what to do,what to do......

[trizilla]

over the weekend i scored a decent deal on this 85 R. initially i bought it to sell and make a few bucks but now i'm not sure what i should do with it. i could use the money to put into the Tri Z project i have but for what i got into it i'm surely not going to get another. looks like it needs all the bearings, chain and sprockets, fork seals, probably some brake work, and it has some sort of shifting issue. as i remember it it runs through all the gears but has trouble going from 2nd to 3rd to 4th.. it also has something going on with the cobbled together front wheel hub. from what i can tell it has a 350x caliper and maybe the wrong axle spacers.

what i'm looking for i guess is some info on how hard its gonna be to find the hard parts i need that i cant get new. this is my first R so i have no expierence with trying to locate decent used parts. i'll be needing for sure, front caliper, axle spacers, maybe front hub, 1 inner fork tube, possibly a kicker, brake pedal and related components, and whatever i come across missing in the back.

Let me know what you guys think, and lets be realistic... we all want to save them all, but i have 9 other trikes, and sometimes parting these out not only helps the seller but helps several other guys get theirs back together.



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[atc300r]

It looks like a 200x front hub that was moded to fit the liquid r front rim. of the 3 top 250s honda,yamaha and kawi the hondas are easyer to find parts for. Good score.

[trizilla]

i got a pretty good deal on it considering it runs.. not really wanting to go through another honda though.. atc300r, any chance you wanna trade this for an auto x?lol

[3 Wheel Drive]

It sounds like a money pit, i think u would be better off either flipping it or parting it out. 9 other trikes plus this one, that's a lot of invested time and $$$ unless your other 8 trikes are good to go.

What to do, what to do..... Sorry I'm not much help. If I was going to get a 3rd generation R, it would have to be a red one that's all shined up complete with a cal fab swinger but that's just me.

[atc300r]

i got a pretty good deal on it considering it runs.. not really wanting to go through another honda though.. atc300r, any chance you wanna trade this for an auto x?lolI will think about it. Iv been wanting to get another liquid r.It would save me from building it with some spare parts I have. How is the motor around the case saver front sprocket area.

[C.J]

Part her out and try and help some other folks is what i would do if i had multiple of them

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Al of the external issues aren't too awfully expensive to address. But that shifting problem is going to be more involved. From the sound of it, you will probably need a couple if shift forks, if not all 3, along with the corresponding gears. With 3 gears not engaging, it would probably be best to swap out the whole transmission for a known working set complete with shift forks.

Transmissions and forks usually aren't cost prohibitive, but Honda discontinued the shift forks about 2 years ago so you can imagine whats going to happen to the prices of good used forks. Yukon sells heavy duty trans gearsets for 2nd through 6th gear. That will run you about $600 last I knew. I haven't looked to see what complete useable OEM gearsets go for these days. But they are out there and usually much cheaper than Yukons.

Good used OEM transmissions and shift forks aren't terribly difficult to find between forums like this one, and don't forget there are 2 good 250r only forums on the web. There are always guys on those forums buying and selling just like here. As a last resort there is EBay also..

I have seen worse machines brought back to life, but I don't know what your cutoff is for how much you want to spend on this one. But just to address the transmission, I would estimate you will spend around $200 for a complete used but serviceable gearset with forks. Plus the gaskets and other usual components needed to do a full engine tear down..

[poohbee1]

Its not worth saving its to far gone to much work and way to much money. part it and get your money back

[Yamaha_Rules69]

I don't think its too far gone at all. It looks like all the main parts are there, and the rest are easy to find for that model. I have started with a lot less and ended up with a great bike in the end. If it was me, I would rebuild it to nice rideable condition, but then again I don't have a liquid R..... yet. I cant believe everyone above said it was junk, they must all have mint r's.

[captainweezy]

I think it could go either way. The bike itself looks like a decent rider but getting into the motor tranny etc is time consuming. If you have the time and the investment is minimal I think I would make it a rider again. At the end of this month I am going to have 9 trikes myself. Way too many to maintain so I will eventually sell a couple. I have the room but I just don't want to maintain that many. Good luck with whatever you decide

[C.J]

I do agree that it's a GOOD base to start with for sure. I started with way way worse with my LT250R.

But be honest guys.....

If you tore it down to look at the transmission,

How many of you would HONESTLY put it back together with the exact same piston and rings? There's at least buying a piston.

Gotta buy the correct front hub/axle/caliper/spacers as well if they ain't laying around already.


I personally would keep it,,,,, you should see my Penton, you'd understand.

But this is one of those times where you gotta be EXTREMELY honest with yourself.

Hell, even a loooooonnnggggg back burner project (like my Penton) would be fine too.

It comes down to what YOU feel you need to do

[atc300r]

Not everyone said it was junk I see potential.Iv also started with less.My 81 was in pieces aswell as my 83 .

[Buck Snort]

I agree! Its a good find that should get a little tlc.
I don't think its too far gone at all. It looks like all the main parts are there, and the rest are easy to find for that model. I have started with a lot less and ended up with a great bike in the end. If it was me, I would rebuild it to nice rideable condition, but then again I don't have a liquid R..... yet. I cant believe everyone above said it was junk, they must all have mint r's.

[Xowner]

If you wanna fix it I should have all the parts. Would trade for some z parts lol

[RIDE-RED 250r]

I do agree that it's a GOOD base to start with for sure. I started with way way worse with my LT250R.

But be honest guys.....

