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View Full Version : Honda ATC Fat Cat Conversion(THE Fat Ass)



kowboy
03-25-2014, 08:06 PM
This is a project i started a few years ago and i am now dead set on finishing it. It started as a 1982 Honda atc 200e Big Red. I Bought it as a running unit to minimize work to get it going.(Yes i did ride it after i bought it) I took it all apart and cut the back half of the unit off to mount the swing arm. I found a swing arm that would accommodate that large of a tire the n i cut that in half to widen it so the tire fit. Then i turned up all the components to make the axle and the brake and everything. I fabricated up a swing arm mount and got it mounted and now it is a 99% rolling chassis. I will keep you posted in the build and if you have any questions feel free to ask me on this Thread.
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theboy12
03-25-2014, 08:15 PM
This is a project i started a few years ago and i am now dead set on finishing it. It started as a 1982 Honda atc 200e Big Red. I Bought it as a running unit to minimize work to get it going.(Yes i did ride it after i bought it) I took it all apart and cut the back half of the unit off to mount the swing arm. I found a swing arm that would accommodate that large of a tire the n i cut that in half to widen it so the tire fit. Then i turned up all the components to make the axle and the brake and everything. I fabricated up a swing arm mount and got it mounted and now it is a 99% rolling chassis. I will keep you posted in the build and if you have any questions feel free to ask me on this Thread.
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Awesome man!

cap
03-25-2014, 10:01 PM
The big question, Jack shaft or?

kowboy
03-26-2014, 08:04 AM
yes i will be using two pillow Blocks to make the jack shaft that is actually my next step in the process. I will be drawing up some mounts that incorporate the rest of the frame i have to add to give strength to the rear of the bike for the shocks. I will cut them out using my cnc mill. Very similar to how i make the swing arm mount.

atc300r
03-26-2014, 09:33 AM
Cool build. You going to run dual rear shocks or mono shock.

kowboy
03-26-2014, 01:26 PM
I will be running enduro style shocks(Dual Shocks) I am going this way because using a single shock would interfere with the original air box that i want to use so the unit is still submersible. It would also interfere with the battery box that plan to mount in the same location i cut it from.(I cut it off because it was mounted in a way that would not work) It is going back in the same spot just mounted different.

LucasGrys
03-31-2014, 12:49 AM
I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS! NEED another decent trike to do it to im selling my 200M to buddy and have 4 shaft drives

kowboy
03-31-2014, 01:06 PM
Craigslist is great. I just looked for a trike everyday for about 2 months and found the one pictured covered in camo duct tape. I bought it for $250 and it ran just leaked oil just as fast as you dumped it in.(It had a hole in line where the chain drive would hit it if it came lose which it did at some point) The nice thing about the trike i found is that it is an older chain drive big red with electric start and high and low range.

joefixit0
04-01-2014, 05:04 PM
Looks cool so far! I built mine a while back with a bw swingarm, it's my favorite bike now!

kowboy
04-01-2014, 06:03 PM
That look's nice. I wanted the big 25x12x9 tires just cause the bigger the better. I like your idea to use the bw swing arm. Is the trike you originally made it out of a 200e BR with high/low Range? If so how do you like it? does it have the power to go around the woods and up the hills? I am currently trying to get my back brake to work and I'm stuck on how to make it not pivot. I am interested on seeing more pictures of you build. Just purdy much every where on your bike cause I find how people hooked up everything and where they put it cool and it would help me complete my build.
Thanks,
Kowboy

joefixit0
04-01-2014, 06:38 PM
Yes, I started with an 83 200e frame and motor with the high low range. The front forks are from a 200s which I extended almost 3 inches. The main issue I found with this conversion is that in stock form the 3 wheelers have very little trail in the front end, which makes it (once it's a 2 wheeler), a little spooky at slow speeds. Raising the front end helped this issue a whole lot. As far as power this thing will go just about anywhere in low or high range and it is actually pretty stable and very fun to ride. Here's a link to my build thread,

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/159050-My-Honda-200e-s-2-wheeler-conversion

also check out my albums, there may be some updated pics there as well. Good luck!!

kowboy
04-01-2014, 10:43 PM
Here is what got me interested in building my own fat bike. I have always loved two wheels over 3 or four.(the less wheels the better but only down to 2 & the fatter the tires the better) It is a 1969 El Burro Sand and Snow bike. It is killer fun to ride. My family calls it the fat guy mini bike. That bike goes anywhere so im supper excited to get my three wheel conversion done cause that will go anywhere faster.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA3qZkPzK90

