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Covid-19 RE-build, Freshnin' up the 'ol Stocker 110

5K views 27 replies 6 participants last post by  bobfab 
#1 ·
Hey all! Haven't done much with 110's since 2009 when I switched my game up to the bigger minis. I've had this old girl sitting in the basement since. This bike was once a regular Vet Class racer on all the cool tracks here in NE Ohio in the glory days ('03-'09) of pit bike racing. She's been through alot of changes over the years, but she's back to a stocker now. When I was finished racing her- I didn't have the heart to sell her off. My then GF used to ride her here and there before she had the gas drained- and was moved to a corner of the basement. I've been meaning to get around to freshening her up, but the funds and time were never there. I'm selling some bikes off, and finishing up the projects that have been on the list.

So here's what we got. 2003 DRZ110. Motor is showroom stock, but it came apart years ago, and the OEM 4th gear shift drum was installed. So that's out of the way. The auto clutch was boxed up, and she has a hydro clutch and Tak primary gear. Since this bike will be run on backyard tracks, around the pits with a cold drink in hand, and a spare bike for my idiot non riding friends, and future GFs? I'm going back to the auto clutch. The stock pipe with the restrictor drilled out will stay in place. Only performance mod is a 20mm KLX140 carb, jetted at 40/80. The 140 carb is a direct bolt on, but you have to run the 110 float bowl and choke cable. It's not going to blow your hair back, but it seems to help with throttle response and adds a little torque across the board. Motor runs perfectly well, so basically it's getting an oil change and that's it.

Basically I'm powdering the frame, getting new rubber- she's already rolling on Excels, sourcing a plush shock, and getting new plastic and graphics. She already has tapered steering bearings, and I'm going to get some roller swingarm pivot bearings installed when the swinger gets back from powdercoat. The forks already have TB damping rods which have tighter valving than stock. I like it plush, so I'm running just the rods and the stock springs. I'll post updates in the comments.
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#4 · (Edited)
So I got a little work done today. Now, there'll likely be a bunch of goons riding this bike, so I figured I should make it as idiot proof as possible. I'm shelving the frame I have the title for, and running a spare Ebay frame that I had laying around from an old build that didn't happen. That way I'll still have the bike even if somebody rides it off a cliff. One problem I've had over the years is the lower side panel mounts bending in the event of a crash. They're made of flimsy stamped metal. When you spend $200 on a good powdercoat job, the last thing you want to do is bend a tab, and have the PC flake or peel.

My solution? Have those tabs cut off and replaced with solid stainless stock! Not an easy job to get right due to the angles, but I have a master metal fabricator on hand. He chopped the paper thin ones, fabbed up solid pieces, and welded them up. They work perfect! Helluva lot more durable too. Swinger is on deck. --L*64
 

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#7 ·
Got the swinger ready for powdercoat. It got a couple of welds in the shock mount area, mostly to keep crud out of there causing the powder to chip. Shaved the chain guard mounts for vanity, then added a weld to the back of the chain guide mount for a little extra strength. Blasted the stock paint off. I'm not going to send it out for powdercoat just yet, because I want to get the shock first to be certain that it won't need anything adjusted. --L*64
 

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#8 ·
Well. Until I can get a shock? I'm dead in the water. I was planning on a Works/Worx Gasser. Problem is that last time I got one- they were $289- very reasonable. When I called there the other day? They want $409, and the spring they use covers 60 lbs of rider weight?? They said I could order my own spring from Cannon Racecraft or whatever, and they would valve it to that rate, but a custom spring from Cannon has to be $129! The guy at Worx said that if I supply a spring/ he'd take $50 off the shock. Soooo- now we're talking almost $500? Absolutely not. So for now, it's looking like an Elka. Its a great shock and $429. One thing I do like about the Worx, is that it's a steel body, and it comes with a 10.25 eye to eye length. According to my data, that's the optimum ride height for cornering. Anything more than that makes the bike handle weird. I'll talk to the rep at Elka and see what they say. -L*64
 
#9 · (Edited)
Well, went round the block with shocks this week, and I learned that Elka can and will tailor the length of your shock to your needs at no extra charge!! Soooo- I ordered up a Stage 2 with a custom length of 260mm. My data tells me that optimum handling for a Gen 1 KLX is with a 260mm shock. My shock budget was $400, and I'm right there at $399. The bad news is that it won't likely be here til mid June. That'll give me time to get the frame and swinger powdered. --L*64
 
#10 · (Edited)
While I'm waiting for my shock to get here? Going to pull the hydro clutch and Tak primary gear out of the motor, and reinstall the stock auto clutch setup. I was thinking about doing a piston and rings while the engine is out, but in stock form? They can last almost forever. The Thai scooter that the KLX engine came from? They regularly go 12K miles without a rebuild. This motor doesn't have a ton of hours on her, so aside from the auto clutch? It's getting an oil change, and that's it. The frame, swinger, and a few other parts will be headed to powder coat next week. She hit the work stand yesterday- pile of parts today! --L*64
 

