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Offline JAG

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1983 honda express questions????
« on: October 10, 2010, 06:33:38 AM »
I just pick up an old Honda express and know absolutely nothing about it. It has "2 speed" written on the side. It use to be equipped with headlight tail light and turn signals but those have all been taken off. The engine has a kick start and motor turns over but it won't start. The wiring is a basket-case.

So does anyone know where I can locate a manual or wiring diagram?
Are these rare? Worth anything? And can you still get parts for them?

If anyone has any info on these, design of the engine, to how many quarts of oil it takes I would greatly appreciate it.
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Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline JAG

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2010, 06:46:12 AM »
« Last Edit: October 10, 2010, 06:54:59 AM by JAG »
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Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline jakecb420

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2010, 08:13:47 PM »
    go to www.mopedarmy.com. that site has it all. good wiring diagrams too. i have a 79 express 2. its a 1 speed transmission. im sure there is a lot of similarities between them. i have a 78 hobbit also, that is a 2 speed. it says honda v matic on the side. 
    id start with a good cab cleaning. took a few tries but once i unclogged the slow jet it ran really well. i do know if you run one of these bikes without a battery it will burn your headlight bulb.(if it came with a battery) also, it seems as though headlight buckets are kinda valueable. my express has a seperate oil tank and mixes gas and oil itself. in the transmission i drained the oil and put in synthetic 10w40, but you better make sure synthetic is compatable with yours.

   i thought these bikes were rarer before i started learning about them. id say parts are still available, some new oe stuff and everything else is on mopedarmy forums.

http://www.mopedarmy.com/forums/discuss/download.php?f=6&file=1082480832_honda_pa50_1978_wiring_diagram.jpg
this is a link to an express wiring diagram, lot of stuff gotta be the same, however there are no turn signals on mine.

hope some of this helps
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750K3 daily driver
76 750F project
74 CB450 donor
79 50cc honda express 2 moped
73 cb500-4
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=73724.0

Offline JAG

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2010, 11:15:59 AM »
Thank you very much

That will help out a lot!
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Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline jakecb420

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2010, 07:01:27 PM »
you ever get that little guy running?
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750K3 daily driver
76 750F project
74 CB450 donor
79 50cc honda express 2 moped
73 cb500-4
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=73724.0

Offline JAG

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2010, 08:38:02 PM »
Well I have gotten it to fire up. It has two separate cables that merge into one at the throttle. One controls the Carb and one controls the oil injection. One of the cables is broke so i have no way of regulating the throttle. So it Just runs wide open. I could plug the oiled and mix the gas and oil manually. But id rather the engine run the way they are supposed too.

Can't find any parts for it. I just have to buy a parts bike.
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Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline jakecb420

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2010, 03:58:40 PM »
are you sure that second cable is for the oil mix? i think some models had an auto choke set up. i dont really know what that entails, but just a thought.
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750K3 daily driver
76 750F project
74 CB450 donor
79 50cc honda express 2 moped
73 cb500-4
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=73724.0

Offline JAG

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2010, 04:30:31 PM »
This model had an auto choke. The oil line goes directly into this "injector" with the cable attached to the top and its spring loaded.
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Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline bryanj

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #8 on: October 24, 2010, 10:14:43 PM »
Was a very common moped in the UK try Dave Silver for parts
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Semi Geriatric ex-Honda mechanic and MOT tester (UK version of annual inspection). Garage full of "projects" mostly 500/4 from pre 73 (no road tax in UK).

Remember "Its always in the last place you look" COURSE IT IS YOU STOP LOOKIN THEN!

Offline JAG

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #9 on: October 24, 2010, 10:32:52 PM »
Thanks for the lead.

I'll give it a shot.
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Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline JAG

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #10 on: December 30, 2010, 11:10:52 PM »
The bike has come a long way.. I have it stripped down now and painting it. I have the oil injector plugged up now I have to figure out the wiring issues.. There will be no lights of any kind and no kill switch on the bike.. I am merely trying to move the ignition switch to a toggle switch and I am trying to figure out how to do it.

The link I posted up is here:

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=81648.msg916740#msg916740

I'll have before and after pictures posted up by this weekend hopefully..
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Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline jakecb420

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2011, 06:34:20 PM »
glad to hear the bike is coming along nicely.

just had to throw this out there. i know that since i got my first moped, i have aquired more and have seen more than ever before. however, my honda express that runs and rides great lacks a title. if by some chance you come across a titled express that is even just a frame, let me know. i have gone through hoops trying to get a title and its damn hard in pennsylvania. even just the neck of the frame and a title would suffice. i hate to have this nice bike and not to be able to ride it.

thanks
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750K3 daily driver
76 750F project
74 CB450 donor
79 50cc honda express 2 moped
73 cb500-4
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=73724.0

Offline JAG

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #12 on: January 10, 2011, 03:53:35 PM »
I'll keep a look out for another one around here for you so you can get it titled... However this one I just finished didnt have a title. Are you plan on running it done the street, too and from work? Cause the thing will only do like 30mphs.. This ine I finished was for my Uncle and cousins to ride around their neighborhood..

I recently finished the bike I need to upload some photos of how it turned out.,
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Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline jakecb420

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2011, 04:29:59 PM »
actually yes, i am planning on riding on the street. mine goes up to about 32, maybe 26 going up a hill. im about 250lbs and i think it will be quite comical when i show up at work on this thing. ive gone over mine mechanically, not really cosmeticly. i want the old patina. of course it will not be my primary two wheel transportation. its really just a cool old noped that i would like to see on the road. 

ive contacted and sent money($60) to the dead previous owner's executor of her will to cover notary fees. that was in september. the lady said on the phone that she would sign whatever i needed. sent a picture of me and my son and a two page letter explaining myself. its january and i have got nothing back. i called once and left a message, but no reply.

looking foward to seeing your finished pictures


1979 honda express 2
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750K3 daily driver
76 750F project
74 CB450 donor
79 50cc honda express 2 moped
73 cb500-4
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=73724.0

Offline JAG

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2011, 04:48:23 PM »
He didn't want me to fab up a seat for him, he still had the original foam. I saw repro's of them on ebay (from canada) for $30.

Right side view ( I removed the old Honda sticker from the side after this picture )

I wired up an off and on switch ( like a kill switch ) to activate the coils and turn off engine after you were finished. I realized soon after that since he wasn't going to run any lights that I actually didn't need a battery. Oh well.

Left side, with engine repainted, he wanted the chrome holder taken off, but I left it on. made it easier to move around in the garage


The only thing left it needed was a seat and some sort of air filter. It was sucking in way to much air, but he didn't want to spend the money. So after give or take $60 this was the final result.
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Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline JAG

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #15 on: January 10, 2011, 04:50:01 PM »
oh and at 215lbs myself, this thing was struggling to get up the steep hills around my neighborhood, but it runs great on the straights!
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Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline bryanj

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Re: 1983 honda express questions????
« Reply #16 on: January 11, 2011, 08:05:18 AM »
If they wont make 30mph, even with your weight, (i was 260ish when roadtesting these) it usualy means the exhaust silencer is blocked with dried out oily residue
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Semi Geriatric ex-Honda mechanic and MOT tester (UK version of annual inspection). Garage full of "projects" mostly 500/4 from pre 73 (no road tax in UK).

Remember "Its always in the last place you look" COURSE IT IS YOU STOP LOOKIN THEN!
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