Somewhere between the 1980s and the early 2020s, ATVs changed a lot. Everything today is faster, smoother, easier… and a lot less fun. That’s right — the slow, bumpy rides we all used to hate actually had a ton of character and fun factor that’s missing from modern machines.
So we decided to take a classic back to the roots of the ATV world — a time that anyone who raced or rode back then is still very nostalgic about.
The early 2000s were the Golden Era of ATV racing. Iconic companies like NACS built some of the coolest quads of that time.
We found a real cream puff — a low-hour, all-original 2002 Honda Recon 250ES — on Facebook Marketplace. You might ask, “Why an ES?” Don’t they have shifting issues? Those problems were mostly overhyped, and the floorboards are actually a nice bonus. Plus, it can be completely hand-controlled, so just about anyone can ride it. We know they made the 250EX, but the Recon just feels more iconic. Most of us who love ATVs grew up on one or had a buddy with a Recon.
There were a few things that had to go: the racks, the balloon tires, and that lame stock bodywork. We wanted to turn it into a proper tribute to that golden era of ATV riding and racing.
Kenda Scorpions and a 250R hood sounded like great ideas… but would they actually work? Turns out they were perfect.
With some trimming around the steering area, the 250R hood mounted up nicely. We ditched the racks, bumpers, and headlight section. We still needed a grab bar and front bumper though — luckily the mounts are the same as a 250EX, so we simply bolted on matching EX parts.
The factory shocks were another pain point. They’re sprung for carrying loads, not ripping around. Up front we scored a killer deal on old-stock Elka Stage 1 shocks on eBay (the seller had no idea what they were — $80 for the pair!) and they bolted right up. Out back we paired it with a new OEM TRX250EX shock. Add an HMF exhaust and it sounds like a 250F!
For the bars we went with Renthal RC High bend bars, ODI adapters, and Renthal Diamond grips. We added Works Connection throttle and brake master cylinder covers, plus classic white UFO wrap-around handguards. We even mounted the indicator lights directly into the bar pad for that clean 90s MX look.
Tires & Wheels
- Front: DWT wheels wrapped in ITP MXR6 20x7-10
- Rear: 8x8 Alba beadlocks with Kenda Scorpion 18x8-8 (who really ran 9" rims anyway?)
We had to add 1" spacers to get the wheelbase right, but not so much that it hurt handling or stressed the suspension components.
To finish it off we threw on an eBay seat cover and some OEM '88 250R graphics.
We finally got to put in some laps on the BTQ Test Track, and damn — this thing is a blast. It’s also great for trolling the 250R guys. Best part? You can build something like this yourself on the cheap with quality parts, all available right from us at BTQLLC.com