Davidcz75
04-02-2014, 11:50 AM
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This was done recently .... came out really nice .

sh68cobra
04-02-2014, 12:50 PM
Thats a really job on your build. Machine work is amazing. As far as a rear break I would try to set up a rear break from a 250R or 350X on it, Just a thought.

kowboy
04-02-2014, 01:39 PM
I actually figured out how i am running the brake yesterday. When i started to fabricate the rear axle i picked up the front brake off another 200e. The problem was holding that to the swing arm. What i plan to do now is to weld a flat bar to the brake hub and use a slot in the side of the bar and mount that to the swing arm so it will slide with the axle when it is adjusted. I will post pictures when i get that part done.(Hopefully i get to work on it this weekend)

kowboy
04-20-2014, 11:02 PM
I haven't gotten much done on the bike recently I cleaned the frame up a little and have done tinkering work with it and to it. I liked your rack you made for the back of your bike joefixit0. I had the rack for the back that i cut up and am welding it back together like you have yours. I have a question about shocks and how you guys think would be the best place to get some i need them to be around 18" extended and 14" bottomed out max to make it work with my bike. check out my photos in the album on my page about my build.(Album name "Fat Ass")
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czac
05-13-2014, 03:12 PM
these converts are so bad-ass... you all should produce a kit! id love one!

MotherTucker85
05-13-2014, 03:42 PM
This is awesome. Hoping to see this at trikefest.

kowboy
05-13-2014, 04:26 PM
I love dirt bikes and mini bikes and purdy much anything with two wheels. That's why i decided to build the fat ass. the best advise i can give to you is to ether get a 250r or one of those race trikes and get a missile kit which is a two wheel conversion. Honda produced the fat cat which was a big wheeled dirt bike but there price is a little high for a guy like me. i have much more time on my hands than money and i am very talented a what i do. if you would like to build a conversion yourself the best thing to do would be do a conversion like jofixit did (http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/159050-My-Honda-200e-s-2-wheeler-conversion). he took the swing arm of a big wheel fat cat. which is what i would have done but i wanted the biggest tire i could it under the bike. If you have any questions about my build or how to get started on yours i am glad to help.

M.Pargiello
05-13-2014, 06:25 PM
Those tires are much larger than fat cat tires :) Cool project!

I miss my TR200 a little. But not really, they are just awkward machines to ride. NEVER felt right on it haha

kowboy
08-13-2014, 03:09 PM
So its been some time but i am posting again. I have been working on the bike seance my last post but not much. I have rear shocks now but i am not happy with how i have them mounted but that wont be hard to fix(I just want to make the bar that connects the two shocks out of bigger rod to weak for my liking). I made the jack shaft mounts and they turned out great but they wont work so i have to remake them(I make the pillow blocks mount to low the sockets wouldn't clear the frame) But you learn as you go. its been frustrating to have struck out every time that ive touched it recently but i can get it all straitened out and fixed. So i pulled the engine out to give it just a good look over and slight overhaul so it lasts forever like a good ole honda. I have it all tore apart just have to clean it all up and put it back together and bolt er in and hook er up to run so i can test drive it when i am ready.19892019892119892219892319892419892519892619 8927198928198929198930198931 Be sure to check out my album of all of the pictures i have taken of it.

kowboy
08-13-2014, 03:11 PM
I just love Fat Tires

MattDragontamer
08-14-2014, 12:52 AM
Fat Ass eh... The previous owner of the 200m conversion I bought called it the Honda Hippo.

kowboy
08-14-2014, 02:38 AM
Yep it got is name from the elburro sand and snow bike that i posted as the inspiration. the logo on the mini bike is a donkey bucking so the bike i'm building is a fat donkey/mule that gets me around there en-lies the fat ass

atc500x
08-14-2014, 07:53 AM
Mine, no chain problem :)

czac
08-14-2014, 09:50 AM
Mine, no chain problem :)

I love these conversions but this Shaft drive convert is just amazing. it looks so good, like it came out of Honda like this.

cap
08-14-2014, 10:51 AM
That shaft SX is the best! I want one.

I have to commend you on building your own swing arm Kowboy, a big undertaking for sure, keep at it and all of a sudden you will find yourself finished and riding!

