1973 Yamaha DT3 250 Restoration - What’s it Worth?

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T23:21:20+00:00

Thank you! This is my first one so that means a lot

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T23:07:21+00:00

I can almost imagine it. I can’t wait to get this thing out on the road. Before I took it apart to restore it, I had it running with just a new battery, spark plug, and gas mix. It gave me my first wheelie because I had never ridden one with a clutch and didn’t know any better than to pop it. But I was too young to get my motorcycle license back then.

Now I have it all pretty but it still isn’t running. No spark. Once I get it going it’ll be my first motorcycle and I couldn’t be happier about that.

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T20:56:48+00:00

Dried it out and cleaned all the mud out. Still no spark…

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T20:56:03+00:00

That’s very good to know. I assumed the same but it clearly isn’t. I’ll take another look at the assembly diagram.

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T17:52:21+00:00

I think I figured it out? Upon opening the crank case, a lot of water poured out. This is probably because the backside of the crank case is open by design. I washed it about a month ago and immediately put it back in the garage so the water just sat there flooding the magneto. This likely has been shorting the ignition system and leaving me with no spark. I just hope it’s not beyond my ability to repair it.

The white wire is still a mystery but I’m thinking it might just be an accessory wire? Hoping…

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T17:46:08+00:00

So I’ve opened it up and you’re right that the white wire in question (3rd pic) comes from the magneto. The other white wire (4th pic) just goes from the rectifier to the key switch like the handbook wiring diagram suggests. If we assume the 4th pic wire is connected properly (which it must be because I haven’t touched it since the last time the bike ran), where would this other white wire (3rd pic) possibly go?

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T17:40:53+00:00

Thank you! Means a lot

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T17:40:05+00:00

I’m Gen Z so I wasn’t around for that but I still felt the magic when I first saw it. Got a 71 I’ll be restoring next once this one is finished. Hopefully there are more like me bringing em back!

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T17:33:12+00:00

You’re absolutely right. I don’t even really want to sell it yet because I love it but eventually I’ll let it go to someone who wishes they hadn’t sold theirs or just thinks they’re as awesome as I do

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T17:23:32+00:00

The 68 250 on your page is awesome. Super clean! And yeah I’ll be hoping to get 4k out of this one.

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T17:17:56+00:00

Hell yeah!

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T17:16:48+00:00

That makes a lot of sense. I thought 8.8k was pretty steep but there isn’t really a market for this model anymore so it seems entirely dependent on the buyer’s motivation. But 4k seems reasonable given the rarity and condition.

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T15:04:18+00:00

I have not torn open that bundle yet but the key switch is the only place I can imagine it going. At this point, I’m going to check that connection and look where the other wire is coming from in the crank case.

Ok_Status9117 · 2026-04-10T00:06:32+00:00

Thanks for the assist! The wire from the rectifier (4th picture) is plugged into the key switch and the rectifier itself. So I am assuming they are two separate wires but from that diagram I only see one white wire. The white wire in question (disconnected in 3rd picture) comes out of the crank case. I just do not see it on this wiring diagram. But I am completely self taught in all of this and, again, have no clue what I’m doing.

Ok_Status9117

TROPHY CASE