So, there it was, this 1987 Honda Spree. Been a while since I’d messed with one of these little guys. My buddy was clearing out his old man’s garage, you know how it is. Said, “You want this thing? Otherwise, it’s off to the scrapper.” Couldn’t let that happen, could I?
Dragged it out into the daylight. Looked a bit rough, I tell ya. Dust everywhere, tires flat as pancakes. But the plastics, surprisingly, weren’t too busted up. Just faded. Threw it in the back of the truck. Or, well, lifted it. Thing’s not exactly a Goldwing, is it?
First Things First: The Teardown
Got it back to my workshop. First job, always, is to see what you’re really dealing with. Started pulling off the panels. Man, the dirt! Years of grime caked on everything. It’s like an archaeological dig sometimes, these old bikes.
- Pulled the seat.
- Fenders came off next.
- Then the floorboard.
Found a mouse nest under the seat. Classic. At least it wasn’t actively occupied. Small mercies, right?
Tackling the Engine
The engine, well, it’s a Spree engine. Not exactly a powerhouse but simple. That’s the beauty of these old two-strokes. Checked for spark first. Pulled the plug, grounded it, gave the kicker a gentle push. Nothing. Uh oh. Cleaned the plug, still nothing. Dug out an old spare, and boom! Got a spark. Good start.
Next up, the carburetor. Knew this was gonna be gunked up. And boy, was I right. Looked like someone poured syrup in there and let it sit for a decade. Took it all apart. Sprayed it down with carb cleaner. Soaked the jets. Used a tiny wire to poke ’em clear. You gotta be patient with these old carbs.
Fuel lines were shot, obviously. Cracked and brittle. Ordered some new ones, easy fix. Drained the old gas tank. Smelled like varnish. Poured in some fresh stuff with a bit of cleaner.
Cleaning and Finding Bits
Spent a good afternoon just cleaning parts. Degreaser, scrub brushes, the whole nine yards. It’s messy work, but satisfying when you see the metal shine through again. My hands were black for days.
Then came the parts hunt. Luckily, for Sprees, there’s still a decent amount of stuff out there. Needed new tires and tubes, of course. Found a new air filter. The old one had disintegrated. Some little bits and bobs, new grips for the handlebars. You know, the usual.
Reassembly Time
Once all the parts were clean and I had the new bits, it was time to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. This is the fun part, mostly. Sometimes you forget where a certain bolt goes, but it usually comes back to you. Or you find an extra one, and then the real head-scratching begins.
Got the engine buttoned up. New fuel lines routed. Carb back on. Cables connected. Then the plastics. Gave them a good scrub and polish. They came up better than I expected. Not perfect, but good for an ’87.
Will It Run?
Alright, moment of truth. Fuel on. Choke on. Gave it a few kicks. Pop! Pop! Then brrrraaap! She fired up! Smoked a bit at first, burning off old gunk, but then settled into that classic Spree idle. Music to my ears, I tell ya.
Took it for a spin around the driveway. Then down the block. Felt like being a kid again. Zippy little thing. Not gonna win any races, but that’s not the point of a Spree, is it?
So yeah, the ’87 Spree is back on the road. Another one saved from the scrap heap. It’s not about making money on these things. It’s about the process, the tinkering. Bringing something old back to life. There’s a real satisfaction in that. Plus, it’s just plain fun to ride. Simple, honest fun. They don’t make ’em like this anymore, that’s for sure.
