to buy a 350x astro conversion or not?

[cattle-dog]

ok i need some help here. i do some pretty rough trail riding and hill climbs. the thing is even with regular upkeep it is putting a serious toll on my 250 r and tecates i have rolled the r twice this year on a monster hill, mine are nice and i dont want them ruined, so i have been tossing the idea of a quad around and have been looking pretty hard,
then the astro conversion 350x that has been in our ebay/craigslist section here 4 or 5 time is back up forsale. so i need to know anyone here ever road a conversion? do they handle decent? the suspension good?
i really need some input here as i will buy it by the weekend so i can ride it this weekend in wellsville ny. it has all the conversion paper work and a registration!!!!! the origonal 350x booklet.
the bike looks new.

[harryredtrike]

how much?????

[cattle-dog]

sorry around 1500

[harryredtrike]

if it is in good shape i would offer a liitle less,its worth the 1500 but as you said its been for sale a couple of times.thats the whole 350x with astro kit right

[atc350xer]

got any :pics:?
never heard of a 350x astro kit...

[TatTooL23]

i understand trailprotrailpro riding needs but personally i hate the conversion kit......sooooo ugly......i have no clue how they ride or anything, but to do that to such a great ATC in the first place.....i have seen the one u r talking about and it does look clean. i am in NY also

[code200k]

i would.just beacause its not a bad price for a three fiddity x let alone an astro kit

[RapidRick]

Most of the conversions I've seen out here are 1500

[2Tim215]

I just think its a shame they added the conversion kit. If it can be converted back I might chase it. I see it is a welded conversion but the photos don't show how it was done. It will be interesting to see if anyone bids! Hopefully you can get a better price but even with the conversion that I don't personally like it is still a Honda 350 for 1500.00!!! I added it to my Watch list to see what happens. I'm by Seneca Lake, hope it goes well for you if you buy it! I was also wondering if the registration is for a 3 or 4 wheeler???

[puggerton03]

It is a nice wheeler. When the guy first listed it a couple months ago he wanted I think 3 or 4 grand. It looks real nice but I don't think it would be as strong as a real 4-wheeler for the hard riding that you say you need it for. Also that thing is too nice to beat on and roll.

[cattle-dog]

i am only 60 minutes from holley and am trying to get the owner to let me see it in person. it has been for sale off and on for close to a year it was on craigslist 2or3 times. i wouldnt pay much more than 1500. but am kind of cautious as it maybe a scam he wants a 65 dollar deposit if you win, maybe to cover ebay cost if it isnt paid for? i wrote him and asked if i could pay in person when i pick it up if i win.

[ATCeeya]

its been on craigslist forever

http://buffalo.craigslist.org/rvs/1832501665.html

hes asking 1500 OBO

[three_wheelin45]

I saw a mint converted 250r at my local trike specialist shop...It look so freeking stupid, I honestly think the astro kit is pointless. Go buy a quad if you want one there every where, the kit ruins the trike and sadly trikes arent every Where :(

[Vealmonkey]

The astro kits don't compare to a modern day quad, but they are neat for what they are. Conversion kits kept many a privateer racing in their day. You could always buy the astro and then find a cheap used frame and switch everything over. It would be a shame to cut up a nicely done astro kit. They really are a part of trike history even though most people don't like them. Not many astro kits around. If you really want a quad that's not a bad price. But if you trash the front plastic, I don't think it's too easy to find. Best of luck with your decision either way. I can't ever understand why the astro kits, or any conversion kits get such a bad rap. If they were welded nicely, they were nice during their heyday. I've seen a couple messed up astro kits though. Really inspect where the kit is welded to the 350x frame. If the welds look decent, then it's not a bad deal.

[SWIGIN]

The astro kits don't compare to a modern day quad, but they are neat for what they are. Conversion kits kept many a privateer racing in their day. You could always buy the astro and then find a cheap used frame and switch everything over. It would be a shame to cut up a nicely done astro kit. They really are a part of trike history even though most people don't like them. Not many astro kits around. If you really want a quad that's not a bad price. But if you trash the front plastic, I don't think it's too easy to find. Best of luck with your decision either way. I can't ever understand why the astro kits, or any conversion kits get such a bad rap. If they were welded nicely, they were nice during their heyday. I've seen a couple messed up astro kits though. Really inspect where the kit is welded to the 350x frame. If the welds look decent, then it's not a bad deal.



