There's something about a big tire dirt bike, isn't there? While other dirt bikes look mean, bikes like this look almost charmingly cartoonish. Friendly, even.
And, I mean, it's right there in the name, isn't it? The Honda Fat Cat was, as we've discussed in the past, meant to stand as both Honda's answer to Yamaha's Big Wheel (BW200), as well as bring a two-wheeled version of the ATC trike to the lineup. While its aesthetic can't be denied, some common complaints included observations that it was underpowered, overweight, and of course plenty of hate for its semi-automatic clutch.
But much like the Cub EZ90, and like other attempts that both Honda and other OEMs have made, this was a bike designed with beginners in mind. See, ever since at least the 1980s, bike makers and riders alike have been concerned about getting the next generation to throw a leg over. And, I mean, wouldn't you, if you wanted to see this thing you love continue into the future?
Luckily, there are still Fat Cats around. Like this one, which has certainly seen better days.
The mission, should Cars and Cameras choose to accept it (who am I kidding; of course they did), is to get this little Fat Cat running and ridable in just three days. It's not a painstaking, nuts-and-bolts restoration; it's what they call a 'rustoration.' It doesn't need to look pretty; it just has to run well!
It's a Honda, so that definitely helps. Once they dig into it, even though it appears to be missing its original carburetor, they're able to get it running with very little trouble. Yes, even though it was sitting unridden for around 15 years or so.
Granted, that doesn't mean that there isn't a disturbing amount of varnish in the fuel tank, but the good news is that it almost looks like the inside of the fuel tank got a nice rustproof coating! Um, wait, that's not good news? Sorry, my mistake. I kid.
While some older Hondas aren't too bad to find parts for in the modern era (ask me how I know), the Fat Cat is sadly not one of these. You can't find OEM plastics for it anymore, so if yours are yellowed, cracked, or otherwise damaged, you have two choices. Either you wait some unspecified amount of time for some used ones to show up (and pray they're in better condition than whatever you already have), or you buy reproduction ones that may or may not have the same locating tabs that the OEM ones do.
The good news is, this little bike doesn't do too bad in C&C's track test scenario, even when pitted against a modern fat-tire 200cc ripper. Do you have great memories of a Fat Cat, or would you still rip one of these today if you could? Let us know in the comments.
