1985-1986 Honda ATC250R Classics Test

throughout history perhaps no other vehicle is surrounded with the fun freedom controversy and tragedy of the long departed through he alerts to the sport of ATV riding and racing the 1985-1986 Honda ATC 250 are represented five years of rapidly improving performance and design in a sport that was still in its infancy for our nation it is perhaps symbolic of a cultural shift from rugged individualism to a culture of individuals and willing to accept personal responsibility for their decisions and actions race tremulous for a couple years really didn't intend to do a lot of racing I kind of got started as a grudge race with the ex National Motocross champions and we race a couple stock 200 exes and they had a stock class back in the day and I race Gary and beat him and that was the important thing and I'm a - we love - will guide by our racing motocross and nothing to do in the winter in Iowa so my dad put on races and started racing in 81 and then 82 same thing I got in thriller riding back in 1982 buddy mine had a 83 big red and it was a blast and I just got addicted I actually broke off and started getting into dirt bikes but I kept slowly transitioning back into three wheelers and I just couldn't get away from when Honda released the 1981 80 C 250 R it was the first and only pure performance ATV produced by a major manufacturer the 81 and 82 specifications seemed lacking by today's standards but were unrivaled at the time until the release of the 250 our ATC won tens and 185 s were primarily the ATV racing weapons of choice the 248 CC air-cooled two-stroke was fed by a small 27 millimeters slide valve carburetor the transmission is a manual clutch 5-speed the 80 180 C 250 R was the first fully suspended three wheeler with six point seven inches of wheel travel on the front and 4.3 inches of travel out back extra cushion was provided by the high flotation 22 inch knobby tires its wheelbase was forty seven point one inches long with a narrow 42.3 inch width which allow the machine to negotiate the dirt bike dominated one that lived in 1982 was a year of minor updates for the r with the addition of a rear hydraulic disc brake and drilled rotors at both ends it also received a new headlight design an engine shut off switch Honda was the first major manufacturer to jump into factory sponsored ATV racing III wheeler their first appearances date back to late 1980 and 81 at certain outdoor races in Southern California and at certain supercross event one by one machine Honda ATC but that big Honda's recently you for the ATC 250 are was at the 1981 Baja 1000 when it promptly began their winning waves along with all new styling for 1983 honda worked hard to close the performance gap between the two 50 RS two-stroke engine and its handling along with a brand new chassis suspension travel was increased to eight point seven inches up front and 8.1 inches out back the new rear suspension was the first to benefit from Honda's pro-labor linkage and the compression and rebound adjustable shock the 83 s wheelbase was extended to forty nine point six inches to improve high speed stability while a narrower eight inch front tire improved steering accuracy the engine was pepped up a bit as well with a new head pipe an increase in carburetor size to 30 millimeters resulting in a claimed 25 horsepower other improvements included a larger front disc brake larger fuel tank and folding foot pegs for 1984 khana performed only minor updates to the 250r with the release of the 1984 Tecate 3 kawasaki became the second major manufacturer to jump into ATV racing going head-to-head with Honda and motor crossing TT events across the country now sake with my main sponsor all the way through from 83 are the jumping off the 81 82 to 50 are on on to the kadhi the Cowie the Scottie had a big time advantage it was Darryl mentoring you when he was in that round car race down in Florida yeah there's a lot of real fairies Gracie nor stories with Darryl it was almost official that was I wasn't there that with the old al I'm gonna though so I decided you know I'm a swell cook should go race the 250 so I borrowed one from Mike needed that owned AC racing MMF borrowed his air-cooled Honda went back to Corona a couple weeks later and rode the pro class and beat up on all the pros at the time Chris White was a factory Kawasaki rider and and in fact Dan Lambie and a few others were out there and and back then I was a motocross guy so I like to jump and that was the big difference even when I was in Australia as I was making doubles that those guys just weren't making Honda released their third generation ATC 250r in 1985 which was bigger wider faster had better suspension and was most notably water-cooled while there were some works parts available for factory Honda three-wheeler racers they primarily race until production machines the 1985 250r was the ultimate platform for building a race winning machine for national competitors it is out of the box performance was nearly all that was needed to win races locally factory three wheeler racing was going strong in 1985 Honda's factory team was streamlined amid this year with Marty Hart and Mike Coe handling their 250 cc efforts dominating the racing scene as Honda had each previous season now in is riding the race of life can you believe that he did not quit he did not quit Leo's last place and he did not quit baby pool went onto came out with the new 250 are in 85 we were definitely an anticipating I remember your fiercest I remember you're going against Marty in Ohio we race that little dog the pony track at Columbus Ohio at the fairgrounds and I was in the perfect position see I was standing off the side of the track high Racing quads in and I saw both of you guys go off a jump wanted to kill each other and you guys collide in the air was a perfect pirouette both of you flipped both of you crashed your brains out with the launch of the new 1985 tri z250 Yamaha became the third major manufacturer to sponsor a factory ATV race team focusing mainly on desert racing making select appearances at TT and motocross events 1985 brought about the ATC 250 yards most fierce on track rival the Suzuki quad racer of LT 250 are