Noobie

[Smiff]

Hello, my name is EuGene, from Clinton, AR, and the owner of 2 motorcycles, 3 3-wheelers, 3 mopeds, and 13 scooters (mostly from the '50s & ''60s), one of which happens to be a 1985 Spree. Also had an '83 Elite 50 that was stolen 3 years ago (possibly sold in the Arkadelphia or Fort Smith areas).

[fastplastic]

u mod any of them or r they all restore projects

[Smiff]

No, I try to keep them original, especially the older ones which I am slowly restoring or refurbishing to look like new.

[eliteguy50]

Hmmm, something is wrong here. I think the first Elite 50 that Honda sold in the USA is the 1987 model.

Welcome to the forum.

[Smiff]

Yeah, you are likely be quite right on the year. I would have to find the title (or at least the VIN off the police report) to tell what year it was. I never asked the year when I bought it, as it looked go & ran good, so didn't give a thought to the year. I have been saying all along it was an '83 as I was thinking it was a couple years older than my '85 Aero 80.

[eliteguy50]

Yeah, you are likely be quite right on the year. I would have to find the title (or at least the VIN off the police report) to tell what year it was. I never asked the year when I bought it, as it looked go & ran good, so didn't give a thought to the year. I have been saying all along it was an '83 as I was thinking it was a couple years older than my '85 Aero 80.

It happens. I was getting parts at the local honda dealer and one of the salesmen tried to sell me a 1997 Spree.

[Smiff]

Yeah, either the guy didn't know or he figured you wouldn't know since most 50cc bikes aren't titled, so they can say any year and if you didn't know any better it might fly. My Elite was titled (I just don't remember the year) as is my Spree, Solexes, Grande, and all the other scoots, MC's, and 3 wheelers.

[eliteguy50]

Yeah, either the guy didn't know or he figured you wouldn't know since most 50cc bikes aren't titled, so they can say any year and if you didn't know any better it might fly. My Elite was titled (I just don't remember the year) as is my Spree, Solexes, Grande, and all the other scoots, MC's, and 3 wheelers.

That was the sad part, the bike was titled and was originally sold from that Honda dealership. Iowa requires titles and insurance (or a massive check) on everything and at a time, limited 'mopeds' to just 25mph (now it is 30mph). I hear that in AR, you ride mopeds and scooters as if they were bicycles, even with no license. Is that really true?

[Smiff]

Arkansas does not require titles, tag, insurance, or a drivers license to operate a moped. About the only rules they have are that engine capacity is less than 50cc, speed is limited to 30mph, and it has lights. I'm not sure, but I think you have to be 14 to operate it.

Although a title is not required, many owners do title their peds to provide better proof of ownership in case it is stolen. Also it would be listed on the NCIC as a stolen vehicle. Of course, as a practical matter that doesn't provide much protection, as the theif doesn't need a title to ride it or sell it to someone else.

[Smiff]

By the way, the moped displacement, speed, and lighting rules also apply to small scooters in Arkansas, as they are considered to be legally the same as mopeds. Larger and faster scooters are licensed as motorcycles with all the usual title, tags, insurance, and DL M/C indorsement requirements as any other motorcycle.

[devenex]

New users are always welcome, as well as pics of their rides