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I Need Some Help!

A

Allan in NE

Well-known Member
So,

I'm standing at a farm auction yesterday in my usual state of utter confusion and total disarray. Just standin' there, scratchin' my head, trying my damndest to make sense of it all and mindin' my own business. Not botherin' anyone.

Silly auctioneer must have mistakenly thought I was actually "coherent" and that I was bidding 'er something. :>(

Guess I ended up owning a Honda 300 Big Red three-wheeler. Tried to talk some logic to the clerk, but she was bigger than I, seemed to be in a bad mood, and to be really honest, she scared me.......... :>(

Anyway,

I understand that I don't have to wear hooks anymore, don't have to use a saddle and bridle, have been told that it won't kick, bite or throw me in the dirt.

Yes, I can grasp the fact that it runs on gasoline, but where do I check the oil? Do I worry about the transmission oil? Do I have to check the rear end oil?

Had to talk a young man into loading it for me 'cause I'm just not bright enough to run the thing.

Anyone ever been around one of these things? Will it work to drive home that bull that has spent the whole summer over in the neighbor's pasture?

Looks kinda like this picture only bigger.

Thanks for any help, I'm lost.

Allan

be87_12.JPG
 
Never owned one but have ridden one a time or two.Can't tell you anything about what you ask but want to warn you that 3wheelers are tricky to ride .
They have no differential .You have to lean away from the direction of your turn to make it turn .This is to allow the inside wheel to spin.TRICKY
BE Careful !!!!There is a reason why they don't make them anymore.
 
Oh Great!

I'm gonna ask the neighbor if he'll just break down and buy that old bull from me.

Maybe I should tell him that I'll throw in this goofy thing to sweeten the deal? :>(

Allan
 
Allan , that thing will buck and it will also throw ya in the dirt !! A guy brought one up one time for deer hunting and left it in my barn . It was a little one like a 185 or so and when I got on it you could`nt see alot of it . I got to useing it to go check cows etc.and never did go fast or drive reckless but it put me on the ground several times . The funny thing about it was I was always stopped or almost stopped when it would happen . Hillside or hole , one side up on a rock , I would always know it was fixin to happen , get stopped and over it would go , kinda like that guy on laugh-in riding the tricycle . That was 30 yrs. ago and my center of gravity it a little lower now so I may not have the same problem and I was about 3 sizes to big for it and I never got a scratch but like said , they quite making them for a reson !
 
Okay, thanks for the info.

My pasture is the roughest piece of real estate in the country; almost all vertical.

Guess I'll stick with old Ned. At least I know he hates me and is always trying to pitch me on my ear. :>(

Allan
 
I think you are kidding us. They are easy to ride. I have had one since 1985 and have been spilled a couple times but nothing bad. My wife has a four wheeler but I prefer the 3 wheeler. They were discontinued because parents were buyingthem for 8 year old kids. They are a great oiece of equipment. Big Red 250
 
Don't know a thing about the 3 wheeler but do commend your fine judgement in not mixing it up with a woman bigger than you are could have turned out REAL bad for you(LOL)
 
you sure its a 300 and not a 200es.Very nice looking machine,had one for years until someone kicked the door to my barn in and stole it.$5000 in tools, every gas powered piece of garden and landscaping equipment you could think of and they only stole the big red.Amazon.com has a aftermarket book on the care and feeding of a honda big red. bill m.
 
number on stick? not at any local auction I've been to. here they give you a piece of paper you stick in your shirt pocket and hold it up when bidding.Mostly art and fine antique auctions are the only place i see numbers on sticks. bill m.
 
If you think a 3-wheeler is tricky then you should try a 2-wheeler. every time you stop they tip over. What am I doing wrong?.
 
Two major advantages over a horse - IF you do get thrown, it is a shorter fall to the ground; if you ain"t usin" in you ain"t having to feed it!

Good advice to get the manual. If you treat it right, it will last longer than your ability to run it.
 
Allan I bought one of those big reds back in 93.

With all the water that year it was the only way I could get to the cattle.

Use your head and those things will stay on all 3 wheels.

4 wheelers will filp if you turn to sharp also.

4 wheelers will take a 20 mph turn and the 3 wheeler about 10 mph turn.