Some more inspiration for you.

kowboy
08-14-2014, 01:34 PM
I do really like the shaft drive I bet that works out great. But nobody that i see has done the big 25x12x9 tires front and rear. The bigger the better. I did take joefixit0's idea for the rear luggage rack I cut up my rack and welded it together in half. One of the big things i want to have this bike for is working on the farm. having the rack to haul stuff and to wiggle through the woods. the high/low range to go anywhere. I will put a clevis on the back so in deer season i can get the deer way in the woods. the electric start so my dad and grandpa don't have to through the back starting it. just a nice all around vehicle and yes fun to drive.

czac
08-14-2014, 02:10 PM
I do really like the shaft drive I bet that works out great. But nobody that i see has done the big 25x12x9 tires front and rear. The bigger the better. I did take joefixit0's idea for the rear luggage rack I cut up my rack and welded it together in half. One of the big things i want to have this bike for is working on the farm. having the rack to haul stuff and to wiggle through the woods. the high/low range to go anywhere. I will put a clevis on the back so in deer season i can get the deer way in the woods. the electric start so my dad and grandpa don't have to through the back starting it. just a nice all around vehicle and yes fun to drive.

well so far, so good...its gonna be pretty sweet once you get it done. and those tires are HUGE! lol... Id be happy just using a tire like on the front of my trike, a 25x8-12 for both front and rear. Yep, that's gonna be pretty bad trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro when you are done with it.

czac
08-14-2014, 02:13 PM
...lol now, all we need is for someone to take a quad and put only one rear wheel on it like one of them Spyder things. lol that would be a neat trick!

kowboy
08-14-2014, 11:08 PM
That would be the next great deal for the off road world.

kowboy
08-14-2014, 11:13 PM
Well I have the engine all tor apart for an overhaul so that is runs forever like a good ole Honda. I would like some input on what I should do to make the engine more snappy. I want to make it have lots of torque not speed so yeah. anything you say I will consider. thanks

kowboy
09-30-2014, 12:48 AM
Ok I am back hitting at getting the bike done again it goes is chunks when i have time. The update for now is i purchased a xr200r cam to make the motor slightly hotter and i will bore the cylinder if it needs it. I have a new cam chain and gasket set to put her back together but i have to finish the over haul before i get there. I have been working on a improved version of my jack shaft mount plates same concept just non adjustable so I will add a more reliable tension-er to the front chain. I built a rack for the back of it so i can haul my stuff around an i also fixed and improved my rear shock mounts much stronger no wiggle now. I also added the pivot up foot pegs. Check out my albums on my profile for all my build pictures. Please feel Free to ask my any questions or make any comments.20220520220620220720220820220920221020221 1202212202213

Dirk D
10-03-2014, 03:10 PM
I always to try a fat cat and compare it to a dirt bike, i hear they aren't as good because of the weight distribution (no traction), but I would like to ride one for myself

kaymo
10-04-2014, 01:11 PM
Mine, no chain problem :)

is that a goldwing rear end? i have wondered about this if it would work, looks like its just bolt on.... tell me it is?

atc500x
10-04-2014, 09:49 PM
no it's a gs650 final drive.The goldwing diff. is on the right side.It's not bolt one.....the swingarm is custom made.

kingkongslie
01-31-2017, 04:24 PM
Yes, I started with an 83 200e frame and motor with the high low range. The front forks are from a 200s which I extended almost 3 inches. The main issue I found with this conversion is that in stock form the 3 wheelers have very little trail in the front end, which makes it (once it's a 2 wheeler), a little spooky at slow speeds. Raising the front end helped this issue a whole lot. As far as power this thing will go just about anywhere in low or high range and it is actually pretty stable and very fun to ride. Here's a link to my build thread,

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/159050-My-Honda-200e-s-2-wheeler-conversion

also check out my albums, there may be some updated pics there as well. Good luck!!

Another trick you can do to help with the steering is to flip the shocks around so that your axle is in front of the forks.

3wheelnewb
02-15-2017, 11:45 PM
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This was done recently .... came out really nice .

This is crazy cool

tanner709
03-05-2017, 01:27 PM
Great start to the project. Were you using the trike with those turfeaters before, and if so how did you find them?

Jekyll
03-13-2017, 10:55 AM
Sick build man! Keep it up!

fatass
05-02-2017, 05:28 PM
Mine, no chain problem :)

I made two conversions in 2007 and 2009. First 200M posted here back in 2007. Second 200X posted here in 2009. Your SX is absolutely fantastic! I gotta know what the drive is for the rear wheel. Its been years and I always thought about the SX but the shaft baffled me. Nice work man. Thanks, Deren in Oregon...

fabiodriven
05-03-2017, 08:27 AM
Shaft setup is Suzuki GS I believe.

