Which one shall I choose??

[ColtonGG33]

So this summer my brother Is gonna give me a summer job after school is over and I don't know which one to get?? Either a 85-86 250r maybe 84, 84-85 350x, or a tri z help me decide

I'm 15
Weigh 205 i think :)
And I'm 5'10

I do have a good bit of experience riding dirt bike and trikes

So which one do you think would be good for me

Colton

[barnett468]

Hello coltongg33

250r most expensive, highest peformance

Tri z more of a performance trail bike.

350X lowest performance very good trail bike.

[trike savior]

the 250 r's are great bikes. i love my 84 air cooled only problem is you can only build motor so far because it is air cooled and you have to worry about overheating and melting it down. but even stock and with the mods i have, it is a blast and scares most who get on it. the 83-84 handle great and i would suggest it to anyone. im not as big of a fan of the 81-82 because of the rear drum brakes and large front tire. these are great bikes and are cheaper than the later model 250r's. plan on spending 600-1500 depending on condition

the 85-86 250 r's are more improved. with the water cooled engine the mod possibilities are endless. they have great power and handling. i have only ridden one and it felt about the same as my 84 with the mods i have. so they can be really fast if you do mods like some of these guys have with the 310 jug and what not. also possible to do cr500r engine conversion. they are great bikes but with the following they have, they are expensive to get even a decent one. plan on spending 1200-2500 depending on condition. (there was one sold on ebay recently for alomost 10,000 but thats ridiculous)

the yamaha tri z is comparable to the 85-86 250r. water cooled 250 2 stroke engine. roughly same size and weight. i always wanted one because they look cool with having the upper frame tube split around the tank. never ridden one yet but have watched alot of them online waiting for good deal when i have money. typically see them go between 1000 and 2500 depending on conditoion.

the 350x was my holy grail honda but they arent the favorite anymore. depending on what kind of riding you do. they are great in the woods because they have plenty of power right off idle for going over trees and rocks. but they lack the presence a 2 stroke has on the top end when flying across a field or road. im not saying they arent fast on the top end but its more fun on a 2 stroke. they still handle great and look good but the bulky fourstroke motor adds alot of weight. plan on spending 1000-2500 depending on condition

* my prices are based on what i have seen going on craigslist in the midwest, not too sure on your area. i typically look between milwaukee and northern kentucky and indianpolis to stlouis

[trike savior]

oh and there are 300cc kits for the 81-84 bikes but are rare, hard to find and expensive

[M.Pargiello]

you will have a hard time finding an 84 350X :)

[jb2wheels]

I'll be honest -

I love my 85R, but it just mocks me on trail rides. It really wants to go faster. It turns into a workout and exercise in extreme restraint real fast.

I have not taken my Tecate trail riding, but it's even more of a thoroughbred in the dunes than the R so it can only be worse.

I usually ride the tractor (350X) on local trails anymore and only wring the 2-strokes out in the dunes.

I have no Tri-Z experience.

On the other hand, I'm well past 40 now. When I was 16, I had an 82R with a 300Kit, +12 swinger, and light switch powerband. It got ridden on trails and dunes. I didn't understand why my dad hated riding the thing until I got "old".

So, get an R. I think parts and aftermarket support are better than the Z (total assumption on my part).

Better yet, get a Tecate.

[ATC-Eric]

350x all the way. If you want a good performing, all around machine that requires little maintanance to keep on chugging, get a 350x.

[Mongo]

It all depends on where and how you're riding. For ridng trails, a 200x is plenty enough of a trike to ride and much easier to manage for a new rider whereas a 250r is almost strictly for open spaces (at least in my experience). I would say start with a 200x, if you like it then upgrade later rather than spending the extra $1000 or so on a 250r or 350x. They are easier to find, cost less, and are just as much fun as a 250r.

[ColtonGG33]

To mongo - I know what your an about a 200x I just personally think that a 200x is to small for me and won't have enough power, where I live we don't really have much open space just a big yard and a nice little track set up, and a long dirt road to ride on, and some hill climbs, I will consider a 200x but I would much rather have a 350x, plus if I got a 2 stroke I don't think my neighbors will be to happy :), I think I just need to go check out each one for myself and see which in us more fit for me

[M.Pargiello]

200X has plenty of power in my opinion, it will still move pretty good. Definitely a good first ATC, plentiful parts, cheap to buy and maintain. You can always add a bit of power too, they respond very well to the proper modifications. I'm about 5'9" and 175 and it will move me very well, but mine isn't exactly stock either :)

[ColtonGG33]

I know but in a lot bigger then that lol, do they sit high of the ground?
Btw this wouldn't be my first trike I have a 225dx and that thing is so slow and its not to little but it could use a lot more power

[barnett468]

To mongo - I know what your an about a 200x I just personally think that a 200x is to small for me and won't have enough power, where I live we don't really have much open space just a big yard and a nice little track set up, and a long dirt road to ride on, and some hill climbs, I will consider a 200x but I would much rather have a 350x, plus if I got a 2 stroke I don't think my neighbors will be to happy :), I think I just need to go check out each one for myself and see which in us more fit for me


Hello

If your neighbors are that picky you definitely need a 4 stroke and it needs to have the ORIGINAL exhaust otherwise it will be obnoxiously loud also. Yamaha does make a 225 which may be more "roomy" then a 300, check one of those out if you like.

