Impressions from riding my R and Z.

[Darius1502]

Ok....after riding my 86 R around about 50 acres, I have a few conclusions regarding the Tri Z v. 250R dispute.

Both my trikes are stock and in good near mint condition.

250R:

Good mid range hit.
Some bottom end but no real power there.
Turns good

Tri Z:
Great bottom end where the 250r is lacking
Has almost the mid range hit of the R but its not as noticable since the Z is already on the pipe.
More stable going in the straight line than the R.
Very roomy feel

My conclusion: You cannot go wrong with either, but I prefer the bottom end on the Z. The 250R stock has more a hit in the mid range, but its not worth sacrificing the loss of the low end.

The Z has bottom end with just a little less mid range.

I pick the Z for overall riding...but thats just my opinion. Racing is interesting as well because most bikes with the fastest lap times have good bottom end paired with mid range. I did not and have not raced both so I don't know.

I concur with the ATV News 250cc shootout: Tri Z wins in 86

[1984kxtTECATE]

Good info, one day........when I win the lottery I want to get an 86Z an 86R and a 86 T3. I have never had a chance to ride a Z and want to really bad, I have ridden an 85 R once and it was a thrill, although I wasnt experinced at all on trike when I rode it so it was mostly straight line speed riding I did.

[Dammit!]

The only way to be sure is for me to come out there and we'll spend all day putting them head to head and beating the crap out of them. Deal?

No mention of the top end? Don't tell us you were just putting around out there. ;)

[Darius1502]

Both bikes seem to make more noise rather than power in the top end. The R has some good mid and upper mid...but a stock R won't keep making power all the way to the top like (I hear) a Tecate does.

Z's got a really bad rap from Dirt Wheels and its time that people understand that you can't go wrong with either. The R is awesome and the Z is awesome.

I may be biased because I like two strokes with bottom and mid.

[Dammit!]

A simple pipe and filter upgrade will wake either of them up in the top end by a surprising amount. The difference on my R going between a stock pipe and a Paul Turner was one of the few "holy ****!" mods I've ever done all by itself. Wish I still had that pipe.

The '86-87 T3's are badass. They definitely get your attention right from the get go even bone stock.

[Dammit!]

This is a good read too. Seems to be pretty unbiased opinions. Everybody is gonna have a different impression and nothing seperates any of the big three by all that much in that year (nothing that can't be very easily addressed anyway). It really just comes down to preference.

Edit: Link! http://www.quadpit.com/mags/1986/stories/250shootout01.html

[Darius1502]

Yeah...but...

3 & 4 Wheel Action was much like Dirt Wheels and rode Honda's jock.

You need to read the ATV News test. They ran lap times with the different level riders on all 3 trikes. The Kawasaki, had some of the slowest times around the track since it had no low end.

The Yamaha had the fastest since you could get out of the corners quicker thanks to the bottom end snap.

The ATV News test really was well put together. Still they are all awesome and I do agree the Honda is faster and stock it does slide better than the Z...since the Z has those 21 inch tires stock. I switched to 20's and I see no advantage between the R and the Z in turning.

[Dammit!]

I never believed in the whole jock riding conspiracy theory personally. Especially in the above article as they didn't even choose the R for best race bike. Honda was the clear winner in 1985 which gave a lot of those pros a year to get aquainted with it and simply develop a preference. I would look to read that article though. Is it online anywhere?

I have to seriously question the T3 getting slowest lap times. Kaw's rip in the mids and top end and anytime I've ever gotten on a MX style track, low end was an afterthought. Only time I've ever appreciated some nice low end power was in the trails, not on the track. Could just have been my style of riding I guess but it was pretty effective for me. :)

[Apollo]

The 32 mm carb on the Tri Z compared to the 34's on the R and Tecate says a little bit about the low end advantage of the Yamaha. I'll like mid and top motors personally. I can't stand how my R falls flat on top and you have to almost short shift it. That is going to change when I get my ESR cylinder. If I need a little low end I'll stab the clutch. That is just my style and I understand everybody has their preference. I would like to read that test too, Darius, if you can hook us up that would be cool. Or just borrow or buy an 86/87 Tecate and shoot all three of them out. :D

[markdb420]

