Are you familiar with the Honda ATC 250R? No? Think of yourself as fortunate. Yes? Be thankful that you’re still here to hear this.
In 1981, Big Red was the first company to market a high-performance, three-wheeled all-terrain vehicle (ATV) under the model name ATC 250R. The thumper first came equipped with a two-stroke single cylinder that was air-cooled and had a capacity of 248 cc.
By 1985, the capacity was lowered to 246 cc, and the cooling system was upgraded to liquid. During that time span of four years, the ATC went through two significant revisions, which resulted in the addition of a six-speed gearbox, a revised fuel delivery system, and a Pro-Link suspension.
Sadly, the off-road trike’s already questionable safety record could not be improved by any of those enhancements. By 1986, a high number of accident complaints and the subsequent litigation drove the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to reach an agreement with manufacturers to stop the production and sales of three-wheeled all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), including the infamous Honda ATC 250R.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was not pleased when dealers simply removed the products from their showroom floors. The government agency ordered the vendors to remove the engines from any remaining ATC stock and halve the frames of such vehicles.
These initiatives made it even less likely that bootleg 250Rs would be driven on the trails. Donut Media, a popular YouTube channel, appears to have been successful in acquiring one of Honda’s infamous three-wheelers despite the long-standing prohibition that has been in place by the CPSC. The ban has been in place for nearly 40 years.
If you have ever ridden a tricycle, you are aware of the balance and steering problems that are inherent to the vehicle. The particular design chosen by Honda simply serves to amplify such deficiencies. Jeremiah and Nolan, both of Donut, placed those inadequacies on full display by using a variety of tests that were both relevant and entertaining.
Fortunately, Jeremiah’s background in motorcycle keeps him safe in the saddle of the ATC; but, the audience is also kept coming back for more thanks to the crazy experiments.
Donut’s unique style places a higher value on laughing than it does perfection, and this can be seen in anything from witty remarks to amusing callbacks. Are the approaches they take scientific? Hardly? Is there a lot of fun to be had there?
Undoubtedly. Jeremiah and Nolan make us thankful that we are all still alive to memorialize the ATC 250R, despite the fact that we did not discover anything new about Honda’s crash-prone All-Terrain Cycle.