what is so good about 3 wheelers?

[louder=better]

hello guys and gals, just wonderin if ya could tell me what is the pros and cons of these 3 wheelers. i recently had a beartracker (dont laugh it got me around and to 40mph haha ok laugh :lol: ) that i sold for a rm 125 and i dont like it one bit. it is sittin in the shop now and as soon as it is out i want to sell it. i was hopein to buy one of these cool lookin 3 wheelers with the money i get. just wonderin if you guys could tell me what the 3 wheelers are all about, the differences in handling between them and quads. how good do they handle? are they something i can keep up with my buddys on the trails? are they good trail machines? how easy do they flip over? (that is all i hear when i say something about buying a 3 wheeler, is that they flip way to easy) can you go up steep hills? what is the maitenece on them? I.E.. how long can i go without having to rebuild the motor? is there any preferences on a 2 or 4 stroker? things like that, cause i have been lookin to buy a 3 wheeler for a lil while now and i think i really need to have one, they look like loads of fun. sorry if that is alot of questions, which it is but i guess i am a curious buyer. any advice you can give me on the topic is greatly apreciated. thanks alot.

[Dammit!]

The sport trikes handle great. You just need to use a lot more body english than a quad. Think of your body weight as the fourth wheel. If you ride them right, they don't tip over too easy.

2 or 4 stroke is a harder question. You want all out speed? Get a 2-stroke (250R, Tecate or Tri-Z). If you want good power but not quite so crazy get a 350x (4-stroke, great torque, awesome trail machine). The 2-strokers can be made to be great trail machines too though. Don't get me wrong. Some people just like the power delivery of a 2-stroke engine.

Maintenance is no different than a used quad.

You can hill climb just fine on a trike but again, you gotta do it right. The front end is lighter than a quad so you have to use your body weight to compensate.

Edit: if you just want a good trail machine and aren't concerned about speed, the 250sx and the Big Reds might be worth checking out as well. Both are semi-automatic trannys. Not nearly as sporty but good trikes.

[louder=better]

hey thanks alot for replying. that anwserd most of my questions right there. but yeah that is the thing speed will be a factor, i want something that will be fast, it dosent have to do 90 mph but i want a lil upgrade from my beartracker, dosent even have to be as fast as the rm125 that i have but something that when you get on the trottle you know that there is something there. and it has to be a trail machine when i buy it with no modifications, cause budget will prolly be tight. but the speed i will need is goin to have to be enough to keep up with a kawasaki mojave, that may not be to fast but it was faster than my beartracker so i need something that i can leave the mojave in the dust with, will a 350x do the trick? cause if it will and it is a good trail machine that sounds like a good place to start lookin to me.

[350xBomb]

When it comes to riding a 3wheeler vs. 4 wheeler, one of my favorate analogies is that a 4 wheeler is like a mechanical bull and a 3wheeler is like a real bull. 350x sounds like it will do you just fine if your up against a mojave. If your anywhere near Oregon I happen to have a very clean all stock one for sale.

[atctim]

A word to the wise - If you have never ridden a three wheeler - don't expect to just hop on it and go flying down some trails - you'll need to practice - Most any average Joe can hop on a 4 wheeler or a dirt / mx bike and ride it around with no problems - take that same average Joe - with no instruction, and put them on a three wheeler, and he will tip over in the first 5 minutes of riding. You must get the body English down before you take on challanging terrain, or high speeds. Its not something you can just read about and do either - it takes years of practice to get good on one - but once you can ride a trike, your skills are way better than most quad guys

Just looking out for your well being.

[Kintore]

I 100 percent agree with Tim on this one. Practise is the major key. My dad rode a old tri moto when he was 20, hasnt ridden since until now for a few years with me. He still remembers the skills he needed, it stays with you. But it takes long to develop your skills. Depending on how agressive you ride, the duration and stuff it took me 2 solid years to feel comfortable on a trike in the steep trails, hillclimbs all that.
But now I feel I have the skills to do alot, and that only comes with Practice!


About the Choice, get a 2 stroke. You like power its a 2 stroke, if your all about trails and putting around get a 350x.


As somebody said in the Ribbing thread- "you cant buy skill":lol:

[250r'en +TCB]

I got my 250R a little over a year ago and I havn't looked back to a four wheeler. Trikes are harder to ride, defiantly for the more advanced rider....... But once you get good you can do cirlce around the quads because they just can't handle that fast.

I have flipped my R really only once, and it wouldn't have mattered if I was on a quad, I still would have rolled it.....

Make no mistake though, these machines are more dangerous for the adverage rider than a quad!!! When you start talking about the 250 2-strokes and the 350X you are talking about a LOT of power!! PRACTICE is a must when you get the machine. Don't just go out and hit the trails or grab a handful of throttle and start banging through gears, the handling is nothing like a quad or bike!!! Keep in mind that if you crash doing anything over 30mph you'll be lucky to live, that goes for bikes, quads, sleds and trikes!