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#14 · (Edited)
Well, took my motor back to auto clutch because I don't ride my 110 a ton, and I wanted it to be easy to ride for non/barely riding friends and my GFs. The motor didn't need anything else but an oil change- that's the beauty of stock- so it's sitting back on the stand waiting for the frame and swinger to get back from powder coat, and the Elka shock to arrive. --L*64
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#15 · (Edited)
Hey All! Good and bad news today! My Elka arrived-- that's the good news... The bad? When I busted it out of the box to give it the look over? I got out the tape measure as well. I originally wanted the shock 10.50 inches eye to eye. Then all the testing sessions from 2007 came to mind. According to my data, the handling on a Gen I KLX is optimal with a (260mm/10.25 in. eye to eye) shock. So the next day I called back and changed the length to the 260mm length. Wouldn't you know that it came in at 10.50 inches? Damn!! I'm going to have to send it back and have them build me a shock at the 10.25 inch length. Sucks! I guess I'll get the graphics ordered up while I'm waiting for the shock. About to drop the frame and swinger off at powdercoat too. --L*64
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#17 ·
Yep- These Elka's sure do look solid. The finish seems well thought out. If it performs as well as it looks, should be $400 well spent. As an elder statesman- the shock on a 110 makes or breaks the build. The bike is somewhat cramped for an adult, let alone an older adult. If the shock is harsh, and it doesn't do it's job? The bike will sit unridden. Many believe the shock just needs to not bottom, and it's done its' job. I like a plush ride, and that isn't easy to do with 4-5 inches of travel available.

About the length/ride height. Back around 2007, I was talking to the guys at Fast50's about putting a package together with their + 2" chromoly swingarm, and a Works Performance shock. One that would provide 7-8 inches of travel, and would work as well as a high dollar rear end at half the price. We wanted to take the guesswork out of what length to get... what spring rate to order, etc. I weigh 150lbs, so we used that as a baseline. Works Performance was in cooperation, and they sent me three shocks to try. A 10.25, 10.50, and a 10.75 incher, We spent about 4 hours testing with the Fast50's swinger. When we were done testing with the aftermarket swinger, we bolted the shocks up to the stocker. We all took notes, but didn't share the data until the end of the test. All three of us picked the 10.25 shock on the stocker as the most precise for handling, and steering. Glad you found some value in that data. We ran the forks at + .25 to + .50 from stock. --L*64
 
#18 ·
Well, it's been three weeks, and the Elka shock that they sent me at the 10.50 inch eye to eye length is now back to me at the requested 10.25 (260mm) eye to eye length as requested. It may not look like it in the pic I posted, but it's exact.

Meanwhile. I ran into another snafu. If you've read about the whole build (or re build) then you know I started with a random frame I had sitting around. I shelved the original frame that I have the title for, and I had my metal fab guy do some mods in the known problem areas. Before I sent it for powder, I wanted to drill the hole for the BBR chain roller I'll be running. I used the supplied template, but the bit must have slightly walked during the drilling process. I wasn't happy with where the hole ended up, so I had my fabricator weld and grind/shape the hole I drilled, then redrill it in the perfect location. The chain roller sits in the ideal spot now.

So the frame, swinger, and a few other parts are headed to powder coat tomorrow. When they come back, I'll start the reassembly. I still have to order graphics, then deal with roller swing arm bearings, and figure out an OTT rear brake pedal. I'll keep you posted on what I get. I'm thinking the Sikk 110's right now. Chime in and let me know what rear pedal you guys have on your bikes.

Building a quality mini isn't much different than building a full sized bike. Attention to details, and making sure that the mods you do actually work better than stock are the name of the game. I'll post up when the parts come back from powder coat. --L*64
 

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#19 ·
I run the SIK110's pedal on my bike. I modified it with a Kinetic brake pedal tip (Which haven't been released yet as they're being used for a different project) because unlike the two bros or JTI pedals...they bent back as opposed to snap.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Got my frame, swinger, torque arm, and BBR peg mount back from powder coat the other day. Came out looking really nice. You can even read the VIN. I used a local outfit that's notorious for solid work and super durable powder jobs. They do a bunch of high end vintage restorations. Happy with their work so far. I have to get the tapered bearing races pressed into the head stem on the frame, and the roller bearings pressed into the swinger- then I can start the reassembly process. Got a black TBR rear brake pedal as well.

Bear in mind that I don't build show pieces with PC'ed hubs, candy colors, dress up kits, etc. I use OEM colors, and I only address the items that yield benefits for an adult to ride the bike. I'll post the progress as well as an itemized build sheet when she's back together. --L*64
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#21 · (Edited)
Got the tapered head stem bearing races pressed outta the old frame, and the races pressed into the new (for this bike build) frame. I already had them, they were perfectly good, and they're like... $32, so I figured why buy what I already have? Then we pressed the new Pivot Works roller bearings into the swinger. It was a little tricky, but my bud has some super cool tools just for that job. I gotta say that I'm really impressed so far with the Pivot Works stock swinger roller bearing setup. I was hoping it wasn't gonna be janky, and it seems to fit together really well. Gotta be a huge come up from the stock bushing setup? Came with a swingarm pivot bolt, but no nut? I'm assuming that I'm supposed to use the stock nut? No instructions either.

