-
Enjoy XS650.com? Consider making a donation to help support the site.
XS650.com receives a small share of sales from some links on this page, but direct donations have a much greater impact on keeping this site going.
'74 DT250 Bitsa. The "Aussie Mutt."
- Thread starter Jim
- Start date
Crankshaft seals from Orings and More. $18.63 to my door. These are Chinese... of course. Everywhere I looked they were anywhere from 50 to 100 bucks for the pair. If any one of them had said Japan or ARS, I'da sprung the extra money, but I suspect they're all Chinese, and from the same factory at that. So hopefully these'll work as good as any.
Worst case, the seals can be replaced with the engine in situ... so nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Worst case, the seals can be replaced with the engine in situ... so nothing ventured, nothing gained.
It's a head scratcher.... 
I picked up some seat pins for the Mutt. While I was adding them to the Mutt's parts stash, I ran across a brand new ignition switch I didn't know I had... no idea where it came from. Anyway, the gauges and ignition switch are now installed.
Small bites.
I picked up some seat pins for the Mutt. While I was adding them to the Mutt's parts stash, I ran across a brand new ignition switch I didn't know I had... no idea where it came from. Anyway, the gauges and ignition switch are now installed.
Small bites.
Also discovered a new 6V battery I didn't know/forgot I had. 
Also figured it's as good a time as any to start making a wiring harness. All new connectors courtesy Vintage Connections.
Also figured it's as good a time as any to start making a wiring harness. All new connectors courtesy Vintage Connections.
Postman delivery...
A 10A waterproof fuse holder and a 25ft roll of braided sleeving for the harness. Waiting on Vintage Connections for my color coded wire.
A 10A waterproof fuse holder and a 25ft roll of braided sleeving for the harness. Waiting on Vintage Connections for my color coded wire.
Electrifying...
Started the wiring tonight. New wire, new connectors and new braided harness cover.
New parts showed up today. Ignition plate and flywheel.
Front wheel axle.
Started the wiring tonight. New wire, new connectors and new braided harness cover.
New parts showed up today. Ignition plate and flywheel.
Front wheel axle.
Very nice... love the use of the braided sleeving. I recall first seeing it in use in aviation years ago, at a time when it wasn't readily available. The flight sim harnesses used miles of the stuff! I've been using it ever since.
Yep. First saw it on the prototype F-16's... so mid-late 70's.... Lovely stuff.
Here's an interesting bit of worthless trivia; the F-16 was the first production fly by wire (computer controlled) aircraft. All wiring harnesses on it were braided black with a white strand woven in so it made a spiral. All except for the all critical flight controls. They had white woven in both directions so it made for interlinking white crosses all along it's length.
Making it stand out like that was useful come inspection time. If you saw a wire harness with crosses on it, you checked, double checked and triple checked it. Then someone else would come along after and repeat.
This little bike is gonna be a real looker! I love the way it’s coming together. 
I’m torn between jealousy and awe at not only your skill but the fact you can manage all your projects at once.
Isn't retirement great!
Jim, looking at the pics is that frame set up to move the location of the swingarm? I don’t know if that has been mentioned.
Bob Wegman
XS650 Addict
I sure am glad those old gauges I sent you are getting a front row seat on that stunning bike. They must feel like they won the lottery.
Not sure I follow?
Those holes in the gusset below the pivot . . . I don't think that's what they are for.
Yeah, they're just lightening holes from the factory. The bottom right hole is for the brake pivot.
