Racing 3 wheelers any good in the mud?

[KillerBox]

I own a 1985 Honda 250ES Big Red. It does fairly good in the mud. I would like to buy a faster 3 wheeler but,

I was wondering if the racing 3 wheelers are any good in the mud?
Any racing 3 wheelers have a shaft drive?
Any Racing 3 wheelers have reverse?

Thanks for your help,

Killer

[chris200x]

None of the sport trikes have shaft or reverse. As for answering your question about being good in mud.. well,, MY 350x does quite well.:TrikesOwn
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e137/chrisr200x/l_6ec9bb38d2ce4bc4a68eb8ff86d0f5f3.jpg

[KillerBox]

The 3 wheeler that I am looking for does not necessarily have to be a sport trike, just more power than my Big Red.

[SYKO]

my old 350x with paddle tires in GA clay!



http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e306/southgacustoms/atv%20riding%20and%20racing/HPIM0578.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e306/southgacustoms/atv%20riding%20and%20racing/HPIM0577.jpg

[SmurfanCoke]

The only reason they would'nt be as much fun is all the clutching...

[Blown 331]

The only reason they would'nt be as much fun is all the clutching...

But that is an opinion, I prefer it.
My old 85 250R was somewhat of a beater and I took in the mud a few times. It had stock tires and actually did extremely well! BUT, to get threw I was like 3rd gear in the power band so basically prepare to get EXTREMELY muddy.

[Nick_R_23]

I took my 86 250r on a mud ride, and I was extremely impressed with it. It even made it threw a mud hole that a built 800 polaris 4x4 couldnt!! :w00t: I had dirt track tires on it. Only problems I had were rocks, the tires liked to spin on them especially if they were wet. And as mentioned above, you will get COVERED in mud. But thats what makes it fun!!

-Nick :TrikesOwn

[ATC-Eric]

Check out a 250sx. They do alright, have auto-clutch, and shaft drive.

Basically the sport version of your Red (and faster).

[The Goat]

a 200x with duro sports in the mud will sling more than you think possible. if I had a helmet and it wasn't freezing, i might be willing to show you the tidal wave it can create in second gear.

[Dirtcrasher]

With mud, wheelspin is what gets the mud out of the tire lugs or knobbies and thats what keeps you moving forwards.

I do not and never did find the 250SX a fantastic mud machine. It does well, but the diff hangs low and gets hung up and without a manual clutch it's tough to get the revs up enough to keep it moving forwards. It has the same inherent problem in deep snow....

If you don't want a 2 stroke rocket ship, then you need displacement, such as in the case of a 350X with a couple hundred buicks worth of mods.....

[The Goat]

Couple hundred bucks? What's he need that a stock 350 can't do?

Then again ive never ridden a stock 350x...

[Russell 350X]

A 350X with decent tires does extremmly well in the mud IMO.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k6/hondaatc185s200e/100_0454.jpg

[fabiodriven]

My Tecate 250 was unreal in the mud with the stock '85 22" tires and stock swingarm length. I used to go through deep, deep streams and serious mud. It NEVER got stuck until I extended the swingarm and put 20" RAZR's on it. Even now it does really well, but with the 22's it was unbeleivable.

Stock...
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r275/fabiodriven/Tecate%20250/P7290030.jpg

20's and extended swinger...
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r275/fabiodriven/Tecate%20250/fabio4.jpg

[Brad200X]

A 200X is a pretty good choice for beatin' in the mud:They're cheap, light and are designed for those kind of conditions. the only problem that I see is that they're lower
than say, a 350X. From what I've heard a lot of other guys say, a chain-driven hard tail is pretty much unstoppable in the mud. Just my .02 though.

[piroguedog]

A 200X is a pretty good choice for beatin' in the mud:They're cheap, light and are designed for those kind of conditions. the only problem that I see is that they're lower
than say, a 350X. From what I've heard a lot of other guys say, a chain-driven hard tail is pretty much unstoppable in the mud. Just my .02 though.

I have a 250sx and it has done well in the mud even without mud tires. Its pretty fast for a utility trike but I have a few mods. A light weight and quick trike that can also be modded and I have seen hundreds of times doing well in mud is the 200s. -speaking of hard tail chain drives.

[threewheelin-feelin]

haha i was waiting for the 200s to come up...the 200s is one of the best trikes for mud...but some 25's on it with some highly aggressive tread and you will go anywhere

[keister]

I have a 85 Big Red too and always wanted to upgrade to a faster trail machine, so I bought a 350X. Don't get me wrong, it is excellent in mud (wheel speed means a lot), but there are some drawbacks, other than the obvious chain vs shaft.

First off, if (actually when) you get stuck, the BR stays running and you can jump off and "help it out" while pushing and using the throttle - not an easy task on a sport trike with a clutch (and no reverse).

Also, when the sport trikes get stuck in the mud, they stall. After you manage to muscle it out by hand, you are tired, so attempting to kick it with a mud covered kicker and muddier boots becomes slippery and difficult.

Best case: Get yourself a faster trike, but hang on to the Big Red if you are really into muddin'.

PS. I had a 200S for over 20 years, and if given the choice and only one chance to make it through a mud pit, I would easily choose it over the BR or 350. That may have more to do with its gnarly tires or my familiarity with it, but still, hard tail 200's RULE in the mud.

[gravelyman]

Yes i agree a 350x works great in the mud with the right tires. however the fenders don't work quiet as well as the bikes do.


71409

[cr480r]

with the proper gearing and proper tire selection I think just about any trike would go pretty good in the mud... The typical performance trike usually isnt equiped properly for deep mud action... But I can see the powerful and lightweight 2 stroke trikes doing quite well with the correct setup. I would use a stock swingarm and axle with some tall balloonish tires and low gearing...

[peco250sx]

another trike for mudding that i use all the time is the 84' 200m even with tires balder than race slicks it still goes through anything. i also have a 250sx that hasnt seen much mud yet but from using it in everything from sand to deep snow its capable of doing everything well and its got reverse, shaft drive, kickstart, electric start, all the good stuff, its also a more sporty and light weight frame design, with a couple of upgrades you could even jump the thing!

[ceaserthethird]

I vote for the '85 ~ '86 250R , Did Better than the 4X4 Quad's at Washougal MX PARK !

[leokendall]

tri moto 125 with v-tires, best i seen yet.
also likes my big red 200es gets stucks still easy to pull out, e-start is great when the starter is full of mud and your hand slips of trying to start it. the reverse is nice for rocking back n forth.

i have made a switch so i can use the e-start in reverse or in gear.

[83ATC185S]

my 185s does good in the mud, its light, has a auto clutch so you can get off the trike and just throttle it if you get stuck. no reverse but you can pull the trike around its that light.

Last summer i was in mud up to my thighs when i got off the trike, but the trike was only 6-8inches into the mud, its floats pretty well.

[brapp]

just for shits and giggles the one day i took the front tires of fmy foreman and ut them on my 350x and droped a tooth inthe back
keep in mind i went from a 2 2inch tire to a 2 7inch tire it was pheonominal the kinda mud i was able to go trough with i t.