Nicholas Fluhart

September 14, 2010

1986 Honda ATC350X Show Trike

Filed under: Bikes, Trikes, ATVs — Nicholas Fluhart @ 7:41 pm

In keeping with the ATC (All Terrain Cycle) theme, I thought I’d post a bike I sold a while back: a 1986 Honda 350X. This was a restoration project completed in the late 90’s by some friends of mine, and only OEM Genuine Honda parts were used from the tires up. Today most of those parts are discontinued and virtually impossible to find. Now, if you are a true Honda nut, you will see that there are four parts that are not OEM which I will address below, but in the mean time see if you can identify them…

This might be the cleanest 350X you’ll find short of building a time machine and traveling back to 1986 (something I dream about frequently). I’ll provide a loose rundown of what was done to it.

First, the bike was completely stripped down to the frame. All components were sandblasted and then powder coated, such as the frame, foot pegs, kick starter, swing arm, hubs, etc. A new OEM exhaust system was stripped and then JetHot coated. A new OEM heat shield was coated and installed on the header. All bolt-on parts, i.e. air box, lights, plastics, switches, cables, etc., were replaced with brand new OEM genuine Honda parts. Even the rims and tires were purchased from Honda and are period correct to the 1986 model.

On to the engine: When three-wheelers were discontinued in the 80’s, dealers received monetary compensation from the manufactures for existing inventory, but the physical machines were dismantled and scrapped. However, several engines survived as the dealers donated many of them to small-engine vocational schools. Many of these engines, although there are much fewer today, are still around and untouched. They are commonly referred to as “crate engines”. Through my moderately extensive contacts in the industry, I was blessed enough to have obtained a few of these priceless jewels, one ATC250R engine and a couple of ATC350X engines. One of my 350X engines found its way into my TRX350XX conversion bike. These guys got their hands on a couple of them as well, and one was used in this trike. It was repainted with high temp paint and clear coating, and there were some parts that were polished and cleared.

Here are some closeups of the trike:

Now, were you able to identify the 4 aftermarket parts? Well, to a true Honda enthusiast it should have been fairly easy. Up on the handlebars you’ll note the clutch lever is an aftermarket upgrade (1), and since it doesn’t facilitate a parking brake cable, you’ll notice the parking brake blockoff on the rear brake caliper (2). And also at the rear end, you’ll see the machine has a stance that is much wider than factory, and that is due to the upgraded rear axle which is a Dura Blue plus-5 extended axle (3). And finally while your looking at the rear view, you’ll note the word “Ceet” on the back of the seat. Ceet is the leading brand of aftermarket seat covers (4).

The guys did three ATC350X restoration projects simultaneously, and one even turned out better than this one (I know….that’s hard to believe). I don’t know the overall cost of the build, but I sold this trike to a collector for almost one thousand dollars more than the bike’s original MSRP. What’s also astounding is that an original, unrestored bike in this condition will bring even more. The ultra-clean ATC’s from the 80’s have now officially reached collector status.

Here are the vitals:

Maximum torque output: 21.7ft.lb @ 6000RPMs
Maximum power output: 27PS (~26.4hp) @ 7000RPMs
Starter type: forward kick
Wheelbase: 50.0″
Ground clearance: 4.7″
Maximum load capacity: 270lbs
Overall height: 42.6″(1985), 42.3″(1986)
Overall length: 74.4″
Overall width: 43.9″
Seat height: 29.5″
Foot peg height: 11.4″
Fuel capacity: 2.65gal
Engine weight: 91.5lbs
Engine type: single cylinder, four-valve head, single over head cam, four stroke
Fuel: unleaded
Displacement: 350.4cc
Bore: 81mm
Stroke: 68mm
Mechanical compression ratio: 8.5: 1
Corrected compression ratio: n/a
Cold cranking pressure: 178psi
Carburetor type: dual valve
Lubrication type: forced pressure and wet sump
Ignition type: CDI
Ignition timing advance: 10 degrees
Electrical system:

Dry weight: 320lbs
Final drive type: chain

Transmission type: 6-speed, no reverse
Clutch: manual
Transmission primary ratio: 2.833: 1
Transmission 1st gear ratio: 2.750: 1
Transmission 2nd gear ratio: 2.050: 1
Transmission 3rd gear ratio: 1.609: 1
Transmission 4th gear ratio: 1.308: 1
Transmission 5th gear ratio: 1.103: 1
Transmission 6th gear ratio: 0.935: 1
Transmission final ratio: 3.077: 1
Front brake type: disk, twin piston
Front brake quantity: 1
Rear brake type: disk, single piston
Rear brake quantity: 1
Camber: 0°
Caster: 23°
Toe in: n/a
Trail: 1.36″
Rake: 23-degrees
Front suspension travel: 8.0″
Front shock leverage ratio: 1:1
Front shock type: telescopic fork
Front tire size: 23.5×8-11
Front wheel type: aluminum
Rear suspension travel: 7.6″
Rear shock type: gas charged (nitrogen)
Rear tire size: 22.0×10-9
Rear wheel type: aluminum
Original MSRP: $2599

Until next time…..