If you tore it down to look at the transmission,

How many of you would HONESTLY put it back together with the exact same piston and rings? There's at least buying a piston.

Gotta buy the correct front hub/axle/caliper/spacers as well if they ain't laying around already.


I personally would keep it,,,,, you should see my Penton, you'd understand.

But this is one of those times where you gotta be EXTREMELY honest with yourself.

Hell, even a loooooonnnggggg back burner project (like my Penton) would be fine too.

It comes down to what YOU feel you need to do


^^^^^^^^^^very VERY true indeed!^^^^^^^^^^

My old 250r I got back together this winter ended up costing a fair bit more than I had planned. I started out saying I would "get by" on quite a few items and ended up spending more money because I couldn't deal with a sloppy kicker, etc, etc... If I had not gotten many of my parts I needed at great prices from members here it would have cost even more.

Point is, it's easy to start on a budget build that will get it riding again and plan on using some "just getting by for now" parts. But what ends up really happening can easily be totally different.

I still see a trike with potential and worth getting back up to par. But it's really up to you Eric if you are in a position to commit to it even if you put it on the back burner for awhile. My old R sat in my shed just a rolling chassis and a shadow of it's former self for about 5 years before I got her back together and rideable. And I still am not "done" with it yet.

[C.J]

Point is, it's easy to start on a budget build that will get it riding again and plan on using some "just getting by for now" parts. But what ends up really happening can easily be totally different.

THIS is what gets us. A BUDGET build. The first 110 in my signature? Timing chain was wonk so I started a "budget" build to get her running again. Repaint frame, replace timing chain, air filter and rear brakes. $3200 later ITS STILL NOT DONE.

[poohbee1]

[QUOTE=Yamaha_Rules69;1258453]I don't think its too far gone at all. It looks like all the main parts are there, and the rest are easy to find for that model. I have started with a lot less and ended up with a great bike in the end. If it was me, I would rebuild it to nice rideable condition, but then again I don't have a liquid R..... yet. I cant believe everyone above said it was junk, they must all have mint r's.[/QUOTE never said it was junk just to expensive to fix

[trizilla]

i appreciate the input...... with at least 2 other trike projects going it make it tough to hold onto this one. i'm still undecided as to what i wanna do. at this point i'm waiting on some other parts that should come with it ( i.e. kicker,shifter, and the chain) to assemble it and take it for a ride to diagnose the shifting issue. i'm leaning towards keeping it and building a rider out of it. because i work at a shop i can buy most all of the chassis parts it needs at cost. and if xowner is gonna provide me with the front end parts and whatever i need to fix the shifting issue on trade i wont be out much there.. stay tuned as i let my indecisiveness get the better of me.lol

[CRAZY70MAN]

I got some parts for ya Eric if ya need em.....

[trizilla]

I got some parts for ya Eric if ya need em.....

thanks! i'll let ya know

[trizilla]

i've decides to at the very least fix this thing. with 160lbs of compression is should run decent.

got a couple questions about it...


85 or 86 front hub and axle work? i dont know if there is ant defference.

is the 350x caliper the same as the r? i know the mount must be different. if the caliper is the same i only need a mount...

can anyone easily verify wether the trx shift forks will work in this engine?

i'm lookin to grab the front hub stuff by the end of the week. if any 3ww members wanna cut me a good deal on them lmk.

[just ben]

there is some 85r parts on buffalo craigslist

[oldskool83]

it can be a cool runner but if your building somthing else whats the point to now have to builds going. It well used. I'd part it, make more money and focus on your Triz

If i was in the market I'd buy it off you but I've started a bandito 110...

btw 86-87 200x front hub is the same as 85-86 250r front hub. 350x caliper should be about the same also not sure.

[atc300r]

Eric if your serious about trading for a 200x auto Im up for it. I talked it over with my son. Let me know.DP

[trizilla]

Eric if your serious about trading for a 200x auto Im up for it. I talked it over with my son. Let me know.DP


i am serious. if you can do the driving i'm down for it. wanna get it done asap.... was gonna build it but i can use the auto x for wifey. got a few extra parts for it too... lmk if we can get it done,thanks

[Mosh]

i've decides to at the very least fix this thing. with 160lbs of compression is should run decent.

got a couple questions about it...


85 or 86 front hub and axle work? i dont know if there is ant defference.

is the 350x caliper the same as the r? i know the mount must be different. if the caliper is the same i only need a mount...

can anyone easily verify wether the trx shift forks will work in this engine?

i'm lookin to grab the front hub stuff by the end of the week. if any 3ww members wanna cut me a good deal on them lmk.

85 and 86 R hubs are the same and the spacers as well.
One year of the 350X front caliper is the same. The dual piston design. The caliper mount will transfer but you have to use the R caliper mount on the dual piston 350X caliper. 350X front rotor is the same too.
The R spacers one is smooth,the caliper side has a built in shank or washer that mounts towards the fork body.
All 250R trans gears will interchange, but I would run matched sets if you can. Most times you can get a complete cluster on Ebay for about 100-150$

You will find that getting R parts is much easier than Tri-Z stuff.

[Marty]

If you have extra parts I will tell you it is a keeper
But if it is shift forks, bad shift drum, crank shaft and front hub, and spacers those are all discontinued and may be hard parts to find for you, and a bit pricy! If you have the money to burn keep her entertain yourself putting her into running shape if you don't part her out and save others that may need help.

[Xowner]

Eric me and Andy have the parts get with one of us.