[ColtonGG33]

I do have a 225dx Yamaha it's nice and comfy defanently roomy, I just want a sport trike that's fast and nice.
Thanks for all your opinions, one of my neighbors has a bunch of 2 strokes I I don't think they will mind that much, all my neighbors have quads and stud like that but they don't ride that much

[trike savior]

2 strokes can be relatively quiet they just dont make as much power that way. one thing to think about. it sounds like the riding you do would be great for a 2 stroke bike. do you have any experience riding a 2 stroke though. you have to learn to keep it in the power band which is on the high end. so when your on an obstacle or going up a hill you cant get a run at, there is a bit of a learning curve, how to rev it and let out clutch just right to apply enough power to get past obstacle without standing it straight up. im just letting you know you might end up on your back a few times until you get it right. happened to me a bit at first i admit. LOL
also be smart, wear a helmet and riding gear and dont drive faster than your headlight can see at night. these bikes can hurt you quick. see the separated shoulder in my avatar. they are great fun but require responsibility
still say a 250 r would be a great fit for you but just know its a serious bike.

[ColtonGG33]

Yes I know it's a serious bike I don't have that much two stroke knowledge I rode a blaster a couple years ago and it was pretty easy, I have a manual bike so I am use to all that, which one do you think is better / more comfortable 350x or 250r, also I kinda like those first gen 250r's any info on those?

[Howdy]

Gonna bust a bubble here. LOL If you find a 84 model 350x you better put it on the shelf as a collector piece. It would be a proto-type as they didn't come out till 1985.
:beer
yea, they started making them in 1984 but were called 1985 models. ;)

350x's low end torqe and heavier machines
250r's mid to up rpm torqe lighter machines.


I personally like the 350x's ( that is why I have soo many of them ). I'm 150lbs 5' 8".
Howdy

[ColtonGG33]

Ok I wasn't sure about that because I don't know if they were made in 86 and I saw that they started in 84, my dad had getter a 84 350x in around 84-85 he wasn't sure said it was air cooled wasn't sure which ones are water cooled

[Howdy]

If you find a water cooled 350x you better look it over very well. The 85-86 350x's had a oil cooler on them, but they are mostly air cooled.
With Honda's: Only the 85-86 250r's ( 3 wheelers ) were water cooled.
Howdy

[ps2fixer]

Comparing my cuz's 83 250r vs my 350x, I would say I like the 350x much more. Unless you are stright up racing all the time and that is how you ride (wide open all the time), I would stick with the 350x. I admit I like to go fast, and if you have good tires and skills, you can keep up with just about any machine on the 350x, the 250r can blow most machines away though :D.

Another thing to point out, you can always regear them for your riding style, so if you want to go fast, and don't mind taking a little longer, you can go higher geared. I'm sure the factory gearing works for most people though.

[ColtonGG33]

Ok, the only thing is 350x's don't pop up that often but lately they have but I don't have any money know, most of them are going for 800-1600 how is that price?

[ps2fixer]

If you can get one for around $1000 that needs little to no work, that is a good deal. $1500 for one in really nice shape would be fine. Higher than that you could hold off and find something better.

Example, found one for $600 local that looked about perfect in the photos, went and looked at it.. stuff seized up, hasn't ran in months, and nothing really matched up with the photos. Couldn't even get it to fire up so I walked from it. Only plus it had was aftermarket plastics in good shape, but they didn't even fit right, OEM is so much better.

[trike savior]

i got tons on info on first gen 250r. i bought my bike as literally a basket case (motor disassembled and in a basket) i completely tore the whole bike apart and built it from the ground up. also did the mods like spacer, filter, reeds, exaust. anything you wanna know i can help. now i can keep up with just about anything. and like i said clutching a four stroke bike that makes power right off idle is very different from a 2 stroke. if you want practice rev your bike to about half to 3/4 throttle and feather the clutch. when you get good you should be able to apply a burst of power while keeping all three on the ground. dont do this too much though that kind of abuse is rough on all kinds of parts on a 4 stroke bike. and check what i wrote on your other posting, keep the trike dude.

[3Queen]

I feel you would love the 350X, it's no 2 stroke but a great trike.. But all in all it is up to you.. ;)