Some questions about Honda Spree - Engine swaps and such

[Insaniac]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post, but the questions I have pertain to this section of the forums I think. I don't have a Honda Spree, but I am sorta playing with the idea of getting one. I am not new to engines/motorcycles/mechanics, but I have never had a scooter before. Honestly they have never appealed to me, aesthetically I've always found them quite ugly but I was picking up some parts at some guy's house and he had several sprees on the side of his house. I've known about them but I've never really looked at them, and their small, should I say cute frame and quirky plastics really appealed to me. Before this I have never thought I would even consider buying a scooter.

I have been reading about them, I guess they don't have a variated transmission and can be on the slow side. I don't mind going so slow but 30mph is pushing it a little. I have a motobecane moped so I know some things about variated engines and 2 stroke, so i was wondering if I got a spree what kind of realistic things I can do to make it go an acceptable speed. I know without a variator acceleration and hill climbing ability would be severly hampered.

There's no way to add a variator, right? So I guess the next option would be an engine swap. I was looking at some pictures and I noticed most of them really push the back wheel out, so I was wondering what type of engines would keep the back wheel still under the fender. Did they make a version of this engine that was variated (on another bike or something?) I was reading that the Honda E had basically the same engine, right? I was reading about the Honda PAL SB50 which is variated, and basically the same thing. So would this type of engine be a bolt in swap, or am I just confused? Or would it be possible to swap the crankshaft or whatever mounts the variator to be able to put one on the spree? Or is finding one of these engines very hard? What about the engine on the hobbits or the Aero, are they any longer? Also if anyone could tell me the different type of engines and what bikes they go to, like SE50 - AF05E, it would be very helpful.

I know about the spree big bore kit and changing the reeds/carb, and I could probably get some sort of performance chamber, but not having it variated would be the biggest problem I think. I see alot of people suggesting getting an Elite instead and stuff, I'm not too interested in one of those, but if there are others that look like the spree I'd like to know. I see the Aero looks pretty similar, what else is out there? I'd be interested in other brands besides honda aswell.

Thanks alot!

[Insaniac]

Oh, and I was also wondering what type of engine the pre-1985 Aeros have, and if a later engine can be swapped into one of them. Is the frame different on the later models or just the plastic? I don't like how the later headlight/controls look on the later models, could an earlier assembly be switched over or would it not mount/line up correctly?

[JJ Joseph]

if a later engine can be swapped into one of them

A Spree is what it is. It's not worth up-engining a Spree because there's just not enough there to work with. It's too little, and everything is either too cheap or in the wrong place. They're really cute and fun to ride around the neighborhood, but that's about it. They also make good pit bikes.

For going faster, you need to move up to an Aero, Elite SR/Dio that'll cost you an extra few hundred $ - way cheaper than trying to mod a Spree. These are still 1-seaters, but you'll at least have a decent suspension and transmission to work with