atc prices coming down?

[Jim mac]

these are the other 2 I planned on selling as a package. the 84 on the right has a aftermarket exh and a twist throttle, new rings. the 95 on the left new rear tires and I have a new front tire. I still might keep one, just have to decide which to keep. jim

[ATC King]

It looks like this thread is more about rider pricing and not collector, with the later not always being enthusiasts, but more like short term investors.

It's undeniable now that many of the buyers don't even care to ride them, and sometimes don't care if they even run. That's what I'm seeing on the 'collector' side. They're watching the trend and if they can buy one then sell it a few months later for a profit, that's what they're doing. Same as with many things now, including homes/apartments that nobody lives in.

Trikes were never in the same arena as high end sports cars, there were already very expensive road racing motorcycles in that time period too. Top level bicycles could cost as much, or more than some trikes and many mid-tier bikes cost as much as half of a trike's price. Trikes were very much a middle class phenomenon, then when the manufactures stopped production, it immediately drove the value down even more to where just about anyone with a little cash could own one. That was the entry into ATVs for a whole lot of people, even after four wheeled ATVs became available.


It's also undeniable about the hoards out there. Will a bulk sell of those bring prices down? Will they be inherited by someone who could care less and just wants them gone? How many of them sit for such long periods without actual ride time that they're basically ruined to the point of needing a complete rebuild just to run? How many will be cannibalized to make one running one in another twenty years? Will some be lost in fires or other mishaps covered under insurance?


There's a documentary in there somewhere, and even if it's about trikes, what it says about pop-culture, materialism, and capitalism may be more provocative. There's all kinds of things people collect that could be applied to, but few mass-produced items with the stigma attached to trikes.

I did get a laugh out of that one social media video where the guy says it's a brand new 250R, never been started. New engines are in fact, started and run. Sometimes, run pretty hard, much harder than the suggested break-in procedure, but for a very short duration. Poor guy, so excited to think he was the first.


There's a 200SX (I think) a dealer near here has sitting by the road. I've done passed it several times and keep forgetting to stop. No, it's not a trike, but I'd put it's value up there with a 200ES in the same condition, for someone that wants an early Honda quad for a garage queen. I don't know Honda ATV history, but it looks like the 200SX could be considered their first four-stroke sport quad.

[ATC King]

Attachment 271532

I stopped by to look at a 200SX, 1986.

It's not a trike, but I think it's close in many ways to be some indicator of trikes from that time, the hardtail models anyway, in the utilitarian type of design. Many of the same issues with this quad as a trike would have in that condition, much the same prices to fix too.

They're asking $1,500. To high of a start if I was in the market. I feel like someone will buy it because it's the lowest priced, running quad they can find and that'll be the final end to it's life. I see at least $1,000 needed to spiffy it up and make a decent looking, dependable rider. I do think it's a typical quad/trike in this area at that price, which is too high for the work they need.

Wheels and tires are newer, certainly some value there, but the front is a poor choice. A Kenda Front Max or something with a similar pattern would have been a great tire for that 2x4 quad.

Air box had the lid and looks intact. Stock muffler, with the baffle, is all there and looks good. Seat has a decent cover, though it looks like it wasn't installed the best.

Everything else is a negative. The picture makes it look better than it is.

All the plastic is cracked somewhere, the tank cover is so sun damaged that one good bump will probably shatter it, the trunk lid is missing, as is the tank top cover. The large abomination on the petcock and the hole cut to accommodate it?

Front and rear fender are available from Maier, and the tank cover. No trunk in the Maier rear fender though. Still, that's $500-$600 just to help it look better and maybe not have a chuck of fender give way during the first ride. It'll also never retain the value of a quad with OEM fenders.

The headlight lens is missing. The chain and sprockets need replaced. Handlebars switches need dissembled and thoroughly cleaned. Wheel/axle bearings may have been ok, but I didn't really yank on anything too much to see. Brakes unknown, I didn't ride it, but I'm guessing from the overall condition they're probably in need of service.

The compression feels low and after looking at the picture, it looks like there's a small oil weep near the cylinder/head area. I don't think it has an auto decompression mech, just the manual lever.

