right alongside a modern open class bike.

As for acceleration, the best quarter mile time I have ever seen on a 490 Maico was 12.8 seconds at 93 miles per hour. Top speed of any bike is determined by the gearing you choose. Most stock motocross bikes are geared for MX tracks and peak out in the mid-70s.

I cannot believe that rat-bag Husky you bought! There comes a time in every bike's life when you simply give up on it. Like Paul Clipper says, the whole bike is on Last Over.

That item between the carb with a hose was more than likely one of those plenum air chambers a few bikes tried and gave up on. They were called Boost Bottles. Those "nobbs" on the gears are called dogs. Rounder dogs are easier to engage and dis-engage, but the straight-cut dogs are harder to engage, but will stay in gear better under severe loads.

As far as European quality versus Japanese quality, the Japanese are far superior in attention to detail and fit and finish of the entire bike. However, in my opinion, the Euro bikes have superior steel.

The Maico that shook so bad more than likely just had loose motor mounts and/or a loose swing arm pivot. With these items loose, you could barely see the bike as it vibrated!

Whew! I need a break.

WHAT KIND OF YAMAHA 360?

Super Hunk,

I was told about your page by a friend and checked it out. Good work! Some guy asked you about a 360 Yamaha he bought, but couldn't figger out what year or model. In the old Yamaha parts books (yes, they used to be in book form, before micro-fische), they had a long list of engine numbers. Example: 5G2-000000 = XJ750RH or 431 -000000 =Y2250A.

If the guy can provvide an engine number, it's real easy to find out what he's got and any Yamaha parts guy over the legal drinking age should know how to do it.

Good Luck
Mule

Thanks for the info, Mule. Hopefully, our confused friend will read this.

HELLLLOOOOOOOOOOOO

Hello, O Guru of Roostertails...

Now this electronic age has let me cross paths with my childhood mentor. By the way the maggott farming thing worked sort of ? my Dad got me a broken Suzuki 50, a 71 or 72, I think, and said, Here, fix it. From him, that was the best I could ask for.

Today, I am days away from opening the doors to my own dealership. I would sure love to hear from you. Thanks for all the great laughs you gave me as a kid.

Forrest Hall
Family Cycle Center
Simi Valley, California

What I want to know is if you learned how to fix that old Suzuki beater bike?

I HOPE THIS ISN'T A GOOFBALL QUESTION

I am looking for information on the old, old bikes that I just bought. What do you know about the '79 era of Suzuki RM 400 dirtbikes?

Bob

Actually, the big-bore Suzukis from the mid-'70s to early '80s were decent, reliable bikes. Stop by a good used book store and you'll easily find a bunch of manuals on whichever model you're interested in.

GREEVES PATHFINDER TIPS

Hello Super Hunky!

I've managed to get my old Greeves Pathfinder to sit-up ans fetch (working on rolling over), but I need your help on the "more technical" side of things.

Do you recall any improvements made to the stock forks (besides replacement)? My plans include a set of Works Performance shocks.

Hey, thanks for the all of the great writings (Classic Dirt Bike) and I'll get out of your way now.

Mike Baldwin

While you're ordering your Works Performance shocks, ask Gil or Ned about slotting the damping rods. The single best thing you can do for your Greeves is to dump the Amal carab and replace it with an old round-slide Mikuni. The difference in performance will amaze you, and the bike will get better mileage and even idle.

STREET STUFF!

Howdy Rick,

Please help me clear something up. I just bought a 1985 Honda Sabre V65. I love the old bike; it seems to be an asphalt chainsaw. The guy I purchased it from ripped the exhaust off right before the muffler would go. He said it gave it more power. The bike seems to run OK. It's a little louder than I like, but at least I can hear my bike when I run with Harleys. Are straight pipes OK for this rice rocket?

Thank you
Andrea Eppenauer

No. Not only can this screw up the jetting, but you are also being a real pain in the ass riding around the streets like that.

KUDOS

Hello Mr. Sieman,

I have been reading Dirt Bike magazine since 1985 and want to tell you how great it is to read articles from you again. I still have my original Dirt Bikes with the "From the Saddle" editorials you wrote. I just wanted you to know that I thought your writing was excellent and that it was a part of my teen-age years. Keep up the good work! Its great to find your recent work on this site.

Hey, my brother just got an old Hodaka Dirt Squirt for cheap in great condition. Remember project Rat Bike!

Take care,
Scott

Thanks for the kind words, Scott. You might not believe it, but Project Rat Bike is sitting in my garage right now, under a white sheet, in perfect condition.

