Strengths / weaknesses of Express and Urban Express?

[mbilderb]

I am looking at picking up three Expresses. Two are 1983 Urban Expresses and the other is an orange express or unknown year. My questions are thus:
How valuable are either of these models? (One urban run but needs muffler cleaned out, carb cleaned, new headlight and a general check over; the second urban is not running and I have no notion why; the orange I am told just needs rings) How much should I pay and how much should I ask once I get them running?
What are their strengths / weaknesses?
What kind of modifications are readily available and suggested?

[ottoman]

Well they are worth what some one will pay you...

Urban express are variated and the express isnt... well they made a few Express's with a 2 speed.

There are a lot of BBK's that will fit.. some pipes will fit will minor mods. I built a few fast ones and have a couple laying around for future projects.

So Id keep the Urbans and sell the express. I prefer the express tube frame with the urban motor and urban front ends. The Urban frames were stamped steel and always seem to be bent.

[eliteguy50]

If the urbane turn out to be deluxe models, you'll have electric start too.

The spring kickstart is an express weakness. 6v verse 12volt systems depending on the year. The express is easier to wrench on but they do much better with package mods rather than one bolt on as you can. Fixed carb jets mean drilling or replacing the intake for mods.

[motormike]

Simply, I too am a fan of both, but the Urban is superior due to variator and (electric start on Deluxe)
There are some cylinder kits that fit the Express because the Honda PA50 (Hobbitt and Camino) mopeds will fit. That also means that there are intake manifolds and carbs to replace the stockers. Pipes are available too, but some will need minor fit-mods. I have a friend whose Urban Express will cruise around 45 mph with Leo Vince pipe and bigger jets (drilled)...

[patthesoundguy]

I love my 1980 express, a real fun bike. From what I gather they will do 40mph with out too much. Im still tinkering with mine but it rocks, I put a pocket bike chamber on it and boysen carbon fibre reeds and ported and roughed up the intake because it was way too shiny. Ive yet to gps it yet though does 34 or 35 mph (Not sure how accurate the Speedo is yet) on the flats with the otherwise stock 77 motor. If you need light bulbs for those I will have all of the bulbs even the odd speedo bulb for a regular express hopefully tomorow. Treatland is the place to go for express parts, lots of intake and carb options and there are at least 5 big bore options. The stock headlights are prone to burning out quick if you don't have the the electrical all there and functioning properly. They like to have a battery in and charged and all of the bulbs installed to act like a voltage regulator. I put a headlight in it from ebay that takes inexpensive replaceable bulbs so it wont cost $40 every time the bulb burns out only a couple $. Also I have a 25/25 watt bulb instead of the 15/15 bulb it doesnt seem to want to burn it out if the battery is not there. Its also pretty easy to cut out the bulb of the stock headlight and replace it. I have sealed lead acid battery for an emergency light in my express it was only $18 and readily available its a little taller but fits and is the proper amp hour rating and seems to be working well. Oh and the starter springs on the regular Express like to break rendering them unstartable but there is a workaround to convert to a kickstart its quite simple to do I was was going to do it to my orig motor. here are the you tube links for how to do it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igM8C8gewgo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhFgwEwMEzs

[motormike]

Today a very young man brought over a 1982 Express, 2-speed. Decent original silver paint and seat pretty good, started on first kick. Smoked like freight train. Wouldn't throttle up hardly at all even on the stand. Didn't even try to ride it. Airbox--missing.. ..battery--missing...front brake cable--entirely missing. ..tires original and cra*p...idle/stop screw missing... .. Needless to say he wanted a whopping $500 ( )for a bike that I offered $200 for. Then he told me he gave $225 for it 2 weeks ago, cleaned the carb (bowl only. .sheesh), and can't figure out why it wont run very good... We might get together on this, he had intentions of trading for my Elite 80. I told him to sell it and get his money back if he can then come buy mine. I want another Express, maybe hold off for the Urban that is hiding out there just looking for me....

[patthesoundguy]

The 77 motor I got from ebay smoked like that, the oil pump was really cooked. bypassed it went 50:1 mix and its been happy ever since. My 1980 carb on the 1977 motor runs rich with no air box go figure. Im going to do one of couple things to remedy the problem, 1 solder over the jet and drill the thing one numbered drill smaller and resolder and drill smaller until its right. or 2 new carb and intake or 3 new carb, intake and 70cc big bore kit.
Big Bore Baby yeah