I am looking to buy a trike and have researched both the Yamaha 225DX and the Honda Auto X. I was just curious to see if one is better for the money over the other.
I am looking to buy a trike and have researched both the Yamaha 225DX and the Honda Auto X. I was just curious to see if one is better for the money over the other.
Depends on What are you going to use it for...
our original 85 we bought new, 2 - 86 police specials
250r dust runner
04 Yamaha kodiaK 450 snowbuster ! Brute Force 750 dust collector .
Bunch of es stuff I been buying for next builds....
Gone but lives on in my aching body the mighty 350x collection . A Beat 85 es im gonna rebuild
As far as 3 wheelers go, IMO, Hondas are tough to beat.
In the garage
2007 Yamaha Tri-Z 450
2017 YZ 250F
2003 XR100 (son's)
2005 Raptor 350 (other son's)
Gone but not forgotten
86 350X
16 WR 250R
03 FZ1
96 Katana 600
89 XT350
84 250R
84 200X
79 ATC 110
74 ATC 90
I plan on mostly trail riding, probably not going to race it.
The 225s have more low end torque than a 250SX does. I would think that goes for the 185/200 series engines that most people use for an AutoX. The AX is lighter and has better suspension than the 225s do. Plus they have hydraulic disc brakes (if the builder went far enough as to make the rear brakes work). The 225s use a drum/manual disc brake set up. The AX will give you a sportier ride while the 225 has a more utility based ride.
Ok, in my area Yamahas are significantly cheaper than the Hondas are, so I'm kinda leaning more towards the Yamaha. Does a Yamaha hold up against wear and tear as well as a Honda, or do you get lesser quality at a lesser price?
Hondas held their value. Yamahas, not nearly as well. My opinion is lesser quality at a lesser price, but it's exactly that, an opinion.
Remember, Honda did not make an "Auto X". It is a conversion that someone has built. Some are very nicely done, while others were thrown together. They will vary widely depending on the builder.
The honda you can do more, buy more better parts etc...the yamaha there is not much aftermarket support. Need machine either way. Id never set out to find a 225 because i needed one. If your find a deal i'd grab it but you will pay premium for anything that looks remotely like a 200x, now 185/200s trikes they seem to run 500-600 all day long yet as a clamped out runner if your going to do the doner build. Honda is king of the vintage still.
Incomparable machines.
If anything a 225DX vs 250SX
A 'Auto X' isn't really researchable. They're home built machines and as mentioned, vastly varying in quality of build. You'd already be starting off hamstrung by a machine that is at least built from two other trikes. I'll flat out say that most 200Xs end up as Auto Xs because the owner doesn't want to spend the money to rebuild the 200X engine and has a cheap 200S engine laying around or knows where to get one, and those definitely aren't top notch builds. Got to think, who takes out a perfectly good 200X engine? Yanking on a pull rope blows compared to a kickstarter, especially when the auto decomp isn't working and the engine has healthy compression.
If you're looking for shaft drive, electric start, full suspension, and something more on the sporty side but not a sport trike, you're looking for a 250SX. If you can find a clean 225DX that is ready to ride, at a good price, go for that. Just keep in mind lesser parts availability and aftermarket. Buying a project Yamaha is going to turn into a money pit real quick.Forget about a Auto X unless one is cheap, because the value of it has already been hurt, and at some point, everything gets sold.
Honda for the win though. Time has proven that Honda had the biggest following and consequently the most support 30 years later.
The story of three wheels and a man...
I'd be dammed if I'd pull start anything more then a lawn mower. Kick start, or e start only. 250sx no one ever said no I'll pass....no one! I bought 2 once because there was an extra one guy thought about selling.
225dx over the auto x, i may be biased however a factory machine over a homemade machine any day. Now as stated above the ytm225 vs 250sx is a different conversation. Have had both, SX is a good machine.
All things 3 wheel
Auto Xs are great trikes if built right.I built one for my son back in 07 he still has it and rides it.In early 07 a coworker wanted me to fix a beat 185s .I got it running and he didn't want to pay me so he gave me the trike as payment. I found an 83 200x roller put the 185s motor in it.My wife and both sons ride it.
250r rules