couple of T3 questions

[250SX]

I've about got my other running T3 ready to ride. However, there are a couple of things I'm curious about.

First is the pipe. I know it isn't stock, but I don't know if it's really meant for a t3. Notice how it hangs down. Part of that is b/c the silencer isn't bolted on, but even considering that it just looks a little low to me.

The other thing is the wheels. It has a calfab swingarm with I think a durablue axle. The hubs are the question though. The wheel nuts use a 21mm socket instead of the usual 12mm(?) the rest of my Tecates use. Plus the bolt pattern is completely different. Check out the pic of my stock hub and open-center wheel then look at the one that's on this other tecate. I put a 6" extension in the pic for a reference. Looks like a honda pattern, but I've never heard of doing that before. I'm going to try some of my honda wheels tomorrow...

[200x Basket]

the axle looks like a finish line. i bet if you remove the hubs they have the same spline as a 84/85 model. i have a set just like that. it fits the honda pattern. also some bansee hubs will fit but i think they are only the 89/90 models. dont say i never throw a dog a bone :D
chris

[250SX]

These are the hubs I'm curious about...yeah I know it's time to break out the soap & degreaser 8)

[200x Basket]

that is a 84 model hub. it is a different pattern. i thought the "X" hub was on that axle. the axle is a finish line. AKA the "jimmy white" axle. the pipe looks custom/home made or maybe an older kx model. the new kx's are slug way lower.

[Meat-BoX]

I have the 4 lug star hubs on my tecate. I was told a while back that they could be Honda hubs or something. The studs are 6 1/4" accross from center to center. I have the rims but they are dinged up a bit so I need new ones. I think they r 85 year.

[Jeb]

That Tecate is crawling with authentic aftermarket racing goodies! Did it have a screen number plate on it? It's got gators, probably an OMF skid plate made for the CalFab arm, of course the JWR axle, 84 Tecate hubs. Are those aluminum rims Mitchells? I hope you recognize them for what they are and restore and take care of them.

Is there not anything stamped on the pipe mounting tab? I wonder if it might be the Bassani pipe. They offered a JWR pipe. It was stamped pipe made for the masses. The real factory pipes were hand-made cone pipes. His silencers were usually round. That silencer has the "DG" oval shape. But the pipe & silencer could be CT, Klemm, anything from back then.

That little spoke hub sure looks like your typical cast OEM hub off some trike. Dura Blue and maybe some others also made custom hubs that you could use on a 85-87 Tecate so you could run 8" rims on a stock spline 86 type axle.

The people you guys are getting these old race trikes from, don't they know the previous owners where you could back track and get history of the machine??? It might have been a champion machine back in the day and is definitely worth researching.


MEATbox[mhz], your hub looks like the stock hub from an 85 Tecate. 86/87 had the same bolt circle, but the splines were different. 84 has the same splines but is a smaller, round hub as shown in the pic above.

[250SX]

Jeb you're right it does have an OMF skidplate. This trike came from Oklahoma. I traded my '85 350x for it. :D The guy I got it from got it from a guy who took it in lieu of payment for painting a house...or something like that.

I think the rims are mitchell...I'll get down and check tomorrow. They are stuck to the hubs right now. I'm open to suggestions on how to get them off w/o using a sledgehammer. I'm ordering some ITP wheels & paddle tires so I won't be needing the 18" holeshots anytime soon.

I looked all over for a name on that pipe but I can't find one. The more I think about it the more I think it must be made for the T3 and not a kx pipe since the mounting brackets all line up properly.
The cylinder has "B&B" or "R&B" (can't remember which) stamped onto it in place of the KIPS plaque.
There wasn't a screen number plate. I has a good headlight assm. The shroud wasn't perfect so I put on a spare. The plastic was pretty beat as well.
I rode it some and even with a stock carb and bad jetting it still felt pretty strong. I bought a box of jets so hopefully I'll be able to really stretch it out soon.

Oh yeah, it also has a steering stabilizer which I thought was really cool. It doesn't seem to do much anymore though so I need to find someone who can possibly rebuild it if that's possible. :?:

[Jeb]

Steering stabilize too. Wow! Back in the day that was somebody's baby. If I remember right there was a custom frame Team green used for a built in steering stabilizer. Is the one on yours just a bolt on type or did you find one of these custom frame jobs?

Congrats Dan that's a great find! I'da d@mn sure drove to OK for it and probably traded my Tri-Z for it too! :-D

[250SX]

I'm not sure I follow you on the steering stabilizer. It has a bracket that mounts it to the lower tree between the fender and the plastic on one end. The other end is attached to a bracket which is mounted to the frame. I'll get some pics & post them this weekend for you.

That's funny you mention Team Green. Check out this pic of the original seat (in dirty, but good condition) & the original plastic.