XR HELP NEEDED

I have a 78 XR75 and i need a help. I was riding one day about 2 years ago and the bike jerked a few times and stopped. So i had to push it back to the house (up hill of course)and i found out the counter-shaft sprocket had stripped out the shaft with 4th gear on it.

So we tore it out and got the new one and put it in carefully assembling the tranny ala the owners manual. It shifted fine when we put the cases back together, but after we put the top end on and put it in the bike, it wouldn't shift out of 1st gear. (arg!)

Took it apart again. Shifted fine. Put the cases together. Nope sorry don't wanna shift. Is there any trick to put it back together? Or should i just take it to a good mechanic? The motor is totally spotless and im hoping to sell it when its back together.

Chris Lonto

Chris, I suspect that you could destroy the entire Iranian Air Force with a screwdriver and a pair of vise grips. The trick to getting the tranny to work is having all the correct spacers in there, in the right places. Take the thing to a mechanic before you hurt yourself.

CARABELA MOTORCYCLES

Hello Rick.

I am into vintage off road bikes. Would you happen to know where I could find a Carabela MX or Enduro. Thanks for your help.

Dan

Yeah. They were built in mainland Mexico and you can find many of them there, in various states of dis-repair.

73 YAMAHA DT 250

I know of this very clean 73 Yamaha DT 250 for sale for $600. The bike looks all there and has 2400 miles on it. It has a current inspection sticker and registration and all the lights work. Do you think this would be a good trail bike for a 6' 2" 250 pound guy to follow his nine year old son around the woods on? Please pass along any info about the bike.

Steven S. of RI

No question about it. The bike is bullet-proof. The only thing you'll want to do is buy a set of Works Performance shocks for the bike. The stock shocks were pure junk and with your body weight, you would sag the rear end out and the bike would steer like a boat.

COOLING A CLASS 8

I have a full size chevy. Class 8 some day. I wanted to know the draw backs of putting the radiator in the back, if there are any?

PreRun Guy

The draw backs are cost and a lot of fabrication. Moving the radiator(s) to the back means runing no windshield or rear window, also. You must have the airflow. It's good to move all that weight to the center of the truck. A full radiator can weight 35-40 pounds, plus the fan and shrouding. You also gain ponies be having electric fans in the rear-mounted set-up, eliminating the belt-driven fan normally used with a front radiator. The radiator also takes less hits from flying stones and sand.

PICKING A FOUR STROKE

Rick:

I enjoy your articles and respect your opinion. I am a 40 something, about 210 pounds, ex-rider of motocross and hare scrambles. I'd like to buy a motorcycle and was thinking of a dual-sport. I know, the last time I checked, they were pretty horrible off-road, but I know there have been many improvements in the last few years.

If you have time, I'd like to know your thoughts in this area. I know Suzuki has a new 400, Honda has a new 650 (I think), and KTM has a 400 and a 640? Have you used any of these?

PS: I received the red leather bound, autographed, hard bound copy of "Monkey Butt." I't was everything I'd hoped for, I think I'll order another for a friend.

Thanks
David Locke

Actually, there are now some decent choices for dual-sport machines. Unfortunately, all them come with those dangerous "trials-pattern" tires that don't work anywhere. I would suggest that you look at the KTM line of mid-sized four strokes, find one you like and slap some real knobbies on it.

GOOD OLD DT

I have a 1978 DT 175. It is great fun, although with the age of the bike, the exhaust decided to fall apart one day. I rang Yamaha about a new one and they said that'll be ?90.00 please, sterling. I crapped myself and put the phone down and ran. Do you know where I may be able to get one custom made? Is this possible?

Thanks Mad Man Dave in UK

Dave, pick up a copy of Cycle News, our weekly US bike paper, and in the classified ads in the back pages, you'll find several companies that will repair any pipe. One company guarantees it can fix any pipe for $35. Since a pipe is very light, shipping will not cost all that much.

THE END OF THE DAY

Just wanted to drop you a line to tell you that I was a loyal follower of "Check Point" in Dirt Bike. Every time I got the mag, yours was the first article I went to every month. Are you still racing trucks in the desert, or have you retired to the easy chair with a six pack?

Keep up the good work and long live the rider who can ride hard all day for the love of it, and then kick back with a cold one at the end of the day!