Like I said, I love my 3-wheeler and I'm never going back to a 4-wheeler!!

[Dammit!]

but the speed i will need is goin to have to be enough to keep up with a kawasaki mojave, that may not be to fast but it was faster than my beartracker so i need something that i can leave the mojave in the dust with, will a 350x do the trick? cause if it will and it is a good trail machine that sounds like a good place to start lookin to me.

A 350x will have a top speed in the low to mid 60's. A 1985-86 250R will have a top speed in the mid 70's on hard pack. Not that great a difference but the acceleration and power delivery difference is huge. From what you're telling us, I think a 350x would do you just fine. They have good power with smooth delivery. You can pull the front end off the ground at will. Great all around sport trike. I'm not very familiar with the Mojave but I think it's just a 250 4-stroke right? I think the 350x will be quicker.

The water cooled 2-stroke trikes were designed to be race machines first and trail machines second. Ridiculous power and acceleration. You'll smoke that Mojave with one. Badly.

[edog]

hey thanks alot for replying. that anwserd most of my questions right there. but yeah that is the thing speed will be a factor, i want something that will be fast, it dosent have to do 90 mph but i want a lil upgrade from my beartracker, dosent even have to be as fast as the rm125 that i have but something that when you get on the trottle you know that there is something there. and it has to be a trail machine when i buy it with no modifications, cause budget will prolly be tight. but the speed i will need is goin to have to be enough to keep up with a kawasaki mojave, that may not be to fast but it was faster than my beartracker so i need something that i can leave the mojave in the dust with, will a 350x do the trick? cause if it will and it is a good trail machine that sounds like a good place to start lookin to me.


If you wany something faster than your Bear Tracker,this will do.

http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=55154

[gravelord]

listen, i dont mean to offend you but you sound young. a kid could hop on a bear tracker, and ANY ONE can beat a bear tracker.... i DONT SUGGEST A 350X OR ANY 2-STROKE as a first trike!!!! the fastest trike you should buy is a dx225 or a 200x. and trust me, youll keep up with a mojave or beat one on a 200x with the right rear tires, there are MANY other trikes out there that would be better. please, im looking out for your safety. trikes hold their value, buy another one as a first trike. get used to it, learn how to ride one, then upgrade. or else, every one will be saying "i told you, that you would flip now your in a wheel chair" if you just hop on some 350x or tri-z and gun it. ive got a 200x, and ive owned many bikes and im fairly impressed with its power for a 200cc.... if you really want to just go with getting something fast for your first trike, just get a 200x, but if you dont want to deal with a clutch - get a 200m. theres no back suspension, but you wont miss it because the bear tracker barely had any to begin with. my 200m was one of my favorite trikes, with 20's on the rear it turned great, balance points were good, it was AWESOME IN THE MUD, low maintenence, electric start, and 5 speed. i believe 200s is a similar bike. i suggest one of those. so please look into it before buying a 350x or something like that. wish you luck

[traxxasx]

Well lets just say my engine is 21 years old, and is still on its original piston rinngs everything, start first pull 2.

[dickieg89]

My first trike was a big red, I'm not a speed freak or anything, I'd suggest you start out with a 200cc of some sort, I don't know if the bear trackers were semi-auto or not, all the 200cc's were semi-auto except the 200x. I personally really enjoy having my big red w/ electric start, my 200s is recoil only and a beouch in the winter to start, just my 2 cents.

[Dammit!]

I don't subscribe to the theory that a hardtail is a safer machine just because it's slower/less powerful. A fully suspended sport trike is infinitely safer in my opinion.

It's true though that a 350x or a 2-stroke sport trike might be a bit much to start off with. I've taught people how to ride a trike for the first time on my modded R before though so it isn't completely unheard of. A 350x is easy to ride so I wouldn't worry about one of those as long as he's big enough to handle it and smart enough to be patient when learning to ride it. The smarter question to ask would have been, how tall and how heavy is the rider. If louder=better here is 6' 3" 190lbs, he's going to feel cramped on a 200x and too big a rider on too small a machine is just as dangerous as the reverse.

[willcamach]

i would have to agree with whats been said about starting off on a 200x. Then working your way up to a 350x or a 2 stroke. I started on a 200x about 2 1/2 years ago and i just sold it last week i now own a tri-z and a 250r. i definetly feel they are too much power at times for me and ive been riding trikes for 2+ years now. start with the 200x its small but fast enough to have fun and learn what it takes to ride a fully suspended trike. Before you leap into one of the big dog trikes. im glad i started small and think you will be also.

