Dirt bike restoration

[Yz85]

So my goal is to find a mid 80s yz or cr 80 to restore. One of my biggest concerns is can I still get parts fairly easy for something this old. My other question is where can I find a bike this old. I've been looking on Craigslist for months and I can't find a bike. This will be my first restoration but I am very mechanically inclined so I'm not scared. If anyone has any tips you can give me I would appreciate that a lot. Thanks for all your help.

[Wraith0513]

Just got finished with a rider/restoration of a 1986 CR80.  Compared to the 125/250/500, it was a complete pain to restore.  Parts are fairly easy to come by, although not as easy as the big bikes, and you end up with a lot of used Ebay parts, where you can get new stuff for the ones they are still vintage racing.  I guess that's why the 80's are hard to do, no one is vintage racing them.  Or are they?  My biggest frustration was plastics.  I could not find new or decent plastics anywhere other than the front fender, (the new rears one company offers are not correct) and I had to spend a lot of time getting them looking half decent.  Since my bike is going to be ridden by a kid, I expect crashes and wasn't super concerned, but still, I like a good looking bike.  I had to drive 4 hours to get mine, as they don't come up local very often, and if they do and are in good shape, they are pricey.
 
FWIW, I've got more in my 86 than I would have if I would have gotten an early to mid 2000's CR80 or CR85, which has tons of parts and accessories available (comparatively).... 
 
Pic is before the new seat cover from Thailand, which took 3 months to get here.....

 

 

[problem_child]

Just curious why do you want to restore one op?

[Suzuko]

Want a 05 yz

[problem_child]

huh

[Kickstart97]

Major mechanical parts can be hard to find for bikes older than 93. I'm currently restoring a 92 YZ125 and some stuff is dang near impossible to find on any website

[Yz85]

I think it would just be cool to restore a bike you don't see many people ride old bikes.

[moto2000]

Go on Search Tempest

 

put in your zip code and what your searching for "cr80" or "yz80"

 

You should get some hits of what you're looking for in a 400 mile radius

 

Like..... https://quadcities.craigslist.org/snw/5551891861.html

 

            https://quadcities.craigslist.org/mcd/5540672806.html

 

            https://stlouis.craigslist.org/mcy/5536651251.html