The Tecate-4 blasted into the high performance arena last season bristling with the latest technology and futuristic looks. Like it's three-wheeled predecessor, the KXT250, the new Tecate-4 was a highly focused machine pointed at the racing pointed at the racing crowd. It fared quite well against the potent FourTrax and Quadracers mounts in the performance categories, but fell a little short when hitting the trails because of it's explosive power band. The Tecate-4 is back in '88 with its power band shifted around to suit a large variety of riders and terrain, and with a host of suspension changes designed to make the machine respond to everyday bumps and ruts with the plushness of the others in its class.

MOTOR FOR THE MASSES

The potent mill hasn't lost any of the jaw-dropping snap that was its trademark in '87, the 249cc motor lights up a bit earlier, due to revise porting and cylinder head dimensions. To smooth the transition going from the new-found low end to the amazing mid-range, a 35mm Keihin crescent-slide carb replaces last year's 34mm Mikuni. It has a lighter slide, and it’s a bigger bore should give the motor extra top-end power. The carb holder (between the reed cage and the carb) has been lengthened 5mm. This lowers the bottom-end crank pressure, smoothing out the power band across the board. The pipe is slightly different to accommodate the intake and porting changes. A heavy, restrictive (but quiet) spark arrester/muffler still hangs off the back.

The Tecate-4 power plant is based on the championship-winning KX250 motorcycle engine with modifications to make it more rideable. The counterbalanced mill has a bore and stoke of 67.4mmx70mm. The finless cylinder is liquid-cooled, and the liner is made of Kawasaki's nikasil chrome playing. It lasts longer then steel liners, but can't be bored out. Kawasaki's Power Valve System (KIPS) kicks in earlier then it did last year to improve low-end response. The Fresh Air Intake System that drew air in front of the gas tank has been scrapped for '88. The motor now gets fresh air right at the air box cover. The Tecate-4 still uses an electronic ignition and a six-speed manually clutched transmission.

BOUNCE AND POUNCE

The machine is held up by a dual A-arm arrangement up front. The shocks havee been revalved to offer better low-speed compression damping, and the lower A-arms now have a new bowed shape. The shocks are also a bit longer and offer 8.7 inches