[cragster]

200x would be a nice 1st ride. How old are you again? A 350x might suit you well too, I think trikes are stable. A 200x or 350x will be a good one for you. Or maybe a 225Dx becuzse the you will also have electric start/

[ATCR250R]

Especially edog's DX! That thing is mint! :D

[bingham]

When you get on and you are about to tip over or having trouble. Just dont put your feet down. Worst thing you can do. Good luck on your decision. Glad you can over come others and hop on a trike

[El'Capitan]

I got my 250R a little over a year ago and I havn't looked back to a four wheeler. Trikes are harder to ride, defiantly for the more advanced rider....... But once you get good you can do cirlce around the quads because they just can't handle that fast.

I have flipped my R really only once, and it wouldn't have mattered if I was on a quad, I still would have rolled it.....

Make no mistake though, these machines are more dangerous for the adverage rider than a quad!!! When you start talking about the 250 2-strokes and the 350X you are talking about a LOT of power!! PRACTICE is a must when you get the machine. Don't just go out and hit the trails or grab a handful of throttle and start banging through gears, the handling is nothing like a quad or bike!!! Keep in mind that if you crash doing anything over 30mph you'll be lucky to live, that goes for bikes, quads, sleds and trikes!

Like I said, I love my 3-wheeler and I'm never going back to a 4-wheeler!!

lol, not quite true....i missed a corner on my 350X and hit a bush going about 30-40mph, all i got was scratched up, and the bike was still looking greal. the bush slowed me down alot, then the tree stoped me :)

[dakota13]

the first trike i ever rode was my dads first trike.....an old 81' racing 185. That thing halled ass. I was 8 when i learned. Now i have a 85' 200x that no one can keep up with.

[Tri-ZNate]

Or maybe a 225Dx becuzse the you will also have electric start/


Didnt the Sx come with electric start too? ;) anyway a 350x is probably more than a new rider can handle, start small and work up.

[El'Capitan]

my first trike was a 350X, maybe im just gifted but i was riding it hard in no time. i learned on the dunes tho, so its not like my first time out was some rough trails. but the SX would be a great starter trike

[random-strike]

my 200x is the first trike ive owned, i mastered it in about 2 weeks, and started looking for a 350x.

if you plan on doing any serious riding or hill climbing a 200x does not have enough grunt. they are fun, and they are not slow but they just don't have the grunt to go up steep hills. plus they are very light and have a short wheel base so they are easier to flip backwards on.

[random-strike]

ahha, about crashing at 30+ and not living that is one of the stupidest things ive ever heard.

[OZQUAD44]

I agree with most the guys here, pretty sensible suff in the main.

Don't expect to jump on a trike and rip straight away, give yourself time to learn the handling traits of a trike. Sounds a bit daunting but once you have mastered a trike you'll wonder what you ever did without one. They are great fun.

As for a first timer, I'd suggest a 200x, 250sx, or a 225dx. full suspension, electric start or easy to kick, relativly a low centre of gravity with a usable powerband. Any of these bikes will smoke a beartracker. the 200x sold like hotcakes in the 80's so there should be a heap around plus they'll be cheaper than a racer.

In time you'll probably want to trade up to a 350x or twostroke racer, but having that grounding on a more usable trike will make you a better rider. Walk Before you run so to speak. In no time at all you'll be backin it in with the best of them.

[nouseforaname90]

my first trike was a 350X, maybe im just gifted but i was riding it hard in no time. i learned on the dunes tho, so its not like my first time out was some rough trails. but the SX would be a great starter trike

Not quite. The SX is actually very tippy for a trike, and it seems to be able to bring the front end up alot easier than some trikes. Like Dammit said, I would rather have a new rider hop on a suspended sport trike than an unsuspended model.
I was teaching my friend to ride 3 wheelers one day on my dads old 185, and guess what.. he tipped it going down a trail that was on an slight slope. I tossed my same friend on my Tri-Z (reluctantly) and let him rip around my yard for about half an hour and he did perfectly fine and didnt tip it, even though he was taking turns quite tight.
The reason is probably because the 185 (Big Red, SX, etc etc) has a way shorter wheel base than a sport trike, and they are easier to tip because of it.

[atctim]

my 200x is the first trike ive owned, i mastered it in about 2 weeks, and started looking for a 350x.

if you plan on doing any serious riding or hill climbing a 200x does not have enough grunt. they are fun, and they are not slow but they just don't have the grunt to go up steep hills. plus they are very light and have a short wheel base so they are easier to flip backwards on.

I call BS twice here - random-strike: if you think you mastered all necessary trike riding skills in 2 weeks - stop kidding everybody here. And better yet, stop kidding yourself. It takes years to "Master" a trike. If you said "in two weeks I felt very comfortable on my 200X", then yes, I would believe you, but no way did you MASTER trike riding in 2 weeks.

