I posted this on the 3 wheel forum and got a couple responses, I know the 3 and 4 wheel motors are almost idenical. So a 1985 250r atc should have six gears right. do all the liquid cooled 4 wheel model have6 gears? I only seem to have 5 gears on my 85, when I got the bike I had to replace the case, could I have put the shift drum in wrong and make it seem like a 5 speed? The gears looked in good condition and I did not disassemble the shafts, when I replaced the case, I tried the shift drum in many diferent positions and could only find 5 gears. any help would help I would really like to have another gear, is there somthing I am missing? thanks

 

YOu must be missing a gear in your trans. The motor is a 6 speed. Unless you are getting some crunching or another nuetral at the top, I would guess that someone switched out the trans. from another bike. Pretty common, given the price diff. between 5 & 6 speed trans. The trans. difference makes an 85 triz sell for a few hundred less than an 86 tri z. Otherwise, they are almost identical.
Mike

 

All 85-89 liquid cooled R engines are 6 speeds.
ERIC

 

I don't know if this help, but when I rebuilt a blaster we installed the shift fork a little bit off center, and I couldn't get it to shift into any gear above 3rd.

 

thanks for the replies, I guess I will have take it apart and see how many gears are in it, I hope the tranny was not switched.