future of trikes?

[Aka_am]

I have been thinking with all of these newer conversions and such. will my fav hobby turn into me building a 450r trike?

as it is I have a 86 200x, and parts are hard to come by. barely anything is around and barely any aftermarket anymore. Soon i think the 250r are going to be that way too, I've noticed parts have been dwidling down and there not making as much aftermarket, and being a atc, it's not as much as a trx.

I'm seriouslly thinking of selling my 200x, once i finish it and all my 250r stuff, and looking for a cheap 450 to convert. it'd be the same amount of work as what i want to do to my 250r as is, and i'd have a newer platform that i'll get parts for in 10 years. where as my other trikes, I'm guessing not.

What does everyone think about this? jason halls 450 trike is nice!! thats a major step for this community and i think the future, i'm just not sure if i should go that route.

[Macs]

I have been conteplating the same thing. But what keeps me from doing it is the nostalga of it. I love having a 25 year old trike that looks better than peoples brand new quad and in some areas out performs them. Now, i wouldnt mind having one as my daily driver. But then that is alot of money for that. I usaully pull out my nice trikes just to show off.

[scooterroo]

i have always thought of doing a zuki rm250 into a trike. different, not something you see everyday, and if i was to use a newer rm, plenty of parts for years to come. i will never get rid of my trikes i have now. my t3's are harder to find parts for then alot of the hondas out there, but never will i let them go. my 70 there is an abundance of parts for, and my blaster has to be the most modifiable quad i think i have ever seen, the aftermarket list is endless on them.

[Jason Hall]

It might be hard In a few more years to keep a 250R running. Pro-X Is already phasing out the big oversize liquid R pistons. That makes me real mad, I love Pro-X pistons & I'm having to buy wiseco's Instead :mad:

I'm going to start stock piling pistons :wondering , then update the needed parts for my daily riders (master cylinders, axles, carriers, calipars, forks etc) as needed.

[Aka_am]

Yeah, I can only see what limited aftermarket we have, decreasing each year.

As it is, plastic are only being offered in certain colors, and sometime group buys, but who knows if say...I'd have the money at the time. when the new 4-stroke trend I can see more parts and cheaper ones too.

I think what I'm going to do, is fix my 200x now, and next spring sell it and put that towards a 03 crf450 dirtbike, and either I'll convert then, or my trike hobby might be phazed out. I can sell the parts I dont need and get the conversion stuff. (just need a welder!)

[dickieg89]

you guys sound like mad max beyond trikes

2 trikes enter, 1 trike leaves.

[300rman]

lol they say 4 strokes are king....just watched freestyling the other day, and about 2 ppl used 4 stroke bikes.....and the guys on the pingers were way more agile in the air.

[Aka_am]

Well the market is all the new 450's alot of parts, 2-stroke are badass and would own one over a 4-stroke.

At some point we are going to, as a community started new conversions. With the rapid decline of parts, prices and going to rise alot. Also things that arn't made are going to become rare.

I would love to keep my 250r and 200x. but when i can't upgrade my bike anymore or get simple parts to replace broken items. I'm going to have to have a non rider. How many people that have trikes, ride them? If honda had continued to make trikes the aftermarket would still be strong.

As it is, people are switching out older parts for new parts off new machine's. Whether there custom or not. It for the fact that, those parts will be avabile in 20 years.

[LonesomeTriZ]

A guy at the dealership told me "even IF I get your three wheeler running, it will still be a twenty year old bike" Hey, thanks for the advice there wonder child. Did you ever think that might be the reason I like it? I hate dealing with dealerships. At the time I had little choice, I wanted my Z repaired so I can ride it on my next R&R.

[SYKO]

dude, wtf? are you sending me those trikes so I can take them to my shop down here? they love old stuff and they do things right!

[LonesomeTriZ]

Oh yeah. That dealership crap is why we started looking for another place. We have the Z back and they did not fix everything becaue it is "old". so yes, we do plan to take them to your guy.

[Dirtcrasher]

I guess the reality of it has to set in sooner or later....

Thats why in the last couple of years I've spent so much on OEM parts. Every time I need 2 grommets, I buy 8 and on and on.

At least I'm really only into the 200X and 350X, the SX will last forever :lol: But it will be very hard for you guys that have 10 models and want to keep them all in good shape.

We will have to adapt to newer technology and some of that is fantastic! but some of it is also something I don't want. I have a 350X engine that has basically never been opened up, it doesn't smoke and runs tight and has done that for 22 years. Can a 250F or 450F motor do that for me? I don't believe so....

Not to mention that some people are still having trouble putting in clutches and don't even want to adjust there valves on these old motors. Whats gonna happen when they try to mess with a water pump and shimming a valve for the proper clearance?? I don't think it's gonna be to pretty.

I think what will happen is that I'll be stuck with a great running 350X motor, but a trike I can't get fenders and axles for....................

[Aka_am]

The parts for my rebuild on my 86 200x costed me so much to buy, it was crazy. I don't wanna do it again.

I'm for sure investing my funds in a CRF this winter. They are going for around 1500-2100 which is not too bad. Sell off the bike parts that are holding nice value on ebay. Then buy the atv parts. If had I any profit then I would put it in the jar for a tig welder from harbor freight for 500 dollars.

I don't have a lot of practice with a tig, so I wouldn't weld it. Haha My step-dad on the other hand is quite good, we just dont have that welder. eh

[SeaBass8]

Thanks to Halls Performance we can go with the newer front ends on the 3rd gen R's and 2nd gen Xs.

Now we just need make our frames take the crf 250/450 and the 450r rear suspension.

[Saul]

Thanks to Halls Performance we can go with the newer front ends on the 3rd gen R's and 2nd gen Xs.

Now we just need make our frames take the crf 250/450 and the 450r rear suspension.

450r swingarm fitted in a 1st gen R.


http://airfoolers.com/pages/readers/1offairfooler/4.jpg

[300rman]

03 crf450 dirtbike,


stay away from any 450 before 06. they have crank oiling issues, and are known for locking up and grenading.

[Aka_am]

Really? I haven't heard that about them yet.