Also - I am 250lbs and I find the 200X to have plenty of grunt. Plus if you Mastered your 200x in 2 weeks you should not have been worrying about it being short and flipping back easy.:crazy:


Back to the original question - a 200X or 250ES or SX would be great machines t0 start riding on. I agree - any 250 2-stroker or even a 350X is just too much for the beginner. It says right in the 350X sales brochure that it is for the Advanced (or expert - can't remember which). And a beginner on a R would just be outright non-sense.

[nouseforaname90]

I call BS twice here - random-strike: if you think you mastered all necessary trike riding skills in 2 weeks - stop kidding everybody here. And better yet, stop kidding yourself. It takes years to "Master" a trike. If you said "in two weeks I felt very comfortable on my 200X", then yes, I would believe you, but no way did you MASTER trike riding in 2 weeks.

I agree. I felt very comfortable on my dads Big Red in a few weeks of riding it, and even though I would tell people I was good at riding trikes, I had alot more to learn. There is much much MUCH more out there that you need to learn on that 200X.

[250r'en +TCB]

ahha, about crashing at 30+ and not living that is one of the stupidest things ive ever heard.
I meant hitting something solid, like a tree....... OHRV's arn't built like cars to obsorb the impact. Considering 30mph is the equivelant to being dropped 3 stories, I stand by my opinion. If you want to proove me wrong I welcome you to get a 4-wheeler (no trikes!) and videotape you crashing into a tree doing 30mph to proove me wrong, helmet is optional too.......:lol: :beer :welcome: ;)

[Tri-Z 250]

Frist things frist OFF the RM125 and expand your buying power. I also agree with the skill level needed to ride 3 wheels as to 4. Not that you won't learn but if you try to jump on a trike to put the smack down......You my be the one that gets all the black and blue you can handel. Figure 3,000 and under will get you what you want in 3 wheels. An A-1 mint all stock 350X, 250R, 250Z, or a big green machine will cost 3 grand. It may even be the stricker price it sold for in it's day. Its still 1/2 the price of a new Quad and guess what. The 3 wheeler is a collectors item which means in 50yrs you'll be able to push it into the "Road Show" and have some one apraise its value.:lol: The price of really nice full race trikes are on the rise. Parts are still around but nobody is giving out their hot spots for stock parts without a twist of an arm. Goodluck but I gotta tell ya LOUDER isn't always better these days....I know its just a call sign. I'm just for trying to get along with all those who hate offroading noise. I keep my pipes packed and smile on down the trail:beer

[Dammit!]

:lol: This thread is getting kinda funny. Some of you guys act like riding a trike without dying is some super difficult task that requires years of teachings from some zen master from the orient. You cannot ride the 250R until you can take the pebble from my hand grasshoppa.... :lol:

I appreciate that some of you are looking out for a newcomer's safety but come on. Riding a trike is not rocket science. I've known quite a few people that started out on 350X's and 2-strokes and just about all of them lived to tell about it. Do I recommend someone that's never ridden an off road machine before to run out and buy a 250R? No. But it's not like certain death if they do. This guy does have some off road experience. All it takes is some patience and common sense. Take it slow, learn the technique, ride within your ability and wear safety gear.

Choosing a trike, in my opinion, should consider the following factors.

Height/weight: are you physically capable of handling the machine you're looking at buying? This is way more important than age. This doesn't just mean "are you big enough" either. It's possible to be too big for a certain type of trike. If you're too big on a trike to have full mobility in shifting around your body weight quickly, the trike is too small for you.

Experience: do you have any experience riding off road machines?

Type of riding: What are you going to do with this trike? All woods? Dunes? MX? Farm work?

Intelligence: are you a moron that's going to jump on a trike and pin it full throttle and head straight for the side of a trailer home? (if you answer yes to this, do us all a favor and do it on a dirtbike instead. Better yet, experiment with the joy associated with operating a hair dryer in the shower and let natural selection take it's course)

These questions have to be an answered by the person that's going to ride the thing. We can't answer for him.

[random-strike]

Edited......................try again without breaking rules.

OldSchoolin86
3WW Moderator

[random-strike]

I meant hitting something solid, like a tree....... OHRV's arn't built like cars to obsorb the impact. Considering 30mph is the equivelant to being dropped 3 stories, I stand by my opinion. If you want to proove me wrong I welcome you to get a 4-wheeler (no trikes!) and videotape you crashing into a tree doing 30mph to proove me wrong, helmet is optional too.......:lol: :beer :welcome: ;)

well i stand corrected you should say hitting a tree then huh?

hitting a tree at 30 mph is going to hurt :)

[louder=better]

sry about not replying to the posts, but my computer crashed and it wouldent let me get on so we had to fix that first. thanks for all the advice. so lets see hear.

Mojave: yes the kawi mojave is a 4 stroker sport 250 quad.

Beartracker: the beartracker is a semi-auto quad, ( no clutch but you have a shifter, just let off then shift then get back on the gas.)


