For our next group buy - Retro YZ look! But how?

Okay, how many of you remember this:



Remember that? Nostalgic about the color schemes ridden by Hannah and Roberts to victory?

Well, there's this:



But only if you live in Japan. And pay a premium.

I want it. Minus the fork boots. And decals a little closer to the old look.

So... with the group buy on the Seat Concepts group buy off the ground and going like crazy, is this a possible group buy project?

Two questions?

1. Can we find an aftermarket part provider who will offer YELLOW plastic shrouds and fenders - at a reasonable price? I assume the decals are easy.

2. Is there enough WR owners like me that yearn for the days of the yellow and black bumblebees who would be interested in a group buy if the price wasn't excessive?

Well?

Jäger wrote:

snip
I want it. Minus the fork boots. And decals a little closer to the old look.
snip

I say go for the fork boots. It would complete the look and be like a little inside joke

Personally, I'm far too fashion conscious to go for yellow. It would clash with my blue jacket, red helmet, orange backpack...
Oh yeah, I have a Safari tank that I'm not giving up.

P.S. Bob Hanna is this month's AMA magazine cover story.

Boondocker wrote:

I say go for the fork boots. It would complete the look and be like a little inside joke

Well, better to have than have and not need, I suppose.

Quote :

Personally, I'm far too fashion conscious to go for yellow. It would clash with my blue jacket, red helmet, orange backpack...
Oh yeah, I have a Safari tank that I'm not giving up.

But they would go with my similarly colored Transitions jacket, Giant Loop Coyote, and fuel blivet...

And I'd still like the bumblebee bike, even if I was dressed all in pink like SheWolf...

Quote :

P.S. Bob Hanna is this month's AMA magazine cover story.

Which reminds me... some retro Yamaha jerseys would be nice as well.

I think that a guy named Forrest from a company called Wheeling Cycle Supply was importing the OEM black plastics from Japan before they were available here.
Worth a shot to see if he'll be able to help. :)

Thanks for the memories. I had a 1978 YZ125E. My parents purchased if brand new for me Christmas 1977. First year of the aluminum swingarm.

Jäger wrote:

Okay, how many of you remember this:



Remember that? Nostalgic about the color schemes ridden by Hannah and Roberts to victory?

Well, there's this:



But only if you live in Japan. And pay a premium.

I want it. Minus the fork boots. And decals a little closer to the old look.

So... with the group buy on the Seat Concepts group buy off the ground and going like crazy, is this a possible group buy project?

Two questions?

1. Can we find an aftermarket part provider who will offer YELLOW plastic shrouds and fenders - at a reasonable price? I assume the decals are easy.

2. Is there enough WR owners like me that yearn for the days of the yellow and black bumblebees who would be interested in a group buy if the price wasn't excessive?

Well?

That would be so much more sweeter than the yellow/black decals on black plastic.

YZEtc wrote:

I think that a guy named Forrest from a company called Wheeling Cycle Supply was importing the OEM black plastics from Japan before they were available here.
Worth a shot to see if he'll be able to help. :)

I agree with YZEtc, Forrest would be a great guy to start with.

On a side note, I just keep picturing that with a black frame/swing arm. I wish they would have done that on the R and not just the X.

HMMMMMM, me likey yellow

little squirt wrote:

HMMMMMM, me likey yellow

Me likey too!

Now... how to get there...

Anyone want to take it on as their personal project?

I was wondering if we could contact one of the asian aftermarket sources.

Fork boots on upside down forks ? Allllllllrightythen.

well,any word ?
and yay,fake boots up top would get some looks from true old school yamaha fans .

I'd go for it if IMS will build a yellow 4.5 tank.

dtx wrote:

well,any word ?
and yay,fake boots up top would get some looks from true old school yamaha fans .

No, no word - because nobody has taken up the challenge yet.

I did the group seat buy (about 43 in and counting), and am behind on other stuff.

So somebody else can step up and take on the retro YZ challenge.

I have a few emails out, will let u know if hear back from anyone.

little squirt wrote:

I have a few emails out, will let u know if hear back from anyone.

Okay... well, I did my part and found the riding gear to complete the look...





This will have to do while waiting for somebody to arrange the bumblebee look:





Should we see if we can set up a group buy????

https://metroracing.com/index.php

Best I remember, Brian over at Thumpertalk put together a special plastic buy for the DRZ several years back.

I do not remember the color or the manufacturer, but he did need to have at least a certain minimum number of prepaid orders before he would make the buy from the manufacturer.

Then it took maybe 4-6 weeks or something like that for the stuff to be made & delivered.

My memory is not the best anymore so please do not hold me to specifics.

All I am saying is that if commitments (and payments) are made, there is a certain number of orders that the manufacturer needs to have in order to make a special run profitable for them.

And then I think that TT actually made the purchase, so they too had to have a number of paid orders before Brian would stick his head out on the line.

Maybe check with Brian @ TT for more details.


Hey, it's just a thought.....hope it helps

geeze,just on metros site as i race vintage flat track. I want the boots,that would be a good look as well.

The key I think is to find the OEM subcontractor for the stock parts.
Then there would be no real "tooling" cost involved. However.....that being said. I've worked on the OEM supplier side of the business. And they are often under contract not to produce except for the OEM. But then again if they use someone like say Acerbis who also does aftermarket. Then it could be just a matter of time untill they would be allowed to sell aftermarket for a specific model. Does anyone have any contacts within the OEM to get this info as to their source? This sort of part is almost always out-sourced.

Aha!

Well you appear to be the closest thing we have to a resident expert!

I nominate putting you in charge...

Got in touch with Matt Sheldon at http://www.socalmx.com/index2.ihtml

He does not have the ability to make plastics, and also contacted his suppliers UFO & Polisport who said they will not be making WRX specific body work at this time.

I'm still awaiting Acerbis to get back with me, but its not looking good in the aftermarket world.

Maybe need to find a Japanese OEM parts hookup..............

Jäger wrote:

Aha!

Well you appear to be the closest thing we have to a resident expert!

I nominate putting you in charge...

Who Me! I don't have any Asian contacts. But I'll see what I can find out?
The OEM parts supplier thing is hard to get any info out of. This won't be an overnight thing I want you all to know.

I'll draft, coerce or nominate anyone I think might have a chance of making headway...

One more...

I would love to do yellow.