Carburettor setup, jets & needles

It is possible to re-jet the Teikei carb using Kiehin jets. What to use depends on what year your TTR is - although a recent thread on the Yahoo forum has cast some doubt on what the standard jets are so beware! The information I was given some time ago was that early TTRs were 142 main jet and 48 pilot jet though from about 96/97 the main jet was a 147 and pilot was a 50. ("50" pilot jet is 43F-14342-25-00, "54" pilot jet is 43F-14342-27 and presumably the "52" pilot jet is 43F-14342-26-00 - about £10 each in UK). At least one owner has a 96 Open Enduro with 137 main and 50 pilot jets - very confusing! However, something definite I hope is that the blue TTRs are shown as having 137 main and 50 pilot on the online microfiche at http://partsfinder.onlinemicrofiche.com/xtremepowersports/Yamaha_OEM/YamahaDB.asp

Johnny  Davies TTR (see above) was a later model so he found a local carb specialist that did Kiehin carbs, took in his main jet and needle jet and they tried a standard round Kiehin main jet and it fitted perfectly. They measured his original jet and it was 1.47mm (apparently different makes of jets don't always mean that the no. on the jet is the size in mm) and suggested trying a 148mm, 150mm, and 152mm (Kiehin). Johnny tried them all (about £3.00 each) 148 no difference, 150 spot on, 152 too rich (like running with the choke on). Johnny has left the snorkel off the air box and has the needle on the standard position. He is looking at different needles at the moment, also he has left the mixture screw at 3.5 turns out compared to standard 2.25. The firm he used is:
Allens Performance Ltd, Unit B9, Moorbridge Road, Bingham, Notts, NG13 8GG - tel. no. 01949 836733, fax. 01949 836734
You should get better power throughout the range.

Yamaha part numbers for jets as follows (thanks to Mike Stoddard):
288-14329-71 #142
4GY-14329-73 #145
4GY-14329-74 #147

Rage Performance and Bike Bandit in the US can supply Keihin and Mikuni carb jets. See also Sudco

Karl Goellner says "The small Mikuni hex sized ones don't come in half sizes but just full sizes however the large round ones ( N100.604 )do come in half sizes like (142.5). I used this type and know for sure that they will fit although it's a pretty tight fit. With the stock exhaust and only the silencer removed (still has the spark arrestor screen), the large
type Mikuni #140 jet with the needle in the stock position works great at 600 ft. elevation. It adds a little more punch for about $5.00. Also, I've done nothing to the air box, it's completely stock and unaltered."

More information on personalising your TTR and "uncorking" some power - see this posting on Thumpertalk at http://tinyurl.com/mvntl which has some useful pics and links courtesy of Aaron Cooper.

Problems with carburation after long-term storage & non-use. Geoff Denham"  says:  I have a 2001 TTR250 (North American version). I had cold starting and idle problems. I found out that the previous owner had stored the bike for 2 years without draining the fuel from the carb. I then discovered why he hadn't drained the carb - the Philips head of the drain screw was stripped such that no screw driver could turn it. The jets in the carb. were blocked up with residue from the evaporated fuel, and the throttle pump diaphragm had become hard (long term storage). I removed the carb. from the engine and had it overhauled by the Yamaha dealer. In most cases it maybe just gummed up jets. Check to see if you can drain the carb. If your drain screw's head is stripped, have the carb. overhauled. Removing the carb can be quite a big job if the air box is removed first. If you do this, take careful note of the connections and routing of the various rubber hoses connected to the carb. Its a good idea to thoroughly clean the inside of the hoses and their one way valves etc. You should download the Yamaha service manual, I found it very helpful. I should have added, after I had removed the carb, I also removed the rubber intake manifold and refitted it with an application of a high temperature sealing compound. All this effort was rewarded with new bike starting, idle, and general good manners. As in this case of my low mileage bike, such results assume there are no other significant engine problems. if you're having problems starting, it might be time to check your valve clearances. 25 April 2007

Click here for further information from James_AZ_USA.

Carb drain screw. The Philips-style head on these strip out easily so use the best-fitting screwdriver you have. Make sure that you have the carb body held firm so that you can put pressure on the screwdriver to prevent it jumping out of the slots. If it goes wrong, the part number for a new one is 14T-14104-00-00.

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What brake pads fit? (Info from Paul Bates - thanks mate!)
 TTR250 brakes same as WR200, rear same as Serow, front same as TS200 and RMX250. Part numbers by manufacturer as follows with rear given first: Apico BP100 and BP002, Vesrah VD432/2 and VD340, EBC FA152TT and FA135, SBS SBS648 and SBS SBS611, Ferodo FDB659 and FDB497, Dunlop DP315 and DP411.Good parts shops should have sets in stock but any dealer with a "Hi level" account can get them next day if not in stock. EBC Sintered Pads - Front FA135R and RearFA152/2R, they are listed in the ORO catalogue as the same as the ORO gold pad 211CC/SM and 315CC/SM. 
I personally use the sintered Ferodo pads as they seem to work well on and off road and last a sensible amount of time. Brian Eland likes the Kevlar EBC pads which apparently give loads of feel to the lever but are "softer" and he reckons they need changing probably after one rally and two trail rides as the pads are wrecked by then (could be Brian's wicked riding though!).

