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Thread: Kawasaki KLT 250 prairie

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    ohio
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    76

    Kawasaki KLT 250 prairie

    Like the title says, i'm going to be getting a KLT 250 and was just looking for some insight on what i should do besides the normal carb clean/tank clean to get it back up and running?

    I was told that it has an electric fuel pump so i know im gonna need a battery to actually get fuel to the carb after i clean it out.

    The bike looks to be completely original clear down to the tires and in extremely good shape considering it still have every single decal and speedi attached still.

    I've never owned a 3 wheeler but i have ridden them a bit. I have never seen one with an electric fuel pump before though so im kinda scared about that aspect of it especially since its been sitting in a building for years.

    also what should i expect with reliability, weight etc. I've only ever ridden the honda 200x and a couple yamahas. I assume they all handle about the same but ive read that the prairie is pretty heavy.

    Any help is appreciated.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    ohio
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    76
    Here are some photos of the wheeler




  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    ohio
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    1,749
    Make sure the frt brake works cause they are about dangerous with the diff unlocked on hills. They aren’t the faster or best handling bikes in the utility world but neat bikes that you don’t see a lot off.
    If its on the internet its got to be true they can't put any lie's on the internet

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    ohio
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    76
    plan was whenever i get it going was to leave it unlocked. My property is mostly field but if i go out to my friends house to ride with them on their 3 wheelers to have it locked in the entire time. Not looking to win any races just something to play around on and have fun with. Just figured i couldnt pass up one this one considering ive never heard of one and searching for them on market place etc is hard to come by. I figure ill just get it up and running and use it around the farm and play on the weekends when i can.

    I did see that it weighs in at almost 400 lbs so i figure the ride isnt going to be the best, he did say when he rode it last the front was pretty bouncy. Videos ive watched seem to show them moving pretty slow, think a regear would make it a little better on the top end? I kind of feel like they are all torque no top end.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
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    3,001
    That's in really nice shape! It sounds to be the exact machine you'll want to use around the farm for low and slow travel. With an in-lockable diff, towing a mower won't chew up your yard either. The electric fuel pump will be a very simple thing and could always be replaced with an off the shelf one if you can't get that one working, 12v is 12v. I'd say the left rear tire needs a repair based on the block under the foot peg. If a person does that little bit of work to preserve something, my guess is the whole machine was well taken care of.
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    1982 ATC 70
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    1965 Marketeer 3 Wheel Golf Cart with 1986 Honda 250 drivetrain

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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    ohio
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    76

    Kawasaki KLT 250 prairie

    Quote Originally Posted by coolpool View Post
    That's in really nice shape! It sounds to be the exact machine you'll want to use around the farm for low and slow travel. With an in-lockable diff, towing a mower won't chew up your yard either. The electric fuel pump will be a very simple thing and could always be replaced with an off the shelf one if you can't get that one working, 12v is 12v. I'd say the left rear tire needs a repair based on the block under the foot peg. If a person does that little bit of work to preserve something, my guess is the whole machine was well taken care of.
    Good eye! He said the left rear goes flat after sitting for a day but air it up and it’s good for that day riding. Figure once I get it I will just take it up to the tire shop and see if they can plug it or something.

    This guy for sure takes pride in everything he owns and is a Kawasaki guy so I know it’s been well taken care of. He said he got in the fall years ago and rode it until winter then just stored it in one of his buildings with a dehumidifier running to keep moisture away.

    I don’t think I could pass it up especially ones I’ve seen around here asking $1000 for oen that’s completely clapped out but runs. I just hope that’s all it will take it some carb cleaning and a battery to get it going. Like I said it’s just something to play around on, I have a rzr but it’s just something about a 3 wheeler that gets the blood flowing.

    I recently rode a 225dx and a Yamaha 200 about 2 weeks ago and I knew then and there I needed to find one of my own. I should be picking it up this coming Tuesday after work.

