Nicholson Motor Choice

[snowhoundxp]

I have a Nicholson wide front end 1st generation 500. It has a single carb probably late 70s early 80s xl motor in it that is locked up. Picked up an 84 xr500 that is not locked up on cl. Just wondering if this motor will fit, before I shred it. Front motor mount looks different and it has twin carbs. Any info would be appreciated.

[Dirtcrasher]

Veal Monkey, Shortline, Mr Clean I think? and many others can help.

Use Google and search Nicholson, then Nicholson and 3WW. You'll find info and allot of good guys on that subject......

[Vealmonkey]

The dual carb 500s won't fit, or so I'm told. You need to find a 79-81 engine for sure, not sure on the 82 engine though. XR of XL will work, just trans gearing is different. I have a 2nd gen, 200x based Nick, yours is the 185s based Nick. Lucky.

[snowhoundxp]

Ok Thanks for the info. I guess I jumped to quick. Down south it is hard to find old bikes and you have to jump on them when you can find them or some one else will.

[Vealmonkey]

It's like that up here too, trust me. If only I lived out West. LOL

[fabiodriven]

If it helps at all, I have an 82 XL500R and it has the single carb.

[Vealmonkey]

Fabs, What are you saying here buddy? Tell me more about this machine. Does it run? Is it for sale? And now for the hard question, if for sale, how much?

[fabiodriven]

Fabs, What are you saying here buddy? Tell me more about this machine. Does it run? Is it for sale? And now for the hard question, if for sale, how much?

My bike? Oh not for sale at all. I just bought it. It's like brand new. The only flaw is a little dent in the tank where the first owner dropped the bike. He sold it shortly thereafter. It just clicked over 1800 miles. I rode past the local Honda dealership two days ago wearing a vintage styled Honda hoodie (not on purpose) with an 85 ATC 250SX gas tank strapped to my back. There was at least one guy outside who must have heard me coming and was waiting to see what the bike was. I beeped the horn and picked it up in the best wheelie I've yet to do with it and carried it past the dealership and up the road. The guy was all excited. That was a good day for sure. And there was gas in the SX tank for good measure. I really wish I had pics of that.







Sorry for the thread hijack!

[RapidRick]

Veal.....you're still looking for a 500 motor? What's shakin on the 185S?

[Vealmonkey]

I've been debating on tearing apart a 185s and the xr200r engine and building one that is nice with the best of both parts. I've got an unknown xr500 engine, but just haven't had the time to install it and see if it works (plus the fact that if it don't work that I'll be really bent out of shape!). Been working on the 57 chevrolet and my buddy in Elilzabeth Pa has been working on the Tow'd (dunebuggy) so most of the efforts have gone into them lately. While I was on vacation, I really wanted to hook up with trizilla and deliver a trike and some parts to him, but of course, other people I was depending on dropped the ball on their end and it effected what I was able to do during my vacation. Mainly, I had a hard time getting with the guy that had my buggy parts and it threw the whole deal off, which I wasn't real happy about but at least I got my buggy stuff (almost all of it anyways). And of course, I'm finding out that alot of the parts with the 57 weren't quite right, so I'm having to pick up the correct bits and finding out that parts of the buggy aren't quite right, so the same thing with the buggy. Waiting on parts to arrive for the 57 and the buggy. Thankfully my buddy Geno working on the Tow'd is an old school vw tech, so the buggy is in great hands which just leaves me and my limited knowledge of 57 chevys, working on the 57! LOL And then there is trizilla who is 5 hours away which doens't work well logistically for either one of us. But progress is being made on both accounts and things are at a screeching halt with the Tigers and the Nicks. LOL Well, not really funny as I have to get parts and a trike to trizilla so he can go racing.