September 12, 2010

1985 Honda ATC200X

Filed under: Bikes, Trikes, ATVs — Nicholas Fluhart @ 7:25 pm

I was once a major ATC enthusiast. I always enjoyed and preferred 3-wheelers over 4-wheelers. Perhaps it’s because my first bike was a three-wheeler: a 1985 Honda ATC200X.

Whatever the case, I spent more hours in the saddle of that 200x than any other ATV or motorcycle I’ve owned since. I knew that machine so intimately well that it was an extension of my senses. I could handle terrain and perform feats that only the most seasoned rider would dare attempt, whether it be wheelies through all 5 gears, one-wheel wheelies, or conquering steep side-inclines or long steep vertical climbs. I guess if you spend enough time practicing and operating a machine, you know its capabilities well enough to do those things.

Age 13, standing by my 200X.

My favorite activity on this trike was hill climbing. For some reason, I could really climb on this thing, more so than I could on my four wheelers which I can climb quite well on. Maybe it’s because the front-end was so much more controllable. Most people think of three wheelers as poor climbers, and most of them are, but the 200x had a longer rake on the front-end than any other ATC and that, combined with responsive power and a great power-to-weight ratio, made it a superb hill climber.

A second benefit of having good chassis geometry was smooth wheelies. During wheelies, it had a good balance point that was lower than most bikes so I could easily and smoothly ride a wheelie through all five gears without constantly fighting an over-wheelie, and yes, I used the clutch when shifting.

I had as much fun on that three-wheeler as a person can have with a machine. I think it even helped form my path in life because without having owned that particular trike, I may not have gotten so involved with mechanics and machines. Between my dad teaching things and me rebuilding this trike from one end to the other several times, I learned the most important part of anything in life: the basics.

My 1985 Honda ATC200X (fully restored from the frame up with a race engine and many other performance parts) the week I sold it back in 2001:

General specs for the 1985 200X obtained from Honda brochures:

Frame number                   JH3TB0524FK400001~
Engine number                  TB05E-6200001~
Engine type                    4 stroke, Air cooled
Displacement                   192cc
Bore x Stroke                  65 x 57.8 mm
Compression ratio              9.6 to 1
Compression                    142 - 170 psi
Transmission speeds            5 speed
Clutch Type                    Manual
Oil Capacity                   1.3 Qt
Carburetion                    24 mm Keihin
Starting system                Kick Starter
Fuel capacity                  2.56 Gal , 0.31 Gal res.
Wheelbase                      47.6 in.
Overall Length                 72.8 in.
Overall Width                  41.3 in.
Ground Clearance               4.9 in.
Seat height                    27.8 in.
Front tire                     23.5 x 8 x 11
Rear tires                     22 x 11 x 8
Front suspension               Hydraulic Telescoping Forks
Rear suspension                Mono shock
Front brake                    Hydraulic Disk
Rear brake                     Hydraulic Disk
Final drive                    Chain
Dry weight                     282.2 lbs
Approx. retail new             $1,798.00

August 29, 2010

Hunting and Fun

Filed under: Trips and Fun — Nicholas Fluhart @ 10:00 pm

My friends and I have an annual ritual that takes place in Mt. Holly, AR every fall. At the age of 14, my friend Philip and I started the tradition of taking a camping, four-wheeling, and hunting trip every fall on his family property in Mt. Holly. In subsequent years, others joined us and now we have a core group that meets every year. We primarily squirrel hunt, because it allows for multiple people and provides some lively action, and squirrel is a game that we can easily process and cook right at the camp site.

The first day, a couple of us get there early for an evening hunt in hopes of getting some meat to cook for dinner. As seen in the photos below, my friend Matthew and I were successful.

Then, we harvest some wood for the cook fire…

After the hunting everyone relaxes. There’s plenty to eat, lots of guns and target shooting, sometimes even some fishing, but it’s not until later that the real fun (in my opinion) begins when we hit the trails. Our riding style demands us to push the limits of our machines…

Almost lost it.

Almost lost it Part II.

