If anyone ever stumbles across a late 70's 175 enduro (KE175 / TS185 / DT175) that isn't a complete wreck - hit me up!
My first bike was a KE175 and I think it would be a bit of fun to fix one up.
This is cool. I have my dads TS -185 I hope to put in running order again some day. I have my moms TS - 125 as well, I remember it being super gutless.
Those TS's were good little bikes. My cuz had a TS250; he rode the crap out of.
I started with the KE175, and after a couple years I bought a KE250 and sold the 175 to my neighbor kid. I never liked the 250 as well as the 175.. it just seemed too big and didn't have much more power. Later I spied a KE125 in the bone pile at what used to be Sheehan's in Watertown. I asked Lonnie the parts guy what they wanted for it, and he said "How about 15 bucks?".
I handed over the $15, took it home, put gas in it, and proceeded to flog the shit out of it for years. I had so much fun on that little 125. I couldn't kill it, and I tried.
Last summer I ran into my old neighbor and asked if they still had my 175, thinking maybe I could buy it back. He said, "It sat in the garage for 30 years, and we just sold it last month." What timing!
I think I do have a lead on a KE175. Turns out my uncle has one that is just sitting in a barn. It's complete, titled, and not stuck, which is probably about all I could hope for!