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Brake disc/rotors and fitting rear pads.

Brake Discs/Rotors. My brother bought his replacement pattern (EBC) discs from Brakes 4U – good price and service! Front Disc - Part No: MD6066D - £43.30 inc. VAT. Rear Disc – Part No. MD6121D - £41.24 inc. VAT. The costs quoted for genuine Yamaha parts from main dealers, as at June 2008, were front disc - £83.47 inc. VAT, and rear - £64.67 inc. VAT

Advice courtesy Brian Eland. Take the brake guard off - loosen the rear wheel spindle bolt - loosen the front bolt on the caliper body - tilt it forward - open out the brake caliper to push the piston back - take out the brake pin bolts - you should then be able to drop the brake pads down then remove them backwards. On installation to put the pins in you have to push the pads slightly up against the anti chatter springs, Copper Slip the brake pins very well and tighten very carefully - if you over tighten the pins will stick and have to be drilled out - any doubt about the fit of an Allen key into the brake pin do not put the pin back in - replace it instead.

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Oil changing. The filter is a common off-the-shelf Yamaha part - I used a Champion X313 last time around (Yamaha Part No is - 1UY-13440-02-00). Dave Maddock found that the oil filter is the same as the YZ\WR 400\426 (not the 450) and the pre-03 YZ250F, which makes pattern ones widely available. He got his from Racespec in the UK (part number 78-142 - £5.20) who also supplied a CRD air filter (part number 23-1015 - £7.50).
1.1 litres of oil needed unless you have a oil cooler on then it maybe a little more.
Lance Parsons was advised to use a semi-synthetic oil and uses Castrol GPS "Extreme Protection at High Temperature Semi-Synthetic 4 Stroke Motor Cycle Oil" which claims to be "an advanced semi-synthetic 4 stroke engine oil formulated to maintain a tough renewing layer of protection for bikes ridden hard. Castrol GPS provides excellent wet clutch performance and consumption control". Lance changes his oil every 1,000km but that's down to you to decide. If you have just driven a hard 3.5hr Hare & Hounds then I would probably advise changing it!
Haynes Manual Recommended lubricants for Engine/Transmission are: Type: API grade SE or SF multigrade oil, Viscosity: 40-degrees F(5-degrees C) or above:20W40 or 10-degrees F(-10-degrees C) or below:10W30
If you start to use oil, and the engine is smoking, its always worth fitting new valve guide seals - part number 33M-12119-00=00 - before going for the expensive rebuild.

Tyler Watts says: All these engines ask for is good oil and for it to be changed regularly. You can even use average off the shelf stuff from the service station (I'm not recommending it though) as long as you change it regularly. Regularly depends on your riding. Off-roading, hill climbing, overlanding etc would require more regular changes approx. 500-1,000 miles. Less strenuous riding like commuting could extend this. A good tip for knowing when to change the oil is if you're riding along sedately and just short-shifting through the gear box, you will notice the changes get more 'clunky' or stiff. It is simply the gearbox saying it's used all the good lubricating the oil can offer and would like some new oil... My engine had never been opened after 20,000miles, and was great. All that went wrong was a cylinder base gasket leaking, and then a nit on the end of the spanner putting the timing wrong and turning over the engine, ramming the piston into the intake valves... Otherwise, she is amazing and the mileage is loads higher now!

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Can I get a bash plate and frame guards for my TTR?
CRD no longer make these items but fortunately the Australian firm B&B Offroad Engineering do! Brian Eland  imports these items to the UK at a cost of £84.95 and £38 respectively (plus p&p)

Advice from Adrian - March 2006 - "Another bash guard option is one from these peeps p1autotech They get the American Baja Designs one and are only £63 inc VAT, p&p. If you're lucky they may have one in stock, if not though they have to come from the USA so take sometime. My mate bought one and for the money its not too bad at all, they are strong but the fitting kit is a little fiddly and not as simple or probably as rigid as the CRD one, but then it is £20 cheaper. I recommend you phone the guy to make sure he has one though on 0845 838 0706 or e-mail sales@p1autotech.com I hope this helps, Oh and I have no connection to this company just trying to help."

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Need a grab handle for your blue TTR?
Dave Maddock has recently bought the "missing" grab handle (the left hand side one he thinks) - part number was 4PXF-12750-000. Pricey at £35 but hopefully worth it in the long run. Apparently the handle is part of the UK road-kit (along with a few other bits) and it isn't listed on the fiche. The dealers have a separate booklet for these parts. The UK spec bikes should already have it but most of the parallels and semi-official ones don't.
 

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Batteries. 

A new battery (GS Valve Regulated Lead-acid battery GT7B-4) cost me £33.47 (in VAT) in Jan 2004 - off the shelf and charged - from CMS (telno 01392 467700) in UK - part number 4UC-82100-01-00. A cheaper alternative suggested by Perttu of Bangkok is to use a computer UPS Battery  (flat connectors). He is using one in his TTR and it works fine in upright position. Its a Panasonic LC-R127 (7AH) and it costs only 450 baht ($10US) in Bangkok. Looking at the battery you will have to extend the leads a bit but it sounds worth it for the price. Thanks Perttu!

