The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: Phreakwars on November 21, 2016, 03:45:28 am
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Haven't really been on the site in a while, been busy with both of my jobs for the most part. But I DID take on another project this summer for my boy that I wanted to share with everyone.
So, I've been teaching my kids some independence and one of the things I wanted to do, was teach them how to drive mopeds. My son won't even attempt to drive a car, but he's gonna need a way to get around when he's out on his own and my wife and I have passed away.
So, I came across an old 86' Honda Spree at a farm auction that I picked up for only $75. It didn't run, it was all beat up. Kind of a hunk of junk.
Here are a couple BEFORE pictures.
(https://s13.postimg.cc/i4takzyjb/20160520_074843.jpg)
(https://s15.postimg.cc/byg6nh03f/20160520_074857.jpg)
So anyway, I do a little carb cleaning, get the thing running, and I tell the kids. If you guys learn to drive this beat up scooter, and pass the written test, I will buy you each a brand new scooter.
My daughter went pretty easy, took alot of practice, but she finally learned to drive it on her own and got herself a brand new TaoTao ATM50-A1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsCg_MhfuGU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsCg_MhfuGU)
My son on the other hand, was much much more difficult. It took me alot of coaxing and alot of coaching, but finally that day came... oh he complained the whole time, but I finally got him to try the Spree.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfQFAThMmEs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfQFAThMmEs)
So for weeks, we practiced and practiced and practiced till he finally got to the point where he liked driving it. So I told him... OK, your turn for a brand new scooter, what color do you want??
To my surprise, he said he didn't want a new one... he tells me he wants the Spree.
I ask him why, and he tells me because it's small and it's from the 80's. He's tried his sister's scoot, but just didn't like it, the Spree sits low and is super easy to drive. In addition, Shawn loves anything and everything 80's. In addition to all kinds of Pacman memorabilia, he also has a nice collection of 80's things, toys, T-shirts, etc.. He loves Sirius XM 80's on 8, and when he is at school, they provide him with a headset to help him drowned out all the noise that bothers him, on it, it is loaded with 80's music.
So anyways, I was planning on just selling the Spree after the kids learned to ride it, but, my boy through a wrench in the works when he said he wanted THAT scooter... OH BOY!!
So my wife and I decided, well... if that's the scooter he wants, then lets fix it up for him.
Since he has Autism, I wanted to make the scooter so that it was visible. Initially I was gonna go with a pacman theme for him with some 80's neon highlights. I do a bit of research and discover the scooter was an "IOWA" edition Spree. The Iowa edition is the restricted version that has a washer in the muffler, smaller main jet, lower gears, it had a top speed limit of 25 mph. But it gave me an idea. I was gonna restore it for him, but I was gonna use an Iowa Hawkeyes theme. I also ditched the old piston, muffler, carb, etc in favor of better components. I put a Big Bore Kit in it, higher gears, a chamber pipe, Polini carb, ported SB50 intake and reeds. Got this sucker moving good. Had the motorcycle shop in town help me with it by tuning it on the dyno. Here is one of the dyno runs BEFORE putting on a better intake/carb/reeds.
! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IzNlbWuawI#)
After the changes, top speed is now 47mph!!!
Of course, my son will only drive it about 15mph tops, but that's OK... BABY STEPS.
I hunted high and low for all kinds of accessories and options for it. It now sports front running lights that light up yellow when the bike is running, hand guards, windshield, mirrors that have speakers with an mp3 player/FM Radio built in, floor mat, reflective side decals, trunk, LED licence plate frame that is integrated into the turn signals/brakes/running light, a Whistler MotoGlo bluetooth unit for the helmet which is also integrated into the rear lights, and of course, customized plates.
It is, without a doubt, the most bad@$$ Spree you will ever see in your life!!
Check it out:
(https://s13.postimg.cc/4956sn9jr/20161114_141429.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/c4fq7gj6f/20161114_141501_001.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/j19wjzfh3/20161114_141602.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/ebjyvdogn/20161114_141524.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/5ht2ea1hz/20161114_141538.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/o17crxl3r/20161114_141611.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/6p1y9dlav/20161114_141410.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/3ng7wjehj/20161114_141516.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/moklsxhcn/20161114_141415.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/rbvprtb13/20161114_141443.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/bk0p4rpxz/20161114_141555.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/k63ypd1xz/20161114_141616.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/6du57h0k7/20161114_141736.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/ohx5s3y8n/20161114_141747.jpg)
(https://s13.postimg.cc/jkjl6zw9j/20161114_141850.jpg)
So what does my boy think of his new and improved Spree???
(https://s17.postimg.cc/f9sa5khtr/Shawn.jpg)
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Good work (",)
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That turned out great. Nice work. That paint job is pretty impressive.
A lot of my friends had those but I honestly don't remember the "Iowa" edition. Thanks for the Monday morning flashback. :cheers:
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That's probably because the Iowa Editions were only sold in a few states that mimicked Iowa's laws. The reason for all the restrictions, is because Iowa allows 14 and 15 year olds to drive one as long as they take a moped safety course and pass a written test. The state didn't want a bunch of kids on the road at high speeds where they could possibly injure/kill themselves, so they mandated the engines must be tamed down, and that a day glo safety flag be utilized. The Iowa edition sales were not very good. They were cheap... in fact a brand new one back then would run you about $299, but then nobody wanted a slow scooter. As such, given the poor sales and limited market, the Iowa edition Spree is getting to be pretty rare. Around here in Iowa you have a better chance at finding one, but still not very easy. I actually did find another one a few weeks back.
