How did you get your scoot?

jstone · Post by **jstone** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:09 pm

Time for everybody to tell the story on how they got their Spree or Elite. Pictures are always good too. Try and keep it on topic though.

I'll start. I picked mine up from my grandfather for $0. He had 4 sprees, and one elite that we all used to ride but had been sitting for atleast a year. At the time i had just started working for a diesel mechanic and was learning immense amounts about motors every day so i wanted my own little project. I went and asked him about buying one and he told me i could just have one. So i took it with me along with a hint from him about why it wouldn't run. Hes one of those people that would rather see somebody learn how to do it themselves than do it for them. I took it home, pulled the motor out and turned it upside down per his recommendation and the cylinder was full of oil. Cranked it upside down for awhile to get it all out, flipped it over, put it back on and within the next hour it was up and running.

CaptDan · Post by **CaptDan** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:52 pm

jstone wrote:Time for everybody to tell the story on how they got their Spree or Elite..

The only picture I have so far appears to the left.

I was looking for a fun ride that didn't go too fast or drink gas like a wino guzzles Ripple. I was originally interested in a classic (ie: 60's) Vespa, but the prices were WAY beyond the limit set by my wife:

"Ya wanna kill yourself? Do it for $400 or less!"

That left only two choices - a trashed Vespa in 50 pieces and no engine, or a nice Spree in one piece with few issues.

Lo and behold, a good looking red one appeared on 'Crag's Lust'. And the price range was right. I drove down with my truck, test road the bike, and as the seller indicated, it would shut down after 10 minutes. Suspecting a carb valve stuck on stupid, I offered $400 and he took it. I strapped the scoot down in my truck.

Upon arriving at my digs, wifey exclaims:

"Oh how nice! And cute! Uh..is it a bit small for you?"

As I single handedly hoisted 'Pasquale' out of the truck I answered:

"Maybe. But try doing THIS with a Harley Fat Boy!"

The End.

CaptDan

Bear45-70 · Post by **Bear45-70** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:06 pm

Decided I needed a pit bike for racing as the back and left knee were punishing me to much. A buddy said his Bro-in-law had one but it didn't run. Got it free with no title as numb nuts couldn't find it. Used bill of sale to register and filed for a no title transfer. 3 years later the state sent me the title. Oh, the not running part. A bad spark plug.

chevyguyjay · Post by **chevyguyjay** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:06 pm

well, let c.....ive had way to many scooters lol. mostly sprees. i had 2 really mint sprees. one was a 1984 iowa. the other was a 87. the fastest spree i had was another 87 and did 40 all the time. trans ended up going out in it. i had a nice lookin 87 elite se50. my 84 gyro. and my grey 84 spree with the SE50 engine. now the scooter i have now. 86 aero50.

a guy i used to work with called me up one day out of no where and asked me if i wanted a moped. i said sure what is it? he said he didnt know what it was. its been sitting on his back porch since 88 or 89. it was raining that night, and if i said no not today, id prolly never get a chance to get it. once i got over there, he was rolling down the steps, and all i seen was aero50, and my eyes lit up! needless to say, he didnt want any money for it. i even offered him $50, and he woulnt take it. once i got it home it sat for a couple weeks waiting on a gas tank. piston was broke and had one piston ring. it did start up and ran once i got the tank for it. so yea, thats pretty much my story on how i came upon my aero.

po89mm · Post by **po89mm** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:47 pm

i got my first spree the same way i got my first motorcycle.

not running and in pieces

vnice · Post by **vnice** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 2:02 pm

I posted on Craigslist that I was looking for a used Honda or Yamaha scoot for cheap. So, this guy emails me and says he has a Yamaha he could sell me. So, over the course of 2 or 3 months, we email eachother back and forth. He's a busy dude, so I'd email him and not get a reply for a week or so. We finally connected and he brought it over. Pics to come.
Luckily, other scooter buying opportunities all fell through, because I think this is gonna be a great ride. I can't wait to get her tip top.

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 3:58 pm

One of dads scrapper frinds was junking a spree casue he oculdnt get it running, new gas tank later it was going.

