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Thread: Honda 200 front end questions. Help needed.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Austin, Massachusetts
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    1,591

    Honda 200 front end questions. Help needed.

    I'm working on an 84 200ES rebuild. Total basket case, but I had accumulated a bunch of parts over the years, so its coming together. Like seemingly all the other 200 Big Reds, the front suspension was shot. The good news is I have a good front triple and forks from either a 200m or 200s. I rebuilt the shocks, and tried to reinstall, only to find out that the top bridge does not fit!! The question is, if a 200es differs from whatever this front end is off of, then does a 200s differ from a 200m or a 185s? If so, how do i determine what I have in order to get the appropriate top bridge. Anyone been through this?

    I couldn't believe the 200es wouldn't fit on this front end but its not even close.
    Wubba Lubba Dub Dub!!!!!

    TRIKES:
    86 250r
    85 250sx
    86 250sx
    84 Yamaha 225DX - Bruins Trike
    85 Yama 225DX - The Rental!
    150cc Piranha powered 70
    110cc Lifan 70
    82 70
    83 ALT 50 Trail Buddy
    88 Yamaha BW 80
    84 z50

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Austin, Massachusetts
    --
    1,591
    update on part numbers for 1984 and 1985

    200m = 53231-958-020
    200s = 53231-958-670
    200ES= 53231-958-680
    Wubba Lubba Dub Dub!!!!!

    TRIKES:
    86 250r
    85 250sx
    86 250sx
    84 Yamaha 225DX - Bruins Trike
    85 Yama 225DX - The Rental!
    150cc Piranha powered 70
    110cc Lifan 70
    82 70
    83 ALT 50 Trail Buddy
    88 Yamaha BW 80
    84 z50

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    TN
    --
    1,065
    Yep, been there done that.

    The bridge plate is different. Other than that, you're gold. Find the right bridge plate and it'll go together no problem.

    Do yourself a favor and order a set of AllBallz cone bearing and sling that 21x2 loose bb nonsense out in the bushes somewhere.
    I was born and raised on Venus & I may be here a while.....

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Austin, Massachusetts
    --
    1,591
    I know you're doing an es build at the same time. Thanks. Yup. I did the bearings already. How do i determine which bridge plate i need? That is the question.
    Wubba Lubba Dub Dub!!!!!

    TRIKES:
    86 250r
    85 250sx
    86 250sx
    84 Yamaha 225DX - Bruins Trike
    85 Yama 225DX - The Rental!
    150cc Piranha powered 70
    110cc Lifan 70
    82 70
    83 ALT 50 Trail Buddy
    88 Yamaha BW 80
    84 z50

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    USA
    --
    4,114
    Maybe a member can chime in with measurements? Maybe measure yours to give something to compare to. I've more or less avoided the 200s/e/m machines, so the only thing I have to compare is the 200es top plate.

    If you have the front hub with the front end, maybe take photos of that and someone can ID what hub assembly you have.

    Also the part numbers you have is also limited by year.

    53231-958-670
    83 ATC185S
    84-85 ATC200S

    53231-958-020
    83 ATC200
    84-85 ATC200M

    53231-958-680
    82-83 ATC200E
    83 ATC200ES

    Here's another machine missing from the list that would be a similar front end.

    53231-VM4-770
    86 ATC200S

    It seems like the machines without front shocks used a different plate too. Not much of a point listing their part numbers though.

    Documenting the differences between the top bridges would be a helpful post/thread I suspect. I know there was a time I needed some measurements and the only way I knew to test a part was just to buy it and try it sadly. I was trying to find a bolt on dash option for a 350x besides the known atc200x dash for adding an ignition switch to it.


    Anyway, good luck on the search.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    TN
    --
    1,065
    For the 200cc models, I believe there's only two (bridge plates). I thought there was a 3rd type for a while cause I couldn't find one to fit my particular triple but turns out the stem was bent. Obviously the 200x is a totally different animal but for the ACT 185, ATC200, 200s, 200m, 200E & 200ES I've only encountered three different front ends in total. The ES front end...Garbage. The M and S style that use a pair of Showa forks. And then there's the older rigid front ends. I haven't had my hands on a rigid yet so they may actually carry a 3rd type of bridge plate, I don't know but I suspect they share the same one as the NON ES models. That's only a guess though.
    I was born and raised on Venus & I may be here a while.....

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Austin, Massachusetts
    --
    1,591
    Ok, i think i have determined what we have here. And Gabriel, if i'm correct, there are (at least) 3 different bridges. I know its not an ES triple, because the ES bridge doesn't fit. So, its an S or an M. The forks on an S are approximately 10 inches wide at the fender mount. These forks are 11.25 inches across at the fender mount. So, unless they're an E,, which don't have any reference for, then they are a 200m. So, we'll see.
    Wubba Lubba Dub Dub!!!!!

    TRIKES:
    86 250r
    85 250sx
    86 250sx
    84 Yamaha 225DX - Bruins Trike
    85 Yama 225DX - The Rental!
    150cc Piranha powered 70
    110cc Lifan 70
    82 70
    83 ALT 50 Trail Buddy
    88 Yamaha BW 80
    84 z50

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    USA
    --
    4,114
    The 200M steering stem has a different part number, so I suspect it's wider than the "S" style based on what I've learned on the ATC200 vs ATC200S, the S is a narrower version of the machine.

    Anyway, the 200m part number interchanges with the following machines.

    84-85 ATC200M
    83 ATC200

    Looking up a 200S steering stem brings up this interchange

    84-85 ATC200S
    83 ATC185S

    Seems to be a collation between the S vs non S thing. Kind of interesting the 86 ATC200S is on it's own so much.

    To me it seems like there's the ES style with the crappy shock design, the S style (narrower), and the M/no letter style that's wider.

    I have around a 82 ATC185 with the solid front end, could probably dig it up and get measurements for the top plate if you think it might work.

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