“Every part in the bike was replaced except for the chassis, engine and the seat.”
BHPian vw_passat recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Hello Vinturbo,
A post on this topic was long due, I am glad you reminded me about it.
Story: 2001 to 2014
I bought this bike in 2001, it was almost like a brand-new bike. My college days wouldn’t have been the same without this machine. The Yamaha RXZ was not just another bike even back in those days, I would say it was unique and rare to find.
After a couple of years of usage, I met with an accident, a serious one. My family wanted me to get rid of it but I somehow managed to keep it. After I bought my car, I neglected it. Later, my staff used to do daily errands. I knew that the bike was not meant for that but I could not do much about it as I had other things to take care of. Sometime in the year 2014, the bike was left in my garage and no one touched it for 7 years. During those 7 years, there were many occasions where I thought of rebuilding it but I was told that it is not easy and the parts are no longer available. After a point, I simply gave up on it.
My family asked me to get rid of it and clear the place but I just could not do it considering the memories I had with it.
In 2021 I finally decided that it should go, took a couple of pics just the way it was (like scrap), and posted on OLX. The next morning I was flabbergasted by the number of messages I got on OLX. A lot of people were ready to come and pick it up the same day. Some wanted to do a Google pay of a small token amount and block the bike.
There was a phone call from a person whom I still remember, he asked me the details of the bike and said that I should not be selling a bike like this unless I was badly in need of money or if I was leaving the country. That phone call changed everything. I deleted the ad on OLX. I wanted to get in touch with my old mechanic but he was not available. Luckily in Hyderabad, there are quite a few mechanics who have exclusively been working on the 2 stroke Yamahas. I got hold of one of them and the same day transported my bike in a carrier auto.
Restoration: Aug 2021
Every part of the bike was replaced except for the chassis, engine, and seat. I have some bills that I am sharing
A few parts with prices
- Headlight visor 675
- Visor glass black 130
- Visor glass white 130
- Visor clamp 250
- Engine guard 650
- Engine guard clamp 250
- Rxz handle 330
- Grip set 150
- Leaver + yoke (4 pieces) 200
- Cable kit 700
- Speedometer 1050
- Rpm meter 740
- Pilot box 150
- Cone set 350
- Rubber kit rxz 1600
- Lock set 1575
- Gear leaver set 350
- Front brake switch 35
- Rear brake switch 45
- Headlight switch 400
- Tail light assembly 600
- Front mudguard 550
- Break shoe (2 sets) 475
- Chain sprocket 850
- Fork oil seal set 70
- Rear shocker set 1550
- Kick leaver 350
- Front yamaha logo 15
- Full nut bolt kit 1050
I purchased 70% of the spares from fellow Team Bhpian Mr. Anirwan Mazumdar ( Turbo Motors) in New Delhi. He is a true auto enthusiast and a big fan of the RXZ. I still disturb him over the phone and he is very patient to answer all my queries. The remaining 30% spares were purchased from Rathiwal Automobiles Hyderabad.
Restoration was completed in 3 weeks as I was very desperate to ride it. The cost came up to 60k including tyres etc.
Post Restoration :
The bike looked brand new with all-new fiber parts, tyres, Rims, etc but when I started driving it back home I was disappointed. It did not remind me of the bike it used to be, especially the suspension. I started to doubt my decision to spend so much time and money on it.
Over the next few weeks, I had to visit the mechanic multiple times to fine-tune it. It started getting better day by day. By Mid 2022 I again started enjoying it.
I only use the bike when I want to enjoy the ride, not for commuting. I only touch max speeds of 50km – 60 km as I do t feel it’s safe. There are other vehicles that I enjoy driving over three-figure speeds anyway.
After two years of usage and a few oil changes the bike is pretty smooth. The only thing I was not satisfied was with the suspension. I tried looking for Yamaha Gladiators front shocks but they were quoting 8k which I did not feel right.
2024.
Earlier this month I was in Malaysia. I knew that the RXZ was in production till 2012 in Malaysia and the possibility of getting the spares was high. The moment I landed in Kuala Lumpur I called the nearest Yamaha dealership and was told that they don’t keep the spares anymore. However, they were kind enough to guide me to the local market in Jalan Sentul. I went there immediately and found a store that had all the spares for my bike. I was elated. I purchased the front shock absorbers with disk brakes.
Gave the bike to my mechanic after I came back to India. All the parts were a perfect match and the new suspension was installed.
The bike just feels like the way I wanted it to and I am enjoying it to the core. I like the fact that it’s a 25-year-old bike and it reminds me of my college days. I make it a point that I take it for a short ride at least every other day and it gives me a pleasant feeling. The way it turns heads is a bonus.
I will upload the latest pics at the earliest convenience
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