Thinking about throwing my hat into the ring again, need opinions

[Premixed]

Thinking about putting something together similar to the TSM YZ144.  I'm in Japan, and have forgotten what bikes are worth on the US market all together.  I'm looking at an 08 YZ125.  I do not know the history, its impossible to know these things over here.

It would end up costing me about 2300 in USD after its all said and done.  I would end up ripping it apart and probably rebuilding it with the Hurricane kit and a 144 top end, and possibly EFI if everything pans out with that.

Is it worth that?

[Mountain Goat]

Well, here's all 3 Craigslist listings for 08 YZ125 in the world:
http://craiggers.com/#!/search/all/mca/2008%20yz%20125/title-only=true

2 at 2800, 1 at 2500.

That bike looks like it's had some use.  Will they allow you to ride it?  Or at least put it up on a stand and start it and put it in gear?  Run through the gears.

Can you get a history of the number and significance of the yellow background color?  Here in CO we can go to searchable databases at the 2 state moto race series web sites to see what kind of race history a bike has off its CL photo #.  Here, yellow number backing is intermediate class, so bikes with them have usually been ridden hard, esp. 4T 250s.  The old bounce-it-off-the-limiter for 2 seasons, then sell it instead of spending 1500 to rebuild.

[Recovered]

im sure its been ridden hard.  but i planned on taking it down to the frame, sending the suspension off to have it re-done as im sure it's sprung for a 115lb japanese male.  complete rebuild. 

i've given it some thought, and im giving serious consideration into doing a CR500AF.  i figure if im going to be building something from the frame up, i might as well do something worth doing.  i can still get US postal service here which means i can get a 500 motor from the US.  you cant get those in japan.  but what i can get dirt cheap here is a blown up crf250.  i have a friend who tigs.  it makes perfect sense.

[scotty dog]

The 500 makes sense for sure, it would be the most fun/scary out of the two. Make sure ya keep us posted with watever ya do