My younger brother passed away a year ago, and I now own his old ’95 TRX 300 EX project bike. The bike was in running condition back in ’13, but it had not been run again until I had the heart to even touch the bike earlier this summer. He was storing the bike in my garage, and in the Fall ’13, he gave me a bottle of fuel stablizer to put in it, which I had forgotten to. The last time I saw him last spring (’14), he was pretty annoyed I forgot to put it in the bike.
So, this summer I decided to fix his bike and get it running again, and complete his ATV project bike. The bike was a project bike made from two bikes. He got one that had a blown engine, and his friend gave him one he crashed and badly wrecked (but had a good motor). My brother swapped the engines, and some parts, and got a running bike (although I very vaguely recalled the starter button never quite worked).
Getting the bike running again:
This summer I drained the fuel, which luckily looked and smelled good. I refilled it with a fresh 1/2 tank of 93 octane. I changed out the solenoid (figured it was bad and was cheap to replace), added an ignition with key (just because I wanted a key for it), and realized that the old battery was toast. I added a brand new Interstate brand battery.
The starter button still does nothing, even with the new solenoid. As soon as I tapped the new solenoid with a screw driver, it turned over and started up briefly. It stalled a few times, and I adjusted the choke until it steadily ran. After beating myself up for a few months for possibly gumming up the carb and gas tank, here it was running like it did the last time he rode it.
Since then, I have put a few hours of use on it. I am surprised at how fuel efficient it is, although I haven’t really pushed it because the tires on it look as if they are 20 years old and completely bald, covered in patches, and appear a bit dry rotted.
Current issues:
Tires – bald, dry rotted, and full of patches
Start button – does not work at all
Solenoid – ordered another one because of how many times I screwdriver started it
Brakes – a bit slow to stop.
One rubber Seat gasket on frame missing.
Tires:
I am planning on ordering new tires soon. I want to find out how much a local shop wants for new tires with the mounting. Front tires on the bike now are 22×7-10 and the rear tires are 22×10-9. I got my eye on the CST Ambush tires, which some seller on eBay has a package of all four in those sizes for $260. Seems like a good deal, especially since the local place quoted me at $90 per rear tire (but I think they are including the mounting into the price). I want to ask them what tires they would be installing for that price, how much for all 4, and how much to just mount 4 tires if I bring my own.
Two things I need help with:
1) New electrical problem: When I had been putting the key in the ignition over the last few weeks, turn it in the on position, and put the switch to run, the headlight and the neutral light would light up. After the last ride (on a bumpy rocky trail), this is no longer happening. None of the lights come on now, and I thought the bike died. However, it starts up immediately with a tap of the screwdriver to the solenoid, and then all the lights come on. I have no idea what caused this or how to fix.
2) Starter button not working, what can this be? Could it be possible that the replacement solenoid was also bad?
Pic…
