Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

My newly purchased '87 SE50 Elite has a posted weight limit of 82 kg/180 lbs. With all of my riding gear on I weigh in at 88 kg/193 lbs. Should I be carrying a few more psi in the back tire to compensate for this extra weight? I have noticed on my test rides that when accelerating it feels like the front of the bike wants to lift a bit especially when accelerating up a hill. Is this because I'm over the weight limit or just the way the bike normally handles? I still haven't opened it up to check the top speed as I don't have my new Pirelli SL26 3.0 x 10 tires installed yet. I don't trust the 24 year old original tires for anything but riding around the neighborhood at maybe 25 mph tops. After I get the new tires on hopefully I'll notice an improvement in handling. Thanks for your inputs & Happy Holidays!

Bill in Seattle
'87 SE50 Elite
'86 CH150D Elite
'87 Helix 250
'02 Reflex 250

I always run my tires at their max PSI anyway. They preform better that way. The weight limit has more to do with suspension than tire capacity. Also remember this weight limit stuff is all government required and has nothing to do with reality. I have never weighed less the 205 lbs and my Spree has not suffered any issues since 1985.

Greetings:

WARNING!
In its Infallible Wisdom, the Government of the U. S. and A has decreed a maximum payload weight of 180 pounds for the Elite.
Exceed it at your peril, as there is Serious Risk of Personal Injury and/or Death. For sure there'll be Lawyers, even worse.

A better solution is to amputate any unneeded appendages, such as a foot or genitalia. For good measure, fill the tires with Helium. Breathe a few whiffs to displace heavy air from your lungs.
Also helps make funny horn sounds.

Seriously, Dawg. Four percent over weight won't change anything. Four hundred percent (like The bear and me...) Maybe you should worry.

Wheelman-111 wrote:Greetings:

WARNING!
In its Infallible Wisdom, the Government of the U. S. and A has decreed a maximum payload weight of 180 pounds for the Elite.
Exceed it at your peril, as there is Serious Risk of Personal Injury and/or Death. For sure there'll be Lawyers, even worse.

A better solution is to amputate any unneeded appendages, such as a foot or genitalia. For good measure, fill the tires with Helium. Breathe a few whiffs to displace heavy air from your lungs.
Also helps make funny horn sounds.

Seriously, Dawg. Four percent over weight won't change anything. Four hundred percent (like The bear and me...) Maybe you should worry.

This is why I like my Aero 80's (335 lbs) and 125's (320 lbs).

Wheelman-111 wrote:Greetings:

WARNING!
In its Infallible Wisdom, the Government of the U. S. and A has decreed a maximum payload weight of 180 pounds for the Elite.
Exceed it at your peril, as there is Serious Risk of Personal Injury and/or Death. For sure there'll be Lawyers, even worse.
Seriously, Dawg. Four percent over weight won't change anything. Four hundred percent (like The bear and me...) Maybe you should worry.

I hear you and would tend to agree as 4 % over seems like nothing BUT on my 2nd test ride earlier this week I accelerated on a hill near my house, as I have done many times with my other scoots, and I actually popped a wheelie without even trying. I'm thinking now I was sitting too far back in the seat putting extra weight on the rear of the bike. This thing only weighs 126 lbs. so maybe my 193 lbs. was just too much for it and the extra gas I gave it to get it up the hill from a stop caused the front end to lift up. So, do I go on a crash diet and lose 13 lbs. or shift my weight forward on the seat when I'm going up hills? Comments anyone?

Bill in Seattle where we have a LOT of hills
'87 SE50 Elite
'86 CH150D Elite
'87 Helix 250
'02 Reflex 250

Greetings:

Sheesh, most people complain when they can't pop a wheelie, not when they can.
I know you say you didn't really try to launch the front wheel, but it doesn't take much to keep it on the ground. Maybe, just maybe you didn't do much to prevent it, either? Sure, lean forward. Cover the rear brake. Install massive Tungsten-bodied temp gauge and tach to weigh down the handlebars or one of those Vetter fairings.

Be thankful you're not riding a Buell XB12. That short-wheelbase torque monster really needs your right toe poised over the brake pedal any time you crack it open. Yikes!

doesn't it also say "Respect the environment " ?

That is just the se50 frame. There is no weight on the front and if you sit back, it will pull up every time. Even the restricted SE50p IA wants to pull up, more than the LX.

my rear went flat on my 89 elite e today and i haven't noticed any holes yet (still trying to get the exhaust off so i can remove the wheel to thoroughly inspect it) but i was wondering what's THE max rider weight the stock tires can handle? i weigh around 260 and have only had this scoot for almost a week. it was pretty warm today and the tire was pretty warm to the touch so if i didn't run anything over, the other possiblities are my weight combined with thermal expansion of the rubber got it loose enough to deflate, air was pushed out through my cap-less valve stem, or i'm just plain too big for it.

thoughts?

Greetings:

Remove the rim. You'll find a puncture. The tire gets hot mostly because it lives near Muffler-land. 260 is pushing the limits, but Honda's safety rating is mostly for liability reasons. I've ridden the Elite 2-up without too many issues.

as long as the tire can hold up my weight, i'm good to go. performance wise it's unaffected, even uphill. doesn't drop below like 25 on a hill with me on it. i got some air in it to inspect it and sure enough there's a leak. a 3/4 inch to inch long split along the centerline tread and somewhere in the tube obviously. now if i get a new tube, the tire doesn't really matter if there's a small split in it right? long as the tube's good to go?

also, what's the recommended PSI to inflate to and what stores carry these tubes?

upon further inspection, there was a sliver of glass embedded in my tire, so idk what that split i saw was or if it's even an issue. the honda place was closed today so i have no idea if i'll even be able to fix it before monday or tuesday