Hey all!
Good to be here!
One of my friends has been telling about his Honda Spree and has me really interested in purchasing one of my own. Id like a 80's decade one, mainly the 84 to 87 era.
What are the most important aspects i need to look for?
Thanks for your time all.
New Guy With Purchase Questions!
Moderator: Moderator
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dreamer1uk
- BMX
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:43 am
- Location: IL
- Contact:
I think you'll get lots of replies to your question, there are some great people here.
I bought an '86 Spree about a month ago with little prior knowledge of them. Here is what I did.
Get online and read! Find reviews of your prospective scoot. Read these forums so you'll know something about the care and feeding of them.
I think any motor purchase, car, bike, scoot should be made in person. It's the only way to know for sure what you're getting. Cash is king! Make sure you get at least a bill of sale. Check out the scooter laws in your state before you buy, especially in regard to the need for a title. Do you need a helmet in your state?
Take a serious test ride, at least a couple of miles, so you get a good warm up. Does it start right up on electric start and the kick start? It should. Turn signals, brake light, and head light work? How are the brakes? Do they stick? Quick short stops? Any wobble in front or rear end? How are the tires? Dry rot (a good clue to how long the scooter has been sitting in the garage)? If not used in a long time, how was it stored? Does the bike smoke heavily, even after warm up? Does the throttle work smoothly?
These bikes are pretty simple, and, I'm still learning, but I think they're pretty easy to work on. Few mechanical problems are 'show stoppers,' but you can use any noted problem to negotiate a better price.
Just so you'll know, I bought my '86 Spree from a college student in Atlanta, GA, for $450. The turn signals did not work, and it needed a new battery, but everything else worked, and it started on the first kick. I thought I got a good deal. He didn't know or care much about maintenance, so I have cleaned the carb, put on new tires, changed the tranny fluid, done a 'plug chop,' repacked wheel
bearings, inspected brakes, and done a good general clean up. Now at least I know when the last time these things were done. I will inspect the drive belt soon and, then, I think I'll have all the basics covered.
There are guys here with waaaaaaay more knowledge than this noob has, so I hope they feel free to cover anything I've said wrong or forgot.
Good luck, and you will be amazed at how much fun these scoots are!
I bought an '86 Spree about a month ago with little prior knowledge of them. Here is what I did.
Get online and read! Find reviews of your prospective scoot. Read these forums so you'll know something about the care and feeding of them.
I think any motor purchase, car, bike, scoot should be made in person. It's the only way to know for sure what you're getting. Cash is king! Make sure you get at least a bill of sale. Check out the scooter laws in your state before you buy, especially in regard to the need for a title. Do you need a helmet in your state?
Take a serious test ride, at least a couple of miles, so you get a good warm up. Does it start right up on electric start and the kick start? It should. Turn signals, brake light, and head light work? How are the brakes? Do they stick? Quick short stops? Any wobble in front or rear end? How are the tires? Dry rot (a good clue to how long the scooter has been sitting in the garage)? If not used in a long time, how was it stored? Does the bike smoke heavily, even after warm up? Does the throttle work smoothly?
These bikes are pretty simple, and, I'm still learning, but I think they're pretty easy to work on. Few mechanical problems are 'show stoppers,' but you can use any noted problem to negotiate a better price.
Just so you'll know, I bought my '86 Spree from a college student in Atlanta, GA, for $450. The turn signals did not work, and it needed a new battery, but everything else worked, and it started on the first kick. I thought I got a good deal. He didn't know or care much about maintenance, so I have cleaned the carb, put on new tires, changed the tranny fluid, done a 'plug chop,' repacked wheel
bearings, inspected brakes, and done a good general clean up. Now at least I know when the last time these things were done. I will inspect the drive belt soon and, then, I think I'll have all the basics covered.
There are guys here with waaaaaaay more knowledge than this noob has, so I hope they feel free to cover anything I've said wrong or forgot.
Good luck, and you will be amazed at how much fun these scoots are!
