I’m looking at a Honda Express that I’m thinking about buying. What should I look for?
1. Take a flashlight and take the lid off the gas tank. Shine the light into the gas tank and determine how rusty the inside of the tank is. Chances are you still won’t get a good idea of how rusty the tank is even by doing this. So if you see a little rust, count on a lot more. Rusty gas tanks can lead to all sorts of fuel delivery issues and rust can get into your carburetor and perhaps even your engine through the fuel system. A rusty tank isn’t a deal breaker as you can buy a better used tank on eBay or maybe fix the rusty tank; however, finding one in good condition, at a reasonable price, and in your bike’s color may be a challenge.
Rusty tanks can also be cleaned up and made to work. Several methods are outlined here at mopedarmy.com. I’ve used the vinegar and salt method but now mainly use EvapoRust.
2. If the bike doesn’t run, make sure you can push down the kick start with ease. You can also get an idea as to its compression by using the kick start. If it is a wind up start, make sure it winds up (3-4 winds) and releases by hitting the rear brake lever. Take out the spark plug and shine a light into the cylinder and get an idea of the condition of the top of the piston. Next, hold a finger over the spark plug hole and have a friend kick start the bike. If your finger is forced off, the bike may have decent compression.
3. If the bike does run, take it for a test ride. If it will do its top speed of 25-27 mph, you’re in luck. If it goes slower than this, negotiate accordingly.
4. If the bike pulls to one side while riding, it may have bent forks. Also check the foot pegs to see if they are bent. Turn signals and mirrors are also casualties of past wrecks.
5. Check and see if all the lights and horn work.
6. See if the side covers are still installed. These are usually the first things that are misplaced.
7. People often screw up the wiring. Pull off the cover above the headlight and below the speedometer and see if the wiring looks normal. Pull off the battery cover and check out the wiring in the back as well.
8. Unfortunately, it’s fairly common for people to lose the key. This leads to hacking into the wiring. It also leads to using a key other than the original one. There is a three digit number on the key. I’ve never tried this but I imagine you can take that number to a Honda dealer and they might be able to make you a new key. Update – I found a seller on eBay who will make a key for you for about $10 if you give him the code off of another key if you have one – cyclekeysonline. Even if you already have one key, have a spare key made asap. You’ll thank me later. Or you can buy a new ignition cylinder and keys on eBay for around $25 or so.
9. Does the owner have title? Almost all states require title to obtain license plates and registration. This is not a moped since it doesn’t have pedals. It is considered a motorcycle by most states. If you are in a state that doesn’t require title, you are in luck.
10. Check out the exterior of the carburetor. If it is a complete mess, chances are the inside isn’t much better.
With all this in mind, what should you pay for a Honda NC50 or NA50?
Prices vary throughout the country. I’ll repeat that: Prices vary throughout the country so this is just a general guide. Prices vary throughout the year with the change of seasons. Express bikes will sell for less in the fall and winter. Spring is always the hot season for noped and moped sales. If it passes all the tests above, is in mint condition, and has title, I wouldn’t pay more than $650. I’m located in Ohio. $650 in Ohio may be the same as $900 in California or New York. If it doesn’t pass all the tests above, subtract as follows:
Very rusty gas tank requiring replacement – $80-125 deduction;
If the bike doesn’t run – don’t pay more than $150;
For every 1 mph below top speed of 27 mph, subtract $15-20;
Bent forks such that it pulls hard to one side when riding – subtract $85;
Headlight doesn’t work – subtract $45;
Significant Wiring issues – subtract $100;
No title – subtract $150-$250 (although you can register and get plates through Vermont so lack of title may not be so important or you may be in a state that doesn’t require title);
Carb needs replaced – subtract $50-85;
dead battery – subtract $25;
seat is beat up and in need of replacement – subtract $40;
Needs both tires and tubes – subtract – $95-105;
Air filter missing – subtract $10-25;
Original Air Box missing and you want it – subtract $100.
Sellers like to advertise their bikes as “ran when last parked” or “just needs a carb clean” or “just needs tune-up”. I treat all these as non-runners. And I refuse to pay more than $150 for a non-runner. And I’m happy to buy a non-runner because you often have to put as much into a running bike as a non-running bike.
What I’ve found in owning 3 Expresses, 3 Urban Expresses, 7 Yamahoppers and 3 Townys to date (2018) as well as other bikes is that age is more detrimental than mileage. Most of these bikes are around 40 years old. Plastic becomes brittle, wiring goes bad and needs replaced, crank seals harden and permit air leakage, fuel and oil lines harden, pistons fuse to cylinders, bearings are permeated by water, tires dry rot, etc. It’s like an old house. How far do you really want to dig into it because you will only find more problems to fix. A 40 year old bike will need almost everything looked into. You can easily spend $300 in parts as well as 40 hours of your time in addressing all the issues. So the caveat here is just because it runs and rides well doesn’t mean you are home free.
Bottom line – no matter what you pay for one, count on putting in a couple hundred in parts and several hours of your time in making it truly road worthy.