200x swap to 185

[Stephon_xr500]

Well I decided to try my hand at building a 185x. Craigslist provided a reasonably priced basket case '85 200x
95% of the parts some on the bike some in a box all for $150, The next day I found a '81 185s parts bike for $30. I've been wanting to build a novice rider trike with full suspension and the semi auto transmission, my wife and sister love riding my '83 185s but don't like the bumpy ride out in the desert I really fell in love with the ride of my '85 200x so I'm hoping it's a good match. I understand that it is a sin to make the 200x slower but I am keeping a fresh 200x top end, I'm sure it will find it's way onto the bottom end of the 185 at some point down the road.

So far the only progress I have made is repairing the pull start on the 185s I know the motor spins freely, the guy I bought it from said the top and bottom end were rebuild before the trike was parked.

I am looking for ideas with wiring the 200x had no wiring harness. The 185s has all wiring there but I have not checked to see if its working properly, I plan on getting the 185 running before dissembling.

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Thanks for looking any ideas would be great!

[shortline10]

Just use the 185s harness on the 200x .

[Stephon_xr500]

The only problem is the kill switch is built in to the 185 thumb throttle, but I would like to use the throttle from the 200x

[Howdy]

200x wiring harnesses can be found pretty easy. I probably have a couple extra's myself.
Another option is to use the 200x throttle and modify a 200x kill switch to plug into the 185 wiring harness. Should be pretty easy to do.
Howdy

[Stephon_xr500]

I'm sure I could find the 200x harness if I look, Craigslist is pretty good around here for trikes, and we have a great motorcycle used parts yard about 30min away. I'm just trying to use what I have in parts right now. I was looking at the kill switch and it looks like it can be removed from the 185 throttle fairly easy, I'm sure I could come up with a new mount with out to much trouble and use the 200x throttle. the 200x throttle seems be move a little faster.

Last night I got the 185 motor to spark! I just need to fiddle with the pull start, I think I need to wind the spring tighter, it doesn't recoil as freely as it should.

[shortline10]

The kill switch wire in nothing more than the hot wire comming off the coil and going to ground to turn the motor off , very simple electronics .

[Stephon_xr500]

Update

I was having problems with the pull start, it was all taken apart when I bought it the catch on the inside of the spring was bent in so it would only catch the pull cord on the first wind. All better now

[Stephon_xr500]

I spent this afternoon cleaning the carb out, went down to the local bike shop and got a rebuild kit, and put it all back together. Then I pulled the motor out of the 185s and got it into the x frame
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The motor is still a bit off, I'll work on squeezing it in to place tomorrow.
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I caught one of my youngsters helping me out
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[shortline10]

You will need the 200x motor mounts to install that motor in the 200x frame . It will bolt in like it was made for the bike with the right mounts .

[Stephon_xr500]

I have the 200x mounts on, I compared the two sets of mounts before I put the motor in to see if there was a difference. Right now I have the longest bolt on the back side of the motor in, the motor mounts are bolted to the engine and almost are in place on the frame. It's just a little off at this point, It was getting late so I decided to take a break last night. I'll get it in there this afternoon. I was looking at the space where the carb goes, it looks like it might be a tight fit, should I use the spacer tube from the original 185 motor or the 200 motor? I have the one from the 185 bolted up now, the one from the 200x is at my buddies shop. We were working on a top end rebuild for my 200x when I got this project 200x, I think we are going to use the project x motor in my 200x instead. Is there any difference between the two? angle of the bend, difference in length? Could I bolt the carb right up to the head with out the tube?

Shortline10 I appreciate your help, I'm pretty good with these things but this is the biggest project I've attempted so far.

[shortline10]

You will need the 200x intake manifold to get the correct angle , the 185 intake wont work . The trick with the motor mounts is to leave them all loose and just get the bolts threw the holes and then nut them up .

[Stephon_xr500]

I have the motor in place with the chain on, the wiring harness from the 185 is hooked up and I have spark. I need to make a trip to Ace hardware to get a few replacement bolts, the swing arm nut was striped out the threads on the bolt are still good.

[Stephon_xr500]

I was finally able to meet up with this guy off Craigslist $175 later I have the rest of the pars I need. I picked up a front end to replace blown out in repairable fork seals and my non existent front brake, plus I needed a new tire got one today with 90% tread. I got a complete air box with new uni filter in it, cobra exhaust, the correct air intake wiring harness, headlight with the Crome frame, six pack rack with a whip, and a brush guard for the front brake resivour.

I can't wait to put it all together, to many projects not enough time.

[Stephon_xr500]

All I wanted for Christmas was to work on my Three Wheeler! Finally after the hustle and bustle I was able to get out to the garage and start wrenching! The exhaust pipe is on,
i got the air intake installed, the carb is on, the new front end is installed, six pack rack is ready for action, the chain is adjusted, I got the 185 chain guard to fit with a little tweaking
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next step is hooking up a gas tank and seeing if it will turn over!

[Stephon_xr500]

I put gas in the carb and it started leaking straight out the over flow at the bottom of the float bowl, I'm gonna need to pull it apart and go over it again. I put the tank and rear fender on to get some inspiration.

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Any Ideas on this tank? This is how it came, it's sealed but very ugly. I'm thinking I can hold out for a few months till I can find a new one.

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[dustrunner]

nice sx with the astro kit... did you put that on ?