Height/weight: i am 5'11'' and i weight 155lbs and i have 7 percent body fat (dont know if ya needed that) but i am in good shape and i lift, and swim for definition everyday.


Age: i am 14 ( no offense taken, you must have good judgement )


Experience: i have had a beartracker and rode that since i was 9, on many hard trails, mud, and steep hills ( you just have to drop a gear or two to go up um ). road the rm for a little while and was no fun.


Type of riding: all woods, rough trails.


Intelligence: not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to school, but have more than enough common sense to know when to let off the gas.

I live in NY, so idk OR seems aways away, sry bout that.

but i am goin to need something that i can have and i wont want to trade in for something bigger because that wont be a option being that i am 14 and no place will hire a kid at 14.

i got a chance to ride my buddy's girlfriend's 250sx today, and i have to say that i loved it, it was alot of fun, but i think it had a little bit of a carb problem cause in first gear it would bog a little but non the less it was fun. on the road you could basically pop wheelies wide open goin up a paved road. but i will admit that 350 would be alot more power and i would have to use my head on it. but this 200x. what is this one, is this faster than a 250sx? i really dont know nothing about them and hope you guys can tell me about it. cause the 250sx could smoke the tracker but it seems like i need some more power than that idk, maybe the rm got me used to instant "get up and go" power. thanks for all the advice.

[willcamach]

you may be a bit tall for it but i think a 200x would be good for you, And you can always bolt on some performace parts to make it faster if need be. Plus since youre only 14 and money is an issue a nice 200x will run you about half what a 350x will cost.

[Dammit!]

The 250sx is a nice trike. It's considered a sport/utility. Semi-auto trans, electric start and reverse are nice to have. The 200x and 350x are pure sport trikes. Manual clutch, MUCH better suspension (especially in the case of the 350x), disc brakes front and rear, no reverse and kickstart only.

At your size, a 200x will fit you but they are a little on the small side. A total blast to ride and parts are plentiful and cheap. Very agile in tight trails. Weaknesses are the suspension (bottoms easily for a sport machine) and they don't have a ton of power in stock form (can be modded to get more power pretty easily). On par with a 250sx power wise but in a sportier package. Top speed wise they aren't very far apart.

Many will say at 14 you have no business riding a 350x but that's up to you and your folks to decide. I was riding powerful machines at a younger age than you and was smaller than you at the time as well so I don't put much emphasis on age. Anyway, the 350x is the big brother of the 200x. Much improved suspension, WAY the hell more power and considered the undisputed king of four stroke trikes. Easy to control powerband, lots of torque, just an awesome trike.

From everything you're saying I seriously doubt you'll find the 2-strokes to your liking. I'd narrow your search down to the 250sx, 200x and 350x. Any of the three will give you years of enjoyment.

[louder=better]

sounds good to me, yeah i dont think i want a 2 stroker, i really dont have the money to afford the maintenece on them. but will a 250sx or 200x keep up with a mojave, because i have two that go with me when we go riding and that is basically the fastest machine ( sadly, but we have fun when we go so its fine ) but i just want to be able to blow by them when the time is right. i drove the 250x but never raced it with the mojave so i have no clue, and i have never drove the mojave either so i dont know how they are with speed. im not to worried about the speed, if it has it, that is a plus, if it dont i just want it to be able to get there fast. so i guess what i am asking for is, what is the placing on acceleration, for example, mojave=accelerates faster; 250sx=next; 200x; last. thanks again.

[84honda200s]

i found the most three wheeler parts are cheaper than the quad parts. plus the three wheeler is alot cooler to have. i mean u c tons of quads and bikes but there are alot less people that like 3 wheelers. the three wheeler got the short end of the stick because people used them like a quad. as people said in this post you need to but more body into them. kinda like riding a old snowmobile. sort of. i wouldnt trade my 200s for a quad. i used to have a blaster i dont like em i can manewver my trike in tighter spots than i could with the blaster. ooo yea i put my honda 200s in a pond (long story) we pulled her out and tiped her on end watched the water poor out of her and put her down and she started up in like 15 min. i got a little bit of water in the carb on the blaster and it took 3 hours to get it to fire back up.

[Rex Karz]

For a 14 Year old, You sure seem to be very mature and well spoken. Sounds to Me like You will be able to handle a 350X. After a couple of falls You learn quite rapidly.

[Dammit!]

sounds good to me, yeah i dont think i want a 2 stroker, i really dont have the money to afford the maintenece on them. but will a 250sx or 200x keep up with a mojave, because i have two that go with me when we go riding and that is basically the fastest machine ( sadly, but we have fun when we go so its fine ) but i just want to be able to blow by them when the time is right. i drove the 250x but never raced it with the mojave so i have no clue, and i have never drove the mojave either so i dont know how they are with speed. im not to worried about the speed, if it has it, that is a plus, if it dont i just want it to be able to get there fast. so i guess what i am asking for is, what is the placing on acceleration, for example, mojave=accelerates faster; 250sx=next; 200x; last. thanks again.

