How Much Faith Do You Have In Your Trike?

[bigredhead]

You know.

I've had 3 trikes so far.. 2 that i've ridden a fair amount.

I trust that my SX will start and i'm confident she'll run as expected... but being the only one around riding on a 250cc 4 stroke.... 20 years old :w00t:

Worries me sometimes. :crazy:

I see 2 or 3 year old quads break down often enough surprisingly, so nothing is guaranteed when you head for the trails. New or Old

My ride will do 55mph, cruising speed .. about 40.. without having to beat it too hard.... Top of the line utility quads 700's will do 70 plus.. sure but i like riding at a speed that alows me to see the sceens.

I hate to have to be towed home.. that just sucks and ruins everyone's day, have not had to have it done yet.. even tho i have had to use a tow rope to hold my bike together and limp to the road !! :lol:

But.. if you don't ride it.. you'll never break it. so .. just use the thing and have fun right !

:TrikesOwn

[Dammit!]

Maintained properly even at 20 years old I'd say there as reliable as anything else out there. Especially if it's a Honda. :lol:

I can count the number of times all of my trikes combined have gotten me stranded on one hand (and I've been riding trikes since 1981). All but two were due to accidents. Those two were me being stupid and not having a spare plug with me on a 2-stroke (dumb!) and the other was a thrown chain on my 200x. Broke the case and got itself wedged in there so tight I had to pop it off the rear sprocket and push the thing home. And that thrown chain was due to lack of maintenance on my part (severely worn front sprocket) so you could say every single time it was my own fault.

[bigredhead]

Not bad.

I've had my swingarm fall apart at the seams and got home hagning from the right foot peg.. but i have hearing a rattle or a vibrating footpeg or general paranoia problems.

By the time i'm done.. i will have removed and checked every nut on this thing... oh god the hours..

[Lomax]

I have found alot of trikes (with some tlc and proper mantinence) to be as reliable or more reliable than the newer quads. Back then, machines were built to last, now, they add all the flash and gadets to make them sell. Knock on wood my trikes have never let me down.

[wheelie king]

My 200s is all original and has less than 100 hours on it, and literally runs like new. I have the most faith in it, compared to my other rides. A backpack with some sandwiches, drinks, and some chain wax, and I would take it cross country!!!! :lol:

[Jason Hall]

If you keep up on them they are as reliable as a brand new ride, Especially if its red. :lol: :beer

[edog]

My 225 starts every time.I have owned it for almost two years.

[Tri-ZNate]

I still can believe my SX runs after so many hours of beating the piss out of it. My friend does the same with his polaris 250 trailblazer and now has to put a new piston in it :rolleyes: I'd take my SX over almost any newer quad.

[250rAL]

Mine has been towed home once in 16 years. More often it is the tower rather than the towee.

[Hornetpowerspor]

I have owned my 250R (daily driver) for about 10 years now. The only time it let me down was my neglagence. I would ride that thing anywhere.

[350Xhilaration]

Mine has never let me down. It always starts and runs perfectly.

[threewheelin-feelin]

well i have faith that both of my 3wheelers will run here very soon :D

[Honda23088]

I dont have that faith in my Big Red anymore. It wont start, but its awaiting a carb rebuild (which I think will fix the starting problem) But if that doesnt work, I dont know what to do. And I just dont want to spend too much money on my trike.

[Yardbird]

I've had my 350X for 20 years and it's NEVER left me stranded. A couple of times I've crashed pretty good (stupidity on my part) and thought I couldn't make it but never the 350X. I've always changed the oil regularly and the engine has never been apart. Still runs like it did 20 years ago when I was a pimpled face high school kid. :lol:

[Kintore]

Well the tri-z even though it has only been mine since march 8th, I have put lots o lots of miles on that thing. I usually ride at least 1 and half hours a day. The only thing I have done to fix it was reeds, it sat for like 10 years only being driven once every 5 or so years. I replaced them and away I went, I recently just had a problem, my air screw was out to far, my own fault not the Z. I would take my Z anywhere, anytime! I love that unit and am currently stocking up on Z's and parts for tri-z's to keep at least one going for a long long time. I love 3wheelers and I love my TRI-Z! :TrikesOwn

[nouseforaname90]

I have 110% faith in my SX. And the same with my dads 2 Big Reds. I have had my SX for going on half a year now, and it has never left me stranded. Never even broke down or sputtered. My dads Big Red's (which I have rode for 3 years now) have never left me sittin somewhere either. The one DID have a slight problem where it broke down about 10 ft. from the garage door once, but that was easily fixed. The carb needed cleaned.

[OldManDM]

i`ve had to push or tow a couple home over the years,but i was pretty hard on em,and if you look at my signature and see how many i`ve had over the years,then you know somethin is bound to have a problem sooner or later,but they`ve still been more dependable then any other motorized thing i`ve ever owned(including my baby,the car that is my avatar,LOL)and i swear by Honda,best atv builder in the business as far as i`m concerned!

