1/5/2023 0 Comments 1985 atc 250rHonda’s factory team was streamlined a bit this year with Marty Hart and Mike Coe headlining their 250cc efforts, dominating the racing scene as Honda had each previous season. The 1985 250R was the ultimate platform for building a race winning machine for top level national competitors, and it’s out of the box performance was nearly all that was needed to win races locally.įactory three-wheeler racing was going strong in 1985. While there were some work parts available to the factory Honda three-wheeler racers, they primarily raced built production machines, like today’s top pros. Looking back, Team Honda racing legend, Mickey Dunlap, told us, “Honda always led in performance, but if you weren’t riding an ATC250R in 1985, you were struggling to compete.” Honda released the third generation ATC250R in 1985, which was bigger, wider, faster, had better suspension, and was, most notably, water cooled. With the release of the 1984 Tecate 3, Kawasaki became the second manufacturer to jump into ATV racing with racers Jimmy White, Donny Loose, and Chris White.Team green went head-to-head with Honda at motocross and TT races across the United States. With the machines getting better, the sport grew with more local and amateur national competitors getting involved. For 1984, Honda performed only minor updates to the ATC250R.Ĩ3-84 Honda racers included Mike Coe, Steve Wright, Tommy Gian, Mickey Dunlap, and Marty Hart. Other improvements included a larger front disc brake, larger fuel tank, and folding foot pegs. The engine was pepped up a bit as well with a new head pipe and an increase in carburetor size to 30mm, resulting in a claimed 25hp. The 83’s wheelbase was extended to 49.6 to improve high-speed stability, and a narrower 8-inch wide front tire improved steering accuracy. The new rear suspension was the first to benefit from Honda’s Pro-link rear linkage and a compression and rebound adjustable shock. Along with a brand new chassis, suspension travel was increased to 8.7 inches up front and 8.1 inches out back. Dean Sundahl, Mark Wexaldorpher, Mike Chester, and Curtis Sparks were Honda’s first generation stars.Īlong with all new styling for 1983, Honda worked hard to close the performance gap between the 250R’s two-stroke engine and its handling. Honda’s racing debut of the ATC250R was at the 1981 Baja 1000, where Honda promptly began their winning ways. Their first appearances date back to late 1980 and 81 at certain outdoor races in southern California and at select Supercars’ events. Honda was the first major manufacturer to jump into factory sponsored ATV racing. It also received a new headlight design and engine shutoff switch. Its wheelbase was 47.1 inches long with a narrow 42.3-inch width, which allowed the machine to negotiate the dirt bike dominated world it lived in.ġ982 was a year of minor updates for the R with the addition of a rear hydraulic disc brake and drilled rotors at both ends. Extra cushion was provided by the high flotation, 22in. The 81 ATC250R was the first fully suspended three-wheeler, with 6.7 inches of travel up front and 4.3 inches of travel out back. 1985 atc 250r manual#The transmission was a manual clutch five-speed. The 248cc air-cooled two-stroke was fed by a small 27mm slide valve carburetor. Until the release of the 250R, ATC110s and 185s were primarily the ATV racing weapons of choice. The 81-82’s specifications seem lacking by today’s standards, but were unrivaled at the time. When Honda released the 1981 ATC250R, it was the first and only pure performance ATV produced by a major manufacturer. For our nation, it’s symbolic of cultural shift from rugged individualism, to a culture of individuals unwilling to accept responsibility for their personal decisions and actions. To the sport of ATV riding and racing, the 1985-1986 Honda ATC250R represented five years of rapidly improving performance and design in a sport that was still in its infancy. Throughout history, perhaps no other vehicle was surrounded with the fun, freedom, controversy, and tragedy of the long departed three-wheelers. The machine that revolutionized a sport and changed a nation. By Joe 0 Classic Test, 1985-1986 Honda ATC250R, with VIDEO
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |