Schigara
02-03-2017, 05:04 PM
I am 42 and have been a big fan of 3 wheelers ever since the early 80's. I started out with go karts and mini bikes. When I was 9, I got a Honda CT70 for $50 and got it running by cleaning the carb and then I sold it and bought a 73 Honda ST90 for $150 and got it running the same way and proceeded on to a CR80 Elsinore and then I traded that for my first 3 wheeler which was an 83 ATC110. The 110 had a broken gear that allowed the switch from hi to lo range so I pulled the case apart and my dad went to Honda and ordered the gear and 2 weeks later, I had it back together and running.
By the time 1984 rolled around, I was buying every issue of Dirtwheels, 3Wheeling and 3 & 4 Wheel Action and when I first spotted Jimmy White on the cover flying through the air on that gorgeous green Tecate, I was hooked for life on Team Green. I got my first 84 Tecate in 1986 for $300. It was in beautiful condition but would not start due to low compression. I figured It would be an easy fix by having it bored and put a new piston in it but my hopes were dashed when the Kawasaki parts counter guy said the cylinder was Nikasil plated and would require a new cylinder which, at the time, I think he said about $300-$400. I opted to just put a new piston and ring it and it ran fine for the 3 years I owned it except for the magnets coming loose and destroying the stator which I replaced with one from a KDX something or other.
A few years went by and in 1995 I had a yearning to get back into atvs and put out a wanted ad for Tecates hoping to find an 86 or 87 but no luck. I did get a few calls from people wanting to sell 84/85 Tecates and I did buy an 85 for cheap and also picked up an 86 Tri-Z that had a fuel pump wiring problem and I got an 87 Tecate 4. I rode the 85 Tecate and the 86 Tri-Z for a while and then sold them because the 86/87 Tecate 3 is what I really wanted. Having come up empty handed in my search for a 2nd gen T3, I decided to do a full restoration on the T4 and then rode it for a few months and sold it because I never liked riding with that extra junk up front where there should be just a fork and a wheel. The extra weight and most importantly, the bump steer of a 4 wheeler never sat right with me.
Fast forward 22 years and I get that itch again so a few weeks ago I put a want ad on Craigslist and I got only 1 call but it was the call I wanted. I have seen decent to nice ones on Ebay go for $1200-$3000 and amazingly restored examples go for much more but this call fit the bill for me as a full restoration candidate as it was cheap. Anyways it's a basket case 86 T3 for $200. It's rough, needs full restoration but it did come with an NOS front and rear fender that have seen very little use and the tank looks like I might be able to sand and buff it back into shape. It also came with an 87 KX500 engine that has damage on the crank to the gear for the water pump and the cylinder has been sleeved some time in the past. I won't be using the 500 engine because I am going to restore her back to as close to factory new condition as I can but I might rebuild it and keep it on the shelf for a future Tecate 4 build for my brother in law.
239490
I have read the 89+ KX250 engine have better power valves than the earlier Tecate and KX engines. What year KX250 engine would you guys go with that would still mount up to the T3 frame without much hassle?
I am going to tear the frame down this week and send it of for sandblasting to prepare for paint.
I am so happy to finally be the owner of a B1 Tecate! It's going to be a long road to completion but this journey is as fun as the destination.
David
By the time 1984 rolled around, I was buying every issue of Dirtwheels, 3Wheeling and 3 & 4 Wheel Action and when I first spotted Jimmy White on the cover flying through the air on that gorgeous green Tecate, I was hooked for life on Team Green. I got my first 84 Tecate in 1986 for $300. It was in beautiful condition but would not start due to low compression. I figured It would be an easy fix by having it bored and put a new piston in it but my hopes were dashed when the Kawasaki parts counter guy said the cylinder was Nikasil plated and would require a new cylinder which, at the time, I think he said about $300-$400. I opted to just put a new piston and ring it and it ran fine for the 3 years I owned it except for the magnets coming loose and destroying the stator which I replaced with one from a KDX something or other.
A few years went by and in 1995 I had a yearning to get back into atvs and put out a wanted ad for Tecates hoping to find an 86 or 87 but no luck. I did get a few calls from people wanting to sell 84/85 Tecates and I did buy an 85 for cheap and also picked up an 86 Tri-Z that had a fuel pump wiring problem and I got an 87 Tecate 4. I rode the 85 Tecate and the 86 Tri-Z for a while and then sold them because the 86/87 Tecate 3 is what I really wanted. Having come up empty handed in my search for a 2nd gen T3, I decided to do a full restoration on the T4 and then rode it for a few months and sold it because I never liked riding with that extra junk up front where there should be just a fork and a wheel. The extra weight and most importantly, the bump steer of a 4 wheeler never sat right with me.
Fast forward 22 years and I get that itch again so a few weeks ago I put a want ad on Craigslist and I got only 1 call but it was the call I wanted. I have seen decent to nice ones on Ebay go for $1200-$3000 and amazingly restored examples go for much more but this call fit the bill for me as a full restoration candidate as it was cheap. Anyways it's a basket case 86 T3 for $200. It's rough, needs full restoration but it did come with an NOS front and rear fender that have seen very little use and the tank looks like I might be able to sand and buff it back into shape. It also came with an 87 KX500 engine that has damage on the crank to the gear for the water pump and the cylinder has been sleeved some time in the past. I won't be using the 500 engine because I am going to restore her back to as close to factory new condition as I can but I might rebuild it and keep it on the shelf for a future Tecate 4 build for my brother in law.
239490
I have read the 89+ KX250 engine have better power valves than the earlier Tecate and KX engines. What year KX250 engine would you guys go with that would still mount up to the T3 frame without much hassle?
I am going to tear the frame down this week and send it of for sandblasting to prepare for paint.
I am so happy to finally be the owner of a B1 Tecate! It's going to be a long road to completion but this journey is as fun as the destination.
David