I agree, they were a great thing in there day but nowadays I wouldn't think of owning one to ride.

[Xpress]

The astro kits don't compare to a modern day quad, but they are neat for what they are. Conversion kits kept many a privateer racing in their day. You could always buy the astro and then find a cheap used frame and switch everything over. It would be a shame to cut up a nicely done astro kit. They really are a part of trike history even though most people don't like them. Not many astro kits around. If you really want a quad that's not a bad price. But if you trash the front plastic, I don't think it's too easy to find. Best of luck with your decision either way. I can't ever understand why the astro kits, or any conversion kits get such a bad rap. If they were welded nicely, they were nice during their heyday. I've seen a couple messed up astro kits though. Really inspect where the kit is welded to the 350x frame. If the welds look decent, then it's not a bad deal.

I can see if someone took the time and did it nicely, but otherwise I think it's pointless to convert a trike to a quad. You might as well go out and buy a quad, and save a trike.

[SWIGIN]

I can see if someone took the time and did it nicely, but otherwise I think it's pointless to convert a trike to a quad. You might as well go out and buy a quad, and save a trike.

Like I have said before, when these kits were made quads were new to the market. If you raced at that time (trike ban) this was the only way to race the machine you sank a ton of cash into.

I guess most people dont get it........

Looking back its easy to say ''they should of just bought a quad'' but the triker who raced and wanted to keep racing his TRIKE in the late 80s had no other choice.....other than throwing his trike out just to build another machine.

[inv3ctiv3]

I suggest you look for a 400EX, you can find one for about $1500 easily and it feels very much like a 350X (I own both). What happens if you bend an a-arm on the astro? The 400EX is easy to get parts for because they still make it.

[hang&rattle]

If you look at what you're spending (and the possibility of them comin' down on price) a good quad is worth it. Neat thing is, it's a 350x underneath. Seen a few late modes trx250r's for around that price and a few quadsport/racers (you can tell I admire the old 4-wheelers). A 4-wheeler for $1500 is a good price (maybe lower), and if all fails 350x's are very sought after. Just see if you can ditch the tank, that's what's ruining the looks, otherwise, if you're a 350x fan, it looks nice.

[cattle-dog]

yea the tank sucks and i understand finding frontend parts would be hard

[dcreel]

For the right price I would buy it in a heartbeat

[leviblue]

If you like it buy it. I think it's cool and a bike most riders would ride over and check out when your on the trail. It doesnt look to dif than the old LT230's. I think more of the older riders(35 and up) see it as history while the younger guys who were not around at the time just don't understand what it was like back in 86-87. I knew a few guys who didn't have the cash for a new bike at the time and if you wanted to race you did what you had to. You couldn't trade in your bike and people were scared to even ride a trike because they were considered "DEATHTRAPS" that flip over and kill at will. Heck some states wanted to take them from you. I'm sure you could mod a part or two if you needed to. I'd low ball the guy and see what happens but if your gonna be rough on it go out and get an EX400. Their cheap $1000-1500 and parts are everywhere.

[bigworm626]

Like I have said before, when these kits were made quads were new to the market. If you raced at that time (trike ban) this was the only way to race the machine you sank a ton of cash into.

I guess most people dont get it........

Looking back its easy to say ''they should of just bought a quad'' but the triker who raced and wanted to keep racing his TRIKE in the late 80s had no other choice.....other than throwing his trike out just to build another machine.

We get it. But that's the more reason not to get it. Were not in those times anymore. just go out & get a a original quad. No need to get a conversion.

[SWIGIN]

We get it. But that's the more reason not to get it. Were not in those times anymore. just go out & get a a original quad. No need to get a conversion.

I would not buy one either but I get tired of guys saying stuff like '' why would you ever do that to a trike''........those were the reasons.