In my experience, a stock 200x is a little faster than a 250sx but not by a ton. It's lighter, has a manual tranny and about equal horsepower. A 200x also has more mod potential so you can build one to smoke a 250sx badly. You can build a 200x up the point that it can run with a stock 350x actually but the more you mod them, the more you can run into potential reliability issues. A built 200x should smoke a Mojave I would imagine. Obviously a 350x is going to blow them all away.

If you get a 200x or a 250sx, you WILL end up wanting a 350x or a two stroker at some point. It's all part of the disease. Resistance is futile. :welcome:

[cragster]

At 14 i bought an 86 200x. Then later on at 14 almost 15 still i bought a 350x. I liked the 200x. I like my 350x. I dont think the 350x is too much bike for me at all and i am 15 now. I hope to get a 250R sometime, or i might get a TRI-z. I'd say any year 200x or 350x would fit you good. For starters though i honestly think an 86-87 200x would be best, they are physically not too much smaller than my 350x i dont think, and they look really cool..

I found some pics for you off yahoo images...
87 200x. http://www.vintagemotorsports.net/images/200x1.JPG
85 350x http://www.battscave.com/350X/tires/DSC00028.JPG
85 200x http://www.3wheeler.org/ReadersRidesSource_files/EarlWright/Earl_85_200x.jpg

[scooterroo]

well when you pull upto a group of people riding on quads and they see you on a trike, it will definately turn their heads and make you the center of attention!!!! lol, i love the looks and comments everyone gives when they see a trike rippin it up at the local sand pit. as for the "whats the difference" question. it takes alot more experience and talent to ride a trike then a quad.

[250r'en +TCB]

If your that big I say get a 350x........ Lots of power, plus you can pipe it and get a 400ex carb later on when your ready and keep the reliabilty.......

If you do get a 200X get either an 86 or an 87, the 6-speed makes a big differnce top end!!!

I am 16 and got really into this a when I was 14 as well. If you are 155lbs and 5'11 200X might be ok now, but after a year or two of highschool it will be to small. Get a 350X!!!

[Mike_Ham_250R]

This thread reminds me of n00b land.:lock: :lock: :lock:
ATCTim I agree with you. ( I tried meeting you at TF but I never could find you HAHA)
I am 14 now and I seriously recommend you start out smaller than that of a 350x. A 225DX would be perfect for you but don't drop $1500 on one HAHA. I never ridden a Mojave but they seem to have higher top speeds than blasters, so I doubt that you will be blowing his plastics off with a 250sx, 200x, or 225DX. But seriously who the hell cares if your faster, apparently you missing the whole point of riding. And for some of these people that say go ahead and get a 350x, I wouldn't recommend it, but if you do PLEASE take it easy at first. I don't want anymore bad publicity for three wheelers.

While I'm on that subject it is 100% completely IMPOSSIBLE for a trike to roll over. A trike without and operator just sits and doesnt move, so it CANNOT roll over. The OPERATOR rolls the trike. No fault of the trikes.

One more thing, louder IS NOT better.

[Mike_Ham_250R]

i found the most three wheeler parts are cheaper than the quad parts. plus the three wheeler is alot cooler to have. i mean u c tons of quads and bikes but there are alot less people that like 3 wheelers. the three wheeler got the short end of the stick because people used them like a quad. as people said in this post you need to but more body into them. kinda like riding a old snowmobile. sort of. i wouldnt trade my 200s for a quad. i used to have a blaster i dont like em i can manewver my trike in tighter spots than i could with the blaster. ooo yea i put my honda 200s in a pond (long story) we pulled her out and tiped her on end watched the water poor out of her and put her down and she started up in like 15 min. i got a little bit of water in the carb on the blaster and it took 3 hours to get it to fire back up.
Thats just chance fool. Possibly the difference between 4 strokes and two strokes, but just because the engine is in a TRIKE doesn't mean it can go through more water than a quad.

What I'm trying to say is that an engine is in engine. If I had a quad with a 350x engine or a 350x, the trike isn't going to be able to start any faster than the quad.

[Dammit!]

Why not try to find other board members near you that have these models so you can check them out first hand? There's a lot of New Yorkers around here.

[Zipper]

I've been riding atv's for 22 years now. atc 70's,125's,bigreds, 85-86 350x's,85-86 250r's and quads. I've still got my 350 x's and 250r's but my current daily rider is a 05 450r.

They can all be safely operated. I've been in some serious accidents but never blamed the machine. Stupid Hurts and unfortunately I know this first hand!!

Go talk to your dealer about taking a safety course in proper operation of the atv. Also, ride with experienced riders who can give you some pointers.

