Growing up, we rode three-wheelers every day all year long. Over the years, we had the Honda 110, 185, 200, 200X, and finally the 250R, which was scary fast. It was a blast riding on frozen lakes in the winter. I will never forget those times.

In shop class, we learned how to rebuild the motors and, of course, put in higher compression pistons to increase horsepower. Oh, and that dreadful youthful phase of liking loud exhaust pipes…

Our local dealer in town always had brand new ones sitting on the showroom floor, we would go in an and dream about saving enough money from working in the Summer fishing that we could get a new one..

Then, in my twenties, going up North to work, nobody had cars; it was all three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and snowmachines. Honda made the most incredibly reliable engines. People would tear those things up over the years, do very maintenance, and they just kept on going year after year.

It was a little sad to watch the three-wheelers phase out and be replaced by the four-wheelers, which were not as fun. I do understand, though. I know the accident rate was high with the three-wheelers, but that was mostly user error, not being properly trained in the limitations and idiosyncrasies of the machine, and riding one way too powerful for your skills. Growing up, with all the riding we all did, nobody was seriously hurt by them, but we had plenty of auto accidents/deaths.

Some final facts from Wikipedia:

Honda’s dominance in the ATC market peaked in 1984, with 370,000 units shipped and a 69% market share. In 1985, Honda offered their most diverse lineup, with ten models available. However, due to safety concerns, production of three-wheelers was voluntarily ceased by all manufacturers by 1987.  These models played a significant role in popularizing ATCs and contributed to the development of the modern ATV industry.

Sadly, this is mostly how you find them now: