How to bring it back from the dead.

[My Name Is Dave]

Ok, so first of all I realize that this isn't about a gs, as well as that it may be hard to answer with the little info that I provide. However, it is moto-related and may have good info for people trying to do what I am doing, but to a gs.

My brother has a Honda Passport from the 80s that I'm gonna buy. Mind you that in the 80s the Passport was an 80cc motorscooter, not an SUV. I plan to rebuild it for my girl to ride, as well as anyone else that would like to take a spin. He bought it for $100 a few years ago and is selling it to me for half that, which is a good buy.

It ran great when he got it. However, it has been sitting for a few years in our garage and hasn't even been started at all. So what are some things I should plan on doing to make this run? I mean, it may fire right up after charging the battery, or it may do nothing. So before I even try to start it, are there some thing I should take care of? Should I change the oil, drain the gas and refill, change plugs, etc?

And would there be other things I will more than likely have to do? Kreem the tank, clean the carbs, flush braking system, etc? Basically, I want a vehicle that runs well and I am looking forward to having a project on my hands. I am hoping that because it did run at one point, I won't need to totally rebuild the motor from scratch. But I may get nuts and bore it out to 83 ccs 

So I'm basically asking for the steps and procedures I should take as I work towards making this run. I really appreciate the help here, and I will post some pictures of it soon. It has a yellow and white paint job and is actually nice looking. For a scooter, anyways...

[Mandres]

I think you pretty much covered it.  Clean the carb(s), change the oil and gas, charge/replace the battery, check/replace the plug(s), turn the motor over by hand to make sure nothing's stuck and then fire it up.  Once it's running check the brake system, controls/gauges, etc.

[My Name Is Dave]

I think you pretty much covered it.  Clean the carb(s), change the oil and gas, charge/replace the battery, check/replace the plug(s), turn the motor over by hand to make sure nothing's stuck and then fire it up.  Once it's running check the brake system, controls/gauges, etc.

Cool, thanks for the swift reply. So I am curious what I need to do before I even try to fire it up, and what can be done after the initial startup without causing harm. I will do the plugs, the battery, the oil, and the gas before I even put the key in. Then I will fire it up. If it runs fine, can I assume the carbs are not gummy, or should I include a carb cleaning in the list of initial steps I take? I assume that is not hard to do, correct? Can I just do a search on these boards and do the same steps as I would on a GS? Seems like cleaning carbs would be a fairly uniform process, regardless of the machine you are working on.

Thanks again. So I will do oil, battery, gas, plugs, and maybe the carbs, depending what you tell me. And if it runs, I'm all set.

[Mandres]

If it's been sitting for years with gas in it there's a very good chance the carbs are totally gummed up.  I would remove and clean them before trying to start it.  You might want to try the Honda dealer to see if a carb rebuild kit is available.  Search the net for a diagram of the carb so you don't miss any o-rings or springs when you rebuild it.  Alternatively, hunt down a Clymer / Haynes manuel and follow the directions there.

[My Name Is Dave]

Good lord, apparently these things are really popular. There are forums similar to this one that are packed with info. I got the manual that comes with the scooter, the official shop manual, and a list written by a forum member with the steps to take for starting one that has been sitting.

Is it weird that I want nearly every sportbike ever made, but I also am excited to get this running? It is to me...  Maybe I just like things with 2 wheels and a motor, especially after the MSF this weekend. I feel bad for making fun of roadstergal's Burgman now; that thing would kill my scooter.

Dave

[Mandres]

heck yea, 50cc scooters are really fun.  The auto tranny makes them very un-intimidating for wives or friends to ride also.  I'd love to find a cheap one and rebuild it.  Glad you found a good resource for info.

-M

[My Name Is Dave]

Totally, I am down with putting friends on it to take for a spin up and down the block. The GS is not an option, sorry. I think that the rebuild should go fairly smooth due to the resources that I have, along with the fact that the bike ran well a few years ago. I'm glad I threw the idea out to buy it from my bro.

If this goes well, I wil be checking craigs list for old bikes that used to run but sat and now won't start. If I can get them cheap, I will pick them up.

heck yea, 50cc scooters are really fun.  The auto tranny makes them very un-intimidating for wives or friends to ride also.  I'd love to find a cheap one and rebuild it.  Glad you found a good resource for info.

-M

[Phaedrus]

Oh..when I read the title of this thread, I thought you were referring to the board 

Carry on 

PS - Yes, scooters are a lot of fun!

[ajgs500]

Oh..when I read the title of this thread, I thought you were referring to the board 

Carry on 

PS - Yes, scooters are a lot of fun!

Or one of ur posts!!!!!!  LOL

[skrap1r0n]

don't forget to wind it up...

[Chris_B]

Haha Honda Passport eh, awesome! I restored an old CT90 about two years ago. I think it was a 1973. Cool little bike. Yeah clean the carb, throw in some fresh gas, change the oil. Did they have electronic ignition by the 80's? If not check the points, you will probly want to replace them.

[My Name Is Dave]

Haha Honda Passport eh, awesome! I restored an old CT90 about two years ago. I think it was a 1973. Cool little bike. Yeah clean the carb, throw in some fresh gas, change the oil. Did they have electronic ignition by the 80's? If not check the points, you will probly want to replace them.

Of course you're my favorites, and not that I'm saying this guy is cooler, but a guy on the c70 site said I should replace tires and tubes, inspect the brakes, drain and replace both the oil and gas, check for leaks, tighten nuts and bolts, and charge the battery. Then get it ready and start it. It may run perfect. If not, check plugs and check and possibly clean the carbs.

It seems like a good way to go about it, because it sort of makes me do the minimum I need to do to safely start and ride the bike. Unless that sounds terrible to anyone, I will go with that and then take the steps I need to if it doesn't run right. 

But like I said, I still love you guys more than those jerks on the c70 site. 

[pantablo]

those old passports are fun. I remember riding one with my friend, the two of us chasing each other INSIDE his dad's metal shop. riding those things like dirtrackers....ah to be back in jr high...

[My Name Is Dave]

I read a post about cleaning the points. The year I have is a 12v CDI, according to the C70 site. So I have an electronic ignition, right? And thus no points. I'm just not sure what CDI is. Centrifical Distributor Ignition? I'm just throwing things out there. But no points, correct?

[Cal Amari]

CDI = Capacitor Discharge Ignition

Works pretty much the way it reads...

Therefore, no points to deal with, which should make things easier for you.

[My Name Is Dave]

CDI = Capacitor Discharge Ignition

Works pretty much the way it reads...

Therefore, no points to deal with, which should make things easier for you.

Great, thanks!