Inside of fuel tanks looks like it'll be fine for a while, but does look like someone removed rust but then let it get a bit back in it after doing so. Needed to look closer but didn't have a good pen light. No liner though.

I was asked if I wanted the key, to hear it run, but declined. Maybe if someone really wanted this particular model and had the time and money to shine it back up into something more than it is now, the price may be a decent starting point. I don't think I could ride it anyway, as it looks tiny. It may be similar in size to the trikes I ride, but it somehow looks smaller, more cramped. Looking at it in the picture, it doesn't seem that way, maybe even the opposite, but in person is looks great from someone about 5'7" and less than 160lbs.

Nothing related to condition, but the front suspension uses a steering axis that is fixed to the angle of the lower arms, no ball joint. Lots of camber change throughout the suspension travel, lots of bump steer I'd imagine, except the only saving grace is there isn't much travel. Certainly not a high speed handler. I'd feel safer on a trike.


I've not seen any trikes for sell by the roadside. I'll be sure to take a look if I do.


Edit: The 200SX front does have a separate knuckle assembly from the A arms. I hadn't looked that closely and just thought it was similar to other early quad front suspensions that were extremely basic. The 200SX has a bit of a cumbersome setup though, instead of other and later versions that used ball joints or a strut type IFS.

[Jim mac]

I'm down to 3 185s and 2 200x right now, all are rider type trikes not restored. But if I have the parts, I do like the trikes complete as possible. My 185s frame I'm turning into a roller had a nice chain guard. So I spent this evening swapping the chain guard onto my otherwise complete 185s with a title. It didn't need it but it looks correct.
Just got the rear decals and gas tank decals for the 200x' The 84 just looked off without tank decals (thanks blueline graphics)
none of this makes the trikes worth more, I just like to make them look a little more complete. next up is shock boots on the 200x and maybe a 200s front end on one of the 185s. jim

[Jim mac]

threw my beater 185s up for sale, had a lady come by to check it out, go to fill up the tank and the jb weld leaks, so swap out a different tank..has a leaky petcock! Install new petcock, top off the tires and fires right up. Get a call while checking things out, guy says if it doesn't sell, call him back. Lady shows up, rides it around, loves it but her replacement knee can't bend and so she passed. The caller asks for better pics, I go take a few pics and notice the trike frame is rusted under the motor!
send the guy pics of the rust, repost new picks on the cl ad with the rusted frame (won't sell junk). Added I'd include another 185s frame with the trike.
So the next project? swap everything to a spare frame, might as well add the 200s front end so it's got a little suspension.
Get all this done, why not get it titled and just keep it?
this is a $600 trike in tucson

[Jim mac]

threw my beater 185s up for sale, had a lady come by to check it out, go to fill up the tank and the jb weld leaks, so swap out a different tank..has a leaky petcock! Install new petcock, top off the tires and fires right up. Get a call while checking things out, guy says if it doesn't sell, call him back. Lady shows up, rides it around, loves it but her replacement knee can't bend and so she passed. The caller asks for better pics, I go take a few pics and notice the trike frame is rusted under the motor!
send the guy pics of the rust, repost new picks on the cl ad with the rusted frame (won't sell junk). Added I'd include another 185s frame with the trike.
So the next project? swap everything to a spare frame, might as well add the 200s front end so it's got a little suspension.
Get all this done, why not get it titled and just keep it?
jim

[Jim mac]

the last 2 200x went away this afternoon
sad but having to take blood thinners and the doc says atvs and blood thinners don't mix, probably sell 2 of the 3 185s that I have left, gotta keep 1 right? got a little surgery coming up. if all goes as planned, 3 months of blood thinners and I'm off the meds and I'll start hunting for maybe a 350x. jim

[350for350]

ATVs and blood thinners mix just fine as long as you keep the right one on top.

[Jim mac]

so true, never fell off a trike, should be getting a atrial ablasion, basically going in and burning the inside of my heart to stop the flutter. after that 3 months of blood thinners and no more pills! then maybe go out and look for a nice 350x. jim