Project Yamaha TZR250 3MA part 2 Four-Into-One!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics|May 2020
Jeff has the lucky job of turning four 3MA motors into one screaming two-stroke… he’s quite excited!
Jeff Ware
Project Yamaha TZR250 3MA part 2 Four-Into-One!

G’day! Things are progressing well with the TZR250 3MA. Last update I ran you through the initial inspection and strip-down of the engine.

Darren, the owner, had managed to source three spare motors, so we were all set to get the engine work underway. Wanting to keep the original cases, we sent those away to be repaired (a con-rod had got up for a late-night stretch and left the fridge door open) so while we waited for those, we sorted the rolling chassis so Darren could take it away and make it pretty again…

This bike has been well maintained and on inspection no chassis bearings needed replacing, so that was good news. Tim, my offsider, got to work servicing the main pivot points while I sorted the forks.

The bike was stripped both ends and I quickly disassembled the forks so Darren could get the bottoms powder-coated grey. While that was happening, we cleaned and re-packed the steering-head, swingarm pivot point and all of the suspension linkage bearings and bushes. We then greased the wheels bearings and wire wheeled, then lubricated the axles. The rear shock also got stripped, cleaned, re-assembled and greased rose joints, plus all pivot points and linkages on the chassis were given the same treatment.

The fork lowers arrived looking mint, so I put those back together with new seals and slotted those back in the bike. The YZR250 look-a-like was looking forking mint by now (ahem) and with the wheels back in, it was time to hand the bike back to Darren, who is detailing it and taking care of the cosmetic side of things.

This story is from the May 2020 edition of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

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This story is from the May 2020 edition of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

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