12 y/o first bike!

[Cobia]

Thanks Phil and Bug,
I downloaded the manual from the UK Yamaha support website, they want you to buy it at the US site. Go figure.
We started taking it appart to clean and inspect it, and found what may be a big reason for it not wanting to stay running. The intake boot/manifold, called a carb connector in Yamahalese, is cracked all the way through on the engine side of the clamp. As a temporary bandaid I'll seal it with liquid electrical tape and give it a whirl with the newly cleaned carb.

[Guy_b_g]

Just a reminder that even if you choose to go the route of loosening the throttle cable, it'll probably foul plugs if you don't allow enough throttle to get into it's powerband. ....2 strokes hate to be lugged...you may still have to adjust the jetting to keep it running down low.

[Cobia]

Had my boy, Palmer, give the carb connector several coats of liquid electrical tape while I cleaned the carb. The connector had multiple cracks that went all the way through on the flange section that we sealed with that stuff. I'll be ordering a new one tomorrow. And the carb was fairly cruddy although I've seen worse. But that was the ticket!!
Got it going and adjusted the idle stop and mix, and vavoom!!!
This thing is bad to the bone, although kind of dangerous. Once it gets into the middle/top half of the powerband, the power really kicks in and the front wheel wants to come up big time. Kind of disconcerting even for me. I read in one of the forums that this can be remedied by re-jetting. The search will continue.
Regardless, Palmer learned how to work a clutch today and once he got comfortable with it he rode it around for a while, even shifting into second!!
He even confided that although a little fearful (not a bad thing) he understood that he was the one with control over the machine, not the other way around. Hope he doesn't get overconfident too soon, don't think he will, he's not the type.
A few hours after putting it away he still couldn't peel the smile off his face.... Merry Chrismas buddy!!!
Don,
You're absolutley right on that one, as experienced today. Since he was just put-putting around it didn't like it and I had to wind it up once in a while to clear it up. Doesn't help that it didn't have the right spark plug in it either, it calls for an NGK BR10EG and it had a BR8ES. New one tomorrow!!
All told it was quite satisfactory to get the thing running fairly well and have Palmer get some learning/riding in.
Marshall,
Thanks for the research and the manuals. The owners manual is the one you get when you purchse the bike, the owners service manual is kind of the shop manual for those owners who know how to turn wrenches.
Thanks all. I'll be posting pics once we get some more parts in and bring her closer to what it should look like. Ordering parts tomorrow.
Thanks to all for your insights.

[bikerphil]

Got that thing running already, nice!

[Cobia]

Yeah Phil,
I felt I needed some kind of validity on my risk assesment on the purchase of this bike. And felt I needed to get it running properly soon if it was going to run at all. So we went at it and fortunately it spun the way it should have. Beside, I had Palmer chomping at my heels!!! If you know what I mean!!
And wouldn't you know about Karma, it really wasn't idleing properly when I took it out and ran it, but this guy who was working on remodeling my neighbors kitchen heard us and came out and was stoked about the dirt bike. He has a lot of experience with 2 strokes and just tuned the idle and mixture in a snap!! What a difference!! No longer did you have to worry about keeping it idling, it was just there!! Perfect for Palmer, who had enough to worry about with the clutch and twist grip!! Man, he got it down and is getting the jist of it now.
Have a friend who's giving him boots, jerseys, helmet, goggles, etc. tomorrow, so he's big time stoked!!

[DGXSER]

AWESOME...Chirstmas comes a little early this year for the little man!! Ain't it sweet when someone just happens by that knows how to save you hours of struggling. Hopefully, he explained for you how to do it yourself next time!

[bikerphil]

You got lucky with that neighbor being there to tweek the carb. I sure miss that 2 stroke powerband rush from back in the old days. I'm gald for your son, nothing like your first bike.

[Cobia]

Yeah,
It was like Karma meant to happen. I mean, I didn't know these guys from anyone, and they came out anjd just started being helpful because they liked dirtbikes!! And we just started talking and riding and one thing led to another and all of a sudden he just adjusted the idle stop and idle jet and the bike started purring like new!!
Made it so much easier for Palmer to get off the line, not having to worry about keep it idleing. It was very cool!!
This guy is 6'3" 240 lbs. and still could bring the front tire up!! in third!!!