If you have been properly trained ,use common sense and take it easy on the machine and ride within your ability, you should have no problems regardless of the size,style or purpose of the machine. It's that simple.

[dakota13]

The main things i like about three wheelers are that they increase your four wheeler riding skill greatly, And the power to weight ratio is insane!!! at least for me ;)

[louder=better]

my computer keeps dieing on me, so it took me a while to get back on. alright i guess i will go for a 350x then and just take it slow and use my head. im sure the mojave boys will love it, but i prolly shouldent let them ride it being that there used to 4 wheels..lol that may be trouble idk, being that they are cocky. thanks for all the information and helping me decide on this.

[firehart]

I am 50 years old, 6ft tall and 185 pounds. I have had my 200x for about 2 years now. I am still learning how to ride it. Sometimes I get a little cocky and it does something that makes me come back to my senses. I have only dumped it twice. Once I was spinning cookies on the snow covered street. The other time I was coming out of a creek bed and I pulled back too hard. Whatever you get please take it slow and easy. Now when I ride around it the neighborhood I prefer to ride my old 200x rather than ride my new 350 Rancher.

[louder=better]

I am 50 years old, 6ft tall and 185 pounds. I have had my 200x for about 2 years now. I am still learning how to ride it. Sometimes I get a little cocky and it does something that makes me come back to my senses. I have only dumped it twice. Once I was spinning cookies on the snow covered street. The other time I was coming out of a creek bed and I pulled back too hard. Whatever you get please take it slow and easy. Now when I ride around it the neighborhood I prefer to ride my old 200x rather than ride my new 350 Rancher.


hahaha, these 3 wheelers sound like alot of fun to me. :Bounce

[ditchmud]

BUY what you can afford, and what you like. Don't be worried so much about blowing away your buddy's mojave, you'll beat him with cool points if your on a trike of any kind! I had a mojave once and couldn't wait to get rid of it! Anyway just be smart and take your time learning how to ride whatever it is you get, because the machine won't hurt you the fool at the controls will

[louder=better]

ditchmud, you make a very good point. but i am jsut wondering how i will be able to get one cause i dont want to drive that far, well i cant drive that far, i cant drive at all, so idk how i will get one, but i guess my father will drive a little ways, but the odds of a 3 wheeler showing up in the paper around her is very unlikely. and all of the ones on ebay are so far away. looks like i will be waiting this one out for a while.

[firehart]

you could put an ad in the local paper under the wanted column. Or you could just ride around looking in backyards. I know of a least three old Hondas in the backyards and sideyards in my little town. When you see one go ask about. You never know what you might get one for.

[louder=better]

yeah whenever we go someplace i will be looking all over for them, but i found this little magazine called i think it was cycle trader or something similar, and out of about 100 pages of rides there were but only one atc, and that one was a atc110, not quite what i was lookin for. but i think that will be my best place to find one.

[random-strike]

check craigslist for your area, best way to find a trike. cheat too

[atctim]

louder=better,

If you livein the PA, NY, OH area, and you get the "Cycle Trader" - that is an OK place to look - they are expensive in there. Check in your local free trader publications - that is where I find alot.

Tim

[firehart]

I am the only one of my friends that owns a three wheeler. Everyone else owns four wheelers. When we go riding everyone at the site comes over to me and says "Those things are dangerous. Didn't they outlaw those?" I just smile and say" I like to be an outlaw once and awhile." The guys at the Honda dealer laugh at me because I don't spend a lot of money on my trike. Years ago, when I was in high school all my friends had expensive Baja bugs. I had a 57 oval window that I bought for $107.00 because it was stuck in third gear. I fixed the tranaxle, bobbed the fenders, and I could go anywhere with the stock 36hp that my friends could go with their beefed up dual port motors. The way I look at it is, buy something you can have fun with, not something to stare at.

[bassman]

Yea, I agree withg cragster, Get a 200x or 350x.

[bassman]

3 months old lol

[bigred1981]

listen to what us trikers say because we are the ones that made it and actually learned to ride trikes.. unlike the other unfortunate souls that didn't live to tell about it. Take your time and learn how to ride it.. Being that's said, it really depends on what you get because a utility type trike with no suspension is going to handle way different than say a sport or race trike.:TrikesOwn

[icp4life162005]

Wonder if he ever found the trike he was looking for?