I use one of these now for the cattle. It was to hard on me straddling that fuel tank for any length of time. You are use to it from your horse.
Gary
tub.jpg
 
Allen, I figured out what the problem was..... It's red with silver wheels. You musta thought it was something you had to have because it matched all the tractors on the farm!
 
Heck, I don't know.

They gave me a number, but I just threw it away.

Didn't need a haircut nohow. :>(

Allan
 
One word of WARNING Allen. Make dang sure you have your feet on the pegs when you give her the gas.Those rear wheels will climb up the back of your legs and break your ankles.
 
Sweet three wheeler. I wish my 84 Big Red looked that nice. I have had mine since 1985 and have never had any problems with it and have used and abused the heck out of it. They are good work horses for hauling, pulling and pushing livestock. Use common sense and it won't buck you like a horse will.

Here is a link to information on them. What year is it?

Wil
1984 Big Red
 
The picture is generic.

The one I got is a 300. It's a '95, the young man told me.

Went over there to buy a sweep auger. Darned guys really worked me over on that thing; dinged me a hundred for it...........then, I find out the bottom has fallen out of the wheat market anyway. Guess I'll just leave it in the bin this year.

Should have stayed home; just a bad day all the way around. :>(

Allan
 
Did not thoroughly read what the others said, but you had best be careful, very careful on that thing, well until you get used to it. From what I recall, takes a mile to turn, and when you screw up you get tossed, hint... taking a turn too fast, you get my drift ?

I'll be willing to bet though, and as much as I'd prefer the type of the 4 wheel variety, give er some time, you might get comfortable on it once you get the feel of it. I never did, say about 18 years ago, after returning to the yard where the guy I worked for kept the trucks and equipment, they was a foolin with one of those, so bright me gets on it and( mind you 2 or 3 friends had these, was no stranger too em) but for the life of me I could just not get the hang of riding the darned thing. I did have a great time getting tossed, catching my feet, turnin over, LOL, they are different that is for sure.

Oil in the crankcase has to be under a small cover, side of engine, should use a filter element, if it's like most 2 stroke atv engines, chain drive ? Not sure about the rear end.


Looks like the front has a little suspension, but the rear ??? You will want to adjust the air pressure in those tires to your liking, and you will figure out that over-inflating them will drastically change how it performs.

I have a little Suzuki LT 125 quad for getting in and around tight places, kind of small but it is about the handiest little thing to get around the place, I can get through unbroken, (no trail) brush and woods like threading a needle, get it stuck, can pick the thing up easily, deep mud and water is about the only place I won't take it. Has those type of tires and no suspension, but will climb over obstacles and rarely gets hung up, lot of times, you do a small wheely, get the front end up and light, back end will follow over a 12" log. Very handy to pack a chainsaw and tools to work on anything around the property lines, sips the gas, probably run a real long time.


Link below, should be able to get most anything for it, although it looks like it was never ridden much, it's in really nice shape. This site should have a complete parts diagram posted for it if you need to look up something and don't have the book for it.
Bike Bandit
 
Put it for sale on flea bay. Don't ride it much or you wonder why you didn't get one earlier 2 milk crates strapped on the back and you can carry anything.
 
He must have meant a 1985 model. They quit making 3 wheelers in 1987 or so because there were to many idiots not riding responsible or sensible and kept hurting or killing themselves so a bunch of liberals forced the U.S. government to outlaw them. The only thing dangerous about a 3 wheeler is the guy sitting in the seat.

You check the oil on the right hand side, you can see it in that picture you posted, back toward the rear tire. The tranny and the engine share the same oil. If it is a Big Red, it is a shaft drive. The final drive oil is checked in the back on each wheel. There should be an inspection hole that you take off toward the top with a drain below it. I think if you browse around in the link I posted, you should be able to find the information that you need. You can also search the their forum for answers. It will take standard 10/30 engine oil in the engine. Don't recall what the final drives take. The oil drain for the engine is right below the oil dipstick and there should be a spring that comes out that holds the oil filter in. You just clean the filter and put it back in. Beware, this is probably the first vehicle you have that is all metric. The key to not getting bucked off when turning is to lean in the direction you are turning and put your weight on the inside peg of the direction you are turning. I bought my first 110 when I was 10 or 12 and than moved up to the big red after I out grew the 110.

Look at your sweep auger as a future investment. You will have to clean that bin out sooner or later and it will save a lot of hard shoveling and backache.