I know that my preference is the R for handling. The 85 Z's that I have ridden were very soft on front shocks, and with the upgraded forks on the 86 maybe that is not a problem on the 86's. I cannot get a Z to turn as good as an R. The Z's I have ridden had 20's and one had 18's. The Z wouldn'tbe very good for MX with my style of riding. I very rarely need the low RPM grunt that the Z has. They both seemed to spin the tires too much for my liking. The R launches better and with a PT pipe it will rev forever in the mid to top. Stock it did drop off on the top rpm range. I spend most of my riding and racing time in the mid range of rpms. The Z is good in the woods where you might need the low range grunt. I really thought that dropping the forks in the triples helped the handling of the Z. The biggest mistake of Yamaha was putting that damn tank under the seat and running the stupid fuel pump. They are both great bikes, but the R was a far better MX machine than the Yamaha. THe 86-87 T-3 was damn sweet as well. They and their predecessors were formidable racers as well. I just don't remember the Yamahas placing very often n mx races, back then.

[03 ORANGE SHEE]

i cant believe you took them out and got them dirty.. :wondering now im going to have to hear its going to take weeks to clean them up!! :D nice review

[Darius1502]

Dude...I hear ya. The 250r looked so damn mint out there. IT was like going back in time and buying one in 86 and then taking it out for the first time.

Its hard to describe....but very cool.

I like the R alot...but to me the Z is much more fun to ride. The R has a one dimensional powerband. Mid range to upper mid. Thats it.

The Z is more versitile. It can be lugged or reved. Of course its just my preference.

[jenndnn3]

You actually rode them????? I want pictures of proof. :eek:


I am teasin you know :p

[Orangecnty250r]

Glad you had a chance to get both the boys out there to tear it up. I have no doubt they'll be cleaned up real quick. Nice review!!!

[Darius1502]

Well I do have some pics but they did not turn out too good. The camera settings were off.

You guys should have seen the R in the sun....oh man it gives me chills thinking about it.

I even got some mud on the R...by accident of course.

[jenndnn3]

Oh give us the picts we are gonna have to see this to believe it.

I have often heard the z have more lowend and completely agree that the R's need some more themselves.

[Darius1502]

I did not take any pics of the mud on the R...it was a tramatic experience for me....and I hope to soon forget it.

[350xman]

Hey Guys
I think you should post the pics of both atc250r and the tri-z whether they have mud or not they still would look pretty awesome! I can't wait to get my 86 tri-z up and running again. It's a stock 86 tri-z that's in good shape and once I get my new front wheel and forks on it will be nice to ride it again.
I really do like the Tri-z for casual riding but I would have to disagree with Darius that the my 86 Tri-z has a better powerband than my 86 atc250r. I have raced both of against each and race my 86 tecate 3 as well. After, riding my 86 atc250r, 86 tri-z and 86 tecate 3 for the past 4 years I would say the 86atc250r is my frist choice for best all around bike for racing or recreation riding. I Know when I drag my 86 atc250r vs 86 tri-z vs 86 tecate 3 my 250r beat both of them in the short 100yd and longer 200+ yd drag races 95% of the time. The atc250r and tri-z get a better launch then the tecate 3 but by the time they hit 4-5th grears the atc250r is about 2 bike length infront of the tecate 3 and 4 bike lengths infront of the tri-z basically every time no matter who is riding. And as for top end speed on my GPS I get 73 mph on the atc250r , 71 mph on the tri-z and 68mph on the tecate 3 out of 7 repeat runs in the same day and ground, wheather conditions. And all three bikes are stock bore, pipes, suspension the whole works.
I know all 86-87 tecate 3 guys are saying that there's no way that 86 atc250r can be the 86 tecate 3 in 100yd or 200 yd drag but I have seen it happen 95% of time when I have drag raced them vs each other. I ve done drag races starting in first gear, 2nd grear, rolling start etc and it's 9 times out of 10 the atc250r is winning the drag. I know that the tecate revs fasters and all the way into the top end where the atc250r drops off once you **** it into 6th gear but that's my expeirence with my bikes.
I also have gone back and read all the dirt wheel(may 86), 3&4 wheel action(april 86), 3 wheeling(may 86) ,dirt bike and atv news9feb 86) shootout test of the 86 atc250r vs 86 tri-z vs 86 tecate3 and I would have to agree the most with the may 86 issue of 3 wheeling and what results they got when they tested the above hi-performance 250cc 3 wheelers against each other because they had actual speed tests done with a radar gun and not just a theoretical speeds on paper. I know that in the atv news shootout test(feb 86) the 86 tri-z had the fastest off road track lap vs the atc250r being in 2nd place and tecate 3 in 3rd but the atc250r had the fast smooth track lap out of the 3 bikes tested. Anyways, different people will like different things so it matter what you are comfortable riding and what you like the best. I know that I love to ride all three but the 86 atc250r is my fav and works the best for me and believe me all three bike are great to have and ride and you can't take anything away from any of them. Its cool to have a place like this to come and compare and see what other people have and their expeirences.
Sorry for the novel.
Take it easy !
350xman

[Dammit!]

