250rs???

[KD 428]

I was just wondering why did honda stop making 250rs?

[Ida_Mann]

I never rode one till a few months ago,,,,and I have no clue, I wishthey still made them.

Id@

[trx#9]

The government put a band on them in 89' until 99'. There's actually a 1990 trx250r that was sold in Canada and Europe.

[fastrnrik]

Why would the government ban the 250R? Until '99? That doesn't sound right. Several manufacturers have continued making larger displacement high performance 2 stroke quads up until now. I'm no 250R authority, but I'm sure it was a corporate decision by some bean counters, and not a goverment mandated thing. They're only just now phasing out the 2 strokes (no more Banshee, Blaster, etc.) to comply with the newest round of emissions reg's. It is odd that they stopped making it, I would have thought it would have been a good seller.   

[kenz]

Yeah the stupid ban on manufacturing 3-wheelers put a scare into some of the manufacturers and they quite making high performance sport machines. 

Kawasaki quit making the Tecate 250 and never made a 4wheeler with that engine in it.  Honda had the TRX250r for a couple years.  Suzuki dropped the Quadzilla.  Yamaha dropped the Tri-Z 250 but went balls to the wall though and introduced the Banshee in 1986 and never stopped production... well when this year is over they will.

[fastrnrik]

I wasn't thinking about 3 wheelers, I know they were banned or whatever.
I was under the impression that the Tecate 4 four wheeler used the same engine as it's 3 wheeler brother.? Is this not the case? Where's Quad32x when you need him, he would know.

[trx#9]

I think it was more or less a compromise between honda and the government. Honda took the brunt of the lawsuits in the 80's. I think it was a deal to get them out of some of the trouble they were in.

[bmd11]

I'm a bit of a buff when it comes to those old machines. The Trx250R ran from 86-89 in North America. The '86-87 motor was derived from the ATC250R. The '88 is the most sought after because it included aa power valve motor. The '89 was a little downtuned. Plus the '88 was all red with white lettering and just looked lights out!
Kawasaki did indeed have a Tecate4 (ask gasgasman/550superquad, probably still has his), and man they were fast! I could only beat him when he DNF'd
Yamaha was the Banshee and it wasn't considered an MX racer, but it was (and still is) fun on the dunes. Now many people are drag racing them--- that looks cool!
Suzuki invented racing Quads and the Quadracer revolutionized ATVs, especially for us with our pants on fire! Although Honda and Kawasaki were far superior after they were introduced. That's when you saw Quadzilla! WOW!!! That thing was nasty! But most of the 250s could hang with it on the MX track.
They were all pretty much deleted from being pressured by different groups, I'm sure the GUBMENT had something to do with it. I'm just glad to say that without them 2 smokes, ATVs (especially racing ones) would not be the same as they are today.
I think there would only be utility quads out on the farm.
That's the best I can tell you from my knowledge. Hope it helps!
BMD

[trx#9]

I'm a bit of a buff when it comes to those old machines. The Trx250R ran from 86-89 in North America. The '86-87 motor was derived from the ATC250R. The '88 is the most sought after because it included aa power valve motor. The '89 was a little downtuned. Plus the '88 was all red with white lettering and just looked lights out!
Kawasaki did indeed have a Tecate4 (ask gasgasman/550superquad, probably still has his), and man they were fast! I could only beat him when he DNF'd
Yamaha was the Banshee and it wasn't considered an MX racer, but it was (and still is) fun on the dunes. Now many people are drag racing them--- that looks cool!
Suzuki invented racing Quads and the Quadracer revolutionized ATVs, especially for us with our pants on fire! Although Honda and Kawasaki were far superior after they were introduced. That's when you saw Quadzilla! WOW!!! That thing was nasty! But most of the 250s could hang with it on the MX track.
They were all pretty much deleted from being pressured by different groups, I'm sure the GUBMENT had something to do with it. I'm just glad to say that without them 2 smokes, ATVs (especially racing ones) would not be the same as they are today.
I think there would only be utility quads out on the farm.
That's the best I can tell you from my knowledge. Hope it helps!
BMD

The 89 and 88 trx250r motors are the same they never made a power valve motor and they never down tune the motor. The kawasaki's always suck they broke all the time and they handle like a garbage truck. Where do you get your facts from, Kmart catalog!!!!!!

