1st gen ATC250R parts

[Footy]

I have an opportunity to purchase some 1982 ATC250R parts from a friend.
The chassis and plastic are there, seat and tank. No engine, no electrics, no exhaust and no carb.
I have considered buying it to use the plastic and maybe the forks on other ATC's that i have but was not sure if the parts are similar enough to swap out.
Would it be worth the effort to use the 250R forks on a ATC110, 185S or 250sx?
I am also curious as to if the fenders would mount on the 350X and not be to weird to fit up.
I hate to see these parts just rot away but if I don't buy them that is exactly what will happen.

[ATC King]

It sounds like most of the 250R is there, except the engine. Condition is a question though. If there's a lot of rot in the frame, it may all be fair game.

If not, you could still use things like the front suspension, in the meantime, and keep the rest of it in case of future use. As long as the parts are usable and you keep them all, if you later come across an engine, you can put it all back together, or at least sell all the parts as a project 250R if it doesn't materialize.

Those 250R forks have about 6.5" to 7" of travel. I don't know the 250SX fork diameter, but I think they're larger than the '82 250R diameter. The SX is a larger and heavier machine. Same with travel, I don't know the SX specs. Other than the disc brake on the 250R, I don't think they'd be an upgrade for a 250SX. If the SX is very low hour and the brake components are nice, the front drum isn't all that bad, just that a disc works better when wet than a drum.


On a 110 it's a totally different story. You'd gain front suspension and a front brake. It'd also sit up a tad too high in the front. The forks can be lowered in the trees, but it'll look a bit goofy either way. The forks can be lowered internally and that would have them looking good on a 110. They'd loose travel, but even if it's just 3", that's 3" more than the 110 had on front. I can't say about the steering stem and bearings, if there's a direct swap for those, or spacers that are a direct fit. I'm also pretty sure the steering stops will need modified, which is needed even if using a 185S/200S fork. Of course, any of these swaps will require the '82 250R headlight or a custom unit, so consider the power needed for the R bulb versus anything else. I don't know the wattage of them all, so you'll have to check.


Yes, on a 185S, but only if it's a rigid front model, or those parts and the brake components are worn out or broke. Many of the other things from the 110 apply, I don't know about direct steering bearing swaps and the steering stops. Stock 185S/200S front suspension does fine, considering there's nothing on the rear. The front drum does good too, if it's low hour. Most are worn out to the point that new shoes won't return the original performance.

All the stock tire sizes are the same. That's one reason the '81-'82 250R fork can be a good swap for the trikes you mentioned. Besides possibly needing to adjust the fork height, the tire size won't affect it. Another reason is the R fork has a disc brake and the others either don't have one, or it's a drum.

That's all if you have the entire 250R front end and it's usable with just basic servicing, no replacement parts needed. A brake caliper rebuilt kit is pretty much mandatory, along with a new hose, but that and a new master cylinder can be Chinese imports and work OK. I'm not certain about a direct swap Chinese caliper, but there may be some. I wouldn't expect the same performance from Chinese brake components, my experience has been they tend to feel a bit squishy, at least the very cheapest stuff anyway. It may come down to flexing in the cheap calipers, but I feel something.

I could have some other things to add later, as I may be forgetting some things to mention. Consider, I like doing some things just because. They don't have to be practical or financially based. Trikes are a hobby, and not just preserving them, but doing things just to see how they work, or because I feel it's an upgrade I'll enjoy. My main objective is to enjoy riding, not looking, so if something is relatively easy to modify, and I can as easily revert back (no permanent change), it's up on my list to try. I'm not going to try and modify a 185S to hang with a 250R, I'd just start with the R, but I will try and get the 185 as good as I can for what it is. Basically, if you can get the R parts and complete enough to have an actual choice without having to source much else, have fun and see how it works. I wouldn't go out of my way, spend a lot of time and money, expecting to drastically improve anything beyond expectations. A hardtail will always be just that, and a 250SX is a pretty good trail/work machine to start with. It is a bit nicer when riding a rigid rear doesn't blow your wrists out.

[Footy]

I appreciate you taking the time to type all of that out.
The trikes I have are all riders.
Sadly I have not stubbled onto anything in the garage queen category.
I had thought about the 250r forks being longer and how that could affect the handling and so forth. Swapping the forks may not be worth the effort.
I think what I will do is offer my friend some dry storage for this 250R as it is outside at the moment. Then if I want it or sell it the weathering will be slowed down.

[oldskool83]

I'll buy the R crap and then do what I do upgrading it for something cool like. Parts make the coolest projects when well used.

LMK. Looking to buy projects since 2 are soon done. I have room for 1 more.

[Footy]

I'll buy the R crap and then do what I do upgrading it for something cool like. Parts make the coolest projects when well used.

LMK. Looking to buy projects since 2 are soon done. I have room for 1 more.

I will keep that in mind if I can get him to put a price on it.

[patriot1]

Buy it Footy! Post pics of your score! You can't go wrong if the price is right.

[ATC King]

Sadly I have not stubbled onto anything in the garage queen category.


At this point, there isn't much stumbling onto pristine barn finds at bargain prices. There's plenty of top tier trikes out there, all it takes is money to buy them, and in many cases the cost isn't all that bad. Take any trike you'd like to own, figure out what the price was new, and after adjusting for inflation and the current cost of living, goods and services, and other things that need figured in, and you'll likely find the trike hasn't actually increased in value very much.

