Honda Elite CH250 Build/Repair Thread

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I bought a Honda Elite CH250 for $700 a couple of weeks ago. I started a couple threads about buying/fixing a CH250, but I'm starting this thread to catalog the progress on my 250. I tend to make a joke out of almost everything, and I hope you'll laugh with me the hilariously poor maintainance exhibited by the previous owner. I also tend to take a few shortcuts when wrenching, so feel free to heckle me for being so impatient.


This is the bike, with the plastic removed, because I'm working on it:

By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-02

Shortcut: I couldn't find the proper replacement gasket for the carb, so I made my own (based on the advice of some scootertime.net members)

By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-02

The oil that came out of the transmission when I changed it. It's far beyond black, it's gray sludge!

By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-02

Shortcut: I introduced Mr. CH250 to Mr. Sawzall when I couldn't get the drive belt cover off. *shrug* It's an old bike with a beat-up body.

By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-02

By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-02

Shortcut: Despite what the shop manual says, after the meeting of the Bike and the Sawzall, I can remove the drive belt cover without removing the foot peg!

By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-02

When I opened the airbox up, it was full of cat food:

By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-02

I hope my shortcuts don't come around to bite me in the ass. If they do, feel free to call me a moron.

Here are the older CH250 threads I started:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3688
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3756

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Wow, that transmission sounds SO much better when filled with oil from this millennium. Before the oil change, I put the bike on the center stand and turned the rear wheel by hand. It felt notchy and gritty, almost like worn out bearings. However, with fresh 10W30 synthetic in the transmission, turning the wheel feels as smooth as butter.

One question, though. Is it common for scooters (or small carbureted engines in general) to take a couple of tries to start cold? On my Elite, it seems like the engine doesn't catch until I press the starter a couple of times. I've had similar experiences with dirt bikes I've owned, but I'm just curious what everyone's experience is.

I took the scoot to work today, and when I was about to go home, I forgot about the "three tries" rule. I was about to throw a fit when the scooter wouldn't start. Tried the starter again, and the engine fired up immediately.

[Skullet]

lol, this should be a fun thread...

im not sure about the 3-tried thing, thats kinda messed up.

im kinda scared about ur sawzall cut too, i think the bottoms of these things are supposed to be structural. lol...

[1337]

lol, this should be a fun thread...

im not sure about the 3-tried thing, thats kinda messed up.

im kinda scared about ur sawzall cut too, i think the bottoms of these things are supposed to be structural. lol...

Yeah, I checked out the implications of the cut before I did it. Fortunately, the piece I cut is just decorative, and if I remove the piece, it reveals a full frame.

I'm not sure why the bike starts rough. Once the engine is a little bit warm, if I turn it off, it starts back up very easily. As long as the bike always starts predictably, I'm content...

[vino a go go]

Oh Man...maybe it will start better with the tuna flavored kibble! That's so funny..I can just see some small kid wondering around daddy's garage..stealing cat food to shove in some hole he found. Have you checked your exhaust pipe hole yet? It might also be filled...hehe.

If your really going cheap you might try some velcro tape on the backside of that saw cut to hold things together while
riding.

If that gasket putty doesn't work you can try buying a blank square sheet of gasket material from an auto parts store and just trace the outline. Ink up the flat surface and stamp in on the gasket to see where you need to use your exacto blade to cut the pattern. Then just use mineral spirits to wipe clean the carb bowl of ink.

Looks like a fun challenge.

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Oh Man...maybe it will start better with the tuna flavored kibble! That's so funny..I can just see some small kid wondering around daddy's garage..stealing cat food to shove in some hole he found. Have you checked your exhaust pipe hole yet? It might also be filled...hehe.

If your really going cheap you might try some velcro tape on the backside of that saw cut to hold things together while
riding.

If that gasket putty doesn't work you can try buying a blank square sheet of gasket material from an auto parts store and just trace the outline. Ink up the flat surface and stamp in on the gasket to see where you need to use your exacto blade to cut the pattern. Then just use mineral spirits to wipe clean the carb bowl of ink.

Looks like a fun challenge.

My best guess is that a squirrel or something wanted to store its food in the top of my air intake (the rubber snorkle looking thing). The animal didn't realize that the intake goes to the airbox, inside of which the food would be pretty impossible for it to retrieve.

I don't really care about the piece that I cut apart. It serves no function, and only scooter experts will notice the difference. Despite the lack of a grill or lower front cover, I've gotten several "DUUUDE, THAT'S RADDD!" shouts and friendly beeps of the horn from other scooterists. Not to brag, but I even got hit on by girls while scooting through campustown at night. If the Camaro/Mustang/Challenger owners actually want to attract the opposite gender, they should buy old Honda scooters!

I wanted to buy gasket material, but the hardware store didn't sell any material thin enough. I'm sure I can find some thinner rubber if my home-made gasket leaks, though.

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I just gave it a bath; gonna go for a quick ride to get some lunch.


By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-03


By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-03

I'm working and taking classes this summer, so I can't usually hang out at home all day with the bike. However, University of Illinois is closed today for the 4th of July weekend, so I can play with my scooter all day!