Z-man

Mister Z, thank you for the thoughts. Right now, sitting in my driveway in Baja, is a Class 8 Ford truck that is about 90 percent complete. It's running right now, but I still must do some wiring, lights, and such. I plan to hit one or two races a year, just for the fun of it. I did the whole SCORE circuit for eight years, and it's simply too much work to run the entire series.

My plans are to race the Baja 2000 with a Mexican buddy, more than likely in Class 8. We still haven't decided which vehicle we will use yet.

FIRST TRUCK

Hi, My name is Eric Minegla. I have done quite a bit of 4-wheeling with my friends and now I would like to get a set up. What would be a good truck? I was thinking somewhere along the lines of a Ford F250 about 85-93. Is this a good choice?

I am not all to sure what are the good and bad points of certain trucks. Also my budget is not all that big, so I was wondring about how much it would be for a lift and a set of good tires.

Eric Minelga

Your best choice would be an F-150, rather than a 250. The 250 uses 16.5 wheels and tires, which are harder to find and more expensive than 15-inchers. Ford trucks are very easy to modify for long travel. Older Dodges have straight front axles, which are a nightmare to improve the travel. Chevy trucks use A-arms, and cost a lot to improve the travel.

I'd go with 35 inch BFG tires (All Terrains), double Rancho shocks all the way around and lengthen the radius arms. This, combined with longer coils springs up front, will give you an easy 14 plus inches of travel. At the rear, you can do a simple Add-A-Leaf and the 35s will fit. Shop around for best tire prices.

NEW TO HODAKA

Dear Rick,

About 6 years ago, a good buddy of mine bought a Hodaka MX 100 Super Rat that did not run, but looked really clean. Since then, it has been sitting in a barn collecting dust. About 5 years ago, I started working in southern Indiana's largest Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki dealership.

I am a road racer by nature, but being surrounded by all types of bikes wore off on me and in the fall of 98, I got a free 1990 Yamaha YZ 125. It needed everything, and I mean everything. The YZ was a real learning experience for me. It also started a love affair with 2-strokes of all types. Since then. I have also done a 76 Yamaha RD 400C, a 79 Yamaha YZ 250, and my own 98 Kawasaki KX125.

The reason I'm writing you is that I now have the task of restoring the Hodaka. Supposedly, it was rebuilt years ago and didn't have any spark, so off into the corner it was pushed. However, when I pulled the head and cylinder, I discoverd a piston that someone had broken off the skirt so the it would fit (sorta).

I plan to do both the top and bottom ends, not to mention freshing up the forks, etc. I was wondering if you knew how much fork oil it takes and any specs for testing the CDI mag and stator?

Thank you. Shawn Keene

First off, the old Hodakas had a points ignition, not a CDI unit. It's a simple matter to buff and adjust the points, replace the condensor and time the bike. Fork oil? Remove the fork caps and springs, then collapse the forks. Pour in 5 or 10 weight oil, to a level six inches from the top of the tubes. The weight of the oil will dependon your body weight and how you ride. Have fun.

I HAVE A PROBLEM

My name is Kenny and I have a 75 Yamaha dirt bike, and when I fixed it up, I needed to hook up wires back up to it, but I don't remember where they go. Could you give me some help?

Kenny

Utterly astonishing! You, sir, are a danger to all those around you. When taking anything apart, why did you not make notes, or simply put tape with markers on the disconnected wiring? I would think that your very next purchase would be a shop manual for the poor bike, but I suspect that getting the protective plastic cover off the book might be beyond your skill level. Trade the bike for a pet of some sort, preferably an artificial one.

SMOKIN!

Hi Rick,

I just bought a 1995 YZ Yamaha 250cc dirt bike. Anyway, to start off with it smokes like crazy. The guy I bought it from said in reply to this, that the rings had been replaced. Also he said it hadn't been cranked in about a month. I also asked him if the smoke had anything to do with the fuel/oil mixture that he put in the tank. He said he put in some that was kind of rich for the bike and that this could cause it.

I've only ridden it for about four hours today and wondered if it needed time or something. I've never owned a 2-stroke. In laymen terms, please explain not just 32:1 or whatever that means. He said one gallon of fuel and 16 oz. of oil. Please note the smoking isn't noticable when idling, only when riding. Please tell me a simplified, hopefully cheap way I can fix this problem.

The next problem is when I'm going slow, like to turn around, it just dies on me. I use the clutch (in and out) to prevent this, but just know I will burn up the clutch by doing this. Also I wore myself out constantly recranking it, since it takes (most of the time) 4 to 6 licks before it will crank.