[kenz]

I don't remember the Tecate 4.  But they did make it.  My bad for not researching it first.  http://www.kawasaki.ca/museum_atv.html   That is a Canadian Kawasaki Motors link... I don't think it really counts.   I can't believe I don't remember seeing it even in a magazine, that thing is FUGLY.

Here's one on E-bay  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1987-kawasaki-tecate-4_W0QQitemZ160020674593QQihZ006QQcategoryZ42590QQcmdZViewItem

[TRX450R_Racer]

Suzuki had the power valve motor in the Quad Racer in the later years. Honda Stopped making the 250R because of all of the Law Suits in the 80's over the 3 wheelers. Like was stated above Honda took most of the blame and the biggest hit, so they stopped it. The 1989 250R made the most power, because of the different curve in the CDI.

[mrbones]

What year did Honda pull out from ATV racing after the 3 wheeler ban on production?

[k.p.]

I don't remember the Tecate 4.  But they did make it.  My bad for not researching it first.  http://www.kawasaki.ca/museum_atv.html   That is a Canadian Kawasaki Motors link... I don't think it really counts.   I can't believe I don't remember seeing it even in a magazine, that thing is FUGLY.

Here's one on E-bay  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1987-kawasaki-tecate-4_W0QQitemZ160020674593QQihZ006QQcategoryZ42590QQcmdZViewItem

it kinda reminds me of a green blaster on steroids w/o the heel guardds

[trx#9]

What year did Honda pull out from ATV racing after the 3 wheeler ban on production?

End of 86' There last factory team.

[Dr.Dirt]

The 89 and 88 trx250r motors are the same they never made a power valve motor and they never down tune the motor. The kawasaki's always suck they broke all the time and they handle like a garbage truck. Where do you get your facts from, Kmart catalog!!!!!!

You must have been waiting all day to say that one. 

[mrbones]

What year did Honda pull out from ATV racing after the 3 wheeler ban on production?

End of 86' There last factory team.

Seems like a good reason to stop making a race quad when sales tanked by '89. The only reason they came out with the 450R recently was to race it. I don't think lawsuits had anything to do with Honda discontinuing the 250R quad. Hard to believe it took almost 20 years for the ATV industry to recover from all the bad press 3 wheelers generated. They are still safer than dirtbikes, but the perception is totally different. The last time I checked, if you leave a dirtbike standing by itself and let go, it just falls over, lol.

[bmd11]

The government put a band on them in 89' until 99'. There's actually a 1990 trx250r that was sold in Canada and Europe.

My mistake on the powervalve,
Yes Mr. Smarty-pants my facts book is from k-mart. And your Spelling is from Uranus!

[Quad32x]

The government put a band on them in 89' until 99'. There's actually a 1990 trx250r that was sold in Canada and Europe.

My mistake on the powervalve,
Yes Mr. Smarty-pants my facts book is from k-mart. And your Spelling is from Uranus!

Tell-em bout his ass !

[Quad32x]

I wasn't thinking about 3 wheelers, I know they were banned or whatever.
I was under the impression that the Tecate 4 four wheeler used the same engine as it's 3 wheeler brother.? Is this not the case? Where's Quad32x when you need him, he would know.

Here ya go sir !

[The Quad FaJa]

I have to say...the 2 we own...are a lot of fun to ride.

[TRX450R_Racer]

I wasn't thinking about 3 wheelers, I know they were banned or whatever.
I was under the impression that the Tecate 4 four wheeler used the same engine as it's 3 wheeler brother.? Is this not the case? Where's Quad32x when you need him, he would know.

Here ya go sir !

That's one cool vintage picture.

[superstar]

I think the raptor looks alot like the old tecate 4.

[fastrnrik]

Quad, why are you the only idiot not wearing a chest protector? Cool picture though, you should post the one where you're racing the 3 wheelers, you know, so we'll all really know how old you areLOL. Did the Tecate 4 have the same motor as the Tecate 3 wheeler?

[Hoosier Daddy]

YEP! BUT YA SEE WHAT GOT THE HOLESHOT?

[fastrnrik]

I somehow knew one of you damn 250R guys would chime in. I was actually going to ask why he "let" a Honda get in front of him. And, that looks like a Quadzilla behind him? WTF?