Dg/yamaha It175
DG/YAMAHA IT175
CYCLE WORLD TEST
Speed Costs Money. DG Will Provide As Much Performance As You Can Afford.
The distinctive DG initials are known and respected by motocrossers everywhere but may not mean much to the road and enduro rider. Not yet. anyway. Having established a solid base with MX equipment.
DG has expanded its line into the street and enduro fields.
The DG-equipped Yamaha IT 175 is an example of what the company does. The model selection is a challenge. The IT line and Suzuki’s PE bikes are the best massproduced enduro mounts on the market, and the most popular, so DG has concentrated on them, even though it’s more difficult to improve a good bike than a poor one.
The test IT is not quite normal, because DG doesn’t sell complete machines. Instead they sell equipment, for engines, suspensions, etc., and the buyer picks and installs what he wants, as the budget allows. Because the equipment modifications can result in a thoroughly revised bike, though, we asked them to bolt on one of everything and let us try the changes all at once.
The major changes involve suspension. The IT comes with 36-mm stanchion tubes, sliders, etc., made by Kayaba for Yamaha. DG supplies KYB Pro units, an upgraded version with 38-mm (and thus stiffer) tubes and machined sliders. They have 10 in. of travel and are furnished w ith air caps, an air gauge, an oil level measuring syringe and a comprehensive fork tuning manual.
What the forks don’t come with is triple clamps. DG’s KYB forks for Suzukis include clamps, but because the stock IT clamps can be machined to accept the larger tubes, DG can keep the price down (relatively, at least) by allowing the buyer to do or farm out the machine work himself.
To go with the front end, DG modifies the monoshock so the rear wheel also has 10 in. of travel. A Luft reservoir reduces fade under hard use.
The stock swing arm, which isn’t noted for stiffness, is swapped for an aluminum unit, more resistant to flex. It also adds 1.5 in. to the wheelbase and is gold anodized.
Rims get the same treatment and are relaced, with 8-gauge spokes in a cross-four pattern. Tires are Dunlop’s new' K190, 4.60 x 18 4-ply in back and 3.00 x 21 in front.
Most visible change on the DG version of the 175 engine is the cylinder head, with radial fins and gold anodized finish. The compression ratio is increased slightly, although DG’s tuners say the major improvement is in cooler running.
The test engine also had been fitted with a 36-mm Mikuni carb which had been jetted for our bike before installation and worked perfectly for the days of riding we put it through. The carb wore a foam air cleaner from Phase II.
The stock IT 175 exhaust system and internal porting work well, giving plenty of power over a wide range of engine speed. DG wanted its show bike to have more power, so the ports were aligned and matched and polished, to a mirror finish for the exhaust and a smooth mat for transfers and intake. DG calls these changes Stage 3. More power with a narrower useful band is offered under the name Stage 5.
The DG exhaust was its own project. The stock pipe is a good one and DG couldn’t find an overall improvement, so settled for more power within the rev range at which the porting changes work. The DG pipe is two pounds lighter than the Yamaha pipe and retains a spark arrester so it’s legal in national forests.
Along with all the gold finish, the DG bike wore full coverage tank decals, with appropriate designs. They add color and protect the tank sides from scratches.
We took the IT into the mountains and spent one full day riding through the pine stands, sliding around firebreak roads and splashing across a convenient river. The next day was spent in the sandwashes, greasewoods and rock hills of the desert. Day three found the IT in the slippery trails of the foothills, all in the interest of giving the modified machine the complete range of off-road conditions.
Although the 175 is the best handling IT, the DG version was immediately better than the stock machine. Steering was more precise, thanks to the beefy forks and swing arm. Sliding on fireroads is easier and with the added horsepower and excellent tires, the front-wheel push common to all ITs is greatly reduced. This may be largely due to the K190s. which seemed to work as well as a Metzeler, the dirt standard. Only once during the three days did the front wheel let go and that slide was a nicely controlled one. Enjoyable, in fact.
The added wheel travel caused DG to raise the ride height some. It’s a benefit on normal trails, as the skid plate doesn’t drags as often as it does with stock suspension. The extra travel gives the expert more speed potential and because the suspension is tuned for compliance at low speeds, the slower rider isn’t handicapped.
The forks can be tuned by altering air pressure, oil weight and volume, and by adjusting the rebound damping. Our bike was set up perfectly as delivered. The forks contained 15w oil, no air pressure and the rebound damping set at the No. 1 (softest) position. Naturally this perfection doesn’t come cheap. Hand made racing components are beautiful to look at, delightful to use, and incredibly expensive. Only the serious will be willing to fork over $300 for a set of forks; less expert riders will probably opt for a fork kit and air caps, a cheaper, less perfect fix.
Probably the best accessory on the machine is the Luft Shock and reservoir. It offers full control of the rear wheel, lots of travel, no fading, but best of all eliminates the kick associated with the monos. Even when charging into bumpy downhill turns, the rear wheel follows the ground without hopping.
With the new suspension the IT becomes a very competitive enduro bike,> cross-country racer or an expert’s trail machine. The only complaint recorded during our test sessions was directed at the slow steering. When on tight, twisty mountain trails at speed, trees and rocks could be dodged easier with a steeper frame head angle.
Although wheel travel both front and rear has been increased nearly 3 in., the seat height is a comfortable 35.5 in., moderate for a bike with 10 in. of travel.
The beautiful porting and other engine mods add horsepower in the mid-range and at high revs, but low end plunking power is lost. Beginners and most novice (C riders) best skip these mods. Expert (A)> and experienced intermediate (B) racers should be able to utilize the extra power and live with the narrower power band.
The complete DG package turns the docile, everyone-can-ride IT into a contender for overall wins. The price of the DG IT will stagger the faint of heart, but most of the riders thought the little Yamaha worth the price. It is competitive against Europe’s finest ISDT-style machines. Don’t expect it to steer like a Maico WR or a Hercules; it won’t. But the Yamaha rider has the convenience of a giant dealer network, cheap and available parts, and a machine that won’t require four hours of maintenance for every hour it is ridden. A novice or beginner obviously won’t need an all out racer . . . for a few months anyway. A stock 175 IT is a fine beginner bike. As rider skill matures, heavy spokes and longer travel suspension and porting etc. can be added. Much cheaper than trading bikes a couple times a year. E8
DG/YAMAHA
ITI75
$2215
This KYB fork is truly state-of-the-art. Adjustable rebound damping feature, in four detented positions, makes on-site tuning easier and more effective. The machined billet construction and the generous 38mm stanchion tubes make for a virtually flex-free front end assembly, which works extremely well on this machine.
The combination of DG swing arm and Luft-prepared monoshock is as effective a combination as we’ve seen to date. The adjustibility of the Yamaha damper is retained, while the Luft reservoir maintains fade-free operation. Internal changes which reduce damping, especially during the compression stroke, enhance rider comfort while allowing full use of the DG IT’s increased travel.
DG PARTS PRICE LIST
Tests performed at Number 1 Products