I've only seen a '86 T3 race a '85 R once. Both stock and were fairly new at the time and it was on pavement. T3 won. We usually would switch riders and race repeatedly but the guy on the T3 was someone none of us had ever met before so they didn't do that this time.

I didn't race him on my '86 because I didn't have it yet (had a modded 200x at the time) but he did let me take it for a nice long ride later that day. It ripped.

I love all three of them for different reasons. I think the Z's look the best and are the most comfortable. The R is my favorite all around trike (ever). That '86 T3 I only rode that one time but it quickly became my favorite to power slide on (even though the rear fenders kinda get in the way). That T3 definitely struck me as being the most MX ready off the showroom floor. It handled like a racer bone stock and had the vicious top end.

I guess I'm happy with anything that has three wheels and shocks. :D

[Darius1502]

Maybe I should ride my R again and re-consider. I will say that in wide open spaces like dunes, I could see the R being better suited than the Z.

I am just not a fan of mid range based powerbands. Thats all.

I also never said the Z was faster or as fast. I just said a better all around trike.

[Dammit!]

I just said a better all around trike.


Better for you and that's all that matters. :beer

[Red Rider]

In 1987 when my friend first got his '87 T3 and my '86 250R was mostly stock, he'd get the holeshot when we'd race, but I'd be right on his tail all around the track, just waiting for him to make a mistake. If he did mess up somewhere, I'd blow right past. But, when we'd switch bikes, I could not get the holeshot on him. That was because I was trying to ride his T3 like it was a 250R. On a 250R you shift it. On a T3 you rev it. I was shifting the T3 way too early, and since the T3 has most of it's power in the upper RPMs, I was way short on power. When my friend told me to let it rev, then shift, I never lost another holeshot to my 250R.

[Tyler]

Man does this forum bring back some memories!!. I owned an 85 and then an 86 Tri-Z. The 86 was a much better bike. My one buddy had an 86 250r and another friend had an 86 T3. For me personall they were all great bikes. I loved the Z because it fit my frame the best. The Z had the longest wheelbase, which I believe affected the turning some, but it sure was nice and roomy. The 250R was definitely quickest when shortshifted and T3 had a never ending top end charge. The R had the best suspension stock. However modified it was a draw. The Yammie when ported and piped and carbed was a very fast ride ride. I raced mine on ice and flattrack with some mx thrown in for good measure. You saw very few Z's mostly R's and even fewer T3's. I really kick myself for selling my Z when I went to school. Education really was not worth the loss of my Z!!

[OZQUAD44]

This is an awsome thread, reminds me of goodtimesalongtimeago!

I think any one of the three; 250R, Tri-Z, Tecate would make me happy.

I also think that the Tecate would probably do better in any shootout in competent hands. That type of power delivery needs to be worked to get the best out of it. I nearly Sh_t myself at least once every time I ride my 87 T3. I think I've been racing quads too much eh!

I haven't ridden a 250R or Tri-Z in a while, but I think most the testers in the day had it down pat. In stock form the Tri-Z is better for the trailrider, the T3 is better for the racer, and the 250R the better all rounder. But as was said before, Once modified the field evens up big time.

Plus I have to agree, Tri-Zs look cool. Now if I could only find one around this neck of the woods...........

[crackshot]

Problem is, kawasaki and yamaha never won events such as baja.
Honda's are truly the best.
Go with the innovator, not the imatator.

[dovesprings250R]

Hondas stayed together better for sure. Very few guys used anything but Honda in the desert. A z now and then but usually dnf'd, at least at all the races I was in. Then I think the z was a good choice though. I'd like to have one someday....but now, there are so many honda parts available it is hard to beat an 85-86 250R.

[crackshot]

Ya them Kawi and yami parts are getting hard to find.