250R Guys, I found the Holy Grail! Check out this tank!

[grundlegrabber]

Came across this tank last week, just got here today. It is some type of prototype 250R race tank, one of the designs they fooled around with before producing the 250r short track tank kit. Here's what the guy I bought it from told me about it:
Rob,
Im glad you like the tank. Im not sure if the production short track shrouds will fit or not. The history on the gas tank. When Team Honda had a race team in the early 80's , Japan used to send us one off Works parts for our race bikes. This is one of the four factory race tanks, that was sent from Japan. I think this one was off of Mike Coe or Marty Hart's bike. Its just been sitting around for years. I wish I had the shrouds for you, but I just dont have them. I have not seen a missile bike in a lot of years. I hope you enjoy the tank, take good care of it and its very rare. Its a pice of ATV history. If you look in the old ATV magazines and see a picture of Mike or Marty, that is the actual gas tank. No joke.
Tom
So anybody have an old mag with one of those guys with this tank on their bike? Do you guys think this story is real or is the guy BSing me? I have never seen one like it before!

[Tyler 54]

Wow, thats Crazy looking..... Not sure of the story. Sounds good ??

To bad you dont have the fins

[Darius1502]

Thats incredible...this needs to be a sticky!!

[Lots_Of_Nothing]

Looks goofy, I'd never run it.

Still cool though due to the history.

[Darius1502]

I think its awesome. Just to know that Honda made it and to think back about how it was and the R&D efforts they took...it just makes me miss the old days.

I thinks its awesome no matter what anyones says. Call me a 32 year old kid if you want...it awesome!

[Lots_Of_Nothing]

I think its awesome. Just to know that Honda made it and to think back about how it was and the R&D efforts they took...it just makes me miss the old days.

I thinks its awesome no matter what anyones says. Call me a 32 year old kid if you want...it awesome!


Still cool though due to the history.

:rolleyes:

[greenhuman]

Just looks like your ordinary Honda race tank to me. I bought a new kit a while ago. It came with new bottom triple clamps and I think it had brackets to move the radiators back.

[250RNUT]

Is that the one that was on ebay with a buy it now for $150.00?. It's a cool tank but useless without the shrouds, which would have to come from the land of unobtainium.

[twgranger]

I don't see anything goofy about that tank. :rolleyes: It's nice no matter what anyone says. I wonder what shrouds would fit it.

[Jeb]

I'll keep an eye out for it next time I'm browsing old mags. I figured it was going to be a white gas tank with a strange shape shrouds that you see on their old 200R works bikes. Not the selvey or other kitted 250R bikes, but the genuine factory works 200r's.

Great score! :beer


Check out the first pic it MIGHT be your tank! The second pic shows the white tank I was talking about. It just might be a stock 200X tank. :D

[Orangecnty250r]

Is that the one that was on ebay with a buy it now for $150.00?. It's a cool tank but useless without the shrouds, which would have to come from the land of unobtainium.


I always say nothing is unobtainable. Theres times when you think you will never find what you need and when you least expect it the opportunity presents itself.. I saw that tank on ebay with the buy it now and I new it wouldn't last long. Congrats :w00t: its a great tank ---with research, patience and help from members on this board you'll eventually find those shrouds. This spring my mission is to drive back country roads around a former 3 wheeler flat track for yard sales or bikes put out in the front of yards and hitting some of the largest flea markets to scour for parts. I'm looking forward to the treasure hunt and hopefully finding rare parts at some great buys which would be a nice break from ebay- Part of the hobby THE HUNT

[hrc85250r]

well, if you cant find any, have some custom ones made out of fiberglass or carbon fibre and have them gel coated honda red..... and they can be any shape you want....

[Billy Golightly]

Whats the difference between that and a "normal" short track tank? Can anyone tell? You ought to post a link to this thread in the 3wheeling magazine thread grundlegrabber, Maybe Dean might have some insight on it.

[Bad Karma]

Here's some pics of a tank I bought from someone on this board. The major difference seems to be at the top where the filler is....

[Bad Karma]

couple more...

[Orangecnty250r]

Here's some pics of a tank I bought from someone on this board. ...

That set up is awesome- Is that an original decal on the right shroud. If it is can we have a close up.

[Bad Karma]

I guess it is. I bought the tank and shrouds from PLJ, maybe he can shed some light on it... I'll see if I can get a close-up pic of the decal.

[deathman53]

thats a cool item, it doesn't look like that even fits on the stock frame, the shrouds would have to be different than regular short track shrouds also.

[grundlegrabber]

Hey guys,
Yes it is the one off ebay. I knew if I didn't jump on it someone would pick it up, and I figured if I changed my mind about it I could always sell it for at least what I paid. Could have used the $$ for other things right now, but how often does something like this come along? It seems to be more narrow and pointy in the front than a regular short track tank. The finish on it is not the smooth shiny finish that a new honda part would have, it looks to have been finished by hand. It will mount on a stock frame. Hard to tell but I don't think it is the same as the one in those old pics (they are some cool looking race trikes tho). The idea I had in mind for this tank is to use it on the missile bike I plan on building. That is, as soon as I find a missile conversion kit! That would look great sitting next to the stock 85 R that I am trying to put together. It's funny how things work. All these people taking the bikes apart to sell the parts, and here I am trying to buy all the parts to assemble a bike.

[Billy Golightly]

Is there any numbers or embossing on the bottom of it? Anything? Would be neat if there was some japanese characters on it like that one topend a dude over at .org has and then it says Mugen in english. Factory race parts for sure.

