Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126526
Before the new ATC e 250R could be introduced in America, Honda took it to Mexico to see if it could take it. It wasn't exactly a test. It was more like torture. It was one of the few things on earth that could possibly challenge the biggest, strongest, most sophisticated ATCe ever built. The Baja 1000. Hell is south «1 the bordec The Baja 1000 is the world's fiercest off-road race. 1000 kilometers of God-forsaken wilderness. Rocks that live only to shred tires. Chuckholes that can swallow a 4x4 whole. And whoop-de-doos that can shake the fillings right out of your teeth. It's enough to make you gi ve up enchiladas forever. So it was no surprise when a crowd gathered at the starting line as two ATC250Rs rolled up. History was in the making. Their destination? San Felipe, approximately one half of the full Baja 1000 course. Exactly 19 grueling hours later, one of them made it. How do)'OU say "high perilnnance" in Spanish? After the race, a lot of people on four wheels were asking themselves how Honda did so well on only three. And you don't have to speak Spanish to understand the answer. Muyrapido. The ATC250R is the first three wheeler model designed from the ground up for pure unadulterated sports performance. And no one has ever put a bigger engine in a production off-road three-wheeler. This high performance 248 cc twostroke puts out enough power to propel the ATC250R over almost any terrain, from shallow mud to deep sand to hard- packed snow. It's got a center port cylinder and a six petal G. P. Reed Valve"", both designed to produce maximum horsepower and torque. Its capacitor discharge ignition delivers a hot, reliable spark and never needs adjustment or maintenance. Its expansion chamber improves mid-range horsepower and makes a smoother flowing exhaust, while its counter-balancer helps reduce the vibration that might exhaust you. This advanced engineering produces something very easy to understand. ManUIJI c/ukh. The most powerful production off-road sports machine on three wheels. How to shock Planet Earth. After giving the ATC250R more than enough power to get you where you want to go, Honda had a certain responsibility. To help you enjoy the trip. That's why the ATC250R is the first production ATCe model to come with front and rear suspensIOn. In back, there's a single gas-charged shock with a remote aluminum reservoir.1t helps you go faster because it helps keep the rear wheels on the ground more of the time. In front, you'll find air- adjustable forks that you can tune to surface conditions to improve handling. All told you get 4.3 inches of travel in the back and 6.7 inches of travel in the front. More than enough to travel almost anywhere. Any similarity between the Honda ATC e 250R and a MX racer is purely intentional. The ATC250Rhas a manual clutch connectedto a close ratio five-speed transmission as well as a unique front disc brake. Both are controlled with competition dog leg levers. The footpegs are steel cleats and the frame is a double cradle with a needle bearing swing arm pivot. There's even a kick starter with primary starting so you can fire up in any gear -without getting off, without searching for neutral. Because all Dog kg levers. this sports equipment is standard, there's only one thing you need to add to the ATC250R before you take it to the limit. A full tank of fuel. Number one in more ways than one. Before the ATC4I> can be first in the field, it's got to be first in the lab. So count them up yourself. The Honda ATC250R is the first production three wheeler built for high performance sport riding. It's the first with air-assisted front suspension. It's the first with a single shock rear suspension. It's the first with a front disc brake. It's the first powered by a high performance 248 cc two-stroke. It's the first to challenge the Baja 1000. And when you've finally absorbed all these technological breakthroughs, think about who built it. Honda. The company that invented the All Terrain Cycle"" in the first place. FOllOW THE LEADER ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET AND EYE PROTECTION. Designed for off-road operator use only. Specifications and availability subject to change without notice. ©1981 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. For a free brochure, see your Honda dealer. Or write: American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Dept. 688, Box 9000, Van Nuys, California 91409. The action photographs above were taken under controlled situations using experienced riders on the 1980 Baja 1000 course. This particular ATC250R has been modified for racing. 41