Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

Is it possible to run a spree without a bystarter? Mine is broken and I need to get around in the mean time. Is there a way i can start and warm it up without the bystarter? Also it hasnt been run for a while, any special tricks to get it started?

yes it is possible.

your scooter will not want to start in the cold without it. might have to manually choke it to start.(fingers over the air box holes)

I have heard that a penny a some jb weld can plug the hole. although I have never tried it

You need a by-starter for the engine to run properly. You cant simply plug the hole or the auto choke is on constantly pumping unnecessary fuel into the engine. I found out that the chinese GY6 scooters have auto chokes which fit the old sprees. i have done it on one of mine and it works just like the original Honda one. You should try that but you cant run the engine properly without the by-starter or it will foul the plug and exhaust over time and bog down on full throttle and do other annoying things like that.

hondabeat wrote:You need a by-starter for the engine to run properly. You cant simply plug the hole or the auto choke is on constantly pumping unnecessary fuel into the engine. I found out that the chinese GY6 scooters have auto chokes which fit the old sprees. i have done it on one of mine and it works just like the original Honda one. You should try that but you cant run the engine properly without the by-starter or it will foul the plug and exhaust over time and bog down on full throttle and do other annoying things like that.

The bystarter is only for starting and fingers over the air intakes will accomplish the same thing the bystarter does, enrichen the mixture to allow easier startup. But for normal warmed up running, the by starter is unnecessary. I've run engine for years without a choke. hondabeat, your engine theory and how things actually work needs a bunch of work.

As to the bad bystarter issue, here is an inexpensive cure for it. A manual enrichener (choke) for these scooters.

https://www.1977mopeds.com/product/1535 ... Choke-Kit/

Cool link Bear45-70, i might get one just to have around.

Bear45-70 wrote:

hondabeat wrote:You need a by-starter for the engine to run properly. You cant simply plug the hole or the auto choke is on constantly pumping unnecessary fuel into the engine. I found out that the chinese GY6 scooters have auto chokes which fit the old sprees. i have done it on one of mine and it works just like the original Honda one. You should try that but you cant run the engine properly without the by-starter or it will foul the plug and exhaust over time and bog down on full throttle and do other annoying things like that.

The bystarter is only for starting and fingers over the air intakes will accomplish the same thing the bystarter does, enrichen the mixture to allow easier startup. But for normal warmed up running, the by starter is unnecessary. I've run engine for years without a choke. hondabeat, your engine theory and how things actually work needs a bunch of work.

As to the bad bystarter issue, here is an inexpensive cure for it. A manual enrichener (choke) for these scooters.

https://www.1977mopeds.com/product/1535 ... Choke-Kit/

NO s***! i seen this yesterday whilel trying to find tomos parts and was like..hmmm...that clip looks like it'll bolt down on the bystarter housing..i wander..

but thats cool!! thats a good way around the bystarter in my opinion. i dont care for electric chokes..grrrr

have you ever used one of those bear?

Do you need the needle from the original bystarter?

I might need to get a few of those manual chokes.

I too am not a fan of electric chokes.

Trafficjamz wrote:have you ever used one of those bear?

Do you need the needle from the original bystarter?

I might need to get a few of those manual chokes.

I too am not a fan of electric chokes.

I have never used one of those, but my youngest had a Honda XR100 that had that sort of set up for the enrichener. It worked fine. My first quad has a manual choke like that too. A lot of the high performance carbs come with a manual enrichener.

I guess I'm getting lazy in my old age, electric choke make it a turn key operation, and I like that now. My 250 quad has an enrichener, while my 400 has the bystarter (they don't call it hat, but that is what it is). I like the get on, turn the key on and it runs and I don't have to remember to keep adjusting the choke as it warms up.