Finally, I noticed that sometimes when shifting, I have trouble changing as though it's stuck or something. It seems to only go into like 2 or 3 gears. When the bike is sitting, I can click through all of them no problem. Maybe the clicks are there and I just didn't notice them (how could I not?) since I'm still getting accustomed to the bike. At first, I thought I had like skipped over them or something, so I clicked back down and only found 2 gears. Would a worn out clutch cause problems like this?

I know I probably sound like a beginner. It's been 15 or 20 yrs since I rode and now I'm going through my second childhood, I guess. Please help me! I just hope I haven't got burned. I waited a long time to get another bike. I paid $2,500 for this bike that supposedly has never been raced and is in seemingly great shape. Your help for this "newcomer" and non, and I do mean non-mechanic rider, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
A Fan Always,
Ronnie

Ronnie, you have ben given a wealth of mis-information by the former owner. It's amazing that the bike will run at all by putting 16 ounces of oil in one gallon of gas! For a 20:1 ratio, you use one quart of two-stroke oil for five gallons of gas. You can certainly do the math from there.

To keep the bike from stalling, clean out the carb and the pilot jet, put in a proper gas/oil mixture, install a new spark plug, and set the idle screw in the carb up until the bike idles comfortably.

If your bike is missing gears on a random basis, chances are the dogs on the gears are badly rounded and will not hold engagement. Sounds to me like the guy who sold you the bike was a real klutz.. $2500 is an OK price to pay for a clean, solid 1995 YZ 250, but not for one with a clapped-out gearbox. Good luck.

DIRT BIKE VOLUME ONE NUMBER ONE JUNE 1971

Rick,

You probably have lots of them, but I have come up the original issue of DIRT BIKE complete with cover and in surprisingly good condition (you were technical editor).

Enjoy your articles; they were always the first thing read by all when a new copy of DIRT BIKE came.

Ted White

Ted, I have a box of Volume 1, Number 1 Dirt Bike mags in perfect condition. For collectors, I'm selling a limited number of them for $150, autographed. First issues of magzines steadily appreciate over the years.

The source:

Rick Sieman Racing
4492 Camino De La Plaza PMB 1251
San Ysidro, CA 92173
Cost ? $150, includes priority mail

1971 F7

Rick,

I'm trying to think of a witty way to intro my dilemna so you will respond to this message, but I guess all I have to do is mention this "great" bike deal I got. I used to ride trails a long time ago back in the early seventies, and have recently found an old Kawasaki 1971 F7 for $100.00. Needless to say the riding "itch" is back.

What a GREAT deal, I thought, until I tried to find decent parts, support, or even a glimmer of enthusiasm for this dinosaur.

Never the less it has compression, the tires hold air... what more do ya need?

My question is twofold. Is there any information you would know about helping me find out about this bike (I know, I know, like why would you care about this old bike)?

Also I have an unsubstantiated passion for and old 70s Honda XL 250S. Am I to assume this would make a great On/Off road bike. Reason being, I am assuming the Kaw is kinda noisy and would like something quiet.

Oh heck, could ya just point me in the direction of a quiet, dependable, moderately powerful, with very little plastic motorcycle, that would be worth spending some time with. Or is this just like the search for the perfect women?

Thanks
(Stuck in the Seventies)
The Mert-ster

One of the best places to find old M/C manuals is an old-fashioned used book store. I acquired numerous valuable old manuals for a buck or less. The F-7 had a fairly long model run, and you should have no problem scrounging a Clymer (or HP) manual up.

The Honda would be a decent trail bike, but the "S" version had mediochre suspension. If I were you, and on a budget, think about a decent clean Yamaha IT-175/200, or a Kawasaki KDX 175/200. Either one of these would be excellent for your needs.

NEW XR IN THE HURT LOCKER!

Hey man,

I just bought a brandy new '00 XR400 and guess what happened last weekend? The counter shaft snapped on the clutch side! Can you believe it? I broke the thing in real easy too. I'm a 4-stroke rider, so I know about these things. All I have ever ridden are XR's.

So my question is: Have you heard from any other XR400 riders about this probeblem? Or is my bike a frickin' lemon? I've never had anything this bad happen to my previous XR's.

Also, what should I do to get more low-end grunt out of it? Go a couple teeth up in my rear sprocket perhaps? Do you have any suggestions? Also she's a little choppy and hesitant off the bottom sometimes? Any more ideas? I would greatly appreciate some advise from the man, the myth, the legend (yeah, right.. .just kidding), Mr. "Super Hunky"

Thanks!
Jim Duncan

Your broken countershaft problem is rare. XR 400s have a suspect clutch, in my opinion, but a C/S failure was probably a freak thing. More than likely, you got a small stone caught between the chain and the sprocket and that snapped the shaft. Actually, the shaft breaking more than likely saved you cracking the cases.