Dave Maddock says: "TTR batteries are not the easiest things to find and my usual supplier (local battery factors) couldn't help. Yuasa UK assured me that there is a Yuasa equivalent (YT7B-4) so a Yuasa dealer like M&P should be able to get one, but it'd probably cost the same as OE. I managed to get one for £35 inc VAT from a place in Telford called Moto Sifam UK (01952 580500 - info@motosifam.co.uk). They advertise in the MCN battery classifieds as Chase Batteries, but in reality they're a motorcycle parts wholesaler, who are happy to supply individuals. They had a Kyoto YT7B-4 in stock (they're the importers for Kyoto batteries) and they can do next day delivery if required. A useful alternative source to Yamaha."

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Kick start kits - part number 4GY-W0795-01-00

In the UK, these are available from Brian Eland - approx. £310 - not cheap! - see www.BrianEland.com

In the US, these are available from suppliers such as Mr Motorcycle - approx. $286 - see http://www.mrcycles.com/eshopprod_cat_1609-3795-9101_product_148028.KICK_START_KIT.htm
 

Kick start kit installation – by Nik Codling 28/05/02
Having installed the Yamaha kick start kit for the TTR250 myself, I thought I’d share my experiences with others, and hopefully make the job slightly easier for anyone attempting it. First thing to note is that it can’t be that hard – I managed it ok, and it’s pretty straightforward!
The instructions that come with the kit are probably really good. I say probably, as it is more suited to those who have a good grip of Japanese, being as it is written entirely in said language! The Japanese language is visually very pretty, although my grasp of it is roughly equivalent to my grasp of female logic (very small!), although I did once try Sushi.
The instructions do have a few diagrams, which certainly give you the basic information to be able to complete the job, although there were a few occasions where I had to make a couple of guesses!
First job is to remove the right hand engine cover. You will probably find this is made easier by removing the brake pedal (just undo the pivot bolt) and the foot peg (two hex/Allen head bolts). The engine casing itself is retained by a number of hex (Allen) head bolts. You will also have to remove the oil banjo bolt above the oil filter.
A good idea when you remove these is to place them down on a clean surface, and lay them out in the order they came out – the bolts vary in length and it’s easy to mix them up otherwise. Of the three oil filter bolts you only need to remove the outermost one, although it’s a good opportunity to give the oil filter a clean while you’re at it.
Once all the engine cover bolts are out you can take the cover off, exposing the clutch assembly. It’s at this point that you discover whether you remembered to drain the oil or not! In my case I hadn’t, and some lovely new semi synthetic deposited itself on my garage floor! 
In order to install the kick start assembly you need to remove the clutch assembly. This may seem scary to the amateur mechanic, but it’s pretty easy. The clutch plates are held in by six bolts, with a 10mm head. Slacken these all off a little bit at a time – try and undo them all evenly, and not one at a time, it puts less stress on the clutch basket that way.
Once the bolts are undo you can withdraw that clutch plates in one go, complete with the clutch cover plate (not sure the correct term!) and the six bolts and springs. The clutch basket is retained by a large nut with a tab washer, and you’ll need a 27mm socket to undo it. Tap the tab washer out of the way, allowing access to the nut. 
At this point you’ll need to prevent the engine from turning over, in order that you can undo the nut. A professional mechanic would have a device to hold the clutch basket, and prevent it from turning. A less scrupulous mechanic would insert the largest spanner they have through the back wheel, but I wouldn’t recommend this practice!!! Once the engine is held the nut is pretty easy to undo, and the basket can be withdrawn from the splined shaft.
Behind this is a large flywheel (again, not sure of proper name!), and this is retained by a castellated washer – remove this, and off comes the flywheel.
To the left of the flywheel is a small shaft, with a blanking piece on it, retained by a circlip. Remove the circlip and blanking piece. The shaft is then fitted with a circlip and washer, and one of the large gears supplied with the kit. This is held in place with a washer and circlip. Make sure you fit the gear the right way round (it should be obvious, depending on whether you can rotate it once fitted). Once this is in place you can re-fit the whole clutch assembly.
You might want to take this opportunity to inspect the clutch plates, and make sure they’re within spec (use vernier calipers to measure the thickness of the friction material). When re-fitting the clutch bolts be careful not to over-tighten (refer to workshop manual for correct torque).
Next job is to fit the kick start “stop”. This consists of three small metal plates, which prevent the kick start shaft from being turned beyond a certain angle. You will find two threaded holes to the left of the clutch assembly that these are fitted to. Fit first the smallest “plain” plate, then the really thick one (ensuring that the big tab is pointing upwards), and finally the plate with the two tabs on it (with the tabs facing towards the left). Screw in the bolts to approx 10nM (i.e. not very tight – you really don’t want to strip the threads, but tight enough that they won’t undo) and bend up the tabs to help prevent the bolts undoing. 
Next up, you need to fit the splined shaft that the kick start return spring hooks over. This goes into a hole towards the bottom, below where the kick start “stop” is. The hole isn’t splined, and you may feel as though it isn’t the right place. It is, it’s just that it needs a damn good whack to get it in there! I started off using a nylon-faced mallet, but ended up using a lump hammer in order to hit it hard enough to get it in the hole! Mind you don’t over-do it though, after all, most of the engine consists of softer aluminium/alloy parts. Try and hit the shaft square on the end, so that it doesn’t go in at a funny angle. Be careful not to put the shaft in all the way – leave about 2-3mm of the splines sticking out.
Now you need to assemble the kick start shaft itself. This is quite easy, and is illustrated in the instructions (refer to Shawn Crowell’s .jpg in the Yahoo Groups files area). First fit the big gear, and retain it with a washer and circlip. Then fit the “ratchet” – note the orientation as per the above jpeg. Next is the smaller spring, large spring-retaining washer, and a circlip to hold it all in place. A washer is then slipped over the top of the circlip, prior to installing the shaft.
At the other end of the shaft is the big kick start return spring. This is pretty straightforward, just hooking it in to the slot in the shaft flange. Within the spring sits the large, thick washer. This just sits in place and will be retained by the engine casing, once it's in place.
You can now insert the kick start shaft into the engine (make sure the washer is on the end of the shaft). It literally just sits in a circular recess. Once in place hook the kick start return spring over the splined shaft that you fitted earlier. It’s worth checking that the splined shaft is fitted to the correct depth, by checking how “square” the kick start return spring is sitting.
At this stage you may wish to make some adjustment to how much tension the kick start return spring has. As stated in the instructions, I felt it was a little weak - note the illustration showing the correct assembly of the ratchet piece, in conjunction with the kick start shaft flange. I therefore rotated the shaft assembly round by one spline, to give a little more pre-load to the spring. This is slightly tricky to explain, but becomes obvious once you trial fit the kick start shaft in place and try turning it by temporarily fitting the kick start lever.
Once this is done you’re ready to go about re-fitting the engine cover. First of all though, you need to remove the bung from the engine cover, in order for the kick start shaft to come through. I inserted an appropriately sized socket into the hole behind the bung, and gave it a whack, and out it popped.
You can now re-fit the engine cover, oil banjo bolt, brake lever and footpeg, and all that’s left is to fit the kick start lever, and off you go! The whole job shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours – I was being careful and it took about three hours, but someone more proficient/confident would be much quicker than that (and probably wouldn’t need this anyway!).
I’ve written this from memory, and I may well have missed stuff out, but I think that’s it!

