Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums

Well, my spring cleaning is done!

I had to resort to the Honda dealer to get my new tires mounted. I used blunt tire irons, but just could not get the new tires and tubes on without pinching and trashing one tube. I also started to bend the rim at one point, so I figured I better quit while ahead. The amount they charged me to mount the tires and repack the front bearings would take your breath away. The dealer also told me that they only take bikes that are older than 10 years old in the off season. They didn't even kiss me before they had their way with me!

Also, the guy on ebay with the $42 tires (he lists pretty continually) sent me tubes with a 90 deg angle tire valve. Of course, the dealer said these would be fine. Equally of course the rear tire valve cap rubbed against the transmission case. It would have been fine if he put the tube in with the valve facing the other way. I fixed it by gently bending the metal tube about 15 deg. This may be a blessing in disguise since the rim always got into a fight with my air pump with the straight valves. BTW, I brought the tires and rims to the dealer, not the scooter.

Carb cleaning went great. I followed the forums' advice and stayed out of the jet except for canned air. Reassembly went well, I kept everything on newspaper and kept it clean. I was a little afraid of the carb cleaning since my scoot was starting and running so well to begin with. The Spree has 2000 miles on it and I had no baseline data on when the last time anything was maintained. The dry rot on the tires was one clue: the cracks ran all the way around and they were deep. The carb didn't seem that dirty, though.

Three ounces of thin, black oil came out of the transmission case and three ounces of fresh Yamalube went into the case. Luckily, there was no gummed up crud in there like I expected. Thanks to the forum for advising to have an empty or almost empty fuel tank since the scoot had to be laid on it's side to get all the old oil out. BTW, the Honda dealer swore that Yamalube is better than the Honda product and $4/quart cheaper. Hmmmm.

Then time for the test drive. I rode slow for a mile, then something just didn't feel right. The front tire had a wobble and the axle nut had worked loose. No torque wrench! I tightened it up again and rode slow, then fast for another mile. It was fine, but you gotta do that safety ride!

Now all warmed up, time to adjust the idle. Don't y'all love the little hole in the plastic that goes straight to the idle screw. Thanks, once more, to you forum guys, especially those that posted pics on how to adjust the idle. I don't have a tach, but rear wheel now turns slowly (instead of fast) at idle and I can easily hold it easily with a crooked pinky.

I then rode the scoot for five miles on a beautiful Georgia spring day. Brand new tires + dry roads + BIG lean = mondo fun! Woof! The scooter got up to 29 mph, on a long flat, with my 220 lbs on it. This is my wife's scoot, so I think it should do a little better for her; she weighs a lot less, thank God.

I really should have decarbed the exhaust, but I'm saving that for another day. I haven't decided on the soak in lye vs. the campfire method.

Question: has anybody messed around with any fuel additives that help keep the carb clean? Are there any additives out there that might enhance performance a little bit? I see a lot of claims, but I don't believe any of them.

Thanks to all, it's great being a small part of this forum. I like the way you treat noobs around here.

Hi jguy,
New tires, tubes and carb clean is a nice way to start the year.

I used blunt tire irons, but just could not get the new tires and tubes on without pinching and trashing one tube. I also started to bend the rim at one point,

Tires will demount easiest when
1) The tube is as empty as possible. Push the valve open, and step on the tire to get the last bit of air out. Having the tube well deflated helps with the next step.
2) Now go around both sides, push the bead of the tire off the edge of the rim, and into the rib in the center of the rim. If the bead sits on part of the tube, you can push the tube back under the bead.

Step 2 gives slack in the tire bead, so it is easier to pull over the rim.

3) Now insert your tire iron, and go around again, to work any section of bead that might have moved out of the center of the rim. Once done, give the tire iron a little press, and the bead should hop right over the rim.

With the bead in the rim grove, I use wimpy plastic bicycle tire levers, doesn't scratch the rim.
---

For additives, I'd say Seafoam would be a popular answer. You will get more comments from the rest. Some use Stabil for storage. Some Seafoam links:

Carb cleaning
http://www.hondaspree.net/phpBB2/viewto ... ht=seafoam

Winterizing
http://www.hondaspree.net/phpBB2/viewto ... ht=seafoam

Carbon buildup
http://www.hondaspree.net/phpBB2/viewto ... ht=seafoam

Seeing as its the beginning of the riding season I'd just put in premium gas, the 2 stoke oil of your choice and add love to the gasoline. The premium gas will get you an extra mile a hour and the love will get you 2.

Oh yeah, A lot of the superstitious folk me included think where you buy your gas makes a difference.

Greetings:

Congratulations on spring cleaning outcome. Pics?

Three ounces of thin, black oil came out of the transmission case and three ounces of fresh Yamalube went into the case

Did the transmission case mysteriously catch fire as the Yamaha oil touched Honda-san aluminum? Actually the manual specifies 4-stroke motor oil, 10W30. Is that what Yamalube is, or is it a 2-stroke injector oil?

I'm not sure it matters all that much in a low-speed gearbox application, but wanted you to know.

Additives are unnecessary if the scooter is ridden at least every 3 days and the tank gets refilled every other week. It starts to matter a lot when the fuel has time to evaporate, which takes less time than I used to think. Old "rules" about fuel are constantly changing as the gas we buy today has different content than it did even 10 years ago. What we thought we knew no longer applies.

I managed to mount a Pirelli 90/90 by hand needing a short flat metal bar only for the final 3" of bead. I took me about 2 hours because I learned as I went, basically what MW suggests is spot-on. No damage to tube, tire, rim or knuckles - for a change.

Yamalube is 2-stroke injector oil. I saw others on the forums use Yamalube, I don't think it matters, since, as you say, it's a low speed, low temp application. It's so easy to change the transmission oil, I'll change it in a month or so and report on it.

Y'all really want to see pics of an all stock Spree? I didn't think there would be any interest in one with no mods.

Injector oil goes in the oil tank under the seat, the rear end uses 10-30 motor oil.

Greetings:

JGuy modestly axt:

Y'all really want to see pics of an all stock Spree? I didn't think there would be any interest in one with no mods.

Dang straight I do. It's not just any Spree, it's your Spree. Plus you just got through cleaning it. C'mon, show it off a little!

Okay, I'll get some pics up when I'm off over the weekend.

I want everybody happy, so I'll change the Yamalube ($7 a quart vs. $2 a quart for good 10W 30) out for motor oil. The transmission oil is about the easiest thing to do on a Spree.

BTW, you should have seen the thin, watery, black and gray oil that came out of the transmission the first time around. I think the Beatles were still together the last time the bike was cleaned or maintained. d***, I better take a look at the drive belt.

Joe

jguy wrote: BTW, you should have seen the thin, watery, black and gray oil that came out of the transmission the first time around. I think the Beatles were still together the last time the bike was cleaned or maintained. d***, I better take a look at the drive belt.

Joe

The Spree was released 14 years after the Beatles broke up.

Kenny, you're a good man, and your comment reminds me of a very old joke:

A man told his intended victim, "This gun will blow a hole in the back of your head the size of a dinner plate."

"But my head is smaller than a dinner plate, so you must be wrong!"

Peace to all.

BTW, 10W30 now resides in my transmission case! Pictures of my very clean, very stock Spree coming.

Joe