[BIGCRIP28]

i have ALOT of faith in mine.
never left me stranded. well once my throttle cable broke about a quarter mile from the truck. but come on it was like 25 years old sitting out in the rain and humidity.

[oddball3]

My 250r and my wifes 200x which I have completly rebuilt. I have complet faith in. My 350x since I bought it I really havent touched it motor wise, I also have faith in. Nothing would stop me from taking either one out and going for any lenght of ride...

[darrel632]

I have 2 KLT 250's an A and a C their nicknames are the "tow trikes" because I use them to drag everyone else home - generally on 4 wheels, once they were both tied to a 2000cc sand rail for a 10 k trip with 3 passengers!!. 2 failures -one a CDI (it happens)one a drowning last weekend (teenager) in 8 years. Its running again!. the tecate has issues and fails to come home sometimes(18 years of hard sand riding) The Yamaha is new to the family, It does ok for a semi-auto

[hotroddal]

the only machines that i trust would be my 250es big red and my 85 200x

[AZ250R]

I trust my current 250R to the ends of the earth and back!!! :w00t:
Well cept it only goes about 40 miles on a tank of gas... :twisted:

[250r'en +TCB]

If I had to to choose a machne to ride strait into hell, I'd be on my R, and I'd be haulin A** cause it would proubly be hot as a mother down there!

As far as I'm concerned, if it's a HONDA product, if YOU take care of it. Their is not limit to it's lifespan. My machines 20 years old, 5 years older than me!!! Yet it still SCREAMS by all those people who think trikes are old and outdated junk heaps! :w00t: :beer

[mbubbac]

when i had my trikes i beat the piss outa em and they held up 2 my beatings and they were 20+ years old. i had a yamaha blaster and all it gave me was problems so yamaha 2 me sucks balls and honda rules

[250r'en +TCB]

^^^ Well put, good man!!!!!

Blasters are proublem childs, I broke the A-arm on my friends once. I didn't even land hard at all.............what a piece of crap!

[trikes4life]

I trust my tike more than i would trust my mom!!!!!!!

[benb1984]

i had my old big red red for about 2 years since then its been rolled, twisted, twisted back, over revved for ages on end trying to keep up with bikes, bent 3 rims, dragged sideways up goat tracks between trees, near lost in the mud, needed welding together, lost exhast pipes, and been places no trike should go... all during heat waves in summer... but she always gets back to the car running.. i dont see it having any problems going for another 25 years

[Name Brand]

I don't have 100% faith in my SX; that's why I carry tools. Going by the build date, mine is almost 25 years old. Parts of it have broken with or without my help. It's been towed out once after punching a hole in one of the side cases on the engine, causing all the oil to drain out. My friend and bystanders simply pushed it into my truck after I wrecked it badly. My starting system has failed on me a few times and I have a fork seal to repair when I get back.

I am confident enough in my SX and my abilities to run and wrench on it that I don't hesitate to take it anywhere I can. I have gone to some very remote, dangerous places by myself and always made it out without too much trouble.

[dcreel]

I've owned my 1984 Tecate for 20 years, and it has had one piston and rings. It still starts every time. 1 time I lost the rear tires out at Rasor road. I forgot to tighten the lug nuts. the 2nd time was recently at Little Sahara when the left side foot peg broke loose and touched the ground. Took it in to town and had it rewelded.

It is still my favorite, and gives me thrills to sit on it. The only bike I would ever replace it with would be a 86-87 Tecate.

Here it is during the last rebuild, before the Midwest rampage at Little Sahara, OK
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w182/dcreel/bikes002.jpg

[longboardnj]

i have more faith in a well kept 4 stroke atc then any new FOOL injected or esp or chock full of wires quad

[shadix518]

well my 250sx runs really good but one day i was riding about 55-60 on a country highway to my friends house after ridng(about a mile) and it just died....the day before was riding and killed it to talk for a sec and went to start it back up and nothing.....turns out a ground wire came off....

[Dirtcrasher]

One large difference is that we have to search to get our parts and put allot of effort into getting things tight and like new again.....

I personally make sure every bolt has been touched, every thread has been chased and everything that needs maintenance gets it.

Knock on wood - But every Honda I've owned has been super reliable (aside from the 70's) but they never got a thorough going thru.

If you spend an hour wrenching for every 10 hours of riding, you won't have any major issues, unless you suk...... :D

[ceaserthethird]

Never had a Honda 250R let me down yet .... even when they had problem's !

[1984ATC200S]

I have no trouble in taking my 200S any wheres, usually end up helping out others on newer 4 wheelers, and if something breaks, i usually no why, and it is mostly my fault for not maintain it properly, but before i go out on my next run i go over good, so id say 100% faith in it, except for this last run i was doing good this year

[leokendall]

Never been towed, but done alot of towing, never broke down, only stoped on me one because the gas was turned of.
If the bike don't get stuck in a bog, it will be smooth ridding, lol on a hardtail.