well there were two different types of machines they were both classified as ATVs and sometimes found them subs racing together the four wheeled configuration of a quad racer made it far more stable and predictable entering corners on up sections and practically anywhere you weren't hard on the gas the Honda ATC 250r enjoyed a better engine lighter weight and better suspension action than the LT 250 still to compete against the new quad racer ATC pilots had to ride harder and take bigger risks when the Suzuki hit the market first I wasn't sold on it went on to race the Mickey Thompson series on a three wheeler train really really hard on a three wheeler run to win that championship first race of the year was the San Bernardino race and by that time the quads that started that would have been 85 and they integrated it to put us all together three wheeler foiler run what you brung we're as hard as I could I was the first ruler but I was seventh overall six quads beat me and what I'm being magazine editor Matt hildenburg when that guy passed me on the last lap because he was on a quad I was done with realer than the spot I jumped off that thing in ghost addition to a fence I was I think I can meet me on a quad I was riding quads that was the end of my three real career Honda jumped into the high-performance four-wheel market in 1986 with the iconic TRX 250r despite the new four-wheelers hitting the market 1986 was a big year for three wheeler fans Kawasaki released the brand new Takata three the new Tecate had a past motor but could outrun the Honda at high rpms mid-range power was greatly improved but low end power was still lacking the new Takata suspension was improved but still too soft and it didn't handle as well as the Honda Honda racers needed a little motor work to make their ATC's as fast as the Ducati for teaching style tracks however the bore up the track the more it paper the Honda and then when the cow came out with their 86 which was their last three Willard I thought we were maybe even a step up at least as good as a number of refinements were made to the 1986 ATC 250r rather than trying to make the ATC as fast as the Ducati Honda focus on improving handling and economics raising the arts level of refinement over the competition in 86 I was doing some work Kawasaki need me to help Timmy right a little bit so I was working on Jimmy White's jumping and helping when I jump stuff and I spent a bit of time on on Jimmy's Cowie and in fact I even rode his uh his race bike Kawasaki had probably the best motor in the special 86 model was real close to the bike motor but just never got a grip on the on the chassis so Honda's for me 1986 was the final production year for the ATC 250r with the disappearance of the Tri Z after 1986 and the Ducati virtually unchanged in its final year of production in 1987 racing history magazine tests and the tests of time have proven the 1985 1986 Honda ATC 250 are to be the greatest high-performance three-wheeler ever mass-produced and a classic we knew we had to put to the test to put the legendary machine to the test we needed a good running 250r in nearly bone-stock conditions and a rider willing to push the old machine in its limits we found both with Rob ray in his 1986 on the ATC 250r the machine was nearly phone stocked with the exception of a set of mayor plastic and a stock size set of kindess scorpion tires which date back to the three-wheeler era the entire machine was in tight good running order we wrote it has been a KERS in Laurel Indiana olmec trike fest the largest annual gathering a three wheeled enthusiast in the country if not the world Aspen's tracks were dry and hard pack perfect for sliding around on the three wheeler we also reached the machine at early ones indoor motocross in Maysville Kentucky for additional track time along with a totally redesigned chassis and suspension the engine was brand new and water-cooled in 1985 the new cylinder head and piston combo featured an 8 to 1 compression ratio compared to 6.72 one on the 84 model along with the new head pipe the carburetor was increased in size from 30 to 34 millimeters the transmission went from a 5 with 6-speed gearbox and the engine was claimed to produce an astonishing 40 percent more horsepower and it's 1984 predecessor then in 86 the carburetor went from a round with oval slide for better throttle response the 250 our stock motor is fast enough to keep you around a motocross track at a good clip and is nearly perfect the trails to strokes go o n power is surprisingly good with enough front to largest waves Hills or pull you out of corners of your eye with almost four-stroke like low end power the 250 yards motor is very forgiving of the states it's huge shipping 6-speed gearbox is well spaced with an ideal gear for any situation sliding is the fastest way to corner a three-wheeler the RS min rated power rushes in with a strong surge that makes braking the rear tires loose easy there's enough power in you out of corners Hariyama that re-machine and most riders will run out of talent long before the engine runs out of power on big jumps fire was it has a good broad powerband you've got great low E in it kids pretty much right in mid range it carries through all the way to top in the engine is most effective to the upper part of the mid range it doesn't fall flat on its face on the top but keeping the power in the broad mid range just a fastest way around the track a good exhaust jetting an air box hood removal will awaken the top in the 250 ARS chassis ruin every way in 1985 the wheelbase was increased 1.4 inches to 51 inches it was wide 1.8 inches to 44 point one inches seat height went up one inch to twenty nine point nine inches and suspension travel was increased one point one inches up front and one point seven inches out back with I'm twenty inches of travel at both ends an impressive amount of suspension travel even by modern aids standards the rear shock was fully adjustable in the thirty nine millimeter forks were four millimeters larger than the eighty fours in 86 the forks went to a single rate spring to allow more oil capacity to further improve handling the 85 utilized smaller tires all the way around the 23 811 front was