'86 Spree
'80 Motobecane 50V
Just Ride
'80 Motobecane 50V
Just Ride
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Wheelman-111
- Moderator
- Posts: 11325
- Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2008 5:09 pm
- Location: Deepinnaharta, Texas
Spreeking of Noobs
Greetings:
It's remarkable how smart I think I have gotten since joining this site in October. These machines are so simple, even I can understand 'em. Mostly.
For a guy who calls himself a Noob, jguy has dispensed exceptionally good advice.
I add only the following:
Tires - look for a 4-digit code stamped into the sidewall 2206 means the tires were cooked in the 22nd week of 2006. If it says 1282, well, you know. Old rubber should be considered for replacement regardless of tread life remaining. Perhaps just some negotiatin' leverage when you start talking price. In fact everything that isn't right should be an occasion to pause, scratch your beard, and wonder aloud how much this might cost to fix. Don't stop until the seller begins offering you money to take the bike off his/her hands.
(If you're female, you should wonder aloud how come you have a beard...)
Sinceriously, consider your needs before you set your heart on a Spree. Is 30-37MPH sufficient to stay with traffic where you'll be riding. You might be better off spending a little more for a Variator-equipped scooter that can be developed into a little faster ride.
If you stay with the Spree, I agree that the '84-'87 models are the best mainly because that's all they is! Spree stepped aside (Here in US at least...) for the Elite E.
That all said, the best and handsomest Sprees to buy are the ones that say "Aero" on them.
Oh, and almost forgot:
Dude! Swap in a Dio!
It's remarkable how smart I think I have gotten since joining this site in October. These machines are so simple, even I can understand 'em. Mostly.
For a guy who calls himself a Noob, jguy has dispensed exceptionally good advice.
I add only the following:
Tires - look for a 4-digit code stamped into the sidewall 2206 means the tires were cooked in the 22nd week of 2006. If it says 1282, well, you know. Old rubber should be considered for replacement regardless of tread life remaining. Perhaps just some negotiatin' leverage when you start talking price. In fact everything that isn't right should be an occasion to pause, scratch your beard, and wonder aloud how much this might cost to fix. Don't stop until the seller begins offering you money to take the bike off his/her hands.
(If you're female, you should wonder aloud how come you have a beard...)
Sinceriously, consider your needs before you set your heart on a Spree. Is 30-37MPH sufficient to stay with traffic where you'll be riding. You might be better off spending a little more for a Variator-equipped scooter that can be developed into a little faster ride.
If you stay with the Spree, I agree that the '84-'87 models are the best mainly because that's all they is! Spree stepped aside (Here in US at least...) for the Elite E.
That all said, the best and handsomest Sprees to buy are the ones that say "Aero" on them.
Oh, and almost forgot:
Dude! Swap in a Dio!
Wheelman-111
Most of my money is spent on scooterparts. The rest is just wasted.
"ISO": '03 Vespa ET4 Malossi187 74MPH
Flash 9: 2001 Elite SR Contesta 72 ZX Tran, 9:1 Gears, Stock Airbox/Carb/Pipe 58.8 MPH
Punkin: 2010 Vespa/Malossi S78, 61MPH
Most of my money is spent on scooterparts. The rest is just wasted.
"ISO": '03 Vespa ET4 Malossi187 74MPH
Flash 9: 2001 Elite SR Contesta 72 ZX Tran, 9:1 Gears, Stock Airbox/Carb/Pipe 58.8 MPH
Punkin: 2010 Vespa/Malossi S78, 61MPH
-
dreamer1uk
- BMX
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:43 am
- Location: IL
- Contact:
Hey,
Thanks for the advice all. The reason i want a Spree is because im trying to restore a 93 Mustang and i live 1 mile away from work so, a Spree would be perfect. Plus, Scooters and Mopeds are huge in the UK and thats where i was from, now living in the States.
The only other question i have, and maybe this is the wrong forum but, how do the Spree's control there Spark? Does the CDI automatically do this once the coil is energised? Im used to working on Car/Truck ignition systems so, thats why i ask.
Have a great week all.
PS - Dude!!! Whats a Dio?
