1985 Honda ATC Build/Refresh

Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
Hmm, well I don't know where to put this, there seems to be some confusion amongst different dictionary's as to just how many wheels a Motorcycle has, but some say 3, so I'm sticking it here. It doesn't have enough wheels to be a car.

So here you have my off road "Motorcycle" The infamous 3-wheeler, or as I like to call them, the best ATV's ever made.

I'm rebuilding my 1985 Honda ATC 250 ES "Big Red" I totally ignored the poor thing for too many years. Despite other projects, I need to either start using my junk, or get rid of it. My Dad asked me to help him fix up his 250SX a few weeks ago and I realized how easy and pleasant these are to work on compared to something like a full size vehicle, so this shouldn't take too long. (Getting Dad's back in shape only took a few days work, took me longer to get the parts in.)

From my first inspection, it needs:
Handlebar grips
New Rear tires
New seat cover
New battery
Carb rebuild
Fuel tank cleaning
Some clutch or driveline issue I haven't quite pegged
Some engine knocking issue I'd like to find
Kickstart gear
Fix brakes

I'll probably loose the crank winch and the cooler (or in my case, a bucket) holder. I think I'll keep the chainsaw mount, that can be handy, and of course those gun racks are staying.

Pulled it out of the shed, blasted the dust and dirt-dauber nests off it. Here are "before" pics.

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The on board tool kits, Honda original. They even have their own little compartment under the seat. This was back when manufacturers knew you might need to fix something and didn't cheap out on everything.
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This stuff was sticky, gooey, and a pain to remove. Good thing it doesn't like acetone.
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Timrich

Super Duper Moderator
Founding Member
Location
Central FL
Nice! I grew up on one of these! My buddy had one and we drove that thing everywhere. Those are great bikes. I'd love to have one.
 

J Everett

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Houma, LA
My dad had a few 250 Big Reds. I was too little to ride them by myself, but I remember them fondly. I'd love to have one.
 

Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
Glad to see I wasn't the only one to grow up on a 3 wheeler. I was beginning to think we were a dying breed, I mostly get strange looks from people my age if I mention a "3-wheeler." I hear, "Oh my those are dangerous." "Aren't those illegal?" and similar uninformed statements. Old school is still cool, after all this thing is older than I am.

I've literally been on them since I was a Baby, there are photos (that I'm not posting here :p ). Before I was born my folks had, and still use, a 185S and a 250SX. It wasn't their style to stop riding because of "the baby," I got packed up and went too. It wasn't a hobby then, it was just what you did. The story goes when I was fussy they put me to sleep by taking me for a ride. I got this Big Red with money I saved working odd jobs around my early teens. Part of me almost wants to sell it because of other projects, my trucks, and not nearly the area to ride on I used to have access to, but after I fix it up I have a feeling I won't be able to part with it.

I'm picking at it after work, got it mostly stripped down to the mechanical bits. Needs another session with the power washer now I can get to the hidden areas.

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Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
I'm in the guts of it now. A trip to Harbor Fright today and I came back with a cordless impact, I had a stuck nut on the centrifugal clutch, hard to do anything with it since the crankshaft moves. Well I decided to give that impact a try, I kinda wanted one for changing tires anyway, and it spun it right off, I was impressed. My air imact just blows. Seriously, that's all it would do, blow air and make noise....

Now I need to start pulling clutch packs out, making my way to the timing chain which I plan to replace. I also need a one way bearing in the disk clutch pack, may replace the clutches as well.

I'm thinking about tires as well. Will be the last thing I do but the most expensive parts I have to buy. I can't find one for the front I like in the size I want, but there are lots of options for the rear.

I'm liking these 2 tires for the rear right now, I'm torn between the Kenda Bear Claw and the ITP Mud Lite:

Bear Claw:
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Mud Lite:
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NismoFire

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Smyrna, TN
Just saw this..I flipped myself off one of those things when I was a kid. Landed flat on my back!


My dad has a Polaris Sportsman 850 that he takes to Mississippi out in the flooded rice and bean fields during duck season. He put Bear Claws all the way around and loves them. The water is usually about thigh deep and those tires almost act like paddle wheels in the water. Durable, pull well, and clear well, too. You won't be disappointed in them if you get them.
 

Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
Sounds good, I was leaning toward the Bear claws anyway. Only thing I didn't like was I think they weigh a bit more, but that will probably not be noticeable. I only have 2 to worry about after all.

Only front tire I can find is a gaudy Maxxis tire, might not look too bad next to the Bear claws though, sort of a similar tread. My issue is I want a size that is an inch narrower than stock, stock size is a bit crammed in between the shock forks, and that extra clearance makes it a lot easier to deal with, looks better, and improves handling a bit.

This is the only front tire option I appear to have if I get new:
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Made a lot of progress today. Got to the timing chain and got it off.

All clutches look good, think I'll leave them be. I got the one way bearing out, it clearly slips but it doesn't look worn, strange.

Now I need to get parts in the mail....

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Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
Well the engine is back together. And I got all the systems hooked up to run it. Had some issues with the fuel tank but put it into place for a test run.

No freaking joy. Won't hit a lick.

Oh yeah and I have an oil leak....

Oh well, guess I'll have to go back over it one thing at a time...I'm hoping it's just the carb, doesn't seem to be getting fuel to the combustion chamber. Since I screwed with the timing I suspect that as well, but heck it's going through all the cycles.
 

Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
Ha, I wish it was only a seal.

It must be the timing. I just tore it back down and rechecked everything, made some adjustments, got all timing marks perfect this time, hoped that was my issue, and re-assembled everything. No joy, still won't run. I'm not too happy. I don't mind working on stuff, but when I get into problems that have no logical reason to exist, I get very annoyed.

I'm getting some help from a 3 wheeler forum, not that they have been much help, friendly enough responses I guess, I just get asked all the obvious "make sure I'm not an idiot" questions to which I have to go over and say, yes I did all this obvious stuff that is even written out in the service manual, what else that isn't obvious might it be....
 

Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
Ha ha someone noticed I stalled out. Thanks for the interest. It's not dead, although Thanksgiving holiday set me back, and general busyness.

I found a new valve, and then once I got the old valve out I found the valve guide was cracked. The new valve guide and O-ring just came in this weekend.

Next week I'll be quoting shops to press out the old guide, ream in the new one, press that in, lap in the new valve, and compress the springs back in place. I'd do it but my little garage is no small engine shop, I lack the specialized equipment and hate to buy it all for a one off job.

If the quotes are beyond reason then I'm not sure. I'm possibly looking at around $150 in labor just to assemble my new parts, with me having done all the hard work of diss-assembly and acquiring new parts (All NOS or OEM, actually parts are reasonably priced.) I'm not thrilled with how this project snowballed, all because there is a "T" and an "F" mark that are hard to see, and I used the wrong one.

But maybe in the next few weeks or so, I'll have the precision work done, then I'll have some time off during the holidays to put it all back together. (And this time I think I can set timing correctly, fingers crossed!)

My reward at this point is if I get it back together and running, if it would snow real big while I'm not working so I can ride in it.
 
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