I have one that I just finished a total restoration on this year and managed to race it in a few motos and GPs. A very fun bike to ride and brings back a lot of memories of the old days. This is a great and informative video, thanks for sharing.
Some of the things to fix the issues on the 89 other than bolt on parts. Use 1990 inner fork tubes with the 1990 fork valving and cartridge and cap. This gets you rebound clickers, stiffer springs that are about 5/8" longer than the 89 springs. Remove the last shim on the valving stack for softer feel, with the rebound adjustments with this setup it makes the forks harder so some valving work softens them back up, along with 2.5wt oil. Or just use gold valves. We took the gear box apart and chamfered the sides of the sliding gears on a surface grinder. This along with a good clutch cover and a little bit of Lucas oil treatment in the gear oil makes the 89 shift like a dream, even under load. There was some other goofy stuff we did to that bike too but I can't remember all we did. Blending the case seams where the reads go in was one, and another was we used either a longer or shorter intake manifold and Airbox boot to move the carb forward or backward away from the cylinder I can't remember which. I did a lot of trial and error porting too, I got a bunch of different heads and cylinders in my garage with all the different transfer port shapes I tried, don't remember if anyone was better or not if at all. Fun times
I was at the 89 Houston Supercross where Mike Larocco won his first ever SX on the 89 YZ125. That was a great race, the future star - JMB was racing in the 250 class before returning to the GP's and 6 time Stanton won the event with Ricky Johnson missing the race due to his infamous wrist injury just a few weeks before. Great memories, thanks for the review.
What memories for me. I was 13 years old and my dad bought me this bike new when I was stepping up from my KX80 big wheel. Darn good looking bike then and still holds its own today in the looks department.
I had one brand new at the end of 88.. first meeting I holeshot both Motos and led to the flag. Rewarded with a great piece in a national MX paper (still got 5 copies).. Excellent bike, lovely memories, just bought a cheap 1990 yz125, very similar apart from the nasty red forks. Great work as usual Tony, and check old school Motocross on Facebook, you would be more than welcome. 👍
Got my 89 back in 94 when I was 13. The previous owner bent the 1st gear fork and grenaded the bottom end, a girl had it and put neon pink plastic on it. Got it for 400 bucks. I raced it in 96-98 and did real well with it. As a poor kid It was all I could afford and had to work all summer doing yard work to fix it up. Still got the bike too
Again..ANOTHER Awsome video produced by the world's most knowledgeable walking encyclopedia on Dirt Bikes - Mr Tony Blazier...on his companies world renowned 'Motorcycle Vault'. Great work! 👍
I have this same bike and this is the only review or anything I could find on this bike but I'm going to have a video out of a full restoration and top speed once done
Great review TB. My buds and I road Hondas then but were both intrigued and intimidated by the YZ. The white and red color scheme looked and still looks great.
I just bought one of these bike and I want to bore it but at first you said you bored yours and then you said they can’t be bored? Can I bore it or not?
I always thought these were pretty ugly machines even by 1980's standards... i feel like if you gave a little kid a pencil and told them to draw a dirt bike this is what you would get... great video though.. always learn something here.
I have one that I just finished a total restoration on this year and managed to race it in a few motos and GPs. A very fun bike to ride and brings back a lot of memories of the old days. This is a great and informative video, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the 125 Yamaha video. The 86 scared me to death when I was 12 Years old.but I still ride 2 strokes every Sunday.
Well done 👍
Some of the things to fix the issues on the 89 other than bolt on parts. Use 1990 inner fork tubes with the 1990 fork valving and cartridge and cap. This gets you rebound clickers, stiffer springs that are about 5/8" longer than the 89 springs. Remove the last shim on the valving stack for softer feel, with the rebound adjustments with this setup it makes the forks harder so some valving work softens them back up, along with 2.5wt oil. Or just use gold valves. We took the gear box apart and chamfered the sides of the sliding gears on a surface grinder. This along with a good clutch cover and a little bit of Lucas oil treatment in the gear oil makes the 89 shift like a dream, even under load. There was some other goofy stuff we did to that bike too but I can't remember all we did. Blending the case seams where the reads go in was one, and another was we used either a longer or shorter intake manifold and Airbox boot to move the carb forward or backward away from the cylinder I can't remember which. I did a lot of trial and error porting too, I got a bunch of different heads and cylinders in my garage with all the different transfer port shapes I tried, don't remember if anyone was better or not if at all. Fun times
I was at the 89 Houston Supercross where Mike Larocco won his first ever SX on the 89 YZ125. That was a great race, the future star - JMB was racing in the 250 class before returning to the GP's and 6 time Stanton won the event with Ricky Johnson missing the race due to his infamous wrist injury just a few weeks before. Great memories, thanks for the review.
What memories for me. I was 13 years old and my dad bought me this bike new when I was stepping up from my KX80 big wheel. Darn good looking bike then and still holds its own today in the looks department.
Absolutely
My friend had one of these and we thought it was the coolest bike ever at the time.
I had one brand new at the end of 88.. first meeting I holeshot both Motos and led to the flag. Rewarded with a great piece in a national MX paper (still got 5 copies).. Excellent bike, lovely memories, just bought a cheap 1990 yz125, very similar apart from the nasty red forks. Great work as usual Tony, and check old school Motocross on Facebook, you would be more than welcome. 👍
Great review as always! I think this bike is one of the best looking bikes of any era. I wished they shifted better, otherwise I might look for one.
Had one when I was 17, would love to have it back.
Got my 89 back in 94 when I was 13. The previous owner bent the 1st gear fork and grenaded the bottom end, a girl had it and put neon pink plastic on it. Got it for 400 bucks. I raced it in 96-98 and did real well with it. As a poor kid It was all I could afford and had to work all summer doing yard work to fix it up. Still got the bike too
Well done
Had an 89 and loved it... Miss it ....
Again..ANOTHER Awsome video produced by the world's most knowledgeable walking encyclopedia on Dirt Bikes - Mr Tony Blazier...on his companies world renowned 'Motorcycle Vault'. Great work! 👍
Thanks again!
I have this same bike and this is the only review or anything I could find on this bike but I'm going to have a video out of a full restoration and top speed once done
Great review TB. My buds and I road Hondas then but were both intrigued and intimidated by the YZ. The white and red color scheme looked and still looks great.
Love that bike wish I had one from a big Suzuki fan
I had a 1989 yz80 my first bike and a 1989 yz250 awesome thx
Your work is excellent. Cheers from Oz
Thank you
I had an 89 yz 125 it was smooth power band great suspension but the clutch basket was junk. I went through quite a few of them.
I over jumped everything and slammed through the whoops the KYB suspension was great.
🤘
Great review. I only ever had yz four strokes.
I just bought one of these bike and I want to bore it but at first you said you bored yours and then you said they can’t be bored? Can I bore it or not?
It can not be bored with the stock liner but several companies replace them
@@TheMotocrossVault can I just sleeve it?
I would like to cee the history of the xr74
I would like to cee the history of the xr75
Why is the 91-92 so bad?
I almost bought an 89 off a friend but it fell through and i ended up with a kx
..well, either one was a win.
I always thought these were pretty ugly machines even by 1980's standards... i feel like if you gave a little kid a pencil and told them to draw a dirt bike this is what you would get... great video though.. always learn something here.
Thanks
All of the 89 line up we’re great looking bikes . If I came into extra money I would buy all four of the Japanese 89 125 or 250s for a collection