…so it’s not uncommon to have to improvise when there’s an incident on the trails. In my case, I had a tire issue. While night riding, I hit a log in the trail and it applied so much pressure on my front tire that it shot an old patch-plug out of the tire like a bullet with a stream of pressurized green slime. Unfortunately, we were miles away from camp. It’s in situations like this that you have to analyze your surroundings and improvise with whatever you can find, or “MacGyver” it so to speak. On the side of the trail I found an old cigarette butt. I smeared some of the green slime sealant on it and used a small stick to plug it into the sidewall of the tire effectively sealing the hole. Fortunately, someone had a 12V air pump and we were able to air up the tire and finish the ride. Below you’ll see the cigarette butt in the tire.

And that’s the basis of our annual event. There will be more of these kinds of posts to come as I find more and more photos from the many years we’ve been doing this.

Until next time…

August 27, 2010

East Camden, AR Expedition

Filed under: Trips and Fun — Nicholas Fluhart @ 10:10 pm

I recently joined a 1,200 acre lease in East Camden, Arkansas. I don’t have much time to hunt any more, but I really wanted a place to ride my dirt bikes and ATVs year-round without issue. The location of the lease is known in this part of the state as “The Area” which is in reference to the 68,000 acre WWII era Naval munitions depot. It’s a very historical and interesting place to say the least. Here’s a link to some general information (scroll down to the last plant discussed, the Shumaker Naval Munitions Depot). One of the most impressive facts not mentioned is that the entire depot was constructed in 5 months. Unbelievable. In years past I studied maps and photos of the place and have been out there on ATV rides a few times, but in late winter 2010 we decided to launch a two day exploratory expedition to familiarise ourselves with the lease and the surrounding area.

Setting up camp.

Coordinating the Camp

Once we had the camp set up, we shot some targets and ate lunch before setting out on our ATVs.

Crossing deep water.

Below you see my ATV parked next to a fence warning of the nearby ordnance well. What is an ordnance well? When the 68,000 acre depot was built, there were several homesteads that were removed. These homesteads of course had water wells. After the depot was finally closed, they disposed of the equipment and explosive ordnance. One such method of disposal was to dump it down the old water wells. It wasn’t until decades later in 2006 that the Army Corps of Engineers determined this may be a hazard, so they constructed a small fence which serves more as a warning than an actual barrier.

Fence surrounding an ordnance well.

We explored several interesting structures, such as the old explosives plant shown below.

A break at the explosives plant.

Small Arms Testing Facility

Then we were off to the gravel pits. To build such a massive complex of mostly concrete buildings, several large gravel yards were needed, some of which are still in operation today. Also, rail road tracks linked all of the facilities in the depot. Subsequently, the largest railway network in the state of Arkansas was constructed to facilitate the needs of the depot.

Surveying the Gravel Pits

One of the gravel pits from the area.

The last day of the trip, the weather pretty much rained solid. It made for some awesome riding, but it was a bit difficult cooking breakfast as seen below…

Breakfast in the Rain

Then we set out for the trails. Being the last day, we pulled out all the stops and rode hardcore, and as such, what ride would be complete without an incident? On the final leg of the expedition, a tie rod end on my ATV suddenly failed resulting in my loosing control of the steering which caused me to run off the trial.

The incident.

Below is a fantastic slide-show of the trip from beginning to end. However, I didn’t get many pictures of the magnum mud ride we went on because it was raining steadily and as you may have noticed from my last post, my camera is not amphibious. More on the way!

Riding and Fun

Filed under: Trips and Fun — Nicholas Fluhart @ 8:25 pm

Most of my posts have centered around working, whether it be building or rebuilding machines, so this time I wanted to post about the “fun” portion of the process.

I don’t go nuts with snorkels, big tires, and gonzo mud. I prefer to take a more stock machine with some performance modifications and see what I can get away with. This tests my riding skills while keeping the ATV universal enough to use in various applications. Back during the spring of 2010 we went on a good ride just south of El Dorado, Arkansas that was perfect for what I like to do. It was a swampy, hilly, muddy, fun place to ride and I got some of it on tape (check out the video clip below). We had a great time, however it wasn’t without incident: we crashed in a deep hole. But alas, we survived and I was able to salvage my high-dollar HD camera. Whew….that was a close one!

Yeah, good times…. OK so we kept riding and encountered some awesome, gnarly terrain. We crossed several questionable bridges, including an old bridge made from a tractor trailer floor:

…and this is what happens when a bridge fails:

All of the trails were good and slick, so we got to test our tire traction in more than just deep mud. Overall, it was a great ride and I’m looking forward to going back.

Welcome to the jungle.

I’ll be posting a lot more riding/camping/hunting trips, so stay tuned…

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