1983/1985 Kawasaki 3 to 4 wheel Frame Conversion

[Darley04]

Not sure where to land this question so i thought that i will start here.
I have recently purchased a Kawasaki 250 2-stroke quad, yes a 4 wheeler.
In an effort to identify the exact year and model i have searched every website known to man along with the Kawasaki.com website to look at parts pictures yet i can't find the machine.
The main points that i have is that the front end is fitted with four (4) shocks, one pair fitted side by side on each lower control arm. The rear suspension is the same as a 84/85 KX motocrosser and the Kawasaki 3 wheeler, ie: it has a large single up right link with a rocker system.

So after many weeks of searching i've come to the conclusion that the machine is a niche manafactured frame with the running gear and rear suspension from a Kawasaki 3 wheeler. I will post some pics as soon as i get the bike back to my place and get what numbers i can from the frame and engine, but i was hoping that someone may have a bit of info that might shed some light.

Rod

[SYKO]

I beleive there were only 2 companies that did the quad conversion kits ASTRO and 3X4 were the companies, Astro seemed to commonly use what appeared to be a LT250 front plastic (of course made for the modification per machine) and 3x4 did a seperate front end, but Ive only seen one 3x4 kit on a larger trike and it was a 350x. Dont think ive ever seen a tecate done yet though.

[Ironbnder]

A friend of mine here in La has a 84 Tecate trike that has a Suzuki Quad racer front end on it. It is a one-off fabbed in a backyard. To the common person, you would not know it was a frankenquad.

[MonroeMike]

Welcome to the site.

Astro Kit catalog.

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/oldsite/files/Manuals/AstroKit.PDF

3x4 ad.

[dcreel]

Post up some pictures, I'd love to see it.

[Darley04]

Here's the photos.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-1/1293707/KXT250T_Engine.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-1/1293707/KXT250T_Engine2.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-1/1293707/KXT250T_FrameNumber.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-1/1293707/KXT250T_FrontSuspension_1.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-1/1293707/KXT250T_FrontView.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-1/1293707/KXT250T_RearFender.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-1/1293707/KXT250T_RearSuspension_1.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-1/1293707/KXT250T_RearSuspension_2.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-1/1293707/KXT250T_SideView.jpg

[Thorpe]

That looks like a conversion to me....

[RacerRichie]

:( change it back............

[Darley04]

I understand that it is a conversion, but to what?
The fabrication and welding etc on the front end is as good if not better than what is on the original frame.
The MAIER plastics are a perfect fit and look "factory" although i know that it isn't. Someone has gone to a lot of effort to do the work. Even the front calipers are Kawasaki 4 wheeler parts and every thing is very well done and put together. What i am trying to understand is who is the manafacturer of the kit. Is it a USA kit or from soemwhere else in the world?

[Jerm1179]

no its not strange....if ya read the link for the astro kit above....all those kits came with maier plastics...my money is on the astro kit

[Eric250R]

That is an 86 Tecate, KXT250B1. That is an astro kit, thou the first I've seen with dual shocks up front. There is another member here who also has the astro kit on a 86 model. I can't recall at the moment who has it.

[MonroeMike]

FrankenWheeler's

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?62201-Well-It-s-a-T3-but-it-has-4-wheels....-*Edit-added-more-pics-on-pg.2

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?65644-Time-to-convert-the-Tecate-back-to-3-wheels...Help!

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?67365-Progress-pics-of-the-Tecate-T3-Un-Conversion

[Eric250R]

FrankenWheeler's

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?62201-Well-It-s-a-T3-but-it-has-4-wheels....-*Edit-added-more-pics-on-pg.2

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?65644-Time-to-convert-the-Tecate-back-to-3-wheels...Help!

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?67365-Progress-pics-of-the-Tecate-T3-Un-Conversion

Good example. Frankenwheelers is an 85. Someone here ( within the last year ) scored a 86 with the kit on it.....my laptop won't bring up anything in search so I can't really help much.