Wil
 
Those things go cheap for a reason. Those three wheelers are killers! Spend the money and buy a Gator, Mule, or a Kubota. Much more useful and way more safe. Saving money doesn't matter if you are dead.
 
It's a 4 stroke engine with the tranny attached and should use motorcycle oil that has different additives than car oil because it is also used for the transmission and clutch. Dave
 
Yee-haw now Allen's got something to race around with. Did you get that young guy to teach you how to wheelie it for 3 miles?
 
Nothing wrong with them I got a 250 big red and dad has a four wheeler for spraying around buildings and chasing cows I like the 3 wheeler I have never been dumped yet rode them for about 14 years now just keep a good mind for it and feel it out will turn over can make them slide around moving cows on wet grass mine gets a 15 gallon sprayer come May and well I probably shoud go take it off this week Should toe shift 5 up forward pull brake on left back one down reverse they will get stuck easier than that horse though
 
Well, least it's about the right shade of red to fit in round the place!!

If I can remember right, as your setting on it there should be a plug by your left ankle that screws out to check the engine oil.

Before you start take'n it apart to see how it work be carefull, you have to have some good crecent wrenches cause every thing on it is them forin sizes. :)

Congrats, hope you like it.


Dave
 
Hmmm,Learn something everyday.I've owned a 250 Big Red since 1985 and just learned that i've been riding it wrong and don't understand the mechanial side of it either.I have been leaning to the direction of my turns all these years and now i find that i should have been leaning the other way.And that shaft that makes the rear wheels turn,i never knew it had no rear end.I wonder what that shaft connects to.And those big wheels on the rear ,i wonder what makes those turn?Guess i should just go ahead and remove the handlebars now since,i just found out that i lost my rearend and don't which way to turn!
 
Auctions must be a lil different around here. They give me a number i stick it in my shirt pocket. Only time it comes out is after the auctioner says "sold" and i pull out the number and show it, then it goes back in my shirt pocket.

Ive bid by, nodding my head, scratching my head, winking, tipping my hat, pointing in the air,(these are on purpose of course) and a heck of a lot of otherways. At the cattle auction its just raising my finger, or twitchin my feet if iam in a good seat.
 
ATC"s are great machines. I had an old 1980 ATC 110 before I sold it and bought a 4-wheeler.

Was able to haul a small square bale on the back rack. Very handy for doing fencing too.

If you haven"t already, get yourself the Haynes service manual from ebay.

Like the others have said, they can be a little tippy, so use your head. It is easy to go over sideways or to flip backward. Owner"s manual has info on how to lean and when.

Have fun.
 
We had a 3 wheeler Honda some years ago. We had to get rid of it when our farm liability coverage somehow would not cover anything connected with it. Replaced it with a 4 wheeler.
 
alan, you got a nice machine there. good engine, trans and drive train. motor will runforever, pretty much bulletproof. i still have an old atc 90 3 wheeler. cute little bugger and fun to ride. and... i can put it in the bucket on the loader so i dont have to walk back to the barn. the difference with the 3 wheelers that gets most people in trouble, you have to lean the opposite way you would on a motorcycle to make a turn. with the solid rear axle, you need to get the weight off the inner tire, and whaaalaa, instant turn!! ie if you are turning left, lean right. 3 wheelers got a bad rap from #1 parents bought them for the kids thinking they were toys, they are not! and #2 inexperienced riders driving them 10% beyond their ability.
 
Alan, they are a good machine BUT dangerous. If you are going to chase cattle and go fairly fast always lean into the turn like a motorcycle and that will help. Also be careful going across ditches and such they tip over backwards quick like a horse. BTDT Len
 
Allen, I have one just like in the picture and I use almost every day. Oil stick is in the pic by your right heal. I use SAE30 in mine. I've put a box on the rack and fixed fence, chased cattle and horses, cruised the farm, even put a cushion on the rack and carried a passenger(going slow and keeping my head of course), pulled a trailer for the wife doing her flowers and cut wood when a tractor would sink in the mud. It's has been a very handy tool 'round here.

Guy that had it before me was in his 80s and used it in the National Forest near South Branch Mi cutting wood and to get to town for the mail. He found out if he had a trailer with a smv it was legal on the road.
 
Interesting story........