To get more snap from the 400, buy a good aftermarket muffler (White Brothers, FMF, etc.) and the richen up the pilot circuit. Leave the gearing alone, unles you're a woods rider, then three more teeth on the rear will help.

TURBINE POWERED RM

Rick,

I am writing to you about an unusual problem with my '98 RM250. I bought the bike about six months ago, and throughout this time, the bike, while running, has some sort of turbine noise to it (throughout the RPM range) on top of the usual 2-stroke sound. It is quite a loud sound, because when we were filming it on the video camera, the turbine noise was the most predominant.

I have tried new transmission oil, but that didn't not solve the problem (if it is a problem). What do you think this could be related to?

Thank you,
Nathan.

Sounds like a water pump giving up the ghost. Yank the cover and check that out first.

WE PROVIDE INFORMATION

i need information on a 1981 honda xr dirtbike i have an 8Occ and need information

William Garner

Sir, since you violated numerous rules that I set down at the beginning of this column, I'm afraid that I shall have to mock you severely. Therefore, I will print your email out on plain white paper and do terrible things to it with assorted power tools.

Learn how to spell and capitalize before you ever dare email me again.

STICKY RM CLUTCH

Rick,

Two things: Reading Monkey Butt right now for the 3rd time.... holy hellvetica. . . Thanks for the ulcer from laughing so hard. The first guy trying to sell you the Harley was too real! l think I saw him last week.

The station wagon trying to nip your heels was scary, yet a gut buster! The chopper that you raced in the desert! Looks like the "sissy bar" was in good form! As far as I am concerned, those who have not read Monkey Butt, cannot consider themselves "real" bikers! Buy the book, man!

Also, I need some help from the cranium files, if I might. I bought (for sentimental reasons) a 1976 RM125A. Great condition, but had not been run in 9 years. I put gas in it, a new plug and new oil and it fired up after 4 kicks! I was pumped, as I want to restore it and race it in bomber. But the clutch pull feels fine, yet will not disengage properly. Also the gearbox, (worked fine when last run) now will not shift out of first gear.

I am stumped, and rather than guess, wanted to get the hallowed opinion of Hunky. Any ideas where to start would be great.

Jay Kelley
SLC Utah

Two things to look for. The tabs on the clutch plates might have grooved the tangs of the clutch basket over the years, and are catching on the grooves, preventing proper release. Secondly, the clutch plates themselves might be sticking., You're going to have to take the clutch pack apart and check for these things. While you're at it, check all the plates for warpage by placing them on a flat sheet of glass.

1979 HUSKY GEARBOX

Dear Rick,

I am writing to you to correct an error regarding assembly of Husqvarna gearboxes. I rebuilt many, many Husky motors, as my father was a dealer from 1976-87, when Cagiva took over and thought they were gonna run the show from then on.

Whatever happened to Cagiva anyway? They were real jerks.

On to the point. Husky transmissions must be "timed" during assembly to insure that the shift drum doesn't shift 2-3-4-5-6-1 or 3-4-5-6-1-2, etc. Also, the gear that operates the drum must be installed a certain way, as well. The general rule that is easiest to remember is: divide the number of speeds by two and add one.

For example, on five speed boxes, you assemble in third gear; for six speeds, fourth gear. The gear that operates the shift drum must be installed with two teeth visible at the top, one tooth at the bottom. This will insure proper shifting.

The 1979 model had a weak 3rd gear design that, with sloppy shifting, would lead to the bike jumping out of 3rd gear. Examine closely the large double gear on the primary shaft in the recessed area (female) where the adjacent gear dogs ride. Also check the dogs on this gear for signs of wear. By wear, I mean any sign that the sharp edge is gone in these areas.

I would speculate at this point, that these gears are going to be near impossible to replace, so maybe a machine shop could do any needed repairs. I agree Motoplat ignitions are the way to go. We believe the problems with the SEM ignitions were from overheating. If you want to keep using them, would suggest venting the ignition cover, as this seems to help them stay cooler.

I don't recall at the moment exactly what year the 430 came out, but to help him ID the year of the bike, I offer the following:

1982- twin shocks, silver frame.(no 430)

1983- twin shocks, white frame.(no 430)