Well this isn't completely accurate. The government DIDN'T stop the sale of threewheelers. They were going to ban all ATVs includeing 4wheelers. Then the manufacturers came to an agreement voluntarily to stop bringing threewheelers into the country IF they could still sell 4 wheelers. They came to the agreement for obvious reasons as the ATV market is far bigger the the motorcycle market includedin off and on rode motorcycles. There was no forceing to stop development either. The companies are based in Japan so the US government can only say what they can and can't bring into the country. NOT what they can and can't develop. This agreement came about '86 and took effect in '87. There are a few '87 threewheelers out there but they were only available in other countries. Three years later in '89 Honda finally stopped productino of the TRX250R due to getting hit so hard with law suits in the previous years. They are by fart he biggest manufacturer of ATVs and motorcycles so they have the deepest pockets and lawyers know that so they hit them hard. I think Yamaha probably kept the Banshee in production as they saw an obvious market for them to sell LOTs of them as they were the only high performance ATV left. Honda finally came out with the TRX400EX probably more for the reason of trying to get a portion of the market back from Yamaha and shortly after that other manufacturers started following suit as it was starting to take off again. I remember reading somewhere in a mag. that Honda come to the states and checked out some ATV raceing and was amazed about the number of TRX250Rs there were dominateing the circuits and wanted to get back into it. Now they finally have with signing a facotry rider and sponsoring a race team. I just can't wait until the hit the showrooms as I'm getting one!
'04 TRX450R now here!!! Have Sand Stars front and rear. AC nerfs on the way along with HRC kit and Factory Effex graphics kit!
'02 TRX400EX for sale. Emaculate!!!E-mail me if you are interested.
'86 ATC250R Paul Turner HR pipe, Fat Boy silencer, Boyseen reeds, 39mm Mikuni Flat slide, K&N air filter, ported, CR250 Head Gasket.