MZ TS125 Cafe Racer project plan

[cabi3]

Hi guys,
So i have a TS125, and I want to cafe it. Make it all pretty.
As you lot are so gosh darned knowledgeable. I thought id run it past you Zedders.
Its only done 3000 miles since new, been off the road since 1992 and starts most first kicks.i bought it for the princely sum of 150 quid, with a shopping bag of spare parts.

Photos of its current un-modded state
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 4580_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 9007_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 3526_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 4154_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 6485_n.jpg

my design brief is pretty simple. To keep it fuel efficient, MOt'able and reliable, but cosmetically make it look like a cafe racer, but keep all the distinctive MZey bits ((IE headlight n keys, badge, tank, clocks, forks n yokes, gaiters, swinger mounted side-stand, cast main stand, looong exhaust))

So here goes. In type/location sections:

Frame
Drop bars with same grips and controls.
Rider uses pillion pegs, reverse gear lever to be within range, (modify gear leaver to have a fold'n'stay nose, to clear my foot when i start kicking her over) mount brake lever on pillion bars, shorten cable. remove the main pegs (loathe to do, but they will get in the way, i may have to actually cut them off to retain the main stand)
new exhaust mount as the rear section of pressed steel frame is leaving us.
frame rust removed, paint scrubbed off as much as possible and super thick coat hammerite black over whole frame.

Body work
side panels are being removed
strip tank, (inside and out) repaint gloss yellow, make chrome panel black (rechrome is money, paint isn't)
homemade fibreglass cafe-hump style tail unit hopefully with a hinged entrance like a litle storage box. again thats going bright yellow, with maybe its sides black ((like so http://www.bikeexif.com/custom-ducati-900ss on the tail unit paint))
mother-made leather seat pad (thin)
hook up a little license plate to the unit, with a old old style yellow plate (the 3d letter ones) and a little red 8 bulb led rear light hidden between plate and seat unit.

Engine
leaving this mostly untouched to retain fuel efficiency (what little efficiency it can have)
little pod style filter with cover, as the airbox is in the side cover
punch a few baffles out o the way far rear silencer, for a little more noise.
cleaning up the engine a little bit,(lots of scrubbing)

Suspension
front fork spacers for harder front forks, get a little more of a racy feel to them.
rear shock mounts moved to tail unit frame at more of an angle, for looks and for a better triangulation in line with the seat
harden rear shocks, is possible, but i newed to find out how. (any clues my friends?)

Electrics
capacitor instead of battery, for simplicity and size, (anyone had experience with these and how they run and/or nay problems?)
move the left hand side electrics panel to the seat hump. and clump together a little more to retain some space.
look into brighter head light bulbs (on a 6v system?!, again guys any clues?)
led taillight as mentioned previously
maybe convert fuse box to a little blade fuse box from a guzzi which i can get for free

General Service before MOT
fork oil
brakes, at the moment the front does nothing, need to look at cables
carb strip and clean
gear box oil, for god measure
add a fuel filter,
lube up chain
new plug
lube all cables and adjust, (current the clutch cable is "pull lever in. lever stays" ) so loosening those up is a must
a new set of tires, think i have found a pair for around 50 quid, any good suggestions on those? (also new tubes while i'm at it)
check though all bearings and such and replace any faults

Accesories
Oil measure bottle with oil strapped to frame for keeping to hand, metered out in amount of oil for the petrol i've put it (at 33:1) so have 30ml marked as liter, 150ml marked as 5 liters, 300ml marked as 10l and so on)
thinking of getting two big car DDR plates and bolting them on each side to look like race numbers on race bikes, more of a jest than owt else.

Voila, c'est finis.
das ist gut.
ja ja
blutworst.

Ive got this part-priced up for around 200-220 pounds given that i do all my own work.and some of the metal for fabrication i get for free, and some parts are coming in on "favors"

so yes. comments? support? refusal? alterations? ideas? this bike will be my daily ride until i get my skorpion finished. i hope to complete the majority of this work within a few weeks after I start.

[Old Dog]

I have never seen one that works but I wish you well.

I think that light weight Italian is the inspiration.

Something I have always wanted to do myself - principally because I cannot afford an Italian lightweight.

keep us in the loop

[cabi3]

I have never seen one that works but I wish you well.

one what that worked?


and eyahh, that was only just relased (that custom bike link) this is mostly spurned from having an overactive brain and paper =P

i shall indeed, aiming for the camera to be closer to hand than the tools

[Old Dog]

Aesthetically I mean.

[cabi3]

ahah meaning you've seen cafe'd ones that dont look good.
we cahll see, im trying to presere its mziness which giving it a cafe feel. and im doing it in a way taht i am not modifying any parts permanently, should be a simple bolt back together majig if i want it back to stock, bolt on parts only, cos idk if ill want to keep it that way

[arry_b]

capacitor instead of battery, for simplicity and size

You need to a battery to start the engine. No battery = no spark (unless someone's fitted an aftermarket generator and ignition system, which is unlikely on a tiddler.)

maybe convert fuse box to a little blade fuse box from a guzzi which i can get for free

Great idea, do it.

punch a few baffles out o the way far rear silencer, for a little more noise.

