Hi. New here obviously. Thinking of getting a trike. Havent had one since the early eighties. What would be a good one relatively cheap to get? Are parts readily available still or is keeping them going a problem?
Hi. New here obviously. Thinking of getting a trike. Havent had one since the early eighties. What would be a good one relatively cheap to get? Are parts readily available still or is keeping them going a problem?
The world is your oyster. You can get a racer, a utility, sport/utility, trail bike, mini... Whatever suits your style and needs. The first thing you must get out of your mind is "cheap". This is for the love, not the money. There is absolutely nothing cheap about this hobby. You will either ride junk or you will spend a lot of money. Be prepared to spend if this is something you'd like to get into.
85 Tri-Zinger 60
85 ATC250SX
86 ATC250SX
87 ATC250SX
02 XR650L conversion
84 ATC 480R
What kind of riding will you be doing?
Oh i know about pay to play. Giving up on snowmobiling for awhile.....lol. I just meant a nice "entry level" machine to get my feet wet. Im thinking a Honda or Yamaha might be easiest to find. Are parts still available or is it a treasure hunt? Right now Im interested in putting a bit of work into something and flipping it. If I enjoy fiddling with them id like to find a racing type ride to keep for awhile. Im 58 now and not sure how much I'll enjoy it. Time will tell I guess.
Honda made the most so they are the easiest to find for sale (usually) and have the most parts available. An entry level that's relatively cheap would be a 185 or 200. A 200x has full suspension and a manual clutch. To spend less on your trike, I'd say to stay from the 86/87 200x since there was fewer of these made and parts are harder to find and cost more. The 84 200es was a one year model and parts can be harder to find for them too. The 250 es/sx are nice too, but usually bring higher prices. There's nothing wrong with Yamahas, but I was think about price and parts. Hope this helps.
Helps alot. Thanks.
I'd recommend a Honda 185 or 200. They are for sale all over here in Michigan. Easy to work on and start first pull usually.
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I'd say for an inexpensive model and easy to come by parts a first gen 200x Honda is great. I'm a big fan of the 350x but they cost a bit more. Last gen 250r is probably the best supported aftermarket also the most expensive of the three. So I'd go with the 200 or 350x. I'm also biased.
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I also couldn't decide at first, so I got one of each
1983 Honda ATC250R
1983 Honda ATC200E BIG RED (sold)
1984 Honda ATC200E BIG RED
1984 Honda ATC200X (sold)
1985 Honda ATC70 x 2
1985 Honda ATC250ES BIG RED
1988 Honda ATC250ES BIG RED
1995 Honda Frankentrike 50cc 2-stroke
2001 Honda TRX90
2004 Honda TRX300EX (sold)
2008 Honda TRX250TM
1976 Suzuki RV90M (sold)
1967 Vespa Primavera 125
1958 Massey Ferguson 35
My 2 cents:
Starting off with a Honda makes sense if you want to test this hobby out since there are a lot of them and you'll have the easiest time finding parts.
125/185s/200s = Low cost, lots of them. No suspension (some have a small amount of spring travel on the front end). Pull starts, auto clutch.
200x/350x = High performance, full suspension. Kick starts, manual clutch. More expensive.
250R = Top of the line performance. Only 2 stroke in the Honda lineup. Kick start, manual clutch. Expensive and FAST
Big Reds = Utility trikes. 200E and 200ES (83 and 84) are hardtails. 250ES (85 and on) has a nice suspension. Electric start, auto clutch, great utility (can pull a trailer, haul stuff on racks). Great for riding trails
250SX = In my opinion, the best all around machine. Good Suspension, electric start, auto clutch. Quick enough to be fun (in between the hardtails and the X's). Quite a few out there.
- Frank
1984 200ES Big Red
1985 350X (x2)
1986 350X
1986 250SX
1984 Auto-X
1984 ATC70
1985 ATC70
I think I'd go with a 83 - 85 200x. I can find runners as low as 550$ on my local Craigslist. Still can get a lot of parts for them. There fun reliable and easily upgradeable. Full suspension and easy maintenance.
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I'm going to back up what the other guys said. I would go with a first gen Honda 200x all day long. I prefer them when riding through the woods because they are lighter than the Big Reds and I like being able to use the clutch. The Honda trikes are generally easy to find and pick up for a good deal and I never have problems finding parts for mine. A 350x would also be a good pick but they can be a bit more expensive to buy and fix if something goes wrong. I bought one Yamaha trike a few years ago and ended up selling it because I had such a hard time finding parts for it. Haven't bought one since.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Trikes Owned:
1986 Honda 250r
1985 Honda 200x
1985 Honda 200m
1984 Honda 200es
1983 Honda 200x
1983 Yamaha Tri-Moto 200
I have a 85 250 sx for sale. Sale is pending, but not sold yet. Best of both worlds in my opinion. Just my 2cents.