Here are some pics of where I'm at. (The pic below where I have the swinger mocked up to the frame is the old frame. The new one isn't grimy like that just so you guys know. I wanted to see how tight the swingarm fit to the frame since there were no instructions that came with the bearing set. As you can see it fits perfectly) I always seem to start every reassembly process with either a frame on a stand, or in this case a bare motor. It takes me a bit because I clean and grease every single part. loctite motor mounts, and generally put the time into making sure everything is perfect upon reassembly. --L*64
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#24 ·
She's about halfway reassembled now. I worked on her all evening. I wanted to post up the parts list to give you guys an idea of what it takes parts and work wise to build what I'd consider a quality stocker. I don't even have a big bore or pipe! The details are as follows. --L*64

Frame
  • 2006 Ebay find with fab work to side panel tabs. Added welds in problem areas. 5/16 hole drilled to accommodate BBR chain roller. Gloss black powdercoat.
  • Stock '03 swingarm with some additional welds in problem areas. Silver powdercoat.
  • Chain guard mounts shaved.
Engine
  • Showroom stock 2003.
  • Thailand OEM 4speed shift drum (complete disassembly for the install).
  • Side covers blasted.
  • Stock headpipe drilled.
  • 20mm KLX140 carb. 40/80 jetting.
  • Phillips bolts replaced with hex heads (sourced from Honda stock).
Suspension
  • Stock forks with TBR damping rods. Stock springs/oil.
  • Elka Stage 2 rear shock. Custom length 10.25 inches eye to eye. Set up for 150lb rider.
Chassis
  • All Balls tapered head stem bearings.
  • Pivot Works roller swingarm bearings.
  • BBR footpeg bracket powder coated in gloss black.
  • IMS footpegs.
  • Long footpeg bracket bolts to avoid damage to cases.
  • TBR skid plate.
  • TBR OTT rear brake pedal.
  • RM85 bend ProTaper aluminum handlebar (could change after testing)
  • Scott Hurricane grips.
  • BBR shifter.
  • BBR black front sprocket cover.
  • BBR rear chain guide.
  • BBR front chain roller.
  • KLX110L front brake cable.
Wheels
  • Buchanan HD spokes.
  • Excel aluminum rims.
  • Bridgestone MX tires.
  • HD IRC tubes.
  • Rear rim lock.
Gearing
- 15/37. (Could change with testing)

Body
  • UFO plastics, new style KX65 rear fender.
  • Red Baron graphics.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Almost reassembled other than getting graphics ordered. I'm torn between those blue Fast House graphics on white plastic, and the green and black Red Baron graphics I had on my other bike? Or do I just run the old schoolers that I have on there? What would you guys rather have?

Also- I'm making a slight change of direction as far as the expensive skid plate, pegs/peg mount, and the TBR brake pedal. Bear in mind that I want this bike ridden. By me, my GF's, my idiot friends that don't ride, etc. It's alot scarier for me when they take a digger when I have $350 in aftermarket parts, plus another $250 into plastics and graphics on her. I think I'm going to leave those expensive parts boxed for now, and run the stock plastics, pegs/mount, skid plate, and brake pedal. I ran with the stock stuff on her for years and it worked fine with the extended shifter. I'll post up after I take her out and test her. After that? I'll call her done! --L*64
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#27 · (Edited)
Well Gang, at least for now- gonna call this a build! I hope you're not disappointed over me running the stock peg mount/pegs, brake pedal, and skid plate? Like I mentioned above, I want this bike to be ridden. I'll eventually get some graphics made up, but I'm kinda digging the old school Suzook livery for the time being. I'll post some pics once I get the new graphics made and mounted for you guys. I'll give y'all a ride report once I get around to lugging her out of my basement shop too. The big difference will be with the Elka shock.

One other suggestion for you builders out there is this. When you run a BBR rear chain guide? It cuts it pretty close to the sidewall of the rear tire. Two things. 1} Once you figure out your gearing, cut your chain so as to run your wheel more towards the front part of the adjustment range rather than the rear. 2} I run Bridgestone tires. They come in two widths for the rear. I went with the slimmer width for one, to help clear the chain guide, and two- I feel like with the auto clutch setup? The rear slides into the turns nicely and predictably under engine braking with the slimmer rear tire.

I can't lie- I worked my ass off on this little bike all summer. Not daily, but between the fab work, pressing bearings in and out, carting the parts to powdercoat and back, and reassembly? It was a job! It was fun though, and I hope you guys enjoy reading about it as much as I did re-building her. Cheers!! --L*64
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