Storm · Post by **Storm** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:55 am

My father in law was holding the spree for his neice. His brother was going to fix it, going to fix it etc.......time passed (6 months later), I mention in passing that every time I see it I want to have a tinker and get it going. He then tell father in law that "if he wants it, he can have it". Father in law demands $75 as thats what he'd spent in parts and petrol running around getting parts, so I figure its a great deal, pay up and lo and behold, I own a Spree

Post by **noiseguy** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 10:31 am

Got mine at a garage sale. It wasn't in the stuff being sold, but they wanted rid of it anyway. It was free; the guy was so happy to get rid of it he hauled it to my place for me. The whole scooter looked like it had been thrown down the stairs; every panel cracked and a bent front fork and wheel; you couldn't even push it around. But it ran with a little work and I fixed and replaced the rest.

I tried finding info on other websites and found out there wasn't much, so I started this site as a repository for information on Honda 50cc scoots.

I've since picked up others; I currently have 2 and a pile of parts that I've tried out or am meaning to try out

If you're not in a hurry and know where to look, there are still some fixers out there. With gas prices going up though, anything that gets 100MPG is getting popular.

chevyguyjay · Post by **chevyguyjay** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:53 pm

right on storm. i agree with u.

Dac · Post by **Dac** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:38 pm

Bikes of the past...
19?? jog- RIP -i was talking to a friend in school about buying his moped when my friend josh comes up and offers me his jog for 25$. Went to his house and picked it up that day. it was all busted up but it ran perfect.

1992 Elite- RIP -Erin was harassing me about wanting to buy another moped when her friend kate said she had one in the back of her shed. Went about bought it that day. $300, body was good, motor was perfect. Rode it home.

1997 sundiro- RIP -i kept trying to buy it off a friend who would not sell it. Every time i was about to get it his dad or family would talk him out of it. Final one day he rode it over, and i traded him a crappy guitar on the spot. So about $40 for the guitar, put 16 for new rings. But after the rings it ran perfect. I became the beater of my home town. Everyone rode and every time it broke we could use duck tape or zip ties to fix it.

2005 geely- Sold -I bought it off a friend of mine for $200 since the belt was broke. i fixed it up but it was very slow so i put a bore kit on it and tuned it up. It was a big * thing that i ended up selling to my step dad.

Bikes i still have...
1996 Elite- Found it at a yard sale for $100, it had a paper taped to the seat that said need work. So i took it home to find out the problem was very small and a free fix. It now has been rebuild many over and runs strong to this day.

1989 SB50- So i was talking to my friend mark, Mark said that his half brother use to have a chines moped. So i tracked him down and talk to him. He was excited to sell it to me for $100, so i went over to his to get it and his mom wouldn't let him sell it. But his mom did say i could have the other one in back. i followed them around to find a 89 elite laying in a puddle of its own oil. Sad little thing. Took it home, fixed it up, runs awesome. I use it for a beater/ stunt toy/ or for quick rides if my other bikes are broke down.

1984 Trac Image- A very close friend of mine bought the bike from someone he knew. It had been sitting forever and needed a tune up. I was over there everyday helping him get it going the best it could. When my friend decided he was going to move away from this small redneck town we live in he sold it to me for what he paid for it.

austin07 · Post by **austin07** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:26 pm

Driving around and saw a 88 Honda Elite 80 with a for sale sign on it, the owner said he had it running but was afraid to run gas from the tank to it. He was too happy to let it go for 75. Took it home cleaned the tank and the carb and now ride it around the subdivision, no problems with it at all.

While telling a coworker about this one and how easy it was to get it up and going he said he had one sitting in the backyard. He bought it for 200 from someone else 10 years earlier, but it had stopped running for his son. He thought it was an Elite but not sure what it was and I could have it for free. I stopped by and was amazed that the plastics were all good and the mileage was only 1491 original! I gave him 50 for it, installed new rings and a petcock and it is now fully operational. Turned out to be a 1988 Honda Elite LX 50.

Its amazing what you can get out of a conversation about scooters.

EvilCrayon · Post by **EvilCrayon** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:37 pm

I'm the 3rd owner of mine and everybody took care of it but the only reason people sold it was so the next owner could have fun so it's always been sold at $500 and the last 2 owners still ride it every once in a while although it's a bit faster now.

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How did you get your scoot?

How did you get your scoot?

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