New Toy!!!!! Nicholson 185S

[Bigbore]

I bought this a month ago from a guy on Craigslist in Phoenix. He was the original owner and had bought all of the pieces from Nicholson Racing Products. He put the thing together and let his wife ride it.


This is a REAL Nicholson 185S. This isn't a weld-on or bolt-on suspension job; this is a full frame Nicholson unit. It has a fox rear shock, Nicholson machined triple clamps for the YZ 80 front forks and a plus 2" swinger. The 3 wheeler is in really good condition for its age. In time, It'll get cleaned up and reworked a little to get it back to it's glory, If I can get my 7 year old off of it!

When it showed up my youngest son said "COOL, A 3 WHEELER FOR MEEEEE!!" We got it off of the pallet today, put the tires on it, poured so gas into it and it fired on the second pull. Runs a little rich at this altitude but it didn't keep my son off of it. He's raced his older brothers LT80 that’s been bumped up and he loves it. This was his first time riding a 3 wheeler by himself. Within an hour I had to tell him to slow down. He was tiring to get it to do a wheelie in the field:w00t: My wife saw it too! And she came out and told me that he needs to get off of it:cry: :cry: We just waited until she went back in and then we rode some more.

The best part.... $600!

This was all possible with HUGE help from Kasey :beer , going and getting it, getting it ready for shipping and for holding on to it until the freight company could come to get it.

[Vealmonkey]

That is fricking sweeeeeeet! I would love to have one of those. Great score and well worth the cost. The ferrari of the 185s' you have there. How about some more detailed pics with the tank and fenders off. American craftsmanship at its' finest.

[bandito90]

Do you know what kind of axle is on it?Looks extended.

[blue27]

that is just flat out cool!!!

[rdlsz24]

Nice! I remember Kasey posting pics of that a while back. I figured he bought it for himself.

Rob

[NINJA]

Bigbore, you always get the coolest stuff! My friend Wesley tells me you have quite the incredible shop too, when he got that 480 conversion kit from you. That is an awesome piece of trike history! Hands down the coolest 185.

[ATCeeya]

that is pretty neat..needs a new seat that fits it tho. good score

[edog]

That's cool beans!!!!!!!!!!!!



Was it wrapped at all?

[krazykane]

man i wish i could find one of those .i guess 98 % of the guys on here would want one too .but i know my oldest would love that she keeps asking for one for her .i just cant find one that the price isnt to high .nice find and awesome ride man hope the kids have fun .but seems they are already doing that .

[lukester]

very cool.

[3Razors]

Awesome little bike. Looks like somebody put alot of $$ in that thing back in the day.

[HondaHarry]

awesome little trike there! the seat looks like an old hi-flite. I thought kasey snagged it too. I would love to see your collection someday. HH

[KASEY]

that has got to be the most original condition aftermarket trike i have ever seen,,, it truely was in a time capsule,,,, it really will compliment your fleet when restored to its true beauty!!!!!

[sandpuppi101]

That there is the set-up I remember racer's having back in I guess late '82 or early '83 when I 1st caught this dang trike bug thing.I remember it vividly because I had an '82 185S and it was the 1st time I ever saw a trike with a white tank,which was a 200X obviously.A true time capsule piece of history like you say Kasey,AH" the memories..

[Bryan Raffa]

true beauty!

[Orangecnty250r]

Nice score Mario!!!!! You'll have to put together a little history on the Nicholson's

[factoryX]

I say let the kid ride it..

[Bigbore]

Do you know what kind of axle is on it?Looks extended.

Hard to say what make on the axle but it is a +6". I haven't seen many extended axles (not in 20+ years) for a 185S floating around.

Thanks guys for the words. I'll get to it, after my youngest steals one of my bigger ones!:lol:

[Vealmonkey]

Looks like a NASA axle. Could be a durablue, but NASA was known for making the axles for 90, 110 and 185.

[gizmo_22]

If you remove the swinger would you mind taking a pic of whatever bearings and or spacers are in there, might give us with the stock frames some ideas :D

[Vealmonkey]

Do you need a suspension frame gizmo? I might be able to hook you up.

[gizmo_22]

i have a 185 frame thats rotted out in the rear, was looking into cutting it off and doing the weld on rear suspension, just need more info on how the swingarm bearings/bushings are set up, and get a set of triples made. Cant spend any cash right now, I'm in between jobs, it sucks.

[Vealmonkey]

The suspension frames use the stock 185 rear bearing carriers.

[gizmo_22]

Oh i know that vealmonkey i was referring to the pivot where it attaches to the frame, Like where the swingarm bolt would be, and what bearings/bushings and or spacers would be there. I saw how the rear carrier is attached in your bolt on kit pics. that's not a problem. I should of been a little more specific earlier. My bad...

[Vealmonkey]

I had a cheapie weld on suspension frame kit and it had a large bronze bushing that went the entire length of the swingarm pivot and it was "rifled" for lack of a better term and it has drilled and tapped for a zerk fitting and you just kept it greased. The better kits have bearings on either side of the swingarm pivot and the bearings are either pressed in recesses or the the pivot has a sleeve on the insides of the 2 bearings. It depends on the maker. I've also heard of a swingarm kit that had short bronze bushings that were no longer than 1" wide pressed in the ends of the swingarm pivot.

[gizmo_22]

Thanks Vealmonkey that actually helps quite abit! Sorry for jacking your thread, by the way Sweet find bigbore!