Say goodbye to any ideas of fuel economy.

brakes, at the moment the front does nothing, need to look at cables

A good lube of the cables, a clean up of the drum and a lube of the cams and pivots will see that upgraded to "does almost nothing".

been off the road since 1992

Crank seals are likely to need changing, if not straight away, very soon after you start riding it again. Not difficult to do or expensive on a TS125/150.

carb strip and clean

I'm running an ETZ125 carb on a TS150 manifold on my TS125. It's worth an extra couple of MPH over the TS125 one. If yours has the tickover adjuster on the carb (some adjust the tickover on the cable), don't bother changing it, they're an OK carb anyway.

the rear section of pressed steel frame is leaving us

There goes your idea of being able to return it to standard.

metered out in amount of oil for the petrol i've put it (at 33:1)

50:1 on the TS125 of that age. It's a 1985 TS 125 Alpine, same as mine.

current the clutch cable is "pull lever in. lever stays"

Don't forget to pump the grease nipple for the worm full of nice clean grease. Cables usually come back to life with a good lube with a pressure cable oiler.

new set of tires, think i have found a pair for around 50 quid, any good suggestions on those

M+P have some really cheap ones in stock. The Cougar / Viva ones are OK on a small bike, V-rubber not so good. Mitas tyres are a few quid dearer and far, far better.

'a

[cabi3]

on capacitor. the action of kicking it over puts a charge through the system for spark. remember that electricity works like newtons cradle, not pouring water. for a capacitor to work it just depends on the kind of magneto.
and the link to the capacitor is something ive pulled off this site.
its kickstart only, the only thing i lose with capacitor is lights when not running.

ty

you reckon just a few would do that? i wouldnt know either way

wondering if a different cam might work towards "does almost something". have to have a look around

its been run up regualrly and starts sweet enough so i would guess the crankseals are alright,

on the frame, if you look to the top right, there two bolt holes, that is where the seat mount and rear mudgaurd (plus where the rear shocks mount. its a part of the fram but is bolt on, not welded, similar to a seat subframe of a 90s sportsbike ((download/file.php?id=1840))

i was reading the manual and it gave me both of those figures, figure id jump the more oil one cos i like the smoke, and because i have a knack for ragging the knackers off bike.

theres a grease nipple? wonderful!! thank you

iwas looking at these for tyres http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MZ-TS125-LUXU ... 8319678%26

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MZ-TS125-TS-1 ... 1739008%26

[arry_b]

on capacitor. the action of kicking it over puts a charge through the system for spark. remember that electricity works like newtons cradle, not pouring water. for a capacitor to work it just depends on the kind of magneto.
and the link to the capacitor is something ive pulled off this site.

The MZ ignition system in the real world doesn't work like that. Current path is Battery -> coil -> points -> earth. There IS an emergency start position (all the way over to the right) that's meant to allow you to start without a battery like a magneto would, but I've never had one that works (sample of around 40 bikes). Try it by all means, but be prepared to have to buy a battery. If you do get it working, do let me know what you used and how you wired it up.

you reckon just a few would do that? i wouldnt know either way (holes in exhaust)

The MZ exhaust is more sophisticated that it looks. Perhaps try running it unmodified and see if you can cope with the fuel economy before making holes in it. I have heard of far better performance from an ETZ125 engine by belting a hole in the end of the pipe, but an ETZ and a TS engine are very different beasts inside. Any mods will yield worse fuel consumption (I'm seeing around 90 mpg from my TS125 and I'm no lightweight).

its been run up regualrly and starts sweet enough so i would guess the crankseals are alright

You may be lucky, but all of the ones I've recommissioned have had have had hardened seals. Keep an eye on the gearbox oil level rising.

on the frame, if you look to the top right, there two bolt holes, that is where the seat mount and rear mudgaurd

My apologies, you are of course, correct.

i was reading the manual and it gave me both of those figures, figure id jump the more oil one cos i like the smoke, and because i have a knack for ragging the knackers off bike.

Horses for courses, and I can understand some people's reluctance to run 50:1. Personally, I tend to use 50:1 "and a bit extra for luck" when I fill up. I do use good oil though, I've only ever damaged an engine when I was thrashing it on cheap mineral.

Tyre prices

Those prices aren't too good. They appear to be the Cougar tyres I referred to before. Busters accessories and M+P have the rear Cougar 105 for £19 and a front Cougar 201 for £14. Delivery should be around a fiver for the pair. They're OK tyres. Ring them rather than order online, as their web site sometimes doesn't represent what they've actually got in stock.