'87 Tecate 4 Refresh

[TrikeKid]

I've never put any more alcohol than whatever our shitty WA gas has in it across a set. I've heard they don't like methanol but I have no first hand knowledge.

 

[TrikeKid]

Reed block bolted on with proper hardware + an outerwear that's close enough to matching the seat, the red pod kinda bugged me.

WMD pegs compared to the originals, I almost stuffed it in the bushes on the test ride, I'd gotten used to being able to slide my foot to grab the rear brake, your feet don't slide on these.

Hammered it up the big hill climb about as fast as I could see with no goggles, it seems to run a little cleaner when it's off the pipe with fresh reeds. Still doesn't really have much grunt but it pulls like a train from the mid range on up.

 

[TrikeKid]

Just got in a pretty $$$ load of dirty plastic. Got home and started looking, one of the radiator shrouds is NOS! That would likely sell for what I paid for the whole pile. Dude up the highway had all this for spares but his T4 is an all white '88 model and he couldn't stand the idea of mixing and matching the colors. Headlight door is pretty mint so that'll go on the bike this weekend, the rest are gonna get wrapped up and shelved just in case. Hood has a crack in the leading edge but I've seen worse sell for good money.

There's no bolt marks anywhere on this part and there's no way that little paper tag would've survived a single mud puddle.

 

[TrikeKid]

Did some tinkering, got that headlight door on and rid myself of the last of the painted plastic. Also remembered I bought one of these Streamline steering stabilizers like a month and a half ago then promptly buried it under shit on my bench. Finally remembered to put it in my truck today. Slight modifications to the mounts that they include for a YFZ450 and it's in. I'll likely weld a tab on the stem instead of using the clamp on that end, it's meant for a much larger diameter and I had to grind quite a bit to get it to even start grabbing. Frame side will work with new hardware after a quick snip with the hacksaw.

 

[SomeGuyFromOlympia]

looking good

 

[TrikeKid]

This weekend's new stuff brought to us by dune guys and their love of shiny stuff. Found this chromed fender support on eBay and I just couldn't say no! Also brought hardware and got the steering damper properly locked down, didn't ride it much because I was too busy with another bike. Did about die trying to hop a log, she doesn't quite pick the front end up like my KDX.

 

[KrustyTJ]

Nice score on the new chrome. How do you like the new carb

 

[TrikeKid]

Nice score on the new chrome. How do you like the new carb

Completely transformed the bike. I can't say that a new Keihin wouldn't have done the same, but I don't have one to compare. I haven't quite gotten the secret handshake to get it to start first or second kick just yet, seems to be a 4-5 kick bike pretty consistently now but that may just be because it sits for a week or more at a time. Idles like a 4 stroke once it's got just a little heat in the engine, and just runs really well all the time, I set the idle speed and went, tried moving the metering rod around and ended up putting it back where it was set when it came out of the box. I may fiddle with the power jet but I'm not sure I'll gain anything, don't really have room for high speed/RPM testing where the bike lives.

 

[TrikeKid]

Had enough rewards cash on rocky mountain to get some handguards, the brush has moved in pretty tight. They don't look half bad either.

 

[TrikeKid]

Scored some more aftermarket near-unobtanium. This PRM Products grab bar popped up on eBay the other day.

 

[TrikeKid]

Hopped on the struggle bus and headed over to the R&D facility to swap the grab bar. Bolts I brought were too long, grab bar holes are slightly off (more likely my frame) and I forgot there's a fucking tap broken off in one of the holes. The others are pretty chewy too, kinda wonder if someone tried to run a 5/16" bolt in them at some point. Didn't bother looking for an M8 tap, the old man had an absolutely killer collection of standard stuff but a pretty solid aversion to the metric system. Got two bolts in though so it at least looks the part. Tempted to strip the anodizing and buff it out to match the fender support.

Before

 

[TrikeKid]

So I swung my credit card around eBay and bought a whole other hood just to get this ignition lock and key, I've never had a key for this bike and if there wasn't an ignition switch sticking out of the hood I wouldn't care (Because race quad) but non-functional items like that kinda irk me. Went ahead and cleaned up the inside while I was at it. Now my Kawasaki will have a Kawasa-key.

 

[TrikeKid]

Finally got around to installing that ignition switch, it was a bit... involved. The wiring was stuffed back down in the frame and stuck under the tank.

 

[Rjjaaay]

I’m looking to buy tires and wheels for my T4 . What size and kind are your tires and wheels ?

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

I’m looking to buy tires and wheels for my T4 . What size and kind are your tires and wheels ?

Those look to be ITP Baja wheels but I'm not sure on the tire brand he's running.

 

[TrikeKid]

Wheels are ITP A-6 Baja, 21x7-10 Holeshots in the front and 20x11-10 Sedona Bazookas on the back

 

[Rjjaaay]

Thank you

 

[bradp674]

Although it's a 3-wheeler, I thought you would enjoy this.

 

[Rjjaaay]

Sorted out the rear shock situation tonight. Turns out the bearings were both hammered from being run in the sand unsealed AND too big for the shock bolts. The lower end was missing the collars that seal the shock bearing, and the upper had the Kawasaki collars in it which don't fit the seals but do fit the shock bolt. First was press in some non trashed bearings.

Then I chucked up some 12mm, 1mm wall tubing in my lathe that looks suspiciously like a clapped out Taiwan drill press and precision ground (80 grit disk on a 2" grinder) the tube to be a snug slip fit in the bearings

Chopped to length and assembled the top end of the shock with the Banshee seal spacers

Bottom side was slightly more complicated, collars were too wide to fit down in the linkage, as much as I'd have liked to use them as is with the big flange to protect the seals.

So, I stuck those in a vise, ground a little then broke the flange off and "machined" the outside to fit. Now the only play when you pick the bike up by the grab bar is in the shock itself and the seals have a surface to seal against.

What rear shock do you run?

 

[TrikeKid]

What rear shock do you run?

It's a late model Banshee shock, not sure on the specific year but it's full adjustable and has a reservoir. Seems well matched with the '88 fronts and the full flight arms. Won't work with a stock air box.