For example, stay away from frames with cracks or repairs made to them. It’s a good, complete, all-original bike, start looking at things that are beyond repairable. Internally, this engine was in really good shape, but common wearable parts were replaced, such as all the seals, gaskets and bearings. Little pieces and parts that go missing over the years can cost you months of hunting for a replacement, and that is a big deal when it’s holding up the restoration. An amateur cosmetic restoration to make a machine look good to flip or resell may be harder to work with than something unrestored. Its condition is not as important as originality, but you are better off paying more for a bike that literally has never had a wrench on it. Every mark or nick gets worked smooth to complete a perfect restoration. If the donor vehicle is found intact, all the bolts, brackets, rear axle, axle hubs, seat-mount clamps, triple tree hardware and engine bolts get stripped to bare metal. What many people call a restoration is actually a rebuild, or perhaps what hot-rod guys call a “resto-mod”-an older machine that has significant modern performance upgrades whether you can see them or not. When we say “restoration,” we are talking about returning a machine to how it was on the showroom floor. There are a few things to look at when picking a starting point, or a “donor bike” as they are called in the restoration world. The restoration started off just like 99 percent of them do-with a donor that has lived a hard life and was ready for a revival. You can see the others at For this article, the Vintage Motorsports Honda ATC 250R was paired up with a 1982 Toyota pickup, which had been restored by Greg’s Restorations. It’s that good, and this 1982 Honda 250R is his latest acquisition. Our most recent visit, however, ended abruptly when he shut the doors and started wiping our drool off his floor. This collector opened his doors for a few hours, so we got to take a look at his prized possessions. I’ve said for a while the lineup of Honda three-wheelers is one of the smartest ones to buy cheap right now, given you can still find them at the occasional estate sale or local classifieds if you keep your eye out.Over the last few years we have highlighted a number of his projects after discovering one of his biggest customers is in Los Angeles near our offices. Overall, that’s not stopping bidders who know how hard these are to find both due to the limited production and to so many examples being wrecked or otherwise damaged and rebuilt. The ignition switch is cracked, and there are some cosmetic blemishes to the plastic fairings. It’s all original except for a new front tire and replacement air cleaner. The seller of this example has found one of the very few 1986 models left that hasn’t been damaged or modified in any way.
Incredibly, with the new engine and a six-speed transmission, the 250R was capable of a top speed north of 70 miles per hour. The popular Pro-Link suspension technology continued to be used, while front and rear suspension travel was increased to almost 10 inches.
The 250R seen here was a monster (in the best way possible), equipped with a new, more powerful liquid cooled engine and a stronger frame. Honda eventually agreed to stop selling its three wheelers as a way to a quell the building firestorm, but not before releasing a high performance model for 1985/1986. Deaths and serious injuries resulting from roll-overs soon began to pile up, along with the lawsuits. It became obvious within short order that Honda’s dealer network wasn’t properly advising inexperienced riders and parents of children that the ATC wasn’t intended for rookie riders.
#1981 honda atc 250r parts professional#
The professional riders shown hurtling the ATCs into impressive drifts across sand dunes or dusty trailers were inspirational to the average rider, but the three wheeled Hondas weren’t the kind of vehicle that permitted amateur riders to look more talented than they were. When the promotional videos debuted for Honda’s ATC line, it was hard not to be tempted into ownership. Sales ended abruptly as lawsuits began to mount, and that makes survivor examples like this 1986 Honda ATC 250R here on eBay so collectible today. These ATVs were a way for Honda to make it through the winter season on something other than snowmobile sales, but there was a big problem: the bikes were intended for mature riders only, and dealers were selling these three-wheelers to everyone from kids to adults who couldn’t much drive a car correctly, let alone a high-powered three-wheeler. When it comes to vintage ATVs, Honda’s lineup of rowdy three-wheelers have earned a somewhat legendary reputation.
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