1969 Yamaha CTI 175 Enduro

[2LZ]

They say that this is one of the (line of) bikes that brought us to the modern age of dual sporting and dirt biking. I know I've had multiple Yamaha Enduro's in my time, two that I "stripped' and raced MX with in my younger years. Rip off the lights and mirrors, add an expansion chamber and simply run a single wire between the magneto and coil (with a kill button in the middle) and VIOLA! Instant MX bike. It's all many of us had access to, especially with a lawn mowing income. A Penton (later KTM) or DKW at the time was far out of reach and prepped properly, you could actually compete on one of these.

I picked this up a couple years ago from a friend. I was hit with a giant slap of "nostalgia" when I saw it. It's complete, including the rear rack (and pad!) and still sporting the low front fender (which was usually immediately tossed and replace with a Preston Petty fender). The plan was to completely restore it, as it's an original 1969....but we all know how some plans go.

So, if you have any Yamaha Enduro stories, please feel free to share. If it wasn't for these bikes coming to America and opening so many doors to the young riders at the time, with such a versatile bike, Lord only knows how the motorcycle world may be different now.

Anyway, just thought I'd share.

[wheelbender6]

Cool. My dad owned a Yami AT125 2 stroke. It was really wide, because it had an electric starter. Even though it was a small 2 stroke, it had a surprising amount of smooth torque.

[pete]

My only Yamaha duel sport/ trail was
a 76 DT400C first of the single shock..
dam great bike.. had power to burn "well for 1976 it did"

really the only 2 stroke trail/duel sport I have owned went on to
tossing road bikes around the sealed tracks after that for a few years
till I went back to the dirt , bit of MX but mostly Enduro.. even had
a national enduro ranking back when I could ride..








.

[cheesy]

Cool. Never had a Yami.

[bogieboy]

Never had a yami but do own a kawi... ke100....its the last year they were produced in the states... 2001 but hasn't changed since the 70 kawi g4 other than the tank size, wheels going from 18/18 to 17/19 and swap from points to cdi....

[Weldangrind]

2LZ, it's hard to tell from the pic what the colour was originally. It looks like it could have been gold, but might also have been red.


I have the same bike, although it's missing the bolt-ons. I gave it to my buddy, and we plan to build a kinda sorta brat out of it, replete with the CG200 from my Lifan. It probably won't have fenders and it's likely to have a flat seat that extends to the end of the subframe, which is about the middle of the buddy seat in your pic.


I was shocked when we removed the tank and found that it was actually red underneath. I thought it was a gold tank, but that is just patina. The inside of the tank is remarkably clean, so we intend to just smooth out and clear the patina.


My version had the 21/18 wheels, so we're lacing some old 18" DID aluminum rims on, front and rear. We've already picked up a pair of DOT Pirelli trials tires for it. I'll be sure to start a thread when there's something to show.

[Weldangrind]

On another thread in this forum, I showed the '78 MX175 that Son of Weldangrind and I half-heartedly restored to running condition a few years ago. It was a direct descendant of the CT1. That bike was a blast!

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

2LZ, it's hard to tell from the pic what the colour was originally. It looks like it could have been gold, but might also have been red.


I have the same bike, although it's missing the bolt-ons. I gave it to my buddy, and we plan to build a kinda sorta brat out of it, replete with the CG200 from my Lifan. It probably won't have fenders and it's likely to have a flat seat that extends to the end of the subframe, which is about the middle of the buddy seat in your pic.


I was shocked when we removed the tank and found that it was actually red underneath. I thought it was a gold tank, but that is just patina. The inside of the tank is remarkably clean, so we intend to just smooth out and clear the patina.


My version had the 21/18 wheels, so we're lacing some old 18" DID aluminum rims on, front and rear. We've already picked up a pair of DOT Pirelli trials tires for it. I'll be sure to start a thread when there's something to show.

Sounds like a killer project, W&G! Keep us posted on how that CG motor drops in. May be a good alternative....though not near as spunky as the original two stroke.

