1987 Tecate-3 KXT250 rebuild. Need help with bits and advice please.

[elvetost]

Hi guys!
Thought I'd keep this separate to my intro thread, for ease of management etc. Hope its in the right part of the site (from what I understand, admins correct me please?)
My intro is here:

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthr...m-sunny-Greece!

Anyways, here's some pics of my newly acquired trike. My first ever.
Been in love with the tecates since I was a kid, so now I own one...



The trike is pretty decent for what it is and especially for what I paid for it. Its all there. Plastics, seat, exhaust and a gas tank is what I am missing atm in major bits and there will be a list in a sequent post with what I need, in anticipation that someone out there might have what I need.. Guys... ?

So there. Let's call this the beginning of something. Whatever that might end up being.. lol...

Now decision time, make this a resto project or go custom (tasteful)...

Cheers,
Chris

[jakep53]

looks like a good project I would do a custom build.....I think of it like this.....if I was a kid looking at this new on the showroom floor and I bought it what would you do to it over the years and how would you want it......CUSTOM all the way....

[just ben]

Clarke sell a very nice replacement tank for it but you will need the tank mounts. There is a member here that makes stainless mounts and I believe they are available in the 3ww shop. If not his board name is greenboy

[elvetost]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Jake this is where this is going me thinks too... I'll keep all the oem stull like the rubbers, caps etc, but play around with colours a bit..

Ben, I am aware of the Clarke tanks. Which is prolly the direction I am going with it. Thanks for the tip on the mounts man! Seen the shop now.

Anyone got a piccie of the Clarke tank for me to ponder on?

Oh! and I made some progress! Mounted my BLUE renthal brace pad on it now. Much more suiting than the yellow tat was there (gone to my woods bike that).

Next up, GET ER CLEAN! And order more parts...

Cheers,
Chris

[elvetost]

What do you guys think on keeping the oem front light and getting the surround for it, OR going with a honeycomb number plate on it?

Bike is NOT road registered and will be used off-road only...

Comments more than welcome PLEASE!

[just ben]

The Clarke tank is an exact copy of the OEM tank with the exception of using a different cap.

[elvetost]

Sweet! Found the thread too Ben, thanks man.
The Clarke tanks for the tecate sure look great!
Is that your daughter man? She is very cute. Bless her.
Thanks again man. It is greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Chris

[elvetost]

Pulled the trigger on many a bits yesterday! Wooohooo! The ball is rolling...
Got myself a new Clarke tank, rad hose kit, chain and sprockets, grab rail, levers etc etc and even managed to find an oem rear fender locally(as in greece) brand new!
Happy times indeed!
Few more bits to sort out and we are good to get her started, tested and dissasembled.
I can not wait...

[just ben]

Be sure to take some pics!

[elvetost]

She's alive!!!!
Wooohooo!!
This thing rocks!
Stuff some premix in there, a new plug and she fired right up!
There's a small issue with the gear lever not springing back (the return spring is prolly gone, easy fix, got the part) and the carb DEFINATELY needs a good old clean,
BUT everything works! She pulls strong and hard! The motor has a tonne of power, doesn't bog down and feels really healthy!
Happy times...
Here's some pics...



Please note the home made airbox cover and seating arrangment...
And here's a lil vid....

http://youtu.be/5jDSW1bWv_w

Now off to get more parts...
Cheers!
Chris

[elvetost]

So I played a lil more and pulled the airbox and carbs off..
Carb was pretty filthy but no near as bad as I expected it..
I hate these old mikunis. I really do...
The carb rubber boot is shot, rotted away and I was talking to john about making me a new one, but it seems its not gonna happen for a while.
Furthermore the reed cage plastic insert is fairly disfigured, yet the reeds themselves seem pretty decent.
So I got the idea to swap in my boyesen rad valve. This is a 1987+ kx 250 item (kx 500 and kdx 250 too)so the neck points further to the left and sticks a lil more out. about 1 cm more or so.
Then I mounted my spare PWK38 with the boyesen bowl and goodies.
I find these carbs to be much easier to tune right and work on.
So....this is the dircetion I think I am gonna head with this. I will not be able to run an airbox, which I dont have the lid for anyways, so a pod filter is on the carbs..
The new neck direction will actually help a lot with mounting the pod filter. Nothing else seems to hit (dont have a tank one atm though) so I think its a go..
Comments please?
Here are some pics...

[jeswinehart]

I would recommend to secure the carb some how so the intake manifold is not doing all the supporting. Glad you had a option on that part.

[elvetost]

Thanks John! That sure is something to consider man.
Having said that the boyesen rad valve has a cast alloy uni-body and should take the load easily. The connecting rubber piece is pretty heavy duty too and easily replaceable.
Its like hitting 2 birds with a stone this. 3 birds in my case with the delapidated parts..
What are your thoughts on dirt and dust retention on these pod filters? With a precharger unit on.
Cheers guys!
Chris

[elvetost]

And here's a lil vid of my mate Stefanos mocking around on the tecate 3..
You can tell we are having a blast by the giggling lol..

http://youtu.be/y6JeFR0GHBI

[elvetost]

Not much to update here as I have had my grandpa pass away on saturday and did not have much will or energy to think/play with my bikes..
The rad valve is now unavailable from my supplier too, so I may have to consider alternative solutions to this.. Oh well.. In time I will..

On a completely different note, I got contacted by a good old friend today and went around his house with my trailer and picked up another trike! lol..
This on is a yamaha tri-z 250. Uber rare this is Greece, got it for like 700$ US..
I'll post a separate thread on that build in a minute or two, got some pics of how it is now. Wont be like this for long though, I can tell you that.

Cheers guys
Chris