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Starter Motors

Starter motors and the associated sprag (one-way) clutch seem to be a weak point on TTRs if excessive noise when cranking or banging when switching on/off is ignored - replace the sprag clutch to save a much more expensive rebuild - see Tim Wood's article in the next section. If you have left it too long and major repairs are needed then I  hope Lance Parson's advice below helps:
A common problem if left too long is that the large idler gear shaft boss ends up having a section of casting broken off. As at July 2008, the UK price new is £182.01 inc VAT (part number 4GY-15411-02-00). Lance has been told of an owner who had the same problem and had the boss rebuilt by welding etc, but it broke again shortly after. 
Following his own starter problems, Lance needed to replace the outer LH crankcase cover, two idler gears and shaft plus the starter motor on his TTR.  The new price for all of these parts was £600.00  from Japan via BAT Motorcycles -  01959577145 (delivery to UK in six weeks), or £450.00 from Holland (delivery in two weeks) - (new starter is £214.81 on its own) - via Ray Hockey Motorcycles (01873840170). Also, in the UK, serviceable 2nd hand parts can be obtained via Paul Bates and Brian Eland (details below) or via  'Partsearch' (09061119999) - they located one for Lance from Black Knight Spares (Trade Breakers) in Doncaster 01302840409, £123.00 the lot delivered to his door next day. For his £123.00 he got the bits to repair the starter mechanism i.e. LH engine cover, two idler gears and shaft, plus the starter motor, I doubt others will get a bargain like that again!

A friend of mine, Adrian Harris, rebuilt a TTR starter, to replace the mangled pinion gear, using an armature centre and good pinion from a more common Matsui starter. Check out www.dirtybiking.co.uk .

Peter from France says he has found an easier solution than modifying an FZ600 starter! He says it is possible to use one from a Honda 125 NX (or Transcity) and all you have to do is change the rear cover - everything else is the same. Thanks Peter!

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Replacing the one-way starter bearing or sprag clutch (courtesy of Tim Woods)
The repair was fairly easy, but I have been working on bikes as a hobby most of my life, I'm 45 now. The parts were under $70 (the one-way bearing costs £89 in UK), and you will need a flywheel puller (Yamaha part number is 2K7 85555 00 about £4 in UK). The shop that I went to didn't have a puller in stock and they couldn’t find one in the after market catalogue. What I found that worked great is a spark plug thread cleaner made by KD tools part #730 it has a 18mm x 1.5mm on one end (that's the size needed for the flywheel) and a 14mm x 1.5mm on the other end, it's made from hardened metal. You will need an air impact to pull the flywheel; there is no way to hold the flywheel from turning if you use a socket wrench.  (Andy Yates says "Soak components in WD40 or your favourite penetrating lubricant, stick the bike in gear, wedge a large lump of wood through the back wheel so it jams against the swing arm and cant rotate. Get someone to stand on the back brake. then stick a BFO length of scaffolding tube on your 1/2" breaker bar and apply force." At your own risk though folks!)

