Greetings from Portland!

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qonnor
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Greetings from Portland!

Post by qonnor »

Hello all!

I recently picked up an '86 Honda Spree with 6k miles for $400 which for a titled and running scooter (with current registration) is a steal here in Oregon! The previous owner appeared to have taken it all apart and got a bit confused putting it back together so I had/have a bit of work to do to get it all buttoned up.

First, I replaced the belt and scuffed the clutch pads with a wire brush per some excellent instruction from posts on this forum. I also went in and tightened up the exhaust to fix a leak and some loud rattles as well as some general cleaning up of oil and grime in the clutch cover and on the motor. I put a couple tanks of seafoamed gas through it as well just cause why not.

After the small stuff above, the scooter is running great. It needs a few minutes to warm up in which it will bog under full throttle and won't quite idle but once it's warm it will hold 30 mph on flat and 25 up hills no problem. I'm not interested in going faster, 30 is plenty for surface streets in Portland and it feels sketchy enough as it is at those speeds. Mainly, I want to focus on longevity and health of the motor so I can keep riding this thing for a long time.

My next steps are as follows:

Install new battery
Replace tubes and tires
New plug and filter
Install gasket kit
Test oil pump (any advice on this would be greatly appreciated)
Maybe look into making the suspension a bit stiffer? (no idea where to even start on this)
Get the clutch relined? (I'll include a photo of it so you can say how many miles you think I have left on it)

Probably the best thing about this particular scooter in my opinion is how stock it is. The previous owner painted it which is a bummer but otherwise it's untouched. It's also SO FUN. It handles better than any other small scooter I've ridden and is pretty quick now that it has a fresh belt. I ride it 7ish miles to work everyday and I'm grinning the whole way.

My questions:

What should I look for when testing the oil pump? Not being super familiar with 2 stroke motors, I'm tempted to just run premix for the peace of mind. Thoughts?

I'm getting about 40 miles to a tank right now. Is that normal?

Are there any other steps you'd recommend taking to make sure this thing will be running for years to come?

Thank you all so much for creating this incredible wealth of knowledge on these machines! I'm looking forward to learning even more.
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Meatball
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Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2016 10:45 am
Location: seattle

Re: Greetings from Portland!

Post by Meatball »

Welcome to the forum! Portland is home to the ScooterSwapShop so you should take a ride down there sometime and talk with those guys. As far as maintenance for these its best to stick with the basics. Plug, filter, brakes, tires, etc...stuff like installing full gasket kits “just because” is all great but if current gaskets are fine..why?!?. Your 86’ Spree has been around 32+ yrs and who knows if the 6k odometer reading is accurate and theyve been known to go many thousands more without a re-build. Best thing to do is IF IT AINT BROKE, DONT FIX IT. Just replace things as they break and have fun riding it.

I suggest giving the carb a full cleaning as explained here: http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5/C ... ture_Guide

A properly running spree BEGINS with a clean carb. Be careful not to over-tighten the two carb mounting bolts. They thread into the soft aluminum carb and strip easy. Fingertip pressure is all thats needed since the seal is a rubber o-ring. Use serious restraint on the torque of those.

Happy scooting and NICE FIND on that Spree!
I need to find some new haters...the ones I have are starting to like me.
qonnor
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Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:38 pm

Re: Greetings from Portland!

Post by qonnor »

Thanks for the advice and the welcome! That advice is good to hear. I need to at least do the exhaust gasket since there isn't one there at the moment but after that I'll leave it be!

I'll also make sure to clean the carb. As hesitant as I am to pull it apart, I know I probably should.

Thanks again!
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Meatball
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Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2016 10:45 am
Location: seattle

Re: Greetings from Portland!

Post by Meatball »

Again, if you need top notch service from guys that know Sprees inside and out...swing by ScooterSwapShop there in Portland. Have them go through it and put their blessing on it. Even if you dont have them do the work you can pick up exhaust gasket, filter, etc while youre there and ask them about any concerns you may have with your scoot.
I need to find some new haters...the ones I have are starting to like me.
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