tri-z finally finished

[niga]

This is my 87 tri-z i got it as a wreck, it was originaly a golf cart and i have just finished the conversion to get it back to its former glory.

[niga]

another shot

[Kilborg]

Nice machine, Too bad they didnt make the tri-z in 87 eh?

[niga]

yeah thats right johnny they didnt make tri-zs in 87 they sold them as converted quads. i guess they were the machines that had been made before the laws changed.

[Jeb]

First of all.....excellent job! That's a great trike. You are to be commended for restoring one back to its original self! :-D :-D :-D


2nd of all.... what's up with this converted "87" Tri-Z thing??? Are you sure it's not an 86 Z that someone has slapped an aftermarket 4 wheeler front end on, such as 3+4 or Dirt-E-Works conversion???? :shock:

[ATCRYDER]

1. Thats an 86

2. Tell me a little mroe about this tri-z conversion that was sold? I do actually believe you on this...ar eyou in canada or another non-usa country?

Rob

[Trikeaholic]

well, I for one am curious about this persons username......what does it mean? :?:

[niga]

apparently from what i have been told by the prvious owner it was bought new in 1987 as a quad but still had the top tripple tree for the forks. i was told that these were surplus machines that were converted to quads and sold as a TQUAD insted of the TRI-Z after the law changed in 86. i assume it is identical to the 86 model but just plated differently. also i am from Australia

[niga]

the user name is just a nickname made up from my christian name.

[Trikeaholic]

here in the states, its not very "politically correct" to go around calling yourself that! :D :Beerchug

[niga]

i am sorry if my nickname (username) offends anybody it is just what people call me. there is no racist conentations intended. If this does offend i will gladly change my username.

[Howard]

Damn niga, that does look good, glad you got it back on 3 wheels like it should be!!! :!:

[OldSchoolin86]

There would have been no need to convert it for 87. The Concent Decree didn't take effect untill Jan 1 1988. If it was converted Yamaha didn't do it. As far as your user name, it's a little rough but it's not up to me to tell you to change it.

[sandtowd]

the bike looks great. do worry about the name. the us is a free country, so is yours. it was comments like this that getts things band in this country like guns or ?????

[TimSr]

Oldschoolin - The decree did take effect in 1988, but Ive never heard of an 87 being imported into the US other than by private individuals. As far as I know, correct me if Im wrong, no US dealers ever sold 87 models so my guess is that before the official 1988 decree, temporary orders of some sort were in place.
Also this man is in Australia. where the US CPSC has no authority. The 1988 decree's only relavence is when it caused mfg's dropping production because of loss of the US market . I would, however, be greatly interested in how laws in Australia progressed through this period.

When I first read this I was skeptical too, but after thinking about it, it certainly sounds feasible. The reason I say this is because his explanation is exactly what happened to the 60cc TriZinger/Quadzinger. Ever wonder why a quad-zinger has the front plastic overlapping complete trizinger plastic over the gas tank and was only made one year? They called the Quad zinger an 86 though, but youll not find any 86 TriZingers around. I would agree that no factory TriZ conversions ever entered the US, but I wouldnt stick my neck out as far as how other countries handled their "leftovers". This country's law changes seemed to affect Yamaha's 86 line too. I cant see any other reason why there are so many more 85 Z's than 86's. Makes me think they were a lot slower in getting them to the dealers than Honda, and began halting production earlier in anticipation of what they saw coming, which did not give us a huge surplus to deal with which may not have been the case in other countries.
We all know our US ATV history here, but Id be very interested in hearing it from an overseas perspective, and how US laws affected others.
I have often wondered how a Quad-Z might have been Yamaha's answer to the reign of the TRX250R!

No offense, but shouldn't you guys be telling him to turn his forks back to the correct rear axle mount position. Doesn't it change the way the front forks handle the pressure from the axle/wheel? Kind of looks goofy too. Other than that great job on the refurb, just one more step needed.

Nevermind!! I see he posted the error in a thread lower down on the page. Sorry.

[OldSchoolin86]

So TimSr, whats the deal with the 87 200x? Was this just sold out of the country? Wasn't there an 87 250sx, 125m, and a 250es too?

OS---Im not gonna speak for Tim but I think he was talking about the actual 350X and 250R.

and far as the 87 thing...if you take into consideration a 1987 machine is actually manufactured from 1986 to only probly half of 87.

ehhh I dunno :D

[Tri-Z_Jim]

That tri-z is beatiful,,,and it is an 86 whether it was sold in 87 or 97.
Mounting the front end backwards will lower the front of the Z an inch.I planned on doing that to Z3 if and when i ever finish it.Z3 is going to be a flat track racer. 1 inch isnt much but in racing it means alot.

[OldSchoolin86]

Rob, what the hell are you talking about? Tim and I were talking about the Z not the 250R or 350X. Then I think he said something about no trike was released in 87 but I'll let him respond on that.

[TimSr]

Oldschoolin, What I believe to be the case is that 1987 Model trikes of any make were not imported into the US and never sold by dealers here. Though the official decree was in 1988, I believe that the actual importation halted sometime during 1986 and that dealers continued to sell them until 1988. Honda already had 1987 models in the production line but could not import them into the US, their largest market, so they stopped production and sold those which had been produced to countries other than the US. Most of those currently in the US came across the Canadian border by private individuals. Yamaha, on the other hand seemed to have halted production earlier, and been a little slower on delivering 1986 models, because there are a lot more 85 than 86 Z's, no 86 TriZingers - only QuadZinger conversions, and no actual 1987 model. Im not absolutely certain on this, and maybe someone knows differently, but hopefully this adds clarity.

[Howdy]

Tim Sr,
Honda and Kawasaki did sell sell 1987 models in the USA. How ever they were only sold until Jan 1, 1987. The dealers were instructed to take the remainers apart and cut the frames into at least 2 pieces. This is information that came directly from a Honda / Kawasaki dealer. They are going to try and get me a copy of the Letters the Manufactures sent out. They think they might still have a copy on file. I hope so.

They also told me the degree too effect Jan 1st 1987.

Who's right? Who's wrong? Who knows?

That is just the info they told me.

[Jeb]

let me throw in some interesting info...

If they could no longer sell after Jan 1, 1987, then why would DirtWheels Test the 87 Tecate 3 for their March issue? In the article they state that the 87 Tecate is the only offering in the high performance trike arena and if you want a new Honda or Yamaha you'll have to buy 86 left overs dealers have. It also talks about a return of the ATC250R in 88, which sadly, never happened.
I also have mag tests of the 87 200X and a 3&4 wheel action test of the 87 Tecate3.

see the link for the DW article. Thanks to Dan Dale for scanning it.

http://www.3wheeler.org/dirtwheels/3-87~tecateindex.html

[TimSr]

hey Howdy,
That would certainly reenforce my theory. If 87 models were released in 86, and dealers saw an 87 deadline coming they would certainly not order any more of them, nor would they order any more 86's which would explain the shortage of 86 TriZ's and the rarity of 87 ATC's.

Jeb, that is very interesting but a couple of factors to keep in mind is that magazines often have access to certain models for evaluation before they are even available from dealers. Also when they do the actual testing may be long before it ever hits print, but you are right in that it doesnt make much sense. Either way, I guess it shows poor forsight in that I think everybody saw it coming since 85.

[OldSchoolin86]

I think your thinking too hard. You can buy any modle of about anything the year before. You can buy 03 cars, trucks, quads, and bikes right now and were not loosing them.

[freaksfix]

hey niga nice job on the reconversion of the conversion...i have a converted 350x...got any before pics of the Z...

[factoryX]

wow, things where different 7 years ago..lol