[Cobia]

More good Karma....
Scored a good set of safety gear for Palmer today. A friend who competes in vintage motocross circuit gave me a set of gear for him to start out with and wear, helmet, goggles, gloves, pants, knee/shin guards, boots, pants, jersey, lower back brace, even a book on motocross riding techniques.
Additionally, I found a Fox chest/back protector, in his size, for $40 on Craigslist!!
Guess what he wanted to do as soon as he got home from school!!!????
He also told me he pulled his first accidental wheelie today, and was able to control it and bring it down!!!

[Cobia]

Got the plastics today. They're going under the tree on Xmas eve.
Have to get the fasteners, they all seem to be 8mm. Very standard on this bike, seems like. Been only using the 1/4" socket set on it.

[Cobia]

Took him so he could ride at our benefactor's ranchette. Bike was running great and with a couple of acres for him to ride in he got his fill. My friend designed his yard as a mini motocross course, with turns and jumps. It was a a riot, Palmer gained a lot of confidence riding there. Bike ran a whole lot better after cleaning the air filter too. Next tank full will be high test with 30:1, as required by the manual, instead of 32:1 oil mixture I found on the web. We were able to bring the power band down somewhat on the rev range, feels safer.

[motoman]

Cobia, 32 to 1 IS the correct fuel/oil mixture, although 30to1 isn't gonna change anything and will add a bit better lubrication. Should'nt have any plug problems either. And like my daughter's YZ80 are a hoot to ride, but being a small bike easy for us bigger heavier folks to override its capabilities....lol, no need to ask how I know....

[bikerphil]

I'm glad Palmer likes the dirt bike, when you gettin' one?

[Cobia]

Phil,
As a matter of fact, Palmer and I have been talking about that. And I think he's more of a trail rider than a motocross competitor, being that he's quite conservative in his riding. Don't think he's the type for big air type of antics, thank God. No need for frequent trips to the emergency room with him. Although he got a little aggresive out there, he's still not the outer edge kind of kid. So, I may be contemplating selling one of my bikes in order to buy a trail bike and trailer so we could go along on some nature trail riding.
Ideally this would have us both on 4 cycle bikes, and he's cool with doubling his money on his current bike. Paid $350 for it and another $100 for the plastics, and we could probably sell it for $900+, which would put him in a nice 100cc 4 cycle around here. Of course, it would take time and patience to get decent rides for both of us but it would be worth the wait. I would need at least a 250cc with my weight, you know.
But for now it's all speculation since he's having such a great time riding his new steed and learning the ropes. He's definetely getting the motorcycle virus in his veins as he confides how he feels about being at the controls and the freedom he feels while riding. Any surprises there!!??
Motoman,
Although this bike had a hotter plug in it when we bought it, BER8 vs. BER10, which it is what it calls for in the specs, it ran so much better with the right one in it. Yet, I think having a little less oil in the mix will have it running with a little less smoke and fouling. Along with a newly cleaned air filter, the right plug actually brought the power band down to more manageable levels. It no longer bogs down at the top end of the lower gears.

[motoman]

Sounds like you got the bike runnin' good! Careful on the "lean" side. Myself, don't care to split cases and do rod/crank -end from being on the lean side. Then you gotta be able to re-balance crank after having to split it to replace bearing........so you just buy the whole crank assembly instead and piston, ring,wrist-pin, and clips. If the plug is mostly black and dark brown at electrode and not fouling, that's fairly correct, if you want the bottom-end to last any time. Know you had some neighborly help which is always nice. After warmed-up good and ridden acouple minutes, check the air-screw setting(opposite end of where our fuel screws are on the Mikunis). Run it in 1/16th of a turn at a time, blip throttle couple times letting settle back to idle in between turning in air-mix screw. Repeat till you've created a slight stumble "bliping" throttle. Back out mix screw untill stumble just dissapears.............and run a 32:1 fuel mix with a GOOD quality oil such as Maxim's Super M or Silcolene........shy away from Bel-Ray's mix oil........JMO based on seeing several bottom ends go prematurely. Should be a fun scoot for him to incorporate some automatic reflex memory and learn how to keep it under you when it's not wanting to cooperate. Have fun and yea, some single-tracking, the two of you makes for some permanent memories. Did that with my two son's and daughter along with the moto-X aspect too.........priceless.