[Skullet]

Not to brag, but I even got hit on by girls while scooting through campustown at night. If the Camaro/Mustang/Challenger owners actually want to attract the opposite gender, they should buy old Honda scooters!

the reason for this is becuz the college there has a LOT of asian students, who are used to seeing tons of mopeds/scooters back home. well, thats my take on it anyway... lol... must be nice!!

ps - i only used that smilie cuz im a big godzilla fan... not sure what other purpose it could serve.. lol...

[1337]

Not to brag, but I even got hit on by girls while scooting through campustown at night. If the Camaro/Mustang/Challenger owners actually want to attract the opposite gender, they should buy old Honda scooters!

the reason for this is becuz the college there has a LOT of asian students, who are used to seeing tons of mopeds/scooters back home. well, thats my take on it anyway... lol... must be nice!!

ps - i only used that smilie cuz im a big godzilla fan... not sure what other purpose it could serve.. lol...

LOL. Asians do love their scooters.

I just got back from a ~80 mile trip. The verdict? I LOVE this bike. I weigh 140lbs, and I drove with my 170lb friend on the back seat. 65mph on I-74, no problem. On the uphills, I was at wide open throttle, but on a flat stretch, I could have probably gone well over 70. If I were riding alone, I bet I could hit 80!

Also, I got precisely 66.6 MPG on the trip.

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Argh. My fuel system is still haywire. The vacuum actuated petcock is supposed to let fuel through only when the carb creates a vacuum on the petcock's vacuum line. Unfortunately. the petcock is now letting fuel through all the time! AND the carb is leaking again.

The petcock was working perfectly yesterday. I have no idea what went wrong.

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The gasoline completely devoured the gasket I made. There is literally nothing left of it. Take a look at the sediment in the carb bowl, too. That's from only 80 miles since I had the carb apart last.


By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-03

Oh, and I turned over 5000 miles today.

By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-03

[jmkjr72]

well my bet is it was a mouse in the air box happens all the time around here

i would drain the tank and try and flush it out i have to do that to the tractor again this summer or you will be pluging up the carb all the time

use this stuff to make your carb gasket
http://www.permatex.com/products/Automo ... r_Grey.htm

[1337]

well my bet is it was a mouse in the air box happens all the time around here

i would drain the tank and try and flush it out i have to do that to the tractor again this summer or you will be pluging up the carb all the time

use this stuff to make your carb gasket
http://www.permatex.com/products/Automo ... r_Grey.htm

Yeah, chances are it was a mouse.

I'm going to install an aftermarket fuel filter in the fuel line. I have an almost full gas tank right now. When I'm almost empty, I'll drain and wash it.

As for the gasket, I'm thinking I'll just shell out for the OEM part from babbitsonline.com. I'm worried about using a gasket-maker material again, because the gasket I made out of such a material dissolved and undoubtedly ran through my engine. I'd rather not run adhesive through my engine again.

[jmkjr72]

if you get the exact product that i listed above it wont disolve i have used it on a lot of old tractors (you cant get rebuild kits for some of the old updraft carbs anymore) and it works great to replace the old cork gaskets for the sediment bowls

[1337]

if you get the exact product that i listed above it wont disolve i have used it on a lot of old tractors (you cant get rebuild kits for some of the old updraft carbs anymore) and it works great to replace the old cork gaskets for the sediment bowls

All right, you've sold me on it. I don't think Farm and Fleet, Walmart, or the local hardware store has this stuff. Where do you recommend buying it?

[jmkjr72]

what farm and fleet doesnt have it i thought i got it at fleet farm but they have droped so many products in the last few years
if i didnt get it at fleet farm it was either a napa store or carquest
permatexs websit shows like 4 pages of places to try in your area
i know i need to get another tube if you cant find it down by you let me know and ill look around here again

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I finally gave up on my homemade gasket ideas and ordered the Honda OEM carb gasket from a local Honda dealer in Decatur, IL. I also ordered a fresh air filter. They were friendly, and they matched the prices I quoted from Babbitt's Sports Center (babbittsonline.com). They promised I'd have the part in 3 days.

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World of Powersports Honda in Decatur, IL told me it would take 3 days for the parts to arrive. Guess what! They only took 2 days! I'm not sure if this dealer is licensed to ship parts out of Illinois, but if they are, I highly recommend them to everyone. When I asked them to match babbittsonline.com prices, World of Powersports actually UNDERCUT Babbitt's prices. The parts guy was knowledgeable, and he knew exactly what part I was looking for.

I still feel like a sucker for paying $24 for a little O-ring, though.

By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-08

By drb1g, shot with Canon PowerShot A480 at 2009-07-08

Even though I feel ripped off for paying that much for a gasket, it fits PERFECTLY. No gas leaks now, and no hard starting either. I can just tap the starter, and the engine is alive.

I also replaced the fuel line with some see-through tubing. This way, I can keep an eye on whether the engine is getting gas, so I can diagnose a faulty petcock if it acts up again.

[vino a go go]

Great news. Good to see you were able to get oem parts. Hard to swallow the price but in the end worth it.

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*knock on wood* I think I've got all the engine/drivetrain bugs worked out. However, the tires are pretty much shot. Can anyone recommend a good tire that will handle well and last a long time? Low rolling resistance for better MPG is a plus, too.

Right now, I have my eye on the Michelin S1: http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/5/ ... -Tire.aspx