fatass
05-03-2017, 03:33 PM
[QUOTE=fatass;1451237]I made two conversions in 2007 and 2009. First 200M posted here back in 2007. Second 200X posted here in 2009. Your SX is absolutely fantastic! I gotta know what the drive is for the rear wheel. Its been years and I always thought about the SX but the shaft baffled me. Nice work man. Thanks, Deren in Oregon... 242716

fabiodriven
05-03-2017, 05:40 PM
Shaft setup is Suzuki GS I believe.

fatass
05-03-2017, 11:10 PM
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[QUOTE=fatass;1451237]I made two conversions in 2007 and 2009. First 200M posted here back in 2007. Second 200X posted here in 2009. Your SX is absolutely fantastic! I gotta know what the drive is for the rear wheel. Its been years and I always thought about the SX but the shaft baffled me. Nice work man. Thanks, Deren in Oregon... 242716

fabiodriven
05-04-2017, 10:33 AM
Shaft setup is Suzuki GS I believe.

fatass
05-04-2017, 08:10 PM
Does that rear wheel center up on the bike?

kowboy
02-14-2018, 12:42 AM
Working on my build slowly I finally have the motor back in and running. I ended up a xr200r cam shaft so it has taller and broader cam lobes. I also took a nice piston out of a stock xr200r and installed it. So the cylinder ended up being bored out a little and the new piston is a factory high top unlike the stock concave piston so the compression is up by a fair amount. The bike fires right up now just needs a little tune and it is good to go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdOWaOeiR1k

Thor34
03-19-2018, 12:49 PM
kowboy,

First off this build is great, i am doing my own 200e two wheel conversion now and I have a couple questions:
1. With the rear hub, it looks like you fabricated the whole thing yourself which is awesome. Why didn't you use a front hub off of another bike? and what would you do differently if you were to build a second?
2. With the xr200r pistons, how much did you have to bore the cylinder and did the samshaft drop right in?

Thanks!
Thor34

kowboy
03-20-2018, 08:28 PM
I did fabricate the whole rear axle. The reason I did that is so I could do it the right way. My goal with the project is to have the completed bike look like it was made by Honda. I choose not to change use a existing front axle of a trike because they are to narrow to accommodate a brake for the rear wheel and a sprocket to drive the wheel. The other reason I Choose not to use a front axle is that the tubing that they used I felt was to thin to weld a flange on to mount the sprocket. Related to the build would I change anything about the build... no not currently I have tore the bike apart after mounting the swing arm to the frame because I did not like the way that it looked and the quality of how it was mounted. I have come up with a better plan on mounting the swing arm to the frame of the trike. With the xr200r parts the piston If i remember right I had to bore .010 over to make it fit. I made a fixture to mount the cylinder on our ID grinder and away i went. With the camshaft It did drop right in place the only thing you need to inspect is the bearing journals to make sure they were not worn out.

Thor34
03-21-2018, 08:55 PM
Thanks for the info, what size tube and bearing did you use and then what spacers did you use for the inside of the tube?

kowboy
03-24-2018, 03:24 PM
I believe that I used 1-1/2 D.O.M. For the bearings i used 6302 bearings that are the same as the bearings in the front. For the spacers I had to make myself I measured the width of the axle tube and subtracted the width of both of the bearings to get the over all length of the spacer. One thing i plan on doing is to remake the rear axle assembly to try and make it lighter because right now with the wheel on the rear swing arm and assembly it weighs 50 pounds which is way to heavy.

BarnBoy
10-23-2018, 12:41 PM
Any updates? How is it performing?

I am trying to do something similar with a 185S. Enjoyed reading your build, good work! I also have a couple questions.

#1: Could you post some better pics of your jackshaft setup?

#2: Also better pics of the way you mounted the rear brake drum?

Thanks!

kowboy
02-16-2019, 11:38 AM
I have been very slow at completing this project because I am overthinking how to assemble it but i have now what should be the final revision of the swing arm mount and jack shaft mount. I have made 4 prototypes and this one is the best I have had yet. I have had the geometry wrong so there would to much slack in the chain at the bottom of the shock travel. More to come soon I have tacked the new plates in place and am measuring up the jack shaft.
(I did have 4 plates made and I only need two if all goes well i will have two plates identical to what I used for sale.)
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kowboy
07-08-2019, 02:53 PM
It is finally driveable after 7 years of procrastination. Still needs paint and some fenders and all around love but it is done enough to enjoy.
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czac
07-08-2019, 03:41 PM
NICE!!! Love it. hows it ride?

kowboy
07-08-2019, 11:24 PM
It rides quite well figuring that it has very fat tires. The suspension geometry turned out quite well. I have very little unwanted slack in the chains. I definitely need to fabricate a fender for the rear bike wash like you wouldn't believe with a tire that wide riding in wet conditions. I have a big weekend planned for it. Plenty of soft wet ground to give it a good test drive on quite a few hill climbs and definitely open Fields and pastures. Hopefully I will get some good videos this weekend.