Anyway, I'm pretty sure the engine and gearbox are a one shot deal on those things. Dipstick by your right heal I think. The older 4 wheelers we had were anyhow. Definitely a 4 stroke, not 2 as some have suggested.
Rear end oil, if it's a shaft drive is checked about once in a lifetime...
I'm sure it's a pretty tough old machine. No way it's a '95 tho. I believe a federal law mandated that thou shalt not possess anything less than 4 wheels on those things somewhere in the mid 80's. Probably an '85.
Well known as widowmakers, BUT... as has been said, use some common sense and you'll be fine.
Give it a month and you'll wonder how you got along without it, I'm sure.
Even the right color, eh...

Rod
 
You mean metric? Crescent wrenches are only used as a last resort and won't fit in many areas on a trike. A typical Honda can be 90% taken apart with an 8, 10 and 12mm wrench/socket. Get a 14mm and the number goes to about 95%. Honda's do have a very good reputation for being bullet proof, as long as they aren't severely abused and at least get some maintenance. Dave
 
Hmmmmmmmmmm, silly, eh moonlite. You know what's silly, the fact that YOU are paying for part of the $1.75 million in hospital bills to get my cousin functioning again after he had one of those roller over on him (yes, and wearing a helmet too). They figure by the time he is as normal as he will get, the bill will be around $2.4 million.....and my uncle's share will be around $400k. Yup, pretty dang silly!
 
Congratulations on your purchase. My brother and I have a soft spot for those big reds. Between the two of us we've pretty well got em figured out. If you have any technical questions just drop me an email. As the others have said they are pretty much bulletproof, just have to use a little common sense when riding them. We've got mostly 85 & 86 250's but we've had an earlier 200 and some smaller atcs as well.
 
Think I about got the goofy gizzmo figured out. Tag on the frame says it's an '86 model.

Needs a battery; $87 here locally, which kinda sux. Still haven't found that reverse gear yet either. :>(

Got all the fencing supplies mounted and gave 'er a run out in that rough pasture yesterday. Guess it'll work for checking tanks, fencing repair and moving machinery/tractors around from field to field.

I like the fact that ya get on it and go, no time lost on catchin' up the horse and loading him in the trailer, etc. No "cold-back" syndrome.

What I don't like is that it isn't sure-footed, isn't "quick", and I hate that front end being so darned light. I can see where it would flip over backwards in a heartbeat.

'Taint got a lick of cow sense neither. :>)

Allan
 
In order to put it in reverse, there should be a little red button right by the left brake lever. Push it down while you're squeezing the break and shift down from neutral. Depending on the shape of the rig you might be able to do it just by pulling the break lever and shifting.
 
So which way do you lean with a turn?

I used to lean into the turn as I recall from my motorcycle riding days. Watch the bike racers on tv, if they are on a hard surface they lean over with the turn but the dirt bike guys put a foot or knee down which makes appear to be leaning their body weight away from the turn.

Know a guy who bought a new harley a few years ago. First ride he went to make a left turn and instead skidded into the ditch messing up the bike and put him on crutches. He said he later looked at the Harley site or book and it mentions turning the wheel slightly in the opposite direction of the turn and then leaning into the direction of the turn to make it turn. Doesn't make sense to me but I've never ridden a big heavy bike.

When I'm mowing side slope with a 4 wheel mower, I sometimes have to lean uphill to put weight on the uphill wheel when it loses traction for some reason which seems to be the opposite of what some say about turning a 3 wheeler.

With a horse you don't lean into a turn.
 
Hey Allan, I was wondering if you got it all figured out, knew you would. I have had a little 110 for 30 years, I usually ride it with my right knee on the seat and left foot on the peg and to shift. It puts me a little further ahead so it puts more weight on the front if I need it. Also doesn't cause you to put your feet down or feel like you are going over, easier to shift your weight. I have had bigger 3 wheelers and 4 wheelers but I like the light weight, I put a tow bar on this little thing and hitch it behind anything to get back and forth by myself. I have even towed it down the road behind my pickup at 25 miles /hr. Usually load it up but if pickup is loaded it has happened. They are fun but I use it sensably like any other tool. I can still ride it, unlike a horse. Good luck ol' cowboy....James
 
You have to lean away from the direction you are trying to turn.Reason is that there is a straight rear axle with no differential.In order to turn in less than 40 acres you have to get the inside tire to spin as it is traveling less distance .Its the same as trying to turn a tractor with the power lock engaged.
 
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