“2 Tecates taken to the Extreme”

Quick name 5 high-performance quads: Honda TRX250R, Suzuki LT250 and LT500, Yamaha Banshee and uh...having trouble with the fifth one? In '87 and '88 Kawasaki entered the performance ATV market by releasing the Tecate 4. It didn't win the 250cc shootouts, and now after seven years the Tecate is all but forgotten. It was a unique machine, though, and could be made very competitive with a few modifications.

We recently had the good fortune to run across two very different and exciting versions of the Kawasaki Tecate 4. These machines were not in stock trim, and boasted radical mods to the already fast 250 engine and extensive cosmetic surgery to the already unique appearance. We first saw Bob Bendickson of Medford, Oregon and his Tecate at the Oregon SandFest with a group of people huddled around his machine debating what it could possibly be. Tecate's have a rather large, square cylinder head which causes many people to think it might be a 500, and with all the stock graphics replace with a white and blue\pearl paint job, it is a bit difficult to figure out what bob actually rides!

Then, on a trip to California's local sandbox, Glamis, we ran across Daivd Wray of Miralome, California and his (as he likes to call it) "Xtreme Tecate"". The same scenario was playing out; a group of riders was prodding and poking at the engine attempting to assess the nature of the purple beast. They had concluded that it was not Barney the dinosaur. We couldn't believe our luck. In the past months we have been bombarded by readers wanting to see more unique machines, specifically Kawasaki Tecates, and we had just found two extremely cool machines.

SECREAMING PEARL/BLUE MEANY

Bob Bendickson wanted to but a new 4-wheeler and all his friends told him to get a Yamaha Banshee. But Bob wanted to be different and did not listen. All you see at the dunes are Banshees and 250Rs and I wanted to do something besides the status quo. You never see Tecates anymore and you especially don't see ones like this."

 

Bob found a kid who was willing to part with the rare Kawasaki for $2100, and immediately began setting up the all-stock machine to eat Banshees. The Tecate was in pretty good condition, but had many hours on it so the engine was the first thing to be modified. "No one works on Tecates and I had to do everything myself with the help of my friend Jody Harris," says Bendickson.

Bob's Kawasaki was bored 40 over, the head was shaved and a lightened Wiseco piston was added to increase top-end power. A 39mm Keihin carb bored to 40mm and FMF pipe five the Tecate more flow. "I wanted more top-end, but I wanted to maintain reliability, too," says Bendickson. "I do not have to stay on the pipe, but I ride it like anyone would ride their stock machine." A custom billet aluminum +4" swingarm graces the rear to keep the Kawasaki on all fours when racing up the hill.

"The Tecate can beat stock Banshees and even take the ones with pipes and some carb work. It is very strong for a 250 and I don't get my doors blown off racing up the hill. It might not be the fastest machine, but it doesn't break down either," explains Bendickson. "I built it to have fun, and it turned out better than we thought.'

Bob and Jody shot (painted) the plastic with acrylic enamel Centari white with chrome clear and blue pearl mixed in. The pearlecent white plastic with polished and chrome products and a blue power-coated frame make for a stunning ATV.

IT'S PURPLE & IT ROARS

David Wray of Xtreme Kreations(cosmetics and graphics) likes to refer to his creation as the Xtreme Tecate. Hailing from Southern California, Daivd had no problems locating quads like Banshees, but like Bob, he wanted a Kawasaki, too. "I had one when I was younger, but they are hard to come by now. I don't see many Tecates anymore and that is why I wanted one." Says Wray. "Luckily my cousin from Arkansas found one for $800. It had all the stock parts and ran, but was completely rusted from the damp weather in the south."

The quad was in need of a complete overhaul and David began work on it. He tore it down and took the engine to World Tech Racing in Riverside, California for the mods to make the rust bucket purr again. The Kawasaki lacked top-end so the engine was stroked, pored. A 336cc big-bore kit from LA Sleeve was purchased and a Wiseco Pro-Lite piston was added to really make the Tecate roar. To help the engine breath with the new mods, a 39mm Keihin carb was bored to 41mm and a drag pipe from Power Pros was mounted on the side. "It was a dog when I first got it, but with the mods the Tecate really came to life," says Wray.

While the Kawie was in pieces David began cleaning and replacing parts, and as things progressed the frame and every other part was wither chromed or polished. So the enhance the new look, a purple and pearl automotive paint called Deltron was used on the cut plastic. Wray's company, Xtreme Kreations, specializes in cosmetics for ATVs and personal watercraft and offer chrome plating, powder coating, polishing and billet aluminum accessories. Says Wray,"These days you not only have to be fast, you have to look good, too. People thing it's just a drag bike and can't believe I actually go dunning and jumping on it!"

"It will take a Banshee with pipes, head work and porting. Hardly anyone can take it off the line, and with the side pipe and big square cylinder it does no look like a 250. Some of my friends have really built their Banshees upa n they beat me, but I have stared a new project. I am building another Tecate, however, I am installing a Yamaha RD400 motorcycle road-race engine in it, and after the mods are done it should be around 510cc. Whatever the purple Tecate does not beat, this new one will. My friends and their Banshees are dust.

 

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