Here are the steps.  

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Clutch plate information.  Information courtesy of Lance Parsons:
"Plate Friction: 3XJ-16321-00-00
Spring Compression: 90501-23391-00
and, in case you require the plain plates, Plate Clutch: 3XJ-16324 -00-00.
Although Ronnie's OEM parts list starts at 1999 for the TTR, I have used it for my '93 4GY with no problems. My experience is that TTR part numbers NOT starting with '4GY' are common to other Yamahas."

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Fork Seals and refilling forks
Raid 94 fork seal details - guess most white TTRs would use the same - 43x55x9.5/10 ORO part no 57-701 £7.95 -  fork seals with wipers ORO part no 57-804 £31.30

Oil type and capacity - Lance's Haynes manual says: Capacity: 555cc, Type: Yamaha fork oil "01" or equivalent, Oil Level: 130mm (fork fully compressed and spring removed)
Head stem bearing inspection or replacement.

This job must be done by 2 people.
Set bike up on stand with front wheel about 100mm off the ground. Pull off headlight cowling, undo the 3 bolts and pull forward headlight/speedo assembly, then unscrew speedo cable and unclip wiring, then remove the headlight/speedo assembly. (spraying a little CRC, RP7 or the like into the wiring clips doesn't hurt). Place a rag over the front mudguard as the handlebars and other bits will soon rest there. Keeping everything intact on the handle bars, just remove the 4 bolts and pull the bars forward and lay them on the front mudguard, all the wiring is long enough to accommodate this. 
Next undo the 4 bolts holding the front indicators to the forks, lay these indicators also on the front guard, (once again the wiring is long enough.) Remove the main nut securing the top fork/head stem bracket, then using a large screw driver, pry open the fork clamps on the top fork/head stem bracket. This bracket can now be removed. 
Place a block of wood under the front wheel so it is JUST supporting the weight. With one person standing in front of the wheel making sure it doesn't roll forward (it will want to very soon) remove clip/lock nut, main nut. The whole front fork assembly will want to roll forward at this point. Supporting the weight of the wheel, remove the front chock of wood and gently lower the wheel to the floor. As the whole thing wants to roll forward be careful not to damage the thread, the top bearing will pop out when the wheel is lowered. 
The bottom bearing is now completely exposed so now both can be greased. One person can service the bearings while the other stops the wheel coming forward.

Replacement bearings are part number 93332-00078-00 but in the UK are about £40 if you order the genuine Yamaha parts. Koyo ones (ref 320/28JRRS) are apparently exactly the same bearing and are available from Moto-Ward at £41.51 the pair or B&C Express at £31.62 both inc. 1st Class posting as at June 2007.
When finished, lift the front wheel up (careful of the thread), place the wooden chock back under the wheel and install the top bearing and nuts (THIS IS A TWO PERSON JOB) then fit things back in reverse order of the way they came off. Fork pinch bolts - torque setting is 23Nm – the same as the handlebar clamp bolts. There you go, it sounds complicated but it is really quite simple and quick.

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Spark Plugs
Off Road Only (ORO) do the Splitfire range of plugs for the bike, if you use either the CR8E (standard) or the CR9E then the equivalent Splitfire is either the 430B or C.

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How can I lower the TTR250?

Also there is a Yamalink lowering link for the TTR - see here (they carry the Kouba link too) or email order@motorcycleloweringlinks.com .

The final solution quite often is to sculpt the seat foam (apparently an electric carving knife does a neat job!) but it is worth checking out the availability of an early TTR seat as these appear to have thinner seats than latter ones and a s/h replacement  might save time over cutting, shutting and recovering.

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Where can I get a manual?

a) An online manual that I have downloaded and is of excellent quality is at http://www.omlb.com/xteam/ttr250.pdf It's about 25Mb worth so be patient!

b) In the UK, the guy to contact for a pucca Yamaha paper manual is Gordon Brush, Customer Relations Dept, Yamaha UK, Sopwith Drive, Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 OUZ (Tel 01932 358000). A bound photocopy of an English manual costs £20 - make cheque payable to Yamaha Motor UK and supply your frame number. If your TTR250 is Japanese import like mine (frame number starts 4GY) then a lot of the electrics etc may be different but motor details should be pretty good.

c) There is now a Haynes manual on: Yamaha Trail Bikes 1981-00 Haynes 2350, PW50/80, RT100/180, TT-R90, TT-R225, TT-R250, XT225, XT350. Available to Rides List members at a discount from Mike Husband at Merlin books - http://www.merlinbooks.com . Covers only the American spec TTR250 "play bike" though but a UK TTR owner who bought it says its still very useful. 

d) English Owner's Manual for blue TTR250 is part number 4PX-28199-25

e) Recent (Feb 2004) information from Dave Maddock: "Apparently Yam UK are getting French models and modifying them in the UK to meet the regs, rather than getting a full UK-legal import direct from Japan. They suggested Oz or the US for an English manual. I managed to order a genuine Yamaha one from RepairManuals.com in the States. All up cost was about $65 including P&P, which with the weak dollar works out at a very reasonable £35. They also do the parts microfiche for $15 but I didn't bother."

f) As a last resort, you can e-mail me for a CD ROM copy of the full workshop manual for a TTR 250 for £5 (unfortunately the scanned images are very poor but users have said its still very useful!). Stephen Hogan <wheelieboy@optusnet.com.au> is the Australian contact for the CD ROM - thanks Steve!

