New Find 1987 Tecate

[bigredheads]

I just got this find yesterday, thought it was an 86 till i started looking at it further. It needs a lot of work. It came with a motor. ill well be needing a swingarm and rear suspension setup. Any help would be great.

[dcreel]

What is the little black plastic knob in the first pic? I was thinking a keyed ignition, until I saw it looks like something to aim your headlight..

[bigredheads]

Its the keyed ignition

[alexandros]

nice rolling chassis!!

How did you pay for this?

whats wrong with the swingarm? Is the rear brake caliper with a parking brake?


Its good for a start, you have the light bracket, and the air filter box that are rare to find!!!

[bigredheads]

the swingarm is a little beat up around the pivot, and yes the whole rear brake is there same with the front. what would be a good price for one of these. dont forget i did get a complete motor with it.

[alexandros]

All the swingarm were like this because they didn't use to change the chain slider, they were out of stock.
It can be easily fixed if you have someone who welds alunimium.

What are your plans for this trike?

A restoration or you thing of parting it out?

[bigredheads]

yes i am restoring it, looking to order the plastics soons and start working on it after finishing up a few more projects around the shop

[250rs-neva-die]

nice find man where in nh are you? ive been looking around this area for a t3 and no luck for a decent one with a fair price. what did you pay if you dont mind me asking? and where did you find it?

[MonroeMike]

Nice find, good luck on the restore.

[fabiodriven]

Depending on the condition of the motor I'd give $800 all day.

[bigredheads]

im in the concord area..thanks for the offer but shes sticking around here...

[jeswinehart]

im in the concord area..thanks for the offer but shes sticking around here...

Good call !
My 86 swing arm had serious wear marks from the chain too. And like Alex said, it is very repairable - I used the method he said.
There a couple of us on here making/selling replacement sliders if you are in need.
sblt500 makes VERY nice and affordable sets and I have my own version that will basically do the same thing.
I am looking forward to future post about the rebuild, very interesting.

Nice score ! john

[fabiodriven]

im in the concord area..thanks for the offer but shes sticking around here...

I don't want to but it. You asked what we thought it was worth. i just realized you're in NH. Get that thing up and running so you can come out and meet the boys.

[bigredheads]

is there anyone remaking parts, like skids amd such.

[fabiodriven]

There is a boardmember on here named SBLT500R that makes skids amongst other things. Holler at him.

[harryredtrike]

nice pick up,looks like a good start.congrats

[scottyms]

Good score.... I've been working on restoring an '87 as well.

just curious, is your vin# stamped in to the neck or on the top of the frame under the seat? the one i have has no #'s on the neck at all and a pretty obvious spot some one took a grinder to on the top of the frame under the seat...

scotty

[DixiePlowboy]

I like the low-profile rear plastic....not too many sets of those around anymore for the 2nd generation Tecate.

[bigredheads]

On my bike the vin # is on a decal on the down tube in front of the motor. i havnt found any stampings yet, ill go take a look under the seat to night. Any one know where the 86's are stamped

[sblt500r]

the vin is stamped on the steering neck. but most are worn off from the clutch cable wearing on it. mine was worn off also. i had to stamp a new number in it.

[ScottZJ]

NIce snag on the 87 bra! I have an 87 too but has alot of 86 parts on it. I have a key switch but have an 86 headlight frame, since mine didnt have one. Could you please take a really good pic of the key switch mount, as I am going to fab one on mine to use my key. Again, nice snag and build that baby up nicely.

[bigredheads]

Ok i just went out and looked at the bike, the vin is stamped on the neck and is worn down thats why i didnt see it the first time it is on the left side if you are sitting on the bike. ill get some photos up of the key bracket in the morning.

[VenomRS4]

Great find man. I had a complete one that needed minimal work and I let it go. Dumb move.

ScottZJ, heres a pic.

[brapp]

nice score make sme want to finish my kxt500

[ScottZJ]

Thanks Venom, thats exactly what I needed! Now I am sure it would be easy for my wifes uncles to fab something like that, as he is really good metal worker.

[scottyms]

ok fellas, yes i have had 2 other 86 tecate's both had the #'s stamped in the neck as every other motorcycle or 3wheeler i've ever seen. this one is different.... there's no #'s on the neck i had it blasted clean and there's no #'s no trace of them at all. also every 86/87 tecate frame i've ever seen was silver from the factory, this one was white. not a repaint either, unless someone whent through a very elaborate job of stripping every bit of silver off to bare metal and then painting it white... there's even white over spray up inside the back bone. any chance it could have been a replacment frame? would that have come without any #'s???

[factoryX]

dude, you can have a frame stripped all the way down, and then repainted...

[scottyms]

dude, you can have a frame stripped all the way down, and then repainted...

ya i've done it several times... this thing has been in the same guys hands since 92 and its always been white. all the frames ive seen always had a trace of the original color some where on them. no matter im not saying i have anything Holy Grailish here just seems odd. the frames not even any good every weld on the bottom of it is cracked and pulled apart, she was rode hard for many years. i bought it for parts. not to mention it still had the 1987 model sticker on the neck.

[bigredheads]

That does sound odd. i wonder what one would look like white all done up.