My New to me Honda Helix thread

I bought a 1986 helix with 32k on the clock. Runs very well and the po took pretty good care of it. The only issue I have so far with it is that the front end seems to have squeaky spring noises from the front.

It doesn't have any weird handling issues other than being a tank but sitting on the bike and moving around on it makes the frontend squeak.

I'm not really familiar with this style of frontend is there anything I can grease up on it?
Other than that I really like it. It is pretty quick for a Scoot but doesn't handle near as Sharp as my Ssr Rowdy Ruckus klone. Maybe a whole suspension rebuild is in order?

Pics to follow.

Congratulations on your new Scooter, carefully check the carb insulator for cracks. I'm not sure on the 1986 but later Honda Helix came with a simple inexpensive bracket that holds the carb still and that rubber insulator lasts a lot longer. On the squeak...Can you have an assistant sit on the Scooter and duplicate the noise while you look for the source? My guess is the noise is coming from the front shocks. Unless the po was jumping curbs or something, the entire suspension does not need to be rebuilt. Maybe new shocks at that age and 32k miles. Good Scooter, not flashy but functional and reliable.

If it s the frount shocks spring the cash for as set of http://www.hagonshocksusa.com/ which cost 200 bucks or about 400 for frount and rear . When you sell you helix you can stick the OEM back on and sell them for at least 75% of what you paid . Hagon shocks are worlds about what the stock ones are like. For me at least this what you talking about is the kind of thing you have to have the bike in front of you to understand what is making the sound google CN250 Manual .pdf download and you should find a free copy of the Honda OEM Manual out there. I would at some time when the rear wheel is off see if the muffler is still good and if so give it a paint job with HIGH temp barbeque paint to prolong it's life. Also change the Muffler gasket that fit over the pipe. I would also check to see it the tires are over 3 years old. if so change them . How to read tire codes. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11. I would change the front brake fuild just because you don't know how old it is. Change the oil 2 because it only 1 quart so it's cheap to do. I believe you ll need a 17 MM Socket to do that. Most of the bolts are in Metric. Also buy a set of JSI screw drivers. ( Japan industrial standard ) because there JSI and not Philips like most people think. It's why there strip out . Strange thing is lost of bike shops don't even know that is what they are. If you change the oil every 1500 miles. Any Idea if the rollers in the tran ever got changed? If no parts are 24 buck for the roller. A new belt from scappy dog .com in 25 bucks which is 50 bucks cheaper then OEM honda. If it's the orginal belt in it then I feel with this mileage and 25 years on it should be changed out. There are videos on you tube about how to change your rollers and belt. It's something anyone can do.

I guess I need to find a buddy to rock I back and forth for me with the brakes on.
Carb boot looks like it needs to be replaced but it has brand new tires on it at least and everything works. I'll flush the brake fluid this weekend.

The engine and drivetrain is filthy dusty though. I'm tempted to clean it but hesitate because I don't want to frig up a seal.

I will pull cover and check belt at least if its easy enough.

Thanks for the replies.

The front-end is a "leading link" design, something Honda seems to have pioneered in the 1960s and has since abandoned... anyway, there are several bushings in the links themselves; I'd first disassemble the whole fork system (it's really not as bad as it looks), then check the bushings for wear and obvious signs of metal-on-metal. Completely rebuilding the link system will cost you around $200 (I plan on doing this to my '98 Helix). The shocks themselves are likely shot by now given the age and mileage, and as fullmetalscooter suggested, should be replaced.

The carburetor insulator/mount/intake is likely shot, and should also be replaced; it's about $40 from the dealer, and takes about 15 minutes to replace. The 2004 and later models came with a heavy steel bracket that prevents the intake from ever cracking; the parts can be ordered and retrofitted to an older model for around $40. So about $80 for everything.

The final drive oil should be changed and can be done while the belt cover is off.

The other advice on tires is good; these eat tires for lunch, and a whole set from the dealer is around $200 (front and rear both lasted me around 6,000 miles).

Exhaust gaskets are another weak spot; when removing the rear wheel, it's necessary to remove the muffler as well; there is a metal impregnated mesh collar between the exhaust manifold pipe and the muffler, and a fiber/metal ring between the manifold and the head. Both must be changed whenever the rear wheel is removed, or if any leaks are evident.

You have a 1986 model; when ordering brakes or related parts, tires, front suspension parts, or fuel system parts, that the parts must be from (or for) a 1991 or earlier model. Beginning in 1992, Honda made some refinements to the Helix that made several earlier parts incompatible. Also, the Chinese clone bikes are based off a 1992 or later model.

A word on Chinese parts; be extremely wary of them. Chinese body panels don't quite fit, and are made from a thin plastic with iffy paint. Chinese carburetors are very unpredictable. Buying carburetor parts from a Honda dealer is recommended, as you can make your old Kei-Hin sing like it did in 1986, which is still better than any new Chinese knockoff carb. Other Chinese parts are a crapshoot.

Also, feel free to pressure wash that engine; it's seen much worse, I promise you. Don't use ANY engine cleaners, but a diluted mixture of Simple Green works well. My only concern would be blocking off the intake, and unplugging the electrical connections after washing, allow them to dry, then fill 'em with dielectric grease before reconnecting. After I bought mine, I tore the whole body off, drove it to a car wash (sans body), then washed the whole thing from top to bottom.

Yep simple green or pine sol works wonders. In the event that you wanted to risk rubber parts oven cleaner works to but I ve only used it on engines that are out of the bikes. Scappydog.com and also www.buggypartsnw.com have most of the parts you might need like belts, rollers , carb boot. I don't take and issue to china parts when it comes to things like this. The only other point weak point you might want to look at is the throttle cable . Take them off , clean them and spray them with a non oil based cable lub. I ve had 3 thordel cables brake so far. In the event you end up with the main one broken you can also jury rig the other one in it's place . Ether that or take the seat off pull the remains out of the housing , thread it so you can be reached and rapped a seat vice grips to it and use it that way . It will get you home at least.

I have ordered a carb intake boot and some other goodies through my local dealer.
I really would like to do a complete panel off cleaning right away since it pretty gross under all of it.

Should get to that this weekend. Thanks for all the help.

On another note if Anyone is a member on the yahoo group and slonaker helix group can you contact the Mods and get me confirmed on those boards. I never got a confirmation code after signing up on them or got account activated. I signed up on both using dsinks@att.net email

if the black panels are grey you could use back to black or a heat guns to bring the black back