Can I Fix This $1000 RM125 That Won't Shift?

Back in May, Levi blew up his RM125. We attempted to fix it, but after reassembling the bike it would only shift into first and neutral. I bought the bike from Levi for $1,000, and this video documents my struggles bringing the bike back to life. When I bought the bike, I agreed to the stipulation that Levi gets to ride the bike again before I sell it. Stay tuned to see Levi shred this bike one last time.

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Chapters:
0:00 Backstory
1:43 Engine Removal
2:55 Engine Teardown
4:23 Transmission Inspection
5:23 Will it Shift?
6:15 Further Disappointment
7:18 Looking Elsewhere
8:33 Figured It Out
9:25 Brakes and Forks
11:57 Actually Figured It Out
13:58 Security Footage
15:25 Reassembly
17:16 It Shifts

[sker]

For the sake of any Dirtbike, DO NOT LET LEVI TOUCH A WRENCH

[jtgross]

As an amateur engine builder I really enjoyed watching the trouble shooting and overall process, thanks for sharing man!

[jeffstrongman]

I’m 50 now and have a bad heart so I’m a big XR guy now but when I was your age I was just like you guys always out rippin my two strokes. Great channel, glad I found it.

[ChaseBuiltBikes]

I can feel the pain in the video 😂😂 I’ve done the same stuff. When it comes to things like transmission, it’s easy just to jump right to the worst conclusions vs the easy stuff. Glad you got it figured out without sending the bike into a lake 😂😂

[johnlee]

I did that once on my Mustang. Spent many hours pulling my hair out trying to figure out a no start all for it to be the stupid safety switch for the clutch. Live and learn!

[Whiskey]

As a technician, I feel the midnight small problems that cause hours of pain... I laughed and nodded when you found it.

[Sillky]

Got a late start working on bikes as a hobby and to save money on me and my sons bike. I've learned more watching your builds than anywhere.

[lucasgray]

Dunno if I have ever seen a more relatable video. When I first started working on bikes, I forgot the sump plug crush washer and the plug protruded into and jammed the transmission. My Dad and Grandad helped me split the cases which was an absolute mission. All because I forgot a mm thick crush washer.

[stkyfngrszmooth]

This reminds me of my favorite channel for this type of content. 2vintage is the channel, and he actually posted a very similar issue not very long ago, and if anyone else enjoys this type of content, he's definitely the guy to watch.

[Marky]

I just rebuilt my 06 125, got it back together and 1st and neutral, no 2nd lol watched this video and I had my shifter up to high. Thank you dude I wasn't looking forward to tearing it apart again

[kenwolfe]

I literally LOL’d. You got a new sub. Thank you for the humility. I’ve done similar things. My mind will evaluate the more complicated before examining the simple. I’ve never seen a shifter do that either and I’m willing to bet I would have gone down the same path. You did replace some stuff that needed it, so there’s that.

[markrice]

You can always tell a good mechanic. When they take the bike for a test ride and use all four fingers to pull in the clutch! Great job and video!

[brettlaage]

Everyone who wrenches on their own stuff needed to see this. We have all been there almost certainly more than once even.

[RealSuburbanCowboy]

I never matters what was actually the issue, resolving it is what really matters. Great job sticking to it.

[GuerdonOutdoors]

This video saved my life, not in the sense I was missing a washer but I just got back from a weekend of riding, and somehow my shift lever slightly bent inwards from hitting something and caused the lever to hit the bottom of the case and I couldn't figure out why I was unable to upshift into second gear I remembered watching this video about when it first came out and it dawned on me that the lever was hitting the case. I slightly bent it back out and spent the rest of the weekend ripping the trails!

[brettmerillat]

I have a 2002 rm 125, and I had the same problem with the shift lever up a couple splines after I completely overhauled it, I ended up splitting the cases again and replaced shift forks, and looked into the shifting mechanism. I was so relieved and pissed that the shift lever out of a adjustment was the problem 😂

[robertmattox]

Got to love it when u go though hell on something and find out it was something u see all thr time

[tj_altekruse]

Similar experience. I started a rebuild on a 2002 kx 250 last year and could not figure out why I was having a shifting issue. Split cases twice and eventually gave up on it and sold it cheap. 😢 Gotta check everything!

[Danman]

The suzuki DR350 had an similar issue. The ratchet set up for the shifter mechanism was the roughly the same other than the to capture it all in there was a bolt that went into the drum was a 12 mm bolt with a 6mm thread on the end. It would shear leaving the thread in the drum. Happened to mine. I had to drill that out of the drum and replace it. When I put it back together I had the same issue. I found that detent lever and little wheel you showed were bent and the wheel would not roll and made shifting hard. Through a dedicated internet forum (way before the days of facebook or youtube) a lot of folks had the same issue. Apparently when the bolt would shear it wadded up that little lever and wheel. I flattened mine out on the back of the vice and got that wheel rolling and never ended up replacing it because it worked correctly for until I sold it several hundred hrs later.

[diyjeff]

Nice work. The main point is the problem waa solved. And you gained knowledge along the way. Time is never wasted ...it's experience.