[toocheaptosmoke]

man, after reading this thread, I feel like I screwed up buying a 250R as my first trike/ATV. :lol:

[riverrat]

hello guys and gals, just wonderin if ya could tell me what is the pros and cons of these 3 wheelers. i recently had a beartracker (dont laugh it got me around and to 40mph haha ok laugh :lol: ) that i sold for a rm 125 and i dont like it one bit. it is sittin in the shop now and as soon as it is out i want to sell it. i was hopein to buy one of these cool lookin 3 wheelers with the money i get. just wonderin if you guys could tell me what the 3 wheelers are all about, the differences in handling between them and quads. how good do they handle? are they something i can keep up with my buddys on the trails? are they good trail machines? how easy do they flip over? (that is all i hear when i say something about buying a 3 wheeler, is that they flip way to easy) can you go up steep hills? what is the maitenece on them? I.E.. how long can i go without having to rebuild the motor? is there any preferences on a 2 or 4 stroker? things like that, cause i have been lookin to buy a 3 wheeler for a lil while now and i think i really need to have one, they look like loads of fun. sorry if that is alot of questions, which it is but i guess i am a curious buyer. any advice you can give me on the topic is greatly apreciated. thanks alot.


What a controversy!! I am going to add my 2cents.

First off, I've seen several people hop on a trike, and go right off road into a tree with in the first half hour of riding.

The difficulty of riding a trike, and the trike you select is based on where you ride.

If you are in the dunes, or wide open riding, then a more powerful trike can be had, with a clutch.

If you are going to be in tight trails, then get one with an automatic clutch.

Suspension helps if you are going to be hitting bumps at speed, over a trike with no suspension.

If you hit the pavement with a tirke, remeber that it won't turn, you have only one wheel fighting two, and it wants to go straight all the time. Sometimes you have to lean the opposite way (tot he outside of a turn) to get the thing on two wheels, to make it turn. Especially when you are going slower.

Riding a trike is tricky. There are times when you have to tell the trike what to do, and other times when you are just riding along, and allow the trike to roll over obstacles. If you fight it at the wrong time, you will be over on it.

They do roll over easier that quads, both front ways, and backways, so just be careful. In 20 years of riding, I have only gone over over the front once, because some guy cut me off, and I have flipped it over backwards quite a few times, especially with a passenger going up a hill.

Yea, never put your feet down, jump off and roll!

[dallas moore]

you may also try an auto x there is on in the classifieds for $325 or so

[Tri-ZNate]

If you hit the pavement with a tirke, remeber that it won't turn, you have only one wheel fighting two, and it wants to go straight all the time. Sometimes you have to lean the opposite way (tot he outside of a turn) to get the thing on two wheels, to make it turn. Especially when you are going slower.


What in the world are you talking about? Turn the wheel and the trike will go.

Put it on 2 wheels to make the turn? Yeah thats exactly what you do :lol:

[icp4life162005]

Riverrat must not be the brightest triker, lol.

[Rustytinhorn]

I have to agree with riverrat, trikes don't like to turn on asphalt. I know this to be truth. Especially the trikes with the low pressure balloon tires such as the 185's and Big Reds. I can even vouch for this on a dirtbike. You can force a trike to turn, but it will eat the snot outa your inside tire. Its often better to pull the inside tire off the asphalt an inch or so to help the bike turn easier. I will tend to bounce my inside tire through the corners.
He has experience where he's coming from. Afterall he is just adding his thoughts to the thread, he wasn't doing anything wrong.

[RedRider_AK]

I never ridden a Mojave but they seem to have higher top speeds than blasters, so I doubt that you will be blowing his plastics off with a 250sx, 200x, or 225DX..

The Blaster tops out about 4-5 mph faster than the Mojave. Stats from ATV Action January 2001 issue.

[Tri-ZNate]

I never had any issues like that on pavement, just lean and the bike goes and I dont go slow by any means. But to each his own.


The Blaster tops out about 4-5 mph faster than the Mojave. Stats from ATV Action January 2001 issue.


Wenen't they also the ones that said the blaster tops out at the same speed as a 400ex?

[hondahaulic]

I also agree with riverrat's point on turning. the main reason that they dont turn well on pavement is because there is no differential on the axle like in a car. when making a tight turn, the outside tire has to cover much more ground than the inside tire but both tires must spin the same speed so the inside tire must spin. even if your just taking some weight off of the inside tire withough lifting it, its going to make the trike turn alot easier. this being said, im sure that axle lengths and tire types and a few other things have a big efect on turning on pavement.

[BigGreenMachine]

Funny thread, loud=better is sure mature for his age. I don't know many 14yr olds that carry theirselves that well. Thats a whole new topic I guess.

I think he got all the advice he needed and more.

He had some previous knowledge from riding, afterall the kid can ride a 125cc RM dirtbike so come on.

[honda_atc200es]

im 14 and im mature !!!! lmao, well i guess thats subject to questioning:naughty: :twisted: actually ill be 15 in exactly 2 more days

[RedRider_AK]

I agree, Louder=Better is very mature for a 14 year old. I'd recommend the 250SX or 200x to him, or even better, an Auto-X. Even better than that, he can pick up a cheap ATC 200 (S, M, or standard) and a 200X roller, and the guys here can help him build the trike himself! Then he'll have some experience building stuff as well!