Well, first.. is 85 a good year for the 200?
cant seem to find any newer.
How reliable are the motors? are they bulletproof like all other Honda 4 strokes?
(any 200X I get is probably going to have some time under its belt...)
How easy are they to work on/tune up? Are they prone to overheat?
It might be played with in the mud along with my 400EX, will it get hot just playin around, or do they need to be kept moving? (my 400 dosnt seem to be bothered no matter what I do)
Are the 200X's ok covered in mud? will they keep running, or do they NOT like water/mud at all.

Just give me any basic information you can think of. This bike will be shared with my GF, just like the 400. We will both be riding it. I hope its not anything she might get hurt on.....

Thanks everyone.
-Matt

 

Are you talking about the 200x three wheeler (maybe that's a stupid question, but I don't know too much about Honda models). If so a friend of mine had the 200x Three Wheeler. I was very impressed with it. Although it wasn't lightning fast, or anything special, it was a cool little thing. He would go everywhere the rest of us would go, and the only time he had any problems was when there was a steep side hill or something. It was funny because when we were making new trails he could leave us in the dust because he could just swerve between trees like nothing. Anyway, let's see if I know the answers to any of your questions.

1. Well, first.. is 85 a good year for the 200?
I'm 0 for 1...I don't know anything about the honda models

2. How reliable are the motors? are they bulletproof like all other Honda 4 strokes?
My friend never had a problem with his, but three weeks after he sold it the guy that bought it blew something in the motor (don't know the details). My Uncle also has one that has a blown motor. Still, I'm not sure if it's common.

3. How easy are they to work on/tune up? Are they prone to overheat?
Well if they do break they aren't hard to tow back home. My friend had no trouble doing the work on his himself. As for overheating, we ran in 80 degree weather down to -5 degree weather and he never had a problem.

4. It might be played with in the mud along with my 400EX, will it get hot just playin around, or do they need to be kept moving?
Like I said, my friend never had a problem with his overheating. We rode slow muddy trails 75% of the time.

5. Are the 200X's ok covered in mud? will they keep running, or do they NOT like water/mud at all?
He drove his through some pretty deep water and it never died. Same thing with mud. Trust me, he deffinatly tested that out.

As for it being a good bike for your girlfriend....If it is indeed a 3-wheeler she will want to use her head and take it easy. The first time I drove my buddies I rolled it over on the first corner. That's just because I wasn't paying attention to the fact that it only had three wheels...duh. He never had a lot of trouble with it, although he did take more spills than anybody else. He'd just pick it back up and take off again. He also had ridden double on a few of our trips and in some really bad spots. It did pretty good. Check out my webpage below for some pics if you'd like. They are down at the bottom of the "Pictures Page". Well, hopefully I didn't ramble on about a 3 wheeler for nothing, and I also hope I said something that may have helped. Take care.

-Josh

 

don't worry man

they are a sweet little trike

and very good in most situations.....

bullet proof

great in the mud

great on the trail

great on the track

what more can i say

make sure its a tidy example

and its straight

for the wife.......??.....as long as she understands and thinks about how ya ride it (like any body).......it ain't really a gender issue (nothing is)......riding a trike is more fun than a quad (remeber that is MY opinion)......i race my 350x (stock).....and choose not to race my 250x (mind you the 250x is stock).....people think i am mad

but i get a great deal more satisfaction out of my trike

the trikes were sold up to 87 in canada......86 in america

85 is a good year......i think ......there was a frame change and a change in the gearbox....one year but i can;t remeber exactly

how do you adjust the chain??.......on the bearing carrier.....its a later one
one the swing arm pivot was the early one.......i think
.....but ya don't have to beileve me cause i never riden or had a close look at one!!!!......there is two or 3 in our club......and i know a guy that owned one....and he loved it

the 200x was a very popular trike.......ultimate fun machine in there day ....

try here
3wheelo world

 

I've got a '84 200X and it was great until the kick starter gear stripped. I could'nt find anyone who would work on it. The dealership would'nt and the local indie shops would'nt so I decided to do it my self. It was not that hard except that you must split the cases which means pulling the motor and then total disassymbley. Other than that it wasn't that bad. Putting in clutches is a breeze and everything else is standard fare for an ATC.

 

Just for screwing around a 185atc is the best. You can ride wheelies for ever literally. Never quits running and tears the hell out of the mud because it almost floats.s

 

I used to own an '85 ATC200X and my brother had an '83 model. The '83-'85 200X trikes were the first generation of this model. The model years '86-'87 saw an update of the frame, swingarm, plastic, and engine. So basically, the most desirable years are the last two. For the last couple years, Honda made the chain adjustment the same style as seen on the TRX250R (of course, different swing-arm). Also, Honda upped the displacement from 192cc to 198cc, like on the XR200R.

The ATC200X engine is very reliable, unless pegged for an extended period of time, which can result in the engine throwing a con-rod (which happened to me, in a very tired engine) or other types of irreversible damage. With an exhaust system (pipe AND header), aftermarket air filter, and a mid-range cam, this bike is really a blast in the woods. Although it still won't be as powerful as a stock 300EX with these mods, it won't be near as anemic as a stock 200X.

Other good mods for a 200X include a wider axle and low-profile tires with open tread (18" holeshots are a good choice).

We had alot of fun with our 200X bikes and recommend them to anyone brave enough to try riding trikes. With their mellow power and good handling they are good bikes to learn on and fun to play in the trails with. Just remember to change the oil once in awhile.

 

I had a 85, it was lots of fun, more fun than my current machine. I could wheelie in any gear and was indistructable.

As for speed stock for stock, it's just as fast if not a little faster than a 400ex. You have about 100 pounds less and only 3 tires to push.

In the mud, it's king due to it's light weight and 3 wheels.

In the woods it slices around trees like no fourwheeler could.

The only thing that was troublesome was starting it. Kick starting a 4-stroke is not fun.

 

I appreciate all the posts.


regarding the last one, about it being as fast or faster than a 400, hehehe.

I bought an 84 200X. It is a fun machine. My 01' 400EX will TROMP it.
In every gear, at every RPM. The 400EX will rip the little 200 to shreads in a
race. The 200X is a quick little wheelie machine, but it is geared to accomodate its power. Same as the 400EX. Fully revved out, in first gear, the 200 is at about 10-15 MPH. The EX revs out MUCH faster, and is at about 25 MPH fully revved in first. The EX isnt QUITE as fast as the 250R in acceleration, but its very close.

 

The 400ex is no where near the 250r in acceleration. As for speed, my old 200x did between 65-70 mph with just a pipe, I can't tell you how fast it got there but it did. Also, what your bike does in 1st gear is no indication of the top end speed. The 400ex has much more torque but weights alot more and has to drag around that extra tire. Have you ever seen what a 50lb difference will do for you in a dragrace, we are talking 2-4 bike lengths, now make it 100lb and add one more low pressure hard to push tire.
Perfect example compare a stock 86 atc 250r to a 86 trx 250r,the are almost identical except for the extra tire and weight (only a 30 lb difference by the way) I've owned them both, in a drag the ATC will literally kill the trx. I have a modded trx250r now and it still doesn't feel a strong as my old ATC 250r, that thing would pull your arms out and wheelie in all 6 gears.

 

Hey rob there is a reason your old 250R 3 wheeler seemed like it had more power than the 4 wheeler , BECAUSE it does ! honda tuned the motors down when they put them in the fourwheelers . like the xr400 and the 400ex xr has more power . more power plus lesss weight = faster and "pull your arms out" [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]