[PLJ.]

Yes, that was my tank and shroud set that Bad Karma purchased. All of those decals and the warning sticker are 100% original. The warning sticker is very cool. You should post the actual wording Bad Karma. I hated to part with it and I will probably regret it forever, but it went to someone on the board at least. The rare prototype tank in the pics looks at bit more pointy in the front than an HRC shortrack tank. As for the shrouds, the actual "shortrack" shrouds are almost extinct. I should know, I owned the tank for a year before I had any shrouds!! I had to go back to where I found the tank to track down the shrouds!! Going back a few years though, about 15-20, Dennis Kirk and CT Racing advertised aftermarket shrouds for the HRC shortrack tank. I have never seen any myself but it appears that Mairer or some other plastic manufacturer actually reproduced these very rare items. Keep you eyes open maybe some will surface. Thanks.

[deathman53]

so thats where they got the shrouds in the different colors, you know what a pair of maier shortrack shrouds was on ebay about 6 months ago, the holes weren't drilled yet, the guy was selling the two new shrouds with one stock right hand shroud. I got lucky and found a set of new short track shrouds and I don't think they will ever leave the box, I have a spare set of shrouds(decent) and I'm currently using kinda crappy shrouds on my bike. I'll use them till they are unusable. I predict a plastic welder will be ordered with the next order on Rocky Mountain ATV as a attempt to extend their life.

[Jeb]

ChrisD had an 85 250R with white short track shrouds. :)

[Billy Golightly]

I posted the link to this thread in the 3wheeling magazine thread and Dean replied back, http://3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?p=206270#post206270

[grundlegrabber]

HondaATC, thanks for getting in touch with dean. I tried to PM him but I don't think he ever read it. Thanks to everyone else who has tried to help ID this thing. Here's a shot of 3 tanks, the stocker on the left, HRC production short track tank in the middle, and the mystery tank on the right. Mystery tank has a smaller fill hole and uses a smaller cap. There are no markings of any kind on it. It is not shiny smooth like the production tanks were, it is a little duller and appears to have been gone over with some sort of buffer or something when it was made. The mounts on this tank are in the same position as the other tanks and it does seem to fit fine on the stock 250R frame. If anyone ever comes across any more info about the tank I sure would like to know about it. Thanks,
~ Rob ~

[Billy Golightly]

That tank is so cool. I definetly think it wins the award for coolest old part. Can't be many of those around at all.

[hrc85250r]

contact clarke and see if they know anything about it....

[83185s]

thats bad ace for an r..id put it on there if i had one!!

[Darius1502]

I saw your mystery tank on a Mike Coe 250r in a Dirt Wheels ad. I beleive it was a DG ad and there is full page black and white ad where he is sitting on the R with both legs off to one side.

If I get a chance I'll find it again and scan it in for you. It is certainly the same tank. I'll let the pictures prove it. Looks like its an ad circa 85. It was in almost every issue from that time. Someone will find it.

Sorry but I have been awefully busy. 99% sure you have the same one I saw in the pic.

[SneakyATC250R]

I have the picture you are talking about...and it does look to be that tank. How do i get a url for my pic....sorry for the noob question. I would love to post this picture for all to see. Darius's description is spot on.

[SneakyATC250R]

Got it! Here is the ad with possibly your gas tank.

[whiteR]

hey www.dcvmx.com has reproduction short track radiator shrouds 59.95check em out

[Billy Golightly]

I wanted to bump this back up, don't think too many ever seen or can remember it :)

[Dirtcrasher]

Just reading it again is super cool!!

Someday we'll get an injection mold guy on here and he'll make em all up for everyone :D

[CoeShow]

The story is legit! That is one of the original short course race tanks. Unfortunately, you will likely never find any correct shrouds, but keep looking. You never know!

Mike Coe


Came across this tank last week, just got here today. It is some type of prototype 250R race tank, one of the designs they fooled around with before producing the 250r short track tank kit. Here's what the guy I bought it from told me about it:
Rob,
Im glad you like the tank. Im not sure if the production short track shrouds will fit or not. The history on the gas tank. When Team Honda had a race team in the early 80's , Japan used to send us one off Works parts for our race bikes. This is one of the four factory race tanks, that was sent from Japan. I think this one was off of Mike Coe or Marty Hart's bike. Its just been sitting around for years. I wish I had the shrouds for you, but I just dont have them. I have not seen a missile bike in a lot of years. I hope you enjoy the tank, take good care of it and its very rare. Its a pice of ATV history. If you look in the old ATV magazines and see a picture of Mike or Marty, that is the actual gas tank. No joke.
Tom
So anybody have an old mag with one of those guys with this tank on their bike? Do you guys think this story is real or is the guy BSing me? I have never seen one like it before!

[TRIZTUNES]

Hi,
I have a update on this tank.

I found a set scoops for the tank.It took stock ones.I'm using the 200r ones I got from
bill"orangecounty250r"

thanks Tunes!!!!

[Brockey]

Need pics please. Cool tank

[falloutboy]

ok. looks like I only read the first page. LOL.

[Xhumeka]

If this tank was around the same time as Coe and Hart, pm CoeShow and see if he knows anything...

hahahahah, take a look 3 posts above yours mate ;)

[dcreel]

hahahahah, take a look 3 posts above yours mate ;)

I was wondering when someone would say something... reading comprehension ownz joo :lol::D