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DKW RT 125 discussion forum:what exactly was an RT 125 E? |
| what exactly was an RT 125 E? |
| former '72 dkw motocross owner said 2002-05-20 18:38 |
| I had a 1972 Motocross Deke. It was a 5 speed tranny, with the annoying selector shaft that was famous for missing shifts. It was later corrected with an aftermarket shaft. The frame geometry was decent though the front seemed heavy no doubt due in part to the excellent leading link front end. Wheelies were difficult above second gear. Fuel tank was a heavy stainless unit which was distinctively DKW. A Bing 28 mm carb attached to the massive aluminum cylinder by way of a compression coupling on a large nipple. Adequate, but made using larger carbs difficult. Sun burst cylinder head made for great cooling. I could run hard and still momentarily put my well gloved hand on the head. Many other riders unfamiliar with the Deke thought it was at least a 250, and its hill climb performance seemed to confirm that notion. The "A" motor I had (as opposed to the "B" motor with six speed tranny, lighter flywheel, and slightly wilder porting) was torquey as all get out, which could often be a real advantage if ridden properly, though it would not even think of drag racing an Elsinore or any other Japanese bike. After some help with breathing (new expansion chamber exhaust and porting mods) she ran better, but was still torquey. The aluminum Sachs used in the engines was way better than anything the Jap bikes had. That engine would run hard for years if not modified beyond reason. The suspension offered only maybe 4 inches travel and was stiff as could be. I replaced the old Boge rear shocks with Koni shocks with progressive springs. My buddies who had Pentons (which had Sachs/DKW "B" motors) modified their suspension for more travel, though I was uncomfortable on those frames. My leading link front end was as tough as they come, and was perfect for hill climbing. It would get taller in the front when the front brake was applied, which still gave you full suspension travel rather than losing it. If backing down the hill after coming to a stop, the front brake caused the front to shorten, again helping to level the bike. A wonderful setup, aside from the extra weight. Dick Boone made custom enduro frames using a lighter leading link unit he made. He also gave a lot more suspension travel. After riding later Jap bikes I have to admit that the stiffness of the Deke´s suspension was unkind to the rider, but at least it did work, unlike many earlier pseudo-motocross (jap street lega) bikes. Really, no one had nice suspension until the later 70´s anyway. The horsepower rating of this bike was supposed to be 20 hp from the factory, though mine made at least 2 or 3 more than stock. They were certainly capable of much more even with the stock Bing carb, but I didn´t want to be changing pistons all the time like the riders of the Jap MX bikes. Stock wheels were 21 by 3.25 front, 18 by 3.5 rear. Rear shock mount had to be modified to allow wider tires without losing most of the outer knobbies. The original Metzeller tires were actually excellent and lasted very well. Mine was an excellent enduro/trail bike that was perfect for a beginner or intermediate. Quite a machine in its day. |
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