Long Live 3Wheeling Magazine

[firefirefire90]

So what I win dude? I hope its somethin sick! I can't wait! Unless its an old tube of "moto Lube" hah SWEET

[Fox250R]

Thats awesome! i never would of guessed lol

[3WW Star-oldfart]

You can only imagine what your butt will feel like after riding a good portion of the Baja 1000. Moto Lube (patent pending...), helps, but you still have to power-wash your riding pants afterwards. Would the winner of a brand new 1987 ATC250R please give me their mailing address for your prize.... Yeah, right. It will be cool nevertheless.

[Billy Golightly]

Hey Dean, I was just wondering, was drag racing competition that popular back in the day? Here on the eascoast its pretty popular, 300ft flat in the sand or on a loosely packed clay. You guys have hillshooting out there with the big dunes, When did that get really popular? Around the time the 250R came out I'm guessing?

[3WW Star-oldfart]

Sand drags were sorta big out here. Same deal, 300 ft/100 yards. Although most Team Honda guys lived at the dunes, so racing up the big dunes was a huge turn on. And there were guys who built hill shooters for the sport as well.

[chris200x]

Got my stickers yesterday THANKS! Got any more? They are great for holding my fenders together!

[america]

Hey Dean, just from an experienced perspective such as yours, could you explain what you liked about one brand over another? It seems like a large portion of the fans on the site are honda enthusiasts, but Im just wondering what different things you liked and disliked about each company. Thanks in advance!
-Corey

[3WW Star-oldfart]

I think it has to do with how you feel in the seat. Generally for me, the Hondas were a better thought out machine and everything just fell into place. It is a combination of power delivery, balance of the vehicle, ease of control, placement of levers, pegs, thumb throttle and shape of gas tank. During the early '80s, I felt that the KLTs were just not up to par with the rest. The early Tri-Motos were terrible in so many ways, but they had some serious obsticles to overcome just to offer any type of 3wheeler that wouldn't break Honda's patents.

For me, being 6'-1 and all legs, many of the ATCs just fit me better, and I generally liked riding in the sand, so from riding time, the Hondas just worked better for me. Of my all-time fav list, here are some of models I rode the most; US90, ATC 185S, ATC 200X, ATC 350X, ATC 250R, along with the Tri-Z. Going into the Quads, I would say Suzuki 250, Fourtrax 250R, Moto-4 200 Yamaha, and Fourtrax 200. And then, we stopped riding....

We had less problems with Hondas than the rest, Yamaha was not that easy with work with, Kawaski never had anything in stock or their test bikes were falling apart, and Suzuki just didn't have much in the 3wheeler era. I can also say that some of the test bikes were not production pieces, and I'm sure they were handbuilt, hand-selected jewels.... that's why we often bought them, just because they were so nicely put together. Hope this helps.

[america]

I think it has to do with how you feel in the seat. Generally for me, the Hondas were a better thought out machine and everything just fell into place. It is a combination of power delivery, balance of the vehicle, ease of control, placement of levers, pegs, thumb throttle and shape of gas tank. During the early '80s, I felt that the KLTs were just not up to par with the rest. The early Tri-Motos were terrible in so many ways, but they had some serious obsticles to overcome just to offer any type of 3wheeler that wouldn't break Honda's patents.

For me, being 6'-1 and all legs, many of the ATCs just fit me better, and I generally liked riding in the sand, so from riding time, the Hondas just worked better for me. Of my all-time fav list, here are some of models I rode the most; US90, ATC 185S, ATC 200X, ATC 350X, ATC 250R, along with the Tri-Z. Going into the Quads, I would say Suzuki 250, Fourtrax 250R, Moto-4 200 Yamaha, and Fourtrax 200. And then, we stopped riding....

We had less problems with Hondas than the rest, Yamaha was not that easy with work with, Kawaski never had anything in stock or their test bikes were falling apart, and Suzuki just didn't have much in the 3wheeler era. I can also say that some of the test bikes were not production pieces, and I'm sure they were handbuilt, hand-selected jewels.... that's why we often bought them, just because they were so nicely put together. Hope this helps.

Yes, it does very much. Thanks for replying!

[trikes4life]

after being on this site for 1 year and i never noticed this thread. It took 3 complete hours of reading and i finished it. i got to say this is the best thing i have ever, ever read on this sport. I was born in 1987 and never lived the life of a trike rider untill 1994. Than it was to late, Dean it was a blast to hear some of the stories and to learn about other riders, and the best part where about the machines. The stuff you seen with your eyes, i would give i life to see, and the stuff you had in your possesion, priceless. Wish i would of been around to see it. Dean are u still with us.

[bigred1981]

your like a God of three- wheelers. You've done and seen things i'm sure that me.. and many many others have only dream of

[Billy Golightly]

Hey Dean, I asked Mike this same question, but..do you recall when you first seen a dirtbike to three-wheeler conversion out in the wild? What was it and was it done well? Were they ever that popular?

[Chevy200s]

Hey Dean, great thread, I really enjoyed reading it. I had a question, my friend gave me an old Kawasaki kx 250, its one of the aircooled ones from the late 70's I believe. The motor looks a lot like the one on my 1983 aircooled atc 250R. I was wondering if you knew if Kawasaki ever made any prototypes or designs for an aircooled sport trike before the 1984 kxt with this motor. Sorry if this has already been asked in the past, just popped into my head, lol. Thanks!

[3WW Star-oldfart]

Sorry for the long delay in getting back on this forum. The only air-cooled Kawaski 250 that I saw was at the 1981 SCORE Riverside Off-Road Championships. This was the big debut of all the ATCs in front of a large off-road crowd, and of course, Honda 250R was the thing. But, unknown to all of us, when the first round of practice came out on Friday, there was a green Kawaski out there running around with full suspension and a decent amount of power! Well, after that flew by us a few times, once the first practice was compelted, we high tailed it back to the pits and went looking for their camp. But, it was no where to be found. What we later found out was, Lee Rogers of Kawaski R&D had brought this prototype trike out without anyone seeing it. And right after the practice, they locked it back in their box van. When Lee saw me walking around with a camera, he went and got into the truck. I never did see that trike close up. As you know now, Kawaski didn't come out with thier own production 250 until year later (only wished they had installed a counterbalancer in that engine!) I think I lost a few tooth fillings riding that one for a weekend.

What I find most interesting about this thread, now 50,000+ strong!, wow!, is that when we were in the middle of the '80s, we always looked forward to see what was about to come out next. But here, years later, most of you are looking back at what was going on then. Hmmmm. I believe that '85 and '86 were probably the best years, or just before the Quads came on strong. Although in '81 when the 250R was out, the ATV industry went full throttle almost instantly. Seeing the first 250Rs running at the 1981 Parker 400 Off-Road race was incredible. Now that was a great experience. And for us at 3Wheeling Magazine, when we beat Team Honda at the '83 Baja 500, and won the Overall ATC class, on a little ATC200X, well, it just doesn't get much better.

[Chevy200s]

Very cool, thanks Dean!