Let's say a trike cost $2,000 new, and now it sold for the same. The owner lost a good bit of money, they didn't break even. That's why saving money is loosing it, compared to investing.

If nothing else, I'm suggesting looking at it like that when deciding to pay up for a trike you really want. It's not the expense many make it out to be. Granted, some prices are wishful thinking, and I wouldn't want to support that, but there's some really good deals out there, turn-key, ready to ride or look at.


I don't own anything show nice and really don't want to. I've got a couple that I don't ride much and when I do it's just easy stuff. They're nice enough to me and mostly OE, so I don't want to bang them up, which also means I don't get to enjoy them like my uglier trikes. It's just more gas to keep fresh, more batteries to maintain, more oil changes, more air filters (foam rots regardless of hours used), a whole lot of extra work for something I don't really get to use, and not something I can put on a pedestal in the middle of the house just to admire.


As far as fork choice and handling, you're not going to screw up the steering or handling on a hardtail to the point it's unrideable. It'll change, feel different, but your not working with much power or speed. Getting some kind of dangerous oscillations in the steering at 70mph+ isn't a concern. I've used the rigid, leading axle, and trailing axle suspension forks on the same hardtail trike, and those axle extenders for the rigid ones. Handling changes, steering effort, and possibly turning radius to a small extent, but it's nothing that can't be gotten used to pretty quickly. The hardtails are pretty lightweight, low powered, compact, and simple. You've really got to go extreme to screw them up to the point they're dangerous to ride.




Putting a pit bike front end on one may do it though.
https://images.craigslist.org/00C0C_i3WTsE7TLUx_0t20CI_1200x900.jpg


Something worth remembering about the chain drive models is when the chain is adjusted, it affects the handling. The rear axle position changes. Nobody is too concerned about that, but racers have used that to set their machines up for certain conditions. An inch, one way or the other can make a big difference.


Edit: That's not a trike of mine in the picture. I found it on craigslist.

[Footy]

I completely agree with you about the cost/value situation. I have put a lot of time into my 350X just to get it working correctly and it still looks like garbage.
If I count my time as money I could have bought a nice ready to ride ATC.
I really wanted a 2nd gen 200X but a friend offered to sell me the 350X at a good price so I agreed.
I don't dislike the 350 but I do wish I would have waited on a 2nd gen 200X in much nicer shape.

[ATC King]

The 2nd gen 200X is a nice looking trike.

I think any year 200X was the best trail riding machine Honda made. The 350X and 250R are more open terrain trikes. Not that they can't do tight trail duty, but I think they would wear the rider out a lot more than a 200X. Sometimes more is just more, not better.

When I say 'trail' it means something different than what most seem to think of. I grew up in wooded foothills. Very narrow trails, where hand guards (Barkbusters) are actually needed, and steep rocky hills that can get very technical.

Anything that looks like a Jeep will fit down it is not an ATV trail to me. Same with motorcycle 'trails', where if it's not single track, it's not a motorcycle trail.

On an actual trail, top gear will never be used, that's for getting to and back from the trail.

I've rode desert, swamp, mountains, and forest. No tundra or anything extreme winter. My definition of trail doesn't change. Since these absurdly large quads and giant UTVs have come one the scene, trails are in short supply. That includes many trails I grew up riding, which have basically become roads to support UTV tourism.

A 200X would be a pick of mine for trail riding. Everything I've rode on a 185/200 hardtail would be a lot more enjoyable with full suspension. Disc brakes on both ends is pretty nice too.

[Footy]

The 2nd gen 200X is a nice looking trike.

I think any year 200X was the best trail riding machine Honda made. The 350X and 250R are more open terrain trikes. Not that they can't do tight trail duty, but I think they would wear the rider out a lot more than a 200X. Sometimes more is just more, not better.

When I say 'trail' it means something different than what most seem to think of. I grew up in wooded foothills. Very narrow trails, where hand guards (Barkbusters) are actually needed, and steep rocky hills that can get very technical.

Anything that looks like a Jeep will fit down it is not an ATV trail to me. Same with motorcycle 'trails', where if it's not single track, it's not a motorcycle trail.

On an actual trail, top gear will never be used, that's for getting to and back from the trail.

I've rode desert, swamp, mountains, and forest. No tundra or anything extreme winter. My definition of trail doesn't change. Since these absurdly large quads and giant UTVs have come one the scene, trails are in short supply. That includes many trails I grew up riding, which have basically become roads to support UTV tourism.

A 200X would be a pick of mine for trail riding. Everything I've rode on a 185/200 hardtail would be a lot more enjoyable with full suspension. Disc brakes on both ends is pretty nice too.

I agree. I ride mostly in the woods and mountains of NC, SC and WV. I have dirt bikes ATC's and ATV's.
Not a fan of SXS machines but they are good for older folks who can't handle riding an ATV for longer rides.

[patriot1]

Did you get the parts?

I wasn't able to find your 350x thread, so an update is in order.

[Footy]

Did you get the parts?

I wasn't able to find your 350x thread, so an update is in order.

I have not gotten the 250R parts. I will probably end up storing the 250R parts for my friend. If I can get him to put a price on it I can move forward.
I will find the 350X thread and give it an update.