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Wheel Bearings and seals.  The wheel bearing on the TTR250 are sealed. Replacing bearings can be a challenge until you get to know how they fit. The collars are press fit into the inner race of the bearings and you need a large drift or a press to get them out - be patient and careful!

Rear wheel takes 3 x 60/22 2RS size - 22x44x12  and oil seals for wheel 2 x 28x47x7.
Front wheel LEFT takes 1x 6003 2RS - size 17x35x10 and oil seal is 22x35x7.
Front wheel RIGHT takes 1x6202 2RS - size 15x35x11 and oil seal 20x35x5.

In UK, best bearing costs I found are at B&C Express @ June 2007.
60/22 2RS - £9.55, 6003 2RS - £3.30 and 6202 2RS - £3.30 inc VAT

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Clutch inhibitor switch replacement
Off Road Only in the UK can supply a replacement handlebar clutch inhibitor switch (part 44-022)  with one that is not a direct replacement i.e. clip fitting different in clutch lever perch and the bullet connectors need cutting and soldering to the existing spade connectors - thanks to Nick Searle for this. However, Dave Maddock tells me that the genuine Yamaha part (4GY-82917-01-0) including lead only cost a tenner (UK money!) .

Hasse Prefect says: As far as I know there is a sidestand switch, a neutral switch and a clutch lever switch. Both the sidestand switch and the clutch lever switch you should bypass, the sidestand may bounce as you go over woops and then the engine will cut out, also the cables may rip when going through bushes and stuff. The clutch lever switch (according to Sod's law) will break down when you are very far from home and the sun is setting..... It is nice to have the neutral light but it is by no no means necessary, bodging the clutch lever and sidestand switches should be enough -following the rule that "if it is not there it can't break". 26 April 2007

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Adjusting the sag. Rear preload is set by having the suspension full extended. At full extension, measure from the centre of the axle to a point on the sub frame and note the distance. Next, with riding gear on, load the suspension with your weight positioned on the bike in your normal riding position. You might have to have someone assist you by keeping the bike upright! Measure from the centre of the axle to the same point on the sub frame. You should have about 100 mm less distance with the suspension loaded. Adjust the preload on the spring until you get the 100 mm differential.
After getting the 100 mm sag, next check your static sag. This is how much the bike settles from full extension with just the weight of the bike. You should have approximately 35 mm free sag. If your free sag is considerably more or less than 35 mm, you probably will need to exchange the spring. Thanks to Jack Hixson for this piece.
Thumpertalk's "Set your sag" link.

Repairing the rear shock. From Matt Lauck: "Mine was blown and I opted to have it rebuilt rather than spend the ~$500 for a new one from the dealer. I removed the shock (very easy) and sent it to Aftershocks in California. They did a good job rebuilding it and getting it back to me. Total cost was $180 including shipping. Cheaper than the alternative and something to keep in mind for others out there. http://www.aftershocks-suspension.com/

Rear suspension linkages. It is recommended that you check the rear suspension links occasionally to check all the seals are OK. If water gets in then you will have problems. The needle rollers are the poly lube type so don't need greasing as such.

A good tip is to WD40 the damper rod on the rear shock after power washing - if it gets pitted you lose the damping and its expensive to repair - if this advice is too late,  for owners in the UK, Revs Racing of Halesowen (01215013321) can repair and re-pressurise the shock - costs about £90 - thanks for that tip Lance!

Having just replaced my swing arm bearings (Nov 2003), I hope the following information will be useful to others.
Stripping out the swing arm out of the bike was straightforward enough but you will need a couple of deep sockets. I was lucky that the “connecting rod” bearings and seals were OK as were the shock absorber “rose joints” but, because of water ingression, I had to replace most everything else. Also, I only replaced one swing arm cover and oil seal as one of the metal covers had been damaged and had let in water. The other side was fine however the cost quoted below in the total assumes both were replaced. I couldn’t see how to get the swing arm needle roller bearings out with the tools I had so I paid an extra £10 for the bearing shop to do that. They were able to match the original NTN bearings but I have not checked their prices against getting the same bearings through Mr Yamaha and have assumed, hopefully, they were cheaper!

Swing arm bearing renewal:
Bush (29L-22184-00-00) - £21.77
Bearings (NTN TA2025Z) - £10.69 x 2 = £21.38
Covers (30X-2219X-00-00) - £2.47 x 2 = £4.94
Oil Seals (93108-35004-00) - £2.47 x 2 = £4.94
Relay Arm bearings:
Bearings (NTN HK2220) - £5.58 x 2 = £11.16
Seals (20x27x5-R23) - £2.94 x 4 = £11.76
TOTAL INCLUDING VAT: £75.95 plus any fitting charges 

I have just found that, in the UK, Off Road Only do an "All Balls" linkage bearing kit ref 17-2840 which seems good value at £48.27 inc VAT (as at March 2008).

