This is a Honda ATC 350X from 1986 that’s presented in remarkably good condition, it’s been given some recent refurbishment work, but great care has been taken to keeping it period-correct throughout.
The ATC 350X was one of the most desirable high-performance three-wheelers of the 1980s, and of all time, having come about just before trikes were replaced with quads. Surviving examples are now highly sought after by enthusiasts, and some still race them competitively.
Above Image: This detailed modern review of the Honda ATC 350X gives a good look back at the history of the model, including its pros and cons, and in-depth coverage of what it’s actually like to ride off-road with plenty of footage.
History Speedrun: The Honda ATC
When the Honda US90 three-wheeler was released in 1970 it triggered a revolution in the burgeoning ATV market. The other three major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers rushed to catch up, and by the 1980s they were selling hundreds of thousands of them each year in the US alone.
The decision to use three wheels rather than four was probably driven by economic reasoning, the single wheel up front could be steered with a simple fork arrangement rather than a more complex two-wheel steering system which would have also required more complex suspension.
The downside of this was that the trikes tended to be less stable than a comparable four-wheeler. Riders soon learned how to get the new breed of three-wheelers up to speed, and racing leagues were set up across the country (and around the world).
Led by Honda the three-wheeled ATV revolution resulted in millions of sales, and the vehicles were a common sight on beaches, dunes, motocross tracks, and enduro trails. Engine displacement and power kept increasing, for Honda this culminated in the ATC250R released in 1981 and the ATC 350X released in 1985.
By the mid-1980s the sheer number of injuries and deaths caused by inexperienced riders crashing or flipping three-wheelers drew the attention of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the manufacturers reached a settlement called the 1988 Consent Decree that essentially shutdown three-wheeler production.
Experienced riders would throw their body weight left and right to counterbalance the trike through the corners, achieving remarkable speeds in the process. Image courtesy of Honda.
From this time on the manufacturers all focussed on more stable four-wheeled quad bikes, and these remain the most common type of ATV today over 30 years later.
The Honda ATC 350X – Specifications
When Honda released the Honda ATC 350X is was essentially intended as the “big” four-stroke companion to the formerly dominant two-stroke ATC250R that had been released four years earlier.
The ATC 350X was powered by a 350cc OHC single-cylinder engine with a four-valve head, a bore x stroke of 81mm x 68mm, a compression ratio of 8.5:1, and power output of 27 bhp at 7,000 rpm and 22 lb ft of torque at 6,000 rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed transmission.
Suspension consists of 35mm air-adjustable forks up front with 8 inches of travel, and a gas-charged monoshock in the rear with 7.5 inches of travel. Brakes were discs front and rear, and the fully transistorized CDI (Capacitor Discharge Ignition) helped with reliability and easy starting.
This 1986 Honda ATC 350X is said to have spent time in Arizona before being bought by the current owner in Idaho in 2025. Work carried out under current ownership included fitting Serwa reproduction tires, replacement black grips, a blue vinyl cover on the solo seat, a reproduction rear mudflap, and assorted multi-colored graphics – it’s finished in white over a red steel tube frame.
It’s been said that the ATC 350X is capable of a 60 – 65 mph (97 – 105 km/h) top speed, though you’d need to be an exceptionally skilled rider to achieve it for any length of time in the dirt.
The Honda ATC 350X Shown Here
This 1986 Honda ATC 350X is said to have spent time in Arizona before being bought by the current owner in Idaho in 2025. Work carried out under current ownership included fitting Serwa reproduction tires, replacement black grips, a blue vinyl cover on the solo seat, a reproduction rear mudflap, and assorted multi-colored graphics – it’s finished in white over a red steel tube frame.
This ATC 350X has an aftermarket rear cargo basket, serrated folding foot pegs, front and rear skid plates, and trail lighting with twin rectangular headlights. The staggered-diameter multi-piece alloy wheels are fitted with the aforementioned Serwa tires, and braking is handled by hydraulically-actuated discs at the front wheel and rear axle.
Suspension consists of a leading-axle 35mm telescopic fork with blue rubber gaiters up front and an adjustable Showa monoshock with a remote reservoir mounted to the swingarm at the rear. The black-finished handlebars carry switchgear for the lights and ignition along with clutch and brake levers and a thumb throttle. No odometer or other instrumentation is fitted, so total mileage is unknown.
As you might expect, power comes from an air-cooled 350cc four-stroke single with an oil cooler, four valves, an automatic camshaft chain tensioner, an upswept exhaust that exits high under the rear bodywork, and a kick starter with a compression release valve.
As you might expect, power comes from an air-cooled 350cc four-stroke single with an oil cooler, four valves, an automatic camshaft chain tensioner, an upswept exhaust that exits high under the rear bodywork, and a kick starter with a compression release valve. Drive is routed to the rear wheels through a manual clutch, a 6-speed transmission, and a chain final drive.
It’s now being offered for sale out of Afton, Wyoming at no reserve with a Wyoming title in the seller’s name. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
