[TankTheory]

Well after peer pressure from this community and someone putting polls at the top of all my posts, I now own a Monkey Baja! To be fair, I was going to buy one anyways but you guys just gave me the little extra push to not tell my wife right away..

Here she is.

Love at first site. Found in Machida, Japan.

In freedom units that roughly 1740 miles (rounded up)

Borrowed my buddies Suzuki Every, fit perfect!

Stored in my shared unit. I have a bit of an addiction to vintage JDM wheels, as you can see.

That's it for now. I took a closer look at the bike yesterday for the first time (rain, rain and more rain). Everything needs to be repainted. It looks like someone used a touch up pen to fix some nicks and scrapes and also poorly repainted parts. The bike does not look good close up, but I can take care of all that when I get back to the US properly. Paint work costs way too much in Japan.

Everything works on the bike which is awesome. I have the original and a spare key with works with the ignition, steering column lock, gas cap and helmet lock! The bike has a Kitaco 75cc bbk and different (but new) tires.

Plans for the bike:
Clean it.
Get it registered and on the road (being in the Army makes it 10x harder)
Buy mirrors
Buy the best bike locks I can find; Kryptonite Mini-7? Japan is chill but I'm scared about someone just picking it up and driving away with it.

Think about small upgrades.
-Performance brake pads
-Exhaust (maybe)
-Rear shocks that actually dampen but maintain OEM look?
-Stiffer front forks (I have a set of two brothers springs, not sure if they will work)

Happy finally have one!

 

[50rider340]

awesome stuff man how is it over there a lot of parts at decent prices???

 

[TankTheory]

awesome stuff man how is it over there a lot of parts at decent prices???

Miss you man. My whole addiction to 50's and all things Honda started cause of you and your brother.

It's everything you could imagine. Parts galore and decently priced for most things. Obviously if it's rare, unique or carbon fiber, it's gonna be priced high still here. That said Yahoo Auctions is a hell of a drug.

 

[nielspbr]

Congrats,

I have 265mm shift-ups in the back(my 93 originally has black springs, the shift ups too).
Only thing, as they are fatter I had to fit another chain guard without the extension past the spring. (used a chainguard from a 6v monkey or gorilla which I had lying around)


ps. When at the source, maybe you can find the illusive kitaco baja exhaust.
(I put a t-bolt replacement exhaust on, bigger diameter pipework. At 49cc's the original exhaust accelerates a bit better but I hate the half moons of the original exhaust.)

 

[TankTheory]

Niels, do you have a photo of this illusive Kitaco Baja exhaust? Sometimes translations get messed up and if I know what to look for I can track it down.

Any other 'illusive' pieces out there I should look for?

Also, I'm trying to figure out if I have a 75cc Kitaco or 85cc. It seems all of the 75cc cyclinders from Kitaco have 49cc stamped, mine just has the Kitaco logo on the cylinder. Would my best bet be to just pull the head and take a look?

 

[50minikid]

Congrats on the purchase, looks like a great example. Enjoy ripping around on it over there!

 

[nielspbr]

Pictures are here on planetminis, in a build log by "Z", https://planetminis.com/forums/z50-ct70-jdm-monkeybikes/71861-1998-z50r-custom-baja-project-3.html

 

[TankTheory]

I see! I'll certainly keep an eye out for that one.

 

[rustynuts]

Pictures are here on planetminis, in a build log by "Z", https://planetminis.com/forums/z50-ct70-jdm-monkeybikes/71861-1998-z50r-custom-baja-project-3.html

I wonder if that's the same bike that was in my garage for a while

 

[nielspbr]

Baja with z50r 3-bolt hubs and wheels, looks like it.

@TankTheory, yours has aftermarket rims, didn't notice before. (original they are 4-hole rims, and those original rims rust...)

 

[TankTheory]

Good eye Niels! Kitaco wheels are everywhere out here, I was thinking about replacing them since they are in rough shape. The brake hubs were also terribly repainted.

Either that or I'll try to source a 3 bolt set up.. those have the bigger brake drums right?

 

[dirtbkr188]

No, the 4-bolt wheels you have on the bike right now have the bigger brake shoes

 

[nielspbr]

And the original monkey rims are sturdier as the z50r rims. (smaller holes)

 

[TankTheory]

Got it, thank you guys. Found these and they seem reasonably priced at approximately $150 USD + shipping. Also in way better shape than mine.

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e352641883

 

[66Cooper]

There was a really mint set on yahoo auctions last week! Rats!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[TankTheory]

I'm sure I've missed a ton of great deals over the last year on YAJ, I just try not to think about that! I'm pretty broke right now with buying the bike and a few sets of vintage wheels. I'm going to drastically cut back on my wheel purchases, I just found out I'm only allowed to move back 1750lbs when I leave Japan. I think I'm already well over that just counting my 18 sets of wheels..

The Baja factors into that weight as well, lucky we're only talking what, 80lbs empty?

 

[nielspbr]

Think again, from memory it is 55kg ~115llbs?



edit: correction, a z50Jm baja is 59kg

 

[TankTheory]

I guess I'm stronger than I thought!

I'm eyeballing some parts out here but man am I broke after buying the bike. Might be a paycheck or two until I can get some parts.

Focused on getting into the MSF Advanced Riders Course on the 25th of the 10th of August. I hate how stubborn the military is with motorcycles, they make it overly difficult.

 

[nielspbr]

We in europe still think that americans get your license for free in a box of serial.
(Compared to what we have to do for obtaining a driving license )

 

[TankTheory]

I'm going to be 100% honest..it would be more difficult to buy a cereal box and cut off the top, than what I did to get my JAPANESE drivers license. Wrong side of the car, wrong side of the road. <8 hour class with power point presentations and a short test that you can't fail.

It's an absolute joke and we're considered to be 'professional' drivers to the Japanese Government, based off how we're licensed. You have kids fresh out of high school, who may have never driven a car in the US, that driving here is their first experience.

Thoughts on replacing bulbs with LED's? I figured the less draw the better and they are pretty affordable these days.

Anyways, I got side tracked. Please enjoy this Baja 250.