More detailed information courtesy of Kevin Baker.

Rear shock absorber bearings.
Following Cal's warning that the rear shock bearing and seals were around $90 AUD (£38.50 GBP) from Yamaha I decided to strip and re-grease mine whilst I had the swing arm off doing those bearings. All Balls supply the bottom shock kit if you need to replace it - about £12 inc VAT. If you have a good source of cheap bearings then the part number is GE14ES/K and the seals are "Clark Seals V5 18.5 x 26 x 2.7".
The collars on the bottom bearing came out easily by levering them off with a wide blade screwdriver. HOWEVER, it was not the same story with the top bearing collars - Yamaha part no 90387-100Y3-00 (cost £11.16 for both). These collars have very wide "flanges" and my first attempt at levering them off with the screwdriver broke a large section off the flange - after a struggle I managed to get both flanges off but destroyed them in the process! I have since successfully removed them in one piece by giving them a good soak of WD40 and then using a punch on the inside lip. Once one is out, the other is easily removed. The wire circlips are tricky unless you have a very fine screwdriver such as used for spectacle screws. It is possible to lever out the circlip just enough to get pliers on it or a bigger screwdriver behind it to get it out all the way.
It isn't possible to source the top "spherical plain" shock bearing as it was a "special" - inside diameter (id) 12mm, outside diameter (od) 26mm, inner ring width (ir) 15cm, outer ring width (or) 13mm.. However, if you are prepared to compromise, it is possible to source alternatives. I used a GE12FO whose only difference is that the "or" is 9mm so it needed packing out. The alternative standard bearing has a slightly wider "ir" at 16cm and I do wonder whether I should have used this one and perhaps found a way to take 0.5mm off each side. The Yamaha part number for their seals is 38V-22211-00-00.

For most bearings in the UK try http://www.simplybearings.co.uk/shop/index.php

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Installing a Scott's Steering Damper on a '99. This article is courtesy of Paul Garlick - thanks Paul!. 

I had the reaction post welded to the frame by a professional, but since I installed my unit I have seen a lot of Scott's dampers installed with the reaction post bolted or clamped to the frame. This makes it a DIY. job and the riders said they hadn't had problems with the post working loose. Personally I like the added integrity of the weld.

I installed Renthal Jimmy Button bend h/bars so that the damper would fit under the cross-bar. I left the settings stock for the first several rides (Scott recommends this), eventually I increased the low speed damping resistance one or two clicks. I haven't adjusted the arc (steering angle) limits, the damper has adjustable arc limits to minimize arm pump. 

If you put the bike up on a stand you can feel the resistance when you swing the handlebars through their travel. It's not much. One of the sales features of the Scott's unit is that it has low speed and high speed damping circuits. It's the low speed side you can feel. The more low speed damping you wind in then the less effective the high speed circuit becomes. 

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Clogging of front sprocket on white TTRs. It gets pretty tiresome removing the cover every time the bike gets near any dirt just to clean it out. Johnny Davies has modified the cover to allow mud etc to escape rather than build up into a nice compacted lump around the front sprocket - pictures in the Files area of the TTR250 Yahoo Group - in the "sprocket cover pics" folder. Looks simple but effective. The Y2K TTRs have a conventional speedo driven by a front wheel cable so don't suffer quite so much with this problem.

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Smartening up your TTR

Replacement decals
At long last it is possible to buy reasonably priced good quality replacement decals for your Open Enduro or plastic-tanked blue TTR.  Karl Barker of D&D Graphics has liaised with his partner Thrushara in Sri Lanka to produce some cracking designs. I must confess to being biased toward the standard design decals such as this tank decal set and this full set of decals. On request D&D will amend the kits to show the TTR250.com web address. I have had these on my TTR for a while now and they fit well and are still looking very good. They are amply perforated so minimal bubbling and any that do appear can be easily squeezed out. Contact Karl Barker, D&D Graphics UK, email: info@ddgraphics.co.uk , new website at  www.ddgraphics.co.uk

Karen Bunker has also found a source of TTR decals at http://xgxracing.com/   She says they have lots of perforations… had them on all summer without draining gas with no bubbling! Karen also found another supplier at www.enjoymfg.com . Thanks Karen!

Also Enjoy Mfg supply Yamaha Element 1 Graphics for the blue TTRs. Clint Smith says "The graphics are made in the USA and are very good quality"

Seat covers. One Industries make one - sometimes available on eBay - gripper seat cover
model STG-YA120-BK TTR250 98002

Replacement for tail light and number plate holder (applies to UK)
Some owners have replaced the bulkier original item with a small Acerbis unit and connected the original number plate wires in to give a small LED tail light slightly under the rear fender. Brian Percival said he had to trim a little off the end of the unit (2 cm or so, one cut with a hacksaw) to fit under the existing tail light/frame loop and fabricate a small plate to hold it in place using the existing frame mounts and one bolt. Once cut it actually wedges neatly between the loop and fender. It's also a plus because you don't have to drill the fender. Very easy to do and took about an hour. Try www.bertharkinsracing.co.uk (01582 491076) - Acerbis no: 0008326.090

Replace those big indicators! Just fitted a set of Motrax Micro Fairing indicators to Tim's OE. Click here to see pic.