kowboy
07-08-2019, 11:29 PM
More jack shaft pictures for those who wanted a better look

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czac
07-09-2019, 10:12 AM
nice job on the Jack Shaft! Looks really good. Should be a fun bike for the mud and snow too! lol...

coolpool
07-12-2019, 10:29 AM
That looks great, nice work! What plans do you have for a kick stand, something that folds from the swing arm or under the engine; or a welded triangle that goes in a hole in the swing arm you carry? I contemplated a build like this with a US90 with parts I had around, sadly it didn't happen :-(

kowboy
07-18-2019, 02:46 PM
After a weekend of testing I have learned a couple things. first it is way heavy to be lifting out when you are stuck. Possibly adding a small electric winch to the front for self recovery.(I end up riding alone in the deep woods a fair amount). I will also probably remake the rear axle assembly to make it lighter. The next biggest thing i will do is a kick stand. I thought it would not be bad to just lean against a tree but more often than not there is nothing there when you need it. I have a kick stand off an old honda 750. It rides quite well figuring what it is. runs down gravel nice through fields and soft ground nice. Mud is a hard place but it is for dirt bikes too which thats basically what this is just fat tires. soft ground is best very low ground pressure. being that it was a 1982 200e the electric start is really nice to have along with the high and low range transmission. High is great down the dirt roads and low is really nice for hilly of road and crawling through the woods.

Mullet_Man
08-04-2019, 10:54 AM
I really love your build I'm making a fat cat to but mines a hard tail

kowboy
08-04-2019, 10:05 PM
If I were to build another one I would probably use an early 185 or 200 with no front suspension. And i would do a hard tail. It would be more like a fat tired mini bike. It would also be much lighter that way. My current bike is very heavy. I am tempted to build another but one is enough for now.

Timothy Geier
08-29-2021, 05:15 PM
Years ago there where pictures of a 250 sx converted two a fat cat, I'm looking for someone with any information on the build.

kowboy
08-30-2021, 09:41 AM
The swing arm I used was off a late 70s Suzuki dirt bike. It is more of a square tube built arm. I went with it because it was easy to widen with it being mostly square tubing to start with. I cut the arm in the center and used round tube in the front and a square tube in the middle and slid the tubes over the existing tubes and welded it together. I have pictures in the albums in my profile.

kowboy
02-26-2022, 03:36 PM
After a few years for testing it is time to fix the front lift. The factory forks for an 82 200e do not have very good suspension. With how high the back was lifted to add shocks I need to lift the front 4 inches. I built some temporary lift blocks and they fix the look and level the bike out. What is the best way to ether lift the factory 82 forks or upgrade to newer forks off a 250es? I could make my own triple tree and use proper dirt bike forks but that is a ton of work to keep my 25x12x9 tires.

kowboy
03-04-2022, 10:36 AM
I finished up my 4 inch lift for the front. I took a parts fork for an 83 or 84 big red and cut the lower tubes and welded them on to my original lower fork tubes. Doing it like this gives me 4 inches of factory appearance lift. It also lets me run the newer style aluminum brake housing. It also allowed me to continue to use the ski mount I made that uses the old style brake holes in the front fork.

yz96
10-12-2022, 02:54 AM
Updated pics? Any advice you would give to someone thinking about building one? Was it worth it? Is it fun?

TRIPOD guy
10-13-2022, 10:55 AM
I've been wanting to do one of these for a while now got a 85 200s with a broken frame. Wasn't sure how to mount the sprocket to the wheel hub but now that I see how somebody else did it I think I'm going to start on it this weekend. The only difference is I'm making mine without suspension only riding in sandy washes.

kowboy
10-13-2022, 05:15 PM
I would for sure build another one. I did aquire a 82 200 complete with a bad rear frame. I plan to work on making it a hard tail this time. It will still have the 25x12 tires. It is a lot of fun to ride but it's not really good at anything. It's good on soft ground but it is just a heavy machine. It gets tons of attention when I haul it around to ride different places. I like to ride mine through the woods and over swampy marsh land. I stay clear of mud and difficult obstacles because it is just a heavy machine unlike a dirt bike. The reason I am going hard tail on the next one is to keep it as light as possible and at factory ride height with factory wheel base. In hopes that it is more mini bike look than giant dirt bike. I will add more picture's soon.

kowboy
10-13-2022, 05:29 PM
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