I also have this disc guard, but I'm not sure what holds it on. I figure zip ties hold the top part to the slider, but what holds the bottom of it on?

[Billy Golightly]

My 84 KXT had a Green and white "Kawasaki Team Green" sticker on the left side fender, didn't really look like anything authentic and nothing on the bike really indicated it was a team green bike. That seat cover is pretty neato though.

[Curtis-Tecate3]

250sx, Very nice find. Jeb & I might have to scrap it out over that swingarm if you ever get rid of it... Just kidding. Not really, I would love to have that swingarm & axle. Anyway, Here is a little info. I just IM'd Steve Mendenhall (Ex-Factory Kawi Rider) and asked about the steering damper. My memory was right. His 86 Factory Team Kawasaki's all had steering stabilizers built into the steering head of the frame, not bracket mounted. Ultra trick! And to think that Mendenhalls ex-factory bike is probably rusting away in someones backyard in North Carolina... Oh well. I know of another Kawi guy from the 80's in your area that may be able to shed some light on your bike and or parts questions. Call Greg Baker at R&B Cycle in OK. City at 405-631-1218. And to all of you guys looking for parts for your 86 dont bother cause I already tried him years ago and he doesnt have anything left....

Curtis

[Curtis-Tecate3]

Dan, Sorry, I guess I didnt read your post very well. It sounds like you do have one of Greg Bakers personal bikes or at least one that was built out of his shop. Nice job on finding that one. Call Greg at his shop and see what you have on your hands there. It might be more than you think..!!
I need to research and see if Greg was a factory rider or just a privateer that favored Kawi's...

Let us know what you find out. I for one am suddenly very curious..

Curtis.

[250SX]

wow, that's a great heads up! I'll call him Monday & see what he has to say. The bike came from OK & has an R&B cycle sticker on the fender so hopefully he'll remember it. THANKS!

[Jeb]

See what I mean! When these Tecates show up with this trick stuff on them, they've nearly got to have some race history. It does prove they are still out there, they just need finding.

The steering damper sounds like your typical bolt on accessory. Dan, the disc guard is held on with zip ties. one at the top, and one through the bottom where that broken area is. Before it was broken, there would have been little holes through that area.

[Xowner]

hey keep it coming guys i love hearing how some one pulls a factory racer or a good chance of one outta a barn good luck!

[Jeb]

hey keep it coming guys i love hearing how some one pulls a factory racer or a good chance of one outta a barn good luck!

I agree! had to bump this post. I'm excited to hear what Dan finds out when he calls Greg Baker!

[250SX]

I literally haven't had the time between work & trying to get ready for the ride we were having this weekend. However when I put on new reeds I noticed that the ports on this thing are HUGE. I had another guy look at it & he said they were way bigger than any national porting job he'd seen (he races professionally). I'll try and get some pictures of them if I can get it to come out right.

[Curtis-Tecate3]

C,mon Dan. Lets go. We are waiting to see what you have there....

Curtis.

[Curtis-Tecate3]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Dan, Buddy, Let me know whenever you call Greg. I am still curious.

Curtis.

[Jeb]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Dan, Buddy, Let me know whenever you call Greg. I am still curious.

Curtis.


Me 3 ! ;)

I came across a pic of greg baker in one of my old mags. just think, he might be on that exact Tecate!

[250SX]

I gave him a call & he remembered the trike. He said the hubs were off an '84 Tecate. He had several of the '86 models when he was racing so he couldn't remember which one exactly this one was. He did say that the steering damper was made into the frame. I'm not sure that is the case on this one, but I'll have to pull the tank so I can doublecheck. I really don't remember for sure either way. He tried to buy it back from me almost immediately. 8) Said he didn't have any parts or stuff like that left over from his racing days...gave it all away! :(

He just works on Harleys now. I have a spare T3 engine I all but begged him to go through but he didn't even want to touch it. He was pretty busy & asked me to call him back again sometime in the morning when he has more time to talk. I'll keep y'all posted.

[Curtis-Tecate3]

Dan, Thanks for the update. Let us know what your follow up call to Greg turns up. He was pretty cool on the phone when I called him a year or 2 ago. I am sure he will remember me as I had him hunt around his warehouse and shed etc looking for 86 T3 parts. I found Greg through my sarch for an ex-Factory bike and any unobtainable parts. While I found and spoke to nearly all of the Team Green riders & tuners the only person that still has an 86 T3 is Jimmy White. It had been recently stolen and recovered and was being restored by Ron baker at PEP suspension. PEP used to do Jimmys suspension back in the day. I tracked down the following people in my quest for parts & knowledge: Jimmy White, Steve Mendenhall, Donnie Luce, Tim Helter, Greg Baker, and Jackie Meadows. I also Talked to Harry Klemm and Darryl Bassanni. No parts to be found, just information and bench racing...

Lets hope you found a diamond in the rough..

Curtis.