Frame paint
The "white" TTRs frame is Yamaha Deep Violet Blue - to touch it up get a can of PJ1 "Yamaha Purple 1994 Epoxy Paint" - I have to say it is bloody good paint and matched my old TTR frame's existing paint exactly. PJ1 Part No 17-YP4.  PJH list the frame paint for "98-03" models as 17-YB8. Click for PJH site. but its a rubbish Flash site that takes ages to load AND it no longer shows YP4 but YB8 is there though!

Bubbling decals solution - see Gary Pollard's solution

After-market plastics.
You can't get after market plastic for the TTR except an MX style rear fender. You can put any aftermarket YZ/WR front fender on it though - just cut off about an inch in the back. These on-line sites are probably the cheapest places you can order replacement OEM plastic and OEM parts for the TTR250 in the US:
www.ronayers.com - www.mrcycles.com - www.crotchrocket.com - Maier USA Shopping Online

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TTR250 - Street Legal in California? (Courtesy of Tommy Vee)
I recently legalized my TTR in California. Baja designs would be glad to sell you a complete kit to convert your bike but I just ordered the parts that I needed since the head and tail lights are dual filament bulbs (high beam and brake lights) and the bike already has an adequate battery and charging system. You can purchase the turn signals from a local bike shop such as Cycle Gear. Baja Designs supplied the turn signal/ headlight switch (p/n 12-9005), the turn signal flasher, and the horn. I made up my own wiring harnesses but if you are not able to set up your own, I'm sure that Baja designs would be able to supply the wiring kit also. Be sure to ask Baja for the turn signal wiring diagram for their switch. For the brake lights, I bought a hydraulic brake light switch from the local bike shop. The switch replaces the Banjo bolt on the rear hydraulic master cylinder. Once you have all of the lights brakes and turn signals and horn set up, check around with the local repair shops as the bike shops will do the brake and light inspection not the CHP. Call your local CHP office and get a copy of form CHP 888 as the DMV will ask you if you have read the form and you must certify that your bike complies with the requirements. Buy some insurance and rip that green sticker off so you can turn it in at DMV. Call the brake and light station and find out what they will check for. Remember to install a high beam indicator light. I bought a 12-volt mini lamp (blue) from Radio Shack and tie wrapped it to the front brake line guide ring next to the trip meter. Baja was very helpful you can get their 800 number from their website and call their technical services dept. If you are pretty good with wiring it should be a piece of cake. Good luck. TV

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Got a brand new TTR?
A mate imported a pair of Euro TTRs and they arrived in a crate with no information as to their preparation. Here are some tips that I found through the internet and from practical experience:

• try and read the manual to get to know the bike

• check and tighten any loose spokes - continue to check the spokes periodically to ensure proper tightness

• remove front and rear axles and coat with a high quality grease or copper based "Anti-Seize".

• check header pipe (rear end) for restrictor washer and remove if found!

• if you can face it, dismantle and re-grease rear suspension linkages before you use the bike - else you will never do it!

• dismantle and check kick start, rear brake pivot and steering head, to make certain they contains sufficient grease in all the bearings

• the foot pegs have a particularly high tooth on the outside which is just right to catch in and tear your leggings - file them down

• take off the tyres and put them back into store for when you need to sell the bike - put on some decent rubber that suits the conditions YOU ride in

• Get to know the bike, as far as how it is put together. Do this by removing the plastics, fuel tank, and whatever else you feel like doing; the more the better. It is likely that many bolts, nuts, etc. will be loose, or just not tight enough. Loose bolts can be/will be discovered while removing the plastic, etc - check all nuts and bolts and fittings for tightness and re-check regularly.

On new bikes, some riders hear a strange tinny rattling or metallic whistling noise from the left-hand side of the engine on the over-run i.e. when you shut off the throttle in any gear. Steve Copsey tells us that the reason for this is that where the chain is new and tight it doesn't slip off the front sprocket as smoothly as it should and bends outwards as it leaves the lower edge. Basically it rubs against the lower section of the case-saver - take this cover off and you will see the rub mark. The answer is to file about a millimetre off and the noise will magically disappear.

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When it all goes wrong!
If anyone knows of a repair shop that has particular expertise with TTR engines please e-mail me with details.
In the UK, the Yamaha Technical Hotline number is 01932 358 065 - very helpful apparently!
Thanks to Terry Oram for the following: "There is a small company called Vernon Motorcycles in Havant, Portsmouth. They sell and repair all sorts of bikes mostly imports, and I have found them quite useful as most of the guys that work there have TTR250 Raids. The number is (02392)498558, It's probably worth giving them a call as they have completely stripped and rebuilt their bikes in the past." Anyone with similar personal recommendations around the globe please let me know.
And to Nik Codling: "Just thought I'd mention the excellent service I've had from Quick Crank in Waterlooville (02392 233933). This place is great - full of absolute perfectionists. They specialise mostly in restoring old vehicles, and re-building or even manufacturing things like cylinder heads and blocks." They did a good job on boring his cylinder apparently.
Greg Hughes of Taunton, UK, says "I bought my TTR from Riders of Yeovil 01935 477154 after a few weeks it developed