My opinion on the ATC BANN

[Northman]

I rememeber the day, I think you all forgot it, there were no other off road vehicles like them available so thier popularity grew and hence accidents. So since there were not other single individual mass branded vehicles the 3 wheelers took the brunt, remember how fast the extra wheel was added which really did nothing just stopped the law suits and yes to you in the U.S your system of law suits is what ended the trikes and not the safety issue. Notice they dont talk about banning 4 wheel bikes and I guarantee there are just as many deaths x 5 than the old trikes but, the money is there to send the lobbyists in now.

[tulsamike3434]

The only time I have wrecked on any of my atc's is when I was dooing somthing i should not have been. I would have wrecked if i was on a quad or a dirtbike. so imo when I am rideing right i have never wrecked my atc.

[Frankencelery]

Northman, you're right. Lawsuits are the way in the U.S. I can't speak for anywhere else, but I think that if it hadn't been for the ban, and the manufacturers had insisted on continuing to build 3-wheelers, they would have been sued out of existence. Too bad really, but it's also a fact that by that time sales of quads were doing really well, and I read somewhere that losing 3-wheeler sales really didn't hurt the manufacturers much.

Be sure to read a few of the the CPSC's accident reports by following the link provided by TrailerRider. After only a few, you'll have the same "Now just wait one damn minute" reaction I did. If you were to filter out the people who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, those not wearing helmets, kids far too young for the machines they were riding, and people either riding double or doing some other crazy inappropriate stunt, I think the number of reports where the 3-wheeler could be 'blamed' (if you can even argue such a thing) would be very small.

Despite my seeming to support the idea that 3-wheelers are "more dangerous", I really don't feel that way at all. However, I think it's important to understand their particular idiosyncrasies. I've put at least a dozen people on trikes that had never ridden them before, and I explain to them that the machines are to be respected and what not to do. Of those dozen people, only one guy ever had an accident, and it was a minor one. We were riding the ditches, and one particularly steep one required us to ride the side of the hill, which had a barb wire fence along the bottom. Well, I hadn't properly instructed him about riding the sides of hills, and as he started to tip, he turned downhill, which got him out of the potential roll, but ran him right into the fence. There was a broken headlight, some bleeding, a few laughs, and a lesson learned. I would consider that accident my fault, not the 3-wheelers.

[mcgyver331]

Bring Back the Thread from the Dead!!

I had a neighbor come over and ride my KLT 200, thought he was the man and went to the hospital with a broken collar bone and killed my trike, not even a sorry or anything. I guess he was expecting me to pay his hospital bill or something. The end result is if you dont respect what you ride (any ride) you will get hurt.

Bring back the trikes, I'm making a formula for a 600x with all honda parts in another thread. I will be selling them when I figure out the recipe.

[dougspcs]

I guess he was expecting me to pay his hospital bill or something..

Seriously??? The sad part is if this happened on your property it does make you liable..it's a crazy world we live in. No one takes responsibility for their own shlt-happens anymore!

Oh by the way..love the signature line with the Basic language program. I guess the fact I remember that makes me pretty old!

[honda200x1987]

I have another related subject on this matter, it seems that Honda plans to Discontinue all ATC parts!! . Honda always had a deal to keep parts for 10 years after the production year and the OHTSU 250R 20 inch tires, 200X 350X 22 P/V rears are discontinued as well and this time it's for good. Honda was only obligated to offer repair parts for the ATC's 10 years past the last date sold in 1987. They have no interest in supply for these parts and would rather concentrate on current model ATV's to keep their warehouses more streamline . Honda will only supply an ATC part if it will be on a new model year ATV only such as the clutch lever boot/cover for the TRX450R which is the exact part for the 86-87 200X and 350X for example. Our only hope is that fellow enthusiasts will keep making reproduction parts for us. Honda has already discontinued a ton of parts for the ATC's over the years and there will be more to follow This is very sad news...

[oldskool83]

build your own, let the relics be garage queen. long live the custom atcs!