Thanks for the advice all. The reason i want a Spree is because im trying to restore a 93 Mustang and i live 1 mile away from work so, a Spree would be perfect. Plus, Scooters and Mopeds are huge in the UK and thats where i was from, now living in the States.
The only other question i have, and maybe this is the wrong forum but, how do the Spree's control there Spark? Does the CDI automatically do this once the coil is energised? Im used to working on Car/Truck ignition systems so, thats why i ask.
Have a great week all.
PS - Dude!!! Whats a Dio?
-
mousewheels
- Veteran OG
- Posts: 3639
- Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 8:10 pm
- Location: North of Seattle, WA
Unlike automotive ignitions, the Spree ignition does not require 12v battery power. It's more like a lawnmower engine. There's coils underneath the flywheel, one charges a cap in the CDI, the other provides a timing pulse for the spark itself.how do the Spree's control there Spark? Does the CDI automatically do this once the coil is energised?
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Wheelman-111
- Moderator
- Posts: 11325
- Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2008 5:09 pm
- Location: Deepinnaharta, Texas
Didn't Get the Dio Memo
Greetings:
UKD1 axt:
Dio = Forum misnomer for any post-1993 US Elite engine, known by engine code AF 16E. The name comes from Honda's JDM name for the scooter sold here as the Elite. ("Lead" in UK?)
Faced with the performance hop-up limitations of the Spree 1-speed architecture, many here have opted to shoehorn a modified AF16 into their Spree frames. Read all about it in Advanced Tech.
WARNING: I have not done the conversion personally. I understand that many who have done it are still alive. This despite some feats of Rube Engineering that appear, to me at least, to compromise the backbone of the engine/frame connection; the engine mount. Proceed at your own risk.
YMMV.
UKD1 axt:
Sorry, running gag in the Forum.PS - Dude!!! Whats a Dio
Dio = Forum misnomer for any post-1993 US Elite engine, known by engine code AF 16E. The name comes from Honda's JDM name for the scooter sold here as the Elite. ("Lead" in UK?)
Faced with the performance hop-up limitations of the Spree 1-speed architecture, many here have opted to shoehorn a modified AF16 into their Spree frames. Read all about it in Advanced Tech.
WARNING: I have not done the conversion personally. I understand that many who have done it are still alive. This despite some feats of Rube Engineering that appear, to me at least, to compromise the backbone of the engine/frame connection; the engine mount. Proceed at your own risk.
YMMV.
Wheelman-111
Most of my money is spent on scooterparts. The rest is just wasted.
"ISO": '03 Vespa ET4 Malossi187 74MPH
Flash 9: 2001 Elite SR Contesta 72 ZX Tran, 9:1 Gears, Stock Airbox/Carb/Pipe 58.8 MPH
Punkin: 2010 Vespa/Malossi S78, 61MPH
Most of my money is spent on scooterparts. The rest is just wasted.
"ISO": '03 Vespa ET4 Malossi187 74MPH
Flash 9: 2001 Elite SR Contesta 72 ZX Tran, 9:1 Gears, Stock Airbox/Carb/Pipe 58.8 MPH
Punkin: 2010 Vespa/Malossi S78, 61MPH
A better question: 'How do Sprees manage to get such GUNKED up carbs?dreamer1uk wrote:Hey,
how do the Spree's control there Spark?
Answer: because the tiny chambers in the carb are SO small, even an atom has a problem moving inside 'em.
Seriously, Public Enemy No 1 on these bikes is dirty carbs and stuck float valves. A Spree that's sat in a spud's garije (that's Brit for 'garage', right?
) for more than 6 fortnights is likely doomed to a carb clean - if not five cleanings. Stalling, lack of power, spitting, hard starting, bogging and outright non-performance are common ills the Spree flesh is heir to.The good news is, it's not hard to correct; compressed air, a can of spray carb cleaner, a bigger can of GUNK carb bath, some care and patience, and you're on your way to a strong running Spree (ASSuming everything else is in good repair).
Just an opinion from someone who's been there, done that, etc etc.
CaptDan>