New to site, new to a big red!!!!

[rebel33382]

Picked up a ragged out 1984 Big Red 200ES. As many of you know, this was the first shaft drive. I am looking for opinions from people who have had them. I am uncertain of the shaft drive without a rear shock??? Please any feedback on this bike would be great, I am uncertain whether to put any money it or just ride it like hell!!!!

[SYKO]

welcome to the site, its always nice to have abeater, but parts are available for yours, why not make it a nice rider? something you can be proud of.

[atcquebec]

Those 200ES are excellents trikes.
Electric start,
Drive shaft,
Hi-Lo transmission,
Reverse,:naughty:
Reverse,:Bounce
Reverse,:drool:
Reverse,:w00t:

[old-yellow]

Yeah welcome

[rebel33382]

How much power difference is that 200 vs the 250, should I wait around till I find a 250???

[atcquebec]

How much power difference is that 200 vs the 250, should I wait around till I find a 250???

Not that much difference in power but the rear suspension on the 250 is nice.

once you got the 250, are you gonna ask if you should wait for a 250SX,

Than should you wait for a 350X.

Man, you should enjoy what you got. You will have as much fun on a 200 than a 250. Specialy the 200ES are made to work hard and at the same time a fun machine and unbreakable.

Again you should stop thinking in changing a trike that you just got and if you got the cash to make it look nice.... go fot it.

[UlsterATCFan]

Welcome! Got any :pics: :pics: :pics: ?

[TrailerRider]

Welcome! Got any :pics: :pics: :pics: ?

Fix that bad boy up. Don't beat it to hell. A beater bike that has availabilty of parts? Make that thing look new and have a bike you can be proud of! I love to make a old beater look and run like new again. Nothing better. Oh and welcome.

:pics: :pics: :pics:

[GeniusBlock]

I liked mine. Lots of bent rear axles on them, because of the hard tail. Not made for jumping. But an excellent trike. I sold mine and bought a 250SX. That 200es had way more low end grunt than this 250. The low range is a stump puller.

[ditchmud]

Put it in low range and you wont want a 250 anymore. The 250 has no gear range selector. I think Honda goofed by not carrying that over to the 250 model.
Welcome to 3wheelerworld!

[rebel33382]

Well, I got it today, and man is it something else. I will get a pic when I find my camera. I did all the routine maint. on it. Adjust clutch, cam tensioner, change the spark plug with a NGK, cleaned the petcock, cleaned the carb, tried to adjust the rear brakes, but no luck. I also changed the oil with rotella t synthetic. It made the bike start smoking. I run this in my honda rincon, its ok for wet clutches. The new spark plug is black already. Any ideas on oil?? The little oil screen was nasty looking. has anyone made a snorkel for these bike. It appears that the intake is built into the frame rail??? Going to look for some used fenders on ebay.
Thanks for your help
84 200ES Big Red

[TravEX]

I wouldn't use the synthetic, just run the regular Rotella 15w40 in it.

Eager to see the pics of it.

[Taiser]

DO NOT USE SYTHETIC!!!! It will bugger up the clutches big time...ask me how I know! :(

Although I've read that some of the newer stuff has been designed to not mess up the clutch plates, but I wouldn't chance it.

[oscarmayer]

the old bikes don't like the synth oil. stay with conventional. it works, it's cheap and causes no issues. drain that stuff out, leave the plug off, por a bunch into the engine and let it drain out.
then put plug in, fill oil and run for 5 min, then drain again. now refil motor and your set. i only use pensoil 10w-30 in any trike i work on. oncein a while i'll do the 10w-40 if it's really hot and the bike is goign to see tons of use, but usually it's 30.