A Wild Duckster appears!

[MojaveRider]

Saw an ad for a generic Kawasaki 3 wheeler on Craigslist, and it turned out to be a Duckster. The plastics are complete but very dry and powdery. The carb is missing at least the idle screw and maybe more, but the rest of the bike seems pretty complete. I think I paid a bit too much for it, but I haven't seen many Ducksters for sale around here.

198763

198764

[coolpool]

I think you did the right thing picking it up; looks fairly complete. Next to un-obtanium they do seem to be rare no matter where you live.

[MojaveRider]

Does anyone know where the frame number/model year is stamped? There is a sticker on the neck with some info, but there is no year.

[wide'n'low]

awesome rare find...I literally haven't seen one in person since I was about 7 years old(im 30 now lol)

[UFLBret]

What makes it a Duckster? Just the camo graphics? I assume its a 200cc? My buddy has a black one and it is near mint. I rode it last weekend and it is fast. It beat me near to death though, the full rigid rode rougher than anything else I could remember. And I don't think I've ever been on a 3-wheeler that had a limited slip, that was very strange, tip it up on 2 wheels and you lose all power to the ground. It felt extremely small due to not having a tank between my knees. Pretty cool machine though. I asked if he'd sell it and he said not for under $1200. A little rich for my blood. It was identical to yours except the plastics were all black and didn't have camo graphics. Didn't have a gun rack either. :)

[MojaveRider]

What makes it a Duckster? Just the camo graphics? I assume its a 200cc? My buddy has a black one and it is near mint. I rode it last weekend and it is fast. It beat me near to death though, the full rigid rode rougher than anything else I could remember. And I don't think I've ever been on a 3-wheeler that had a limited slip, that was very strange, tip it up on 2 wheels and you lose all power to the ground. It felt extremely small due to not having a tank between my knees. Pretty cool machine though. I asked if he'd sell it and he said not for under $1200. A little rich for my blood. It was identical to yours except the plastics were all black and didn't have camo graphics. Didn't have a gun rack either. :)

I think the camo graphics are the only difference between a regular KLT200 and a Duckster. Yes, it's a 200cc. The rear diff is actually dual mode: open (pick up one wheel and no-go), or you can lock it. There is an adjuster inside the chain cover that lets you change it, but I'm pretty sure it requires tools.

[Super350]

gun rack and "soda" holder......classic :D nice score

[fabiodriven]

RoostinATC on the boards here can give you some Duckster lessons. You have to ride it in a bathing suit and water shoes and "quack quack" when you happen upon other riders.

[MojaveRider]

RoostinATC on the boards here can give you some Duckster lessons. You have to ride it in a bathing suit and water shoes and "quack quack" when you happen upon other riders.

Other riders already think you're a quack when you're on a KLT... :)

[Frankencelery]

I owned a KLT200. What a strange bird that machine is. Maybe that's why they made a camo version and called it "Duckster". Total utility machine, no suspension, rattles the teeth out of your head to ride it. But it has a manual clutch! And that locking differential.....the complete picture is like :wondering

[MattDragontamer]

A little off topic... but when I saw the title for this thread, I thought of my Gameboy days playing Pokémon... yea...

[UFLBret]

I owned a KLT200. What a strange bird that machine is. Maybe that's why they made a camo version and called it "Duckster". Total utility machine, no suspension, rattles the teeth out of your head to ride it. But it has a manual clutch! And that locking differential.....the complete picture is like :wondering
Yeah I forgot to mention the manual clutch. That part was really cool as well. However for a utility machine it really is more of a hinderance IMO. I had no idea that you could lock the diff. I wish my 200ES had an option to open diff. That would make it much more palatable to ride it on the street if I put DOT tires on it. The way it sits now, not so much.

[Frankencelery]

Someone refresh my memory on this, but it seems like differential lock/unlock mechanism got much easier in last year or so. Did you say what year it is?

[MojaveRider]

Someone refresh my memory on this, but it seems like differential lock/unlock mechanism got much easier in last year or so. Did you say what year it is?

I haven't figured out what year it is. There is a tag on the steering neck with some info, but the year model isn't listed, and I haven't found a VIN or frame number stamped anywhere. Does anyone know where it is located at?

I did get it to fire last night. I had to fix the coil wire to plug connection (it was just bare wire wrapped around the end of the plug), but it did start with some carb cleaner. The carb condition and fuel pump are definitely suspect.

[Frankencelery]

Fuel pumps are highly prone to fail on those. Easy to test...pull the fuel line from the carb. If gas comes out with the ignition on, it's not the fuel pump!

[MojaveRider]

Fuel pumps are highly prone to fail on those. Easy to test...pull the fuel line from the carb. If gas comes out with the ignition on, it's not the fuel pump!

The fuel pump was making noise last night, so it is doing something, but I don't know if that something is pumping fuel haha. The carb is missing at least the idle mixture screw (previous owner lost it trying to clean the carb), so who knows what else is wrong...

[MojaveRider]

Well I feel silly. I found the VIN, it was stamped right on the neck as you would expect. It was dirty so I didn't see it at first, but it's there. It is an '83 model, which matches what I've read online that the Duckster was only made in '83.

[roostin atc]

You may be right that they were only made in 83. Mine is also a 83. Not the best handling bike, probably the most dangerous trike I own. They are very long and narrow making it handle like no other trike I've ridden. Here it is at trikefest. 198942

[MojaveRider]

You may be right that they were only made in 83. Mine is also a 83. Not the best handling bike, probably the most dangerous trike I own. They are very long and narrow making it handle like no other trike I've ridden. Here it is at trikefest. 198942

You bike looks very clean! Nice!