Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

So a month or so I bought my first Spree, an '84. When I got it, it was running a little sluggish and would bog down at WOT. So I tore down and rebuilt the carb, did all of the general maintenance (air filter, new oil, new gas, etc.). I got it idling perfect and running as good as new... or so I thought.

A week ago I picked up an '85 Spree. It ran like crap as well, but i figured it was just minor maintenance and tuning. So I did the general maintenance on it as well. I'm still having trouble getting it to idle well (idles super low until it warms up and then idles correctly), but when I took it out for a spin the thing was noticeably faster than the '84.

Yesterday I had them both out, my girlfriend (120 lbs) on the '84, and myself (150 lbs) on the '85 and there is an absolute world of difference in the performance of the two bikes. The '85 has a top end that is 5-8 mph faster, it pulls harder and is more responsive throughout the entire power band, and can push uphill nearly twice as fast.

I checked to make sure the '84 is non-iowa, that the carb was completely clear, etc., and now can't figure out what would make that much difference in overall performance. Could the motor just be that beat? Any suggestions on what to check would be greatly appreciated.

First do a compression check.

Pull the left side cover on the belt and check it for wear.

Service Manual here.

http://www.hondaspree.net/other/Spree_NQ50_84-87_1.pdf

You'll want to wait and take your advice from some of the more experienced folks in here. That being said, I'll throw in my two cents worth:

My understanding is that the 84 and 85 were essentially the same and that the 86-87 models were improved and performed somewhat better. Both the 84 and 85 should reach a top speed of 30 at most unless modified. The take-off speed is not impressive because they are not variated (single speed) but they accelerate well once under way.

Assuming the basics have been checked (new spark plug, clean filter, clean carb, tire air pressure), I would check the 84 compression vs. the 85 to rule out any top end wear issues. If no significant compression differences, a slipping belt or clutch can limit performance but should be noticeable.

After these basic checks, the real fun begins looking for air leaks, etc.

good luck