[Stephon_xr500]

I wish that SX was mine it belongs to the guy I got the green 200X from

[Stephon_xr500]

Well here is an update about a month ago I took the valve cover off to check our the valves I noticed that the decompression valve assembly was messed up on the 185 motor, so I decided to clean up the spare 200x head and valve cover I had. I disassembled the top end of 185, the cylinder and piston still look good so I replaced the gaskets and put it back together. I installed the motor checked for spark and won! I bolted the carb up and tried cranking it over with some staring fluid and got it to fire so it looks like I should be good to go. Hopefully I can put the chain and exhaust on this afternoon.
I'm gonna head down to the grocery store and pick up a 2 liter of coke to clean out the rust from the tank. I'll post some pics later today

[Stephon_xr500]

Last night I got the Chain on, Exhaust, Breather tube, the boot connecting the Carb to the Air Box so it should have everything it needs to run. I connected the tank from my other 200x and pulled on the cord for 15 mins or so but no luck. I have spark I was spraying starter fluid straight in to the carb, then I connected the boot because I have heard the 200x can be kinda picky when it comes to back pressure still nothing.

Here are a few pics of the progress a long the way:

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What are the difference in performance between the Cobra stingers and the Supertrapp Stingers? I have both available and want to Build my other one up a little more, and this trike needs to be less aggressive.

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[Stephon_xr500]

Well I think I need to rebuild the supertrapp stinger, I swapped it out to my newly rebuilt 200x and it wouldn't start I took off the plate and rings off the back and it started right up. I am waiting for a new fuel petcock and then I'll try to start the 185x again.

[Stephon_xr500]

I got it to run today! Man she was smoking! I'm gonna keep starting it and running it a few minutes at a time for the next couple days and see if it clears up. The head came off my other 200x it didn't smoke before I tore it apart.

[Stephon_xr500]

I rode it around my neighborhood yesterday, still plenty of smoke. I'm thinking it might be the valve seals. Time to take the motor out again and open it up

[KI4UJO]

As for your fuel tank, first clean it with a very strong degreaser, inside and out. You don't want any fuel residue left on it. Then, sand it down and respray it.

BTW, I like the metallic blue.

[ngunter2]

Can you take a picture of your carb and how it clears your rear monoshock? I have a 185 just like that. I bought it for 200 bucks and it needs a lot of work. I saw you talking about the 185 intake manifold and how you need the 200x intake manifold. I think the guy was running a 185 manifold because itcleared the shock by about 5mm. Now I know :). Will probably be buying a new manifold this summer once i get out to that thing.

[Stephon_xr500]

Sorry ngunter2 the trikes across town right now may be a week or so before I see it again, I have an extra 200x in-take I can snap a pic of if you want

[trike savior]

nice project. if you did not chem dip the carb when you rebuilt it there is probably a little gunk where the needle valve seats on the carb body. i usually take a small phillips and spin it against the needle seat in the carb body to get it clean

[ngunter2]

Just get a picture of it on here when you get the chance. Im not going to see mine for months. :)

[Josh185]

Do you think the 200x motor would go right into the 185

[Josh185]

would you sell the 200x motor

[Stephon_xr500]

Well I finally got around to tear the motor down again. Rings were bad, I decided to hone the 200x cylinder I had and got a new 200x piston. I should have it done by the end if the week. I have been really busy riding my new 350x

[Stephon_xr500]

The motor is back together, this thing has some tough compression! I had it running for a second but not long enough to warm it up all the way... It died and my pull-start broke!!!! So now I have to push start it.... It's raining today I'll play with it more tomorrow. So the pressure plate in the pull start has three cracks where the dogs rest, the cracks warpped the pressure plate so now when you pull the dogs don't come out at all to catch the crank shaft. It looks like this is all built to be one part. Has anyone else run in to pull start issues? Shall I bite the bullet and buy a new one? I've spent my whole tax refund on new trikes and fixing up the current trikes! Thank you Uncle Sam!

[Stephon_xr500]

would you sell the 200x motor

Sorry Josh185 I don't have a spare motor... I'll have some left over parts when I'm done... I'm building this auto x and rebuilding my 200x at the same time.

[shortline10]

Yep its time for a new recoil pully .



The motor is back together, this thing has some tough compression! I had it running for a second but not long enough to warm it up all the way... It died and my pull-start broke!!!! So now I have to push start it.... It's raining today I'll play with it more tomorrow. So the pressure plate in the pull start has three cracks where the dogs rest, the cracks warpped the pressure plate so now when you pull the dogs don't come out at all to catch the crank shaft. It looks like this is all built to be one part. Has anyone else run in to pull start issues? Shall I bite the bullet and buy a new one? I've spent my whole tax refund on new trikes and fixing up the current trikes! Thank you Uncle Sam!

[Stephon_xr500]

Well I have the bike bike running off the first pull now! motor is strong!! its a little slower than my last 200x but I'm sure the gearing in the transmission is much different, and it's for my sister so I'm glad its a little slower. I am using the tank from my 185s for right now until I get my 200x tank back from my friend, it had some rust spots at the back. I just got the front brake working and am struggling with the back brakes. I got all the 350x linkage I need, I was trying to bleed them but nothing. I may need to rebuild the master cylinder. Here's a current picture:

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I have a light for it just cleaning it up.

[zappaz]

ive built simlar rides all that matters is a good day wheeling