    I was trying to be proactive and find a battery for it but I don’t want to end up getting the wrong size battery and it not fit as I still don’t know where the battery goes on this one..

    I “think” it’s on the right side down by the foot peg but I’m not certain, I was just going to get a 50-60 dollar battery.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Edmond, KS
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    2,531
    From what I recall, that sounds like the right location for the battery. Remember that these have a manual clutch. That seems a little strange on a utility trike (to me), but that's how they were made.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Arkansas
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    2,196
    That's a nice looking one.
    The story of three wheels and a man...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    California
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    103
    My neighbor did a lot of the development testing on those when he worked at Kawasaki. I have ridden one myself as well. He said it will pull a 7000 lb truck. Chck the front shocks to see if they still have damping, but they will still be ok if they are worn because it is no a race trike. He also said to check the fuel tank for rust, and replace the fuel lines with ones that are alcohol resistant, and that a Yuasa Yumicron battery is the best wet cell type because it has an extra plate in it, and that an AGM battery will last longer and does not require any maintenance as far as keeping it topped up with fluid. He also said they are indestructible and can go thru 1 1/2 foot deep water for days and never die.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    ohio
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    76
    Quote Originally Posted by rpeters View Post
    My neighbor did a lot of the development testing on those when he worked at Kawasaki. I have ridden one myself as well. He said it will pull a 7000 lb truck. Chck the front shocks to see if they still have damping, but they will still be ok if they are worn because it is no a race trike. He also said to check the fuel tank for rust, and replace the fuel lines with ones that are alcohol resistant, and that a Yuasa Yumicron battery is the best wet cell type because it has an extra plate in it, and that an AGM battery will last longer and does not require any maintenance as far as keeping it topped up with fluid. He also said they are indestructible and can go thru 1 1/2 foot deep water for days and never die.
    I believe the fuel tank on this one is plastic. I plan on getting some hose just in case the fuel lines are dry rotted. Should know more by tomorrow afternoon when u go pick it up

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    ohio
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    76
    Does anyone know how the ride is in the woods on trails? I assume it’s a solid rear with no shocks, just wondering what to expect while trail riding

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    ohio
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    1,749
    Yea I was going to say that too they have plastic tanks but they are known to dry rot and crack tho
    If its on the internet its got to be true they can't put any lie's on the internet

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Arkansas
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    2,196
    If you're riding with other people on similar trikes, it's fine. Yes, they have no rear suspension, but if you run the tires at ~2.2psi which is where most hardtail trikes run, then it'll ride OK for slow speed trail riding. You'll need a good gauge with a 0-10psi range, because any regular car tire gauge that goes up to 60+ psi has too large of a scale to be accurate at low pressure. You won't be able to find a digital car tire gauge that reads accurately at low pressure either. A quality pencil gauge with a 20psi max will work fine and those are pretty easy to find and inexpensive.

    One like this https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tusk-Low-Pr...rd!72058!US!-1

    Ideally, the best would be a 5 psi max gauge, but that's getting into scientific quality and price gauges, also some really crappy ones may have come with some ATVs.

    Tire pressure is important on everything, but put too much in a hardtail and it'll bounce all over the place and be rougher riding. Tires are the major compromise on a hardtail. Smoother riding means worse handling at higher speeds. Stiffer, better handling tires are rough riding. It's not a sport machine, so there isn't any need in ruining the ride for better handling. The tires that are on that Prairie are the best style to have. A 2ply, knobbie style tire. I wouldn't want to run that nice looking trike through any deep mud or water anyway, so no need for mud style tires.


    Side hill riding takes some practice and steep downhill is challenging, on any trike. Got to get used to standing on the pegs and using body weight to control a trike.

    Something else about the Prairie is it's only electric start. There is no pull rope or kicker if the battery goes bad. You may want to think about that before buying a low end battery. AGM batteries are good on ATVs because they handle vibration better than a flooded battery and there's no worry of spilling acid through a vent tube. They aren't any lighter weight and typically a little heavier. Lithium batteries are very lightweight, hold a charge almost a year, but are expensive and don't start well in cold weather until warmed up by leaving something like the headlight on for a few minutes.
    The story of three wheels and a man...