[Meat-BoX]

I trust my 86 Honda 200X over my Tecate and my King Quad. Ive put over 1000 miles on it up at camp in the last 2 years and every mile with bad bearing all around. It always starts right up even after sitting all winter. All I had to do was give it a tune up, rear brake work a front tire and plastics and shes treated me plenty well. Shes down this summer for the bearings and a few minor things. The Tecate pisses me off. Its as new as can be, but if something isnt rattling off something will prevent me from getting the miles on it I want. Damn thing died 30 minutes after getting the new stator and flywheel done. Lost spark again and I have no clue. Everything is brand new except the CDI I got used. Got to go through it again and see whats up. I wanted that to be my main ride at camp this summer. Lots of Sand and sweet trails up there. Looks like I will be on the quad all summer though.

[MyMistress86R]

In the 2+ years I had my 86R, I never once fretted about hitting the trail for the day with no more than a plug & wrench. Why do you think I have my screenname? My trike treated me better than my wife did!!!!

[beets442]

Maintained properly even at 20 years old I'd say there as reliable as anything else out there. Especially if it's a Honda. :lol:

I can count the number of times all of my trikes combined have gotten me stranded on one hand (and I've been riding trikes since 1981). ......................+1 Been riding all over PA,IN,IL,MI. broke down once, 1/2mi. from my friends house cause the original airfilter, a piece broke off and got sucked into the intake. Properly maintained they'll go anywhere!!!! Beets

[Northman]

I have had a 1983 Honda 185 s and owned it since new, so in 26 or so years it has always started every spring, never been towed . I now have my pride 1986 250 es as I haul alot of wood and stuff at cabin but, I would not take a new quad in trade as these Honda's LIVE FOREVER

[HaggLE]

Mate across the road has a 90, it has pretty much no compression but you start it and ride it and put it away...

Friends had a 200s motor in a 200x, it was worse for compression yet it used to go and go... that one finally got pulled apart, the rings had an end gap of about .120" instead of .003"!!!
Thats reliability.

[Gearheadtom]

Mate across the road has a 90, it has pretty much no compression but you start it and ride it and put it away...

Friends had a 200s motor in a 200x, it was worse for compression yet it used to go and go... that one finally got pulled apart, the rings had an end gap of about .120" instead of .003"!!!
Thats reliability.

When I bought my old Honda 200e, there was only one compression ring, and it ran.

[Tecate250]

Lol Well I find the less the maintance the better the bike works. Befor I spent alot of money getting the tecate hoped up it ruined the reliability of the bike. My 82 250 was reliable but did not feel right on it. I want another big red/sx but there too small.

[85Tecate]

As of right now i have NO faith in my T3. It breaks down EVERY single time i ride it. Ive lost silencers, kick starters, clutch adjustment bolt, cable snaps out of nowhere, fouled plugs (my fault)
flat tires, loose chain starts skipping. (cost me a new front sprocket). It seems its always something new every time i ride. This winter is a COMPLETE rebuilt so im hoping its VERY reliable when im done......IF not ill take it out in the woods and pump her full of lead :D

Edit* Forgot i lost my chain tensioner and 2 bolts out of my carrier also in one ride.

[daniel_250r]

my pull starter assembly got completly buggererd last ride the drum inside snapped( damn you honda using plastic), i trust my china bike alot more than my big red.

[85Tecate]

i trust my china bike alot more than my big red.

DOH!!! :banned: :banned: :banned: :banned: Lol.

[daniel_250r]

do you realize the suffering involved in trying to bump start a trike in the middle of the woods by your self?

[Twilight]

I trust all my Honda's. My Pilot, Gyros, ATC's. I ran my 2 stroke gyro on straight gas when i ran out of oil for a full 30min at half throttle. Still runs to this day.

My 87 250sx now seems to take lead, I clean and maintain it and its pulled my friends dead bikes out like it was brand new.

[Tecate250]

:lol: :lol: :lol: Yeah been there. But no plug fouling and always flat tires.

As of right now i have NO faith in my T3. It breaks down EVERY single time i ride it. Ive lost silencers, kick starters, clutch adjustment bolt, cable snaps out of nowhere, fouled plugs (my fault)
flat tires, loose chain starts skipping. (cost me a new front sprocket). It seems its always something new every time i ride. This winter is a COMPLETE rebuilt so im hoping its VERY reliable when im done......IF not ill take it out in the woods and pump her full of lead :D

Edit* Forgot i lost my chain tensioner and 2 bolts out of my carrier also in one ride.

[code200k]

i have more faith in my z and the 200k when it was together then the truck i picked my Z up in!

[Yamada]

do you realize the suffering involved in trying to bump start a trike in the middle of the woods by your self?

That not a problem for me... I even push started my ytm-200 on a frozen road. Just lift the rear and run :lol:

[Gearheadtom]

That not a problem for me... I even push started my ytm-200 on a frozen road. Just lift the rear and run :lol:

I've started my 200m like that quite a few times... for fun. I just put it in 3rd, lift the rear, push, drop, keep pushing until it starts.

[ilmoakw]

I have two 200S and a 200ES and i trust them 100% to bring me wherever I want to go to and back...

[Kintore]

Race a whole race season without fouling a plug. Trust the ole girl till death do us part!