[hang&rattle]

I really like it. I like the conversions, I think because deep down you know the heart of it is a trike. It's actually neat to see the technology and schematics that go into em'.

[Slingblade]

I have an 87 T-3 with an Astro conversion. That front plastic is definitely an Astro piece. Looks like someones modded the front suspension,never seen one with double shocks. I'll snap some pics of mine tommorow and post them so you can compare. My front fenders are race cut, and not in the best shape, But just like yours, the welds look factory, if not better. I'm a 3 wheeler guy at heart, and when I bought this thing I had plans of converting it back (and still might) but Those front ends are actually some good parts, mine has fox racing shocks up front and it rides and handles pretty good.

[MonroeMike]

Another one.

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?106039-Tecate

[sblt500r]

it was an 87 kxt250 tecate originally. 87 because of the rear parking brake. with i would say an astro 4 wheel kit installed. front a arms are adjustable, which i would be aftermarket a arms for the astro kit, i don't think the astro kit came with adjustable a arms. double shocks in the front probably because the old front quad shocks were kinda weak. the kxt frames original welds are crap, both my frame stock welds are full of blow holes, so anyone with some welding skill can weld better then them, thats probably why the weld on front end looks good.

it looks good as a quad, and i wouldn't change it back. not many 86-87 t3's with 4 wheels.

[Slingblade]

I was thinking the same thing about the rear brake, but I wasn't sure. 87. Good call.

[ATC-RYDA]

Front fenders look identical to a 86 suzuki 250 quadracer

[Slingblade]

Like Syko mentioned, I think Astro used LT 250 based plastic (made for them by Maier) for all their kits, Some of the other front end parts, tie rods, brake pads etc. might be compatible as well. I'd like some education on these things myself since I own one. I'd also love to have a set of those fenders in good shape, talk about rare.

[harryredtrike]

I have an 87 T-3 with an Astro conversion. That front plastic is definitely an Astro piece. Looks like someones modded the front suspension,never seen one with double shocks. I'll snap some pics of mine tommorow and post them so you can compare. My front fenders are race cut, and not in the best shape, But just like yours, the welds look factory, if not better. I'm a 3 wheeler guy at heart, and when I bought this thing I had plans of converting it back (and still might) but Those front ends are actually some good parts, mine has fox racing shocks up front and it rides and handles pretty good.

you need to get pics of this beast up on the site

[mymint87]

:postwhore:postwhore:postwhore

Dang...the trikers here are real quick to throw the "CONVERSION" terminology around here....when I hear the word "Trike Conversion", I think of a trike with a different powerplant in it other than factory....



those freaking ASTRO kits should be referred to as nothing more than what they are......THE MISSING LINKS
:banned::banned::banned::banned::banned:

[rasorroad250r]

Frankenwheelers was turned back to 3 wheeler and i am the proud owner now.

[Slingblade]

Here are some pics of my beater so you can compare. "The Missing Link" I like that. 4 wheeler guys don't like them, 3 wheeler guys hate them, But when I saw this thing I just couldn't pass it up. The Polaris was lonely after I sold my Banshee and my 350x.

[Slingblade]

Ok, now looking at the 2, I see mine is different in a lot of ways, Different mounting points, Similar,but different A-Arms, mine look longer, but maybe it's just the pic. Different Frame in the front, Darley04 has a front bumper which I think was an option from Astro. Heck, I don't know what I've got.

[Jeepermc]

Maybe the double shocks is an Australia thing? Maybe the differences have to do with it being from another country.

[sblt500r]

Like Syko mentioned, I think Astro used LT 250 based plastic (made for them by Maier) for all their kits, Some of the other front end parts, tie rods, brake pads etc. might be compatible as well. I'd like some education on these things myself since I own one. I'd also love to have a set of those fenders in good shape, talk about rare.

the nose and rad cover are lt250r. the fender is the same untill where it mounts at the tank. maier must have made a special mold for them to fit right at the tank with air scoops and such.

the a arms and balljoints aren't suzuki on yours or the one in austrailia.