Believe it or not, that's the original California Orange factory paint that came on the 1969.....just badly faded from being stored outside against a tree for a few years.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by wheelbender6

Cool. My dad owned a Yami AT125 2 stroke. It was really wide, because it had an electric starter. Even though it was a small 2 stroke, it had a surprising amount of smooth torque.

I had one of those AT1's also. Yellow tanker with a black stripe. The electric start never worked and the wiring was a nightmare for it thanks to not running off a magneto. I dropped a 175 cylinder on it and put in a flywheel/mag I got from a wrecker (after gutting the e-start) and it turned it into a screamer!....with that funny bump in the side.

[letsride]

AWESOME 2LZ thanks for sharing. That Yamabanger 2 stroke engine design was around a long time and was super tough. My first two bikes was Yamaha 2 strokes of that variant. First was a GT80, then Dad had a 1979 DT100 sitting in front of the Christmas tree one year. I lost my marbles when I woke up and walked in the living room and saw that pretty white bike with a red stripe down the center of the tank. The bike had oil injection that worked fantastic. I rode that little bike all over the place out here it had tons of miles on it. My Dad used to tell me "make sure you come home to eat, boy". On a ride one day I lost the piston, burned a hole right in the top of it. My Dad said it was no big deal even though I was devastated. He went and had my cylinder machined and came home with it, a new top end kit, and a manual. And said Get to it. I was terrified 12 years old and rebuilding the top end on my bike. Dad stood watch, but I did it. He made sure I put the rings on right, and the piston was installed correctly but he never put a hand on a part, just gave instruction. I had so much pride the first time she barked again after I put her back together. I learned so much in that weekend and that started my passion for wrenching on bikes. I rode that little bike all the way until I graduated from High School. Even though I had faster toys (YZ125) (YFM350) there was just something about taking the little 100 out for a spin that she never really got neglected. I sold her right before I went off to basic. I regret it to this day.

[Darkrider]

One of my first actual "Off road" bikes was a Yamaha GT80 i had that for a couple years then moved onto Suzukis in the form of an RV125 and RM250 motocrosser that i raced for a few years as a teen. Fast forward to now i have a '76 Yamaha DT250 which is basically your bikes larger brother as it spawned from the Yamaha DT1 if i remember the model name correctly.

[BlackBike]

You folks that have been riding since childhood are probably balls out on the trail, I never had lots experience as a child (the usual, occasional, yz80 fun most every child encountered in the 70's). I'm trying to catch up

[pete]

Originally Posted by BlackBike

You folks that have been riding since childhood are probably balls out on the trail, I never had lots experience as a child (the usual, occasional, yz80 fun most every child encountered in the 70's). I'm trying to catch up

yer.... got my first bike for my 7th birthday... a 60cc benelli scooter
that had been cut down into a mini bike type thing..
The lawn got boreing after a while but I found out that mums flower beds made a great motocross track.... Didn't see my bike for about 2 weeks after that one..
One day I came home after school & my little benilli was gone & there was a bright shiny new Suzuki TM125 sitting in it's place.. buy this time we had moved to a logging town I was way to big for the Benilli the TM was way better up in the trees... I had to learn to use a clutch first..

So my fathers to blame he started it all....

I'm now 57 so have been riding for 50 years now & 34 bikes later..I'm still alive..


...

[Darkrider]

Originally Posted by BlackBike

You folks that have been riding since childhood are probably balls out on the trail, I never had lots experience as a child (the usual, occasional, yz80 fun most every child encountered in the 70's). I'm trying to catch up

Got my first bike around the age of 6...it was a 50 cc Yamaha scooter that got refitted with some mini bike knobbies. Made for an interesting bike that was then replaced with the previously mentioned GT80.

[letsride]

I have had a motorcycle of some sort for most of my life. There will always be a bike around here, same with boats, GOTTA have a boat. My ole body don't like much of the crazy stuff. I get a wild hair every now and then and ride like a mad man, but its short lived. LOL I've had a broken leg (XL185), broken finger (YFM 350) and two broken elbows (KX250). The last injury REALLY sucked. Cast from my wrists to my upper arm, arms bent at 90 degree angles for 6 Weeks! Everyone told me I looked like C3PO. So now days I'm a little more cautious.