a half inch smaller while the 2010 nine rears were 2 inches smaller they enjoy a little profile design and the new tread pattern the new gas tank was designed to carry fuel lower both it and the smaller fires work to lower the Machine center of gravity in spite of all of the improvements on the Minish district 2.2 pounds off the machine and 85 with a dry weight of 290 1.1 pounds in 1986 the head angle was changed from 21 to 20 1.5 degrees its wheelbase was stretched 24 inches to 51 point 4 inches and its width was increased 1.4 inches to 40 5.5 inches all from minor improvement and stability still wanna manage to take another couple pounds off they are reducing its driver to 289 pounds the 85 86 87 Diarra handles us predictably as can be expected from a stock three wheeler thanks to its third generation chassis and suspension which is surprisingly good by today's standards the r is light and nimble feeling whether you're pitching in the corner making a mid flight correction or floating the front of your loops ample engine power and good weight balance make the 250r feel predictable and consistent launching into the air raising the front end for wheelies is easy yet you can surprisingly tackle some steep inclines on the trail despite steering and it's slower than the 85-86 250 yards responsive steering and snappy broad powerband take braking the rear tires loose and pitching the back end out for our slides a simple repeatable tasks a lighter aftermarket axle is necessary to get the most out of the are on motocross track and it was a common mod back in the day the stock axle is adjustable but only wide enough for trail use letting you choose between two levels of instability straight-line high speed stability is good for a three wheeler where its trail whip lets you more easily pick your way view uneven ass of course all of the machines good handling traits are dependent on your ability to ride a three wheeler well if you try and ride as hard as you do on a plot or a dirt line without sufficient practice don't wind up on your head in hurry quad sit twice as many bumps as dirt bikes three wheelers have 33% more bumps than quads impacting more bumps with less stability suspension is essential to the handling of a three wheeler our 250 yards recently freshened up suspension held its own on the track and provides a supple ride on the trail both in stock fluid absorbing sharp spur edged impacts with rocks trail debris hammering the rollers at Haskins big track fin early 10-inch the traveler Co thins did a good job of soaking up the hits then recovery quickly enough to keep the suspension from packing up and kicking you can go surprisingly big on a modern motocross track without bottoming hard as long as you nail the downside of the jobs there's enough bottoming resistance for lighter or beginner to intermediate level riders but heavier or expert level riders will need stiffer Springs especially on a modern motocross track the forks reach their limits a little easier than the rear shock however suspension action is well balanced overall the setup seem to be a little more flush them on a modern machine sacrificing a little big hit resistance to gain control and go faster everywhere else on the track we can see how trail riders and motocross guys alike love the suspension back in the mid-80s suspension was a 25 year old suspension but two stops invention I was out here I'm hitting jumps it squads have it bent it and the rollers on the big track I was 50 or kinder the Braves receive dual piston calipers at both ends in 1985 in 86 the rear brake holders assigned was approved at the time the brakes were top-notch and in spite of their stock age brake lines they deliver good stopping power to this day after a complete economic makeover in 1985 on the added eight tenths of an inch to the seat - 1986 raising it to thirty point seven inches the foot pegs are considerably narrower less comfortable and feel less secure than today's pays the relationship between the bar seating pegs seemed best suited to riders under six feet tall you said very low on the machine which helps for sliding around on TT tracks but it makes getting heated out on the sound more difficult out on the trail or on a rough motocross attract leg string and good hip flexibility are required to write an ATC aggressively your ability loss it is a very durable bite it it gets ridden it's not something that sits up in the garage getting worse and I don't ride it easy but I do maintain it and it it has held up for me to throw five with the onset of the 1986 season race team budgets were being diverted to legal teams to fight the mounting number of lawsuits and increasing legal pressure on the Consumer Product Safety Commission for weaned ATVs may have very well replaced three wheelers simply due to their more predictable stable nature but unfortunately running pressure from the US Department of Justice led to the consent decree of 1988 manufacturers agreed to stop producing and selling three wheelers to alleviate government pressure on the sale of four wheeled ATVs today the 1985-1986 Honda ATC 250r continues to dominate its vintage rivals in the dunes on the trails and at a growing number of racing events around the country the sheer number of these machine is still around it's a testament to their build quality I would like to see more vintage racing it's it's starting to become popular now if a person wanted to get in and do it the 86 250 R that's way to go with decades of aftermarket two-stroke and suspension development it may be possible to build an ATC 250 are today that would rival Marty Hart's factory Honda racer from the 80s if you want the most capable vintage racer for the track to recapture your youth out on the trail or would like to own one of the most historically impactful machines of all time the 1985-1986 Honda ATC 250 R is a classic worth picking up and restoring

Channel: ATVonDemand

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Rating: 4.8095875 out of 5

Keywords: honda, atc250r, atc, 250r, 350x, 200x, tri-z, tecate, tiger, tpc, test, review, vieo, jimmy white, allen knowles, rob ray, 250, classics

Id: 1FRySwvJDcs

Length: 21min 22sec (1282 seconds)

Published: Thu Mar 13 2014