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    ohio
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    76
    Quote Originally Posted by ATC King View Post
    If you're riding with other people on similar trikes, it's fine. Yes, they have no rear suspension, but if you run the tires at ~2.2psi which is where most hardtail trikes run, then it'll ride OK for slow speed trail riding. You'll need a good gauge with a 0-10psi range, because any regular car tire gauge that goes up to 60+ psi has too large of a scale to be accurate at low pressure. You won't be able to find a digital car tire gauge that reads accurately at low pressure either. A quality pencil gauge with a 20psi max will work fine and those are pretty easy to find and inexpensive.

    One like this https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tusk-Low-Pr...rd!72058!US!-1

    Ideally, the best would be a 5 psi max gauge, but that's getting into scientific quality and price gauges, also some really crappy ones may have come with some ATVs.

    Tire pressure is important on everything, but put too much in a hardtail and it'll bounce all over the place and be rougher riding. Tires are the major compromise on a hardtail. Smoother riding means worse handling at higher speeds. Stiffer, better handling tires are rough riding. It's not a sport machine, so there isn't any need in ruining the ride for better handling. The tires that are on that Prairie are the best style to have. A 2ply, knobbie style tire. I wouldn't want to run that nice looking trike through any deep mud or water anyway, so no need for mud style tires.


    Side hill riding takes some practice and steep downhill is challenging, on any trike. Got to get used to standing on the pegs and using body weight to control a trike.

    Something else about the Prairie is it's only electric start. There is no pull rope or kicker if the battery goes bad. You may want to think about that before buying a low end battery. AGM batteries are good on ATVs because they handle vibration better than a flooded battery and there's no worry of spilling acid through a vent tube. They aren't any lighter weight and typically a little heavier. Lithium batteries are very lightweight, hold a charge almost a year, but are expensive and don't start well in cold weather until warmed up by leaving something like the headlight on for a few minutes.
    Yeah I don’t plan on riding through mud holes or anything with it. Just get together with some friends and ride trails. I was just curious if it handled like any other trike in the woods. Easy to slide, take bumps etc but like you said about the tires being a major factor.

    Once I get it running ill test it out with varying psi on the little bit of trails I have around here and see how it feels. Most my buddies trikes are ragged out so I would assume the shocks are done for on then anyway so I should be used to a tougher ride.

    I was just unsure since there is no rear suspension and only tire give for absorption how it would compare to riding one with a shock.

    They like to go at a decent pace I’m just worried about keeping up, I think most of the trails they have out there I didn’t get out of 2nd gear on either trike I rode that day. Some small hills but nothing major to climb and I already told them I’m not hill climbing anything lol.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Arkansas
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    2,196
    Quote Originally Posted by AbsoluteZer0 View Post
    Easy to slide, take bumps etc.

    2ply knobbies don't slide, they tuck and roll.


    That's especially so on utility trikes. Not enough power to spin them when they grip, and they are very grippy with the right air pressure.


    You know the front suspension design is a leading link. They're supposed to be more robust than conventional telescopic forks, which is why sidecar motorcycles (hacks) still used them. Leading link suspension designs go all the way back to the beginning of motorcycles and it's a design still in use today on many machines. It's been used on just about everything with a wheel, and there was a brief period in early motocross where several designs were competing with telescopic forks, except those were more complex, which was their downfall.

    A beneficial effect of the design is the reduction of brake dive. Another property they have is better geometry for going over obstacles by allowing the axle to move in an arc.

    If the shocks on yours are bad, all you need to replace them is one of equal length and proper spring pressure. You may be able to find some air shocks that would fit. All kinds of cool shocks you could find that would fit.
    The story of three wheels and a man...

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