Got a free toy today!

[Declaration Day]

My neighbor just put his house up for sale, and had this Honda 185cc ATC sitting in his back yard for over a decade.



 I asked him if he wanted to sell it, and he replied:  "It's dead.  Probably needs a new engine, at least.  You want to mess with it, you can have it."

Sweet!  So I rolled it over into my backyard after inflating the tires, and started tinkering.  First thing I did was drain out the old gasoline.  Then I checked for spark, which it didn't have.  So I went through all of the electrical connections, replaced all of the blade and eyelet connectors, etc.  I filled it up with fresh gas, changed the oil, sprayed some starting fluid in the air intake and it started right up!  I had to let it run for a bit before it would run smoothly.  Then I took it out front and shifted through the gears.  They all work perfectly!

The carb is a bit leaky, but a new one is only $50.  The tires are dry-rotted, and the brake cables (and probably the brakes) are seized.  I'll get on that tomorrow.  Hopefully some WD-40 will remedy that, as it did for the throttle cable.  It also needs a new seat pad, which I'll likely fab up myself.

I figure $200 or so and it will be ready for the trails.   ;D

[geronimotwo]

great price, and those engines will run forever.  just watch for tipping while turning. especially while braking or going down hills. NY will not allow these to be registered anymore because of the injury rate.

[Declaration Day]

Yep, there's a reason why 3-wheelers aren't built any more.  I'm an experienced ATV rider, and will be very careful when riding it.

I don't know what Michigan's laws are regarding the use or registration of 3-wheelers, but I own the trails this thing will be riding on so that doesn't worry me.

[grislyatoms]

Score! I spent a fair amount of time on a 185 and a 125 way back when.

Which leads to this question: Are you sure that's a 185? Looks more like a 200M or 200S. I don't recall ever seeing a 185 with front suspension is why I'm asking. Could be a hop-up or something, though.

Does it have the little compression-bypass recoil starter?

In any event, good score. I'm jealous.

[Declaration Day]

The rear plastic still has the original stickers, and it says 185s.  And yes, it does have the compression bypass starter.

[grislyatoms]

The rear plastic still has the original stickers, and it says 185s.  And yes, it does have the compression bypass starter.

Well, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

Have fun!

[Brad Johnson]

The S models had the front suspension, even the 185s.

Get a new brake cable.  Don't trust the old one, especially if it was seized.  Chances are it's severely rusted inside the sleeve and will break at some very inopportune moment.

Brad

[Declaration Day]

Get a new brake cable.  Don't trust the old one, especially if it was seized.  Chances are it's severely rusted inside the sleeve and will break at some very inopportune moment.

Brad

Will do, thanks!

[grislyatoms]

The S models had the front suspension, even the 185s.

Get a new brake cable.  Don't trust the old one, especially if it was seized.  Chances are it's severely rusted inside the sleeve and will break at some very inopportune moment.

Brad

Hence the S, I suppose. Didn't know that. I thought all the 185's were rigid. The rigid ones will beat the snot out you I know that for a fact...

[Lee]

The only time I was on a Honda 3 wheeler, I almost put it in a pond. I got off and told my buddy (the owner) to take over.
They do take some getting used to...or so I'm told. 

[Jim147]

If your a dirt bike rider remember not to put your foot down on the tight turns!
Ask me how I know.
That was a llot of years ago.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

ouch!

[Azrael256]

Unless the carb is rusty or damaged, an $8 kit may just fix it up.

You'll need a bottle of clear nail polish, too.  I don't remember which part, but something in the carb had to be coated with nail polish.  This may have been a different model, and no, I had not been sniffing the nail polish.

Nice find!

[charby]

I wish I could fins me a free atv. Even the basket cases seem to bring at least $500 bucks.

I spent a lot of time in my teens on a 250R three wheeler, that thing would pull wheelies all day long.

[Declaration Day]

Unless the carb is rusty or damaged, an $8 kit may just fix it up.

You'll need a bottle of clear nail polish, too.  I don't remember which part, but something in the carb had to be coated with nail polish.  This may have been a different model, and no, I had not been sniffing the nail polish.

Nice find!

The carb housing is cracked, and all of the moving parts are loose.  I'm just getting a new one.  FYI the rebuild kit goes for $20-$30.  Thanks though!