Tips when buying a Spree.....

dr.ona · Post by **dr.ona** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:01 pm

Hey all,
I just bought a 1986 Honda spree and thought I would pass on some tips for when you're buying a Spree for the first time. Most of these I got off of the forum here so I'm not taking the credit...

1) I wouldn't buy a 1985...no kick starter. If you're battery goes dead your stranded. I bought a 1986 cause it had the starter.

2) When test driving a Spree, try to take it up a steep hill, that way you can tell how powerful it is and it might not be the right Scooter for you if you live around a lot of hills.

3) Look at what prices of common replacement parts are...those things really add up quick! You're Scooter can cost you a couple hundred $$ more if it needs things like tires, battery, lights, mirrors etc,etc...

4) Put the Scooter up on it's kickstand and spin the front/rear tires. Check to make sure they spin freely without resistance. If there is drag, you could have wheel bearings going out.

5) Some States make you have a motorcycle endorsement at 50cc. Make sure you buy a 49cc. This can be tricky...a lot of people try to sell 50cc Scooters claiming you don't need a motorcycle license but you do.

6) Remember...Spree's don't go very fast. If you need to drive on faster roads, maybe a Spree isn't right for you.

Please feel free to add to this list of "Things to check/consider" for new Scooter owners...

Robert

wikked_spree57 · Post by **wikked_spree57** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:04 am

that's wierd, I have a 1985 with kick start and a 1986 without. what gives?

CharlotteSpreeRider · Post by **CharlotteSpreeRider** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:21 am

You can easily strap the left cover and kickstart mechanism from any after 85 Spree on an 84 or 85 Spree. The cover is interchangable and everything else is the same.

-aseigler

dr.ona · Post by **dr.ona** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 11:39 am

Ah...didn't know that. I read somewhere that the only difference between an 85 and an 86 is the kickstart and the lettering.

BTW...
what's the difference between an IOWA model and a nonIOWA model?

Dac · Post by **Dac** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:20 pm

iowa's are super slow

CharlotteSpreeRider · Post by **CharlotteSpreeRider** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:36 pm

Yep - they restricted the Iowa model down so it will only go 25MPH (on flat level ground) to meet Iowa's 25MPH moped laws. Non-Iowa is supposed to do 29 - 30MPH (flat level ground), brand new with no modifications, to meet the moped laws of pretty much everywhere else in the US and Canada.

-aseigler

dr.ona · Post by **dr.ona** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:20 pm

So, how do you identify an IOWA? Are there special markings?

Dac · Post by **Dac** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:29 pm

you can tell by the vin number. look in the tec documents or the advance tec documents. its in one of those.
EDIT=http://hondaspree.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=35 here it is.

darat · Post by **darat** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:47 am

lol i picked mine up today for 50bucks and it may look like crap but it runs. the guy told me that it didnt but it took me 10 min to get it going.

dr.ona · Post by **dr.ona** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:18 pm

SWEET!
Mine's a non-Iowa....
So does that mean I don't need to drill out the muffler or is that something that will still give you more HP in my case?

darat · Post by **darat** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:55 pm

yeah u dont need to drill anything