(https://s16.postimg.cc/767jtviwl/00_F0_F_3_Zz_Cslmq_KPo_1200x900.jpg)
I plan on restoring this one as well, except on this one, I am going to do an Iowa State Cyclones theme. I'll probably get started on it later next spring/early summer. Hunting down 30+ year old replacement parts in good condition is a helluva treasure hunt !!
(https://s16.postimg.cc/a3q6nplkl/13612246_10208570935423853_7863430633386001253_n.jpg)
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I live in Iowa I just didn't remember that we had a special moped. I was the only kid in my group of friends that didn't have a moped though. :hissy:
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That is some great work. Looks like you made his year!
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That's probably because the Iowa Editions were only sold in a few states that mimicked Iowa's laws. The reason for all the restrictions, is because Iowa allows 14 and 15 year olds to drive one as long as they take a moped safety course and pass a written test. The state didn't want a bunch of kids on the road at high speeds where they could possibly injure/kill themselves, so they mandated the engines must be tamed down, and that a day glo safety flag be utilized. The Iowa edition sales were not very good. They were cheap... in fact a brand new one back then would run you about $299, but then nobody wanted a slow scooter. As such, given the poor sales and limited market, the Iowa edition Spree is getting to be pretty rare. Around here in Iowa you have a better chance at finding one, but still not very easy. I actually did find another one a few weeks back.
(https://s16.postimg.org/767jtviwl/00_F0_F_3_Zz_Cslmq_KPo_1200x900.jpg)
I plan on restoring this one as well, except on this one, I am going to do an Iowa State Cyclones theme. I'll probably get started on it later next spring/early summer. Hunting down 30+ year old replacement parts in good condition is a helluva treasure hunt !!
(https://s16.postimg.org/a3q6nplkl/13612246_10208570935423853_7863430633386001253_n.jpg)
Suggested paint scheme looks like Hot Rod from the transformers. Nobody likes Hot Rod... he got Prime killed and therefore sucks. Please use another color scheme. Also contact the Cyclones and have them change theirs as well. That is, unless they suck, in which case it's very appropriate. ;)
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I thought it looked more like Ironman.. But, it is what it is. I'm using the official colors just like I did on the Hawkeyes version. The shade of yellow is even called "HAWKEYE YELLOW" from the official swatch.
This is what the Cyclones swatch looks like:
(https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/43ba7929285145.55eb98553f427.png)
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I just hope your kid doesn't start dressing up in black and wearing eye-liner.
Mods was another relic of the 80s, which does not need to be inherited. ;)
BTW where are their helmets? 15 or 45 mph can make brain damage a reality.
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In the videos they didn't use helmets because they were just learning and I didn't want them exceeding 5mph, and I wasn't sure if they would take to riding them so I didn't wanna buy a helmet for them if they couldn't figure it out. However, if you watch the video where my son is driving for the first time, you will see my daughter go by first and she does in fact have a helmet. I got it for her the day after her very first ride on it. Same thing with my son. They both have their helmet's integrated into the bike's light system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwaQHydISJA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwaQHydISJA)
Cheaper Chinese ripoff found on Ali Express if your poor. But good demo none the less.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FapAZfJHrEA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FapAZfJHrEA)
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I once had a neighbor who was into souping up mopeds with higher displacement pistons and such. He once got a speeding ticket.
He brought evidence to court that the stock moped was not capable of going the speed he was accused of and the judge dismissed it. :lol
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I remember a classmate I went to school with back in the day had a scoot that he souped up too. Everybody else would be driving at 25 tops and he'd be ripping up the town doing 45-50 on his scooter, and everybody in .jr high would be like "WHAT THE HELL!!!"
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Here's a little video montage I made out of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU49lL_Xx4s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU49lL_Xx4s)
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So here are some images of the Cyclone Spree I talked about a few months back. This one is about 90% complete, need to finish off a few things with the engine like oil line and fuel line, then put the rest of the graphics on.
(https://s17.postimg.cc/rndt4pfof/19575212_10213400508040150_3808225190458426899_o.jpg)
(https://s17.postimg.cc/vwij6vqnj/26814540_10213400509600189_4201369901700664988_n.jpg)
(https://s17.postimg.cc/o3rvewse7/26991666_10213400509280181_7423784829040631718_n.jpg)
(https://s17.postimg.cc/738z68usf/26992245_10213400507000124_3422009136311644351_n.jpg)
(https://s17.postimg.cc/y12w802kv/27021133_10213400507360133_7685831493886885724_o.jpg)
(https://s17.postimg.cc/bp53elo1b/27024226_10213400507240130_1093976083477859576_o.jpg)
(https://s17.postimg.cc/dgy29hryn/27067793_10213400508920172_288704199486792140_n.jpg)
(https://s17.postimg.cc/lmg47o3cv/27164774_10213400508480161_8647536234990649121_o.jpg)
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Looks good, thanks for sharing. Strangely enough I want a hot dog now. ......