Honda 1984 200ES Big Red Transmission

[novacat2005]

Does the Hi-Lo on the Big Red Shift on the Fly? What type of gear pattern is the transmission(One down, Neutral, four up?), and what are the gear ratios on the thing? Why did Honda only make this type of transmission for one year? I'd like to know as much information on this transmission as possible, thank you in advance for your help.

[thefox]

novacat2005,
Welcome to the board! The hi-lo on the trikes is switched by a lever near the front sprocket, so no it can not be switched on the fly. The shifting pattern is all up or all down, I think it is down into gear and up is out of gear but I am not sure. As for why it was only made one year, Honda has used the hi-lo trans. on the smaller trikes (90's, 110's, and 125m's) since they started making trikes. The 200es was only made one year, then it was replaced by the 250es. The 200es is a 5 speed transmition with a Hi-lo-reverse sub-transmition. Someone that has a book handy can tell you the gear ratios

-Andrew

[atcmatt]

The 200es has a 5 speed gearbox, wit ha hi/low/reverse sub gearbox. It does not shift of the fly. The gears are all up with neutral all the way down. The 200es is a fantastic machine! A real stump puller! The only down side is that it has no rear suspension, hence soft walled tires and low pressure needs to be used.
If you do get or already own a 200es this machine will not disapoint you!
Although its not a sport trike! Its a definate famr bike!

Im in the process of fitting rear suspension on mine!

Hope this helps!

[Tecate performance]

honda had the dual range trans on the big reds since 82. in 84 they went to shaft drive. also the gear pattern is 5 down, neutral all the way up. the hi-low range was nice but made changing the front sprocket on the 82-83 models a trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro. here's a diagram of the 84 sub trans. http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/showschematic.asp?dept_id=180401

[atcmatt]

the gear pattern is 5 down, neutral all the way up

BUMP...............mine is the exact opposite................any explanations???

Matt

[PowerTrike]

the gear pattern is 5 down, neutral all the way up

BUMP...............mine is the exact opposite................any explanations???

Matt

What? Neutral IS all the way up and 5 is down matt. I own 2 84's and yeah...

[atcmatt]

What? Neutral IS all the way up and 5 is down matt

Yeah, well I have two motors.................the one in the trike now is normal but the parts motor is opposite, also the low range does not work........maybe the previous owner put it together wrong!
Anyway it dont matter cause the opposite one is the parts motor, so yeah it doenst bother me. :-D

Matt

[Littlewhipsy78]

Why does my 200e big red only shift in hi or low range

[350for350]

That's how it's supposed to work. There's no need to go any faster in reverse. That's if you're talking about a 200ES. A 200E doesn't have reverse.

[ATC King]

That's how it's supposed to work. There's no need to go any faster in reverse.

Supreme zombie thread.


The 200ES has all five speeds while in reverse. Got stuck in first gear? Get unstuck in third reverse. :)

[bobtdms]

While I don't recommend it, the sub trans on a 200es will shift from low range to high while moving. I never tried the other way around though. In my early teens(1993-95ish) I would drag race my friend on his ytm200e. I would run 1-3 in low range, let off the throttle and slip it in high range and finish winding out the gears. I never came close to beating him, but it did accelerate a bit faster that way. It actually slid in nice and smooth without any clunks or grinding.
Due to age and parts availability I wouldn't try it now, but when you're a teenager out of dads sight and hearing range anything goes lol!

[ATC King]

While I don't recommend it, the sub trans on a 200es will shift from low range to high while moving.

For sure. Same here, as I don't recommend it either, but I've done it many times. Not in a performance sense, but just didn't want to stop before changing ranges.

I'd hold the shift lever up or down until after the range change. That disengages the clutch and further prevents any clunks. It's a little bit of an art, like heel/toe brake/gas/clutch work in a manual shift car while on a steep hill. Got to go James Brown on those pedals.