I'm buying an 81 250R tommorrow. It doesn't shift beyond second gear. What could be the cause of this? The guy I'm buying it from said the transmission was rebuilt with new parts, but he thinks it was assembled incorrectly...what should I look for? Also, where can I get a new seat?....pan, foam and cover? I've tried ebay to no avail.

 

There will not be any way of knowing whats wrong with the transmission until you get in there. You could have anything from a broken part to a part installed incorrectly since it was just gone into. I would buy a manual and start back at square one by tearing the engine down while looking at the schematics to be sure that nothing was left out of it before doing anything. I have seen many "rebuilds" not work simply because a shim was left out or misplaced on the shafts. Hopefully, this will be your find.

As for the seat foam and cover, Travelcade should still have them. I bought on for the same model bike you are working on just a couple years ago. The seat pan however, I have not a clue and I havent seen that one listed anywhere. Dont give up on ebay though. I restore alot of stuff and everything floats by on there at some point. Just be patient and dedicate a few minutes every day for a search. It will turn up sooner or later.

 

Any ideas what years will fit the 81? Also, will a TRX seat pan work?

 

A TRX pan will not even be close. The only seat pan that is going to work is the 81-82 model unless you get into modifying.

Bt I do have another tip for you to look into. And I have done this many times with different trikes. Take a set of old rear fenders and cut out the portion that is normally used underneath the seat. On nearly every bike I have fooled with, the "groove" where the regular pan once sat will actually slip as easily over another set of fenders. Then just find your foam and cover and you are set. The plastic, unless very brittle from age, usually works quite well and isn't that hard to staple. And when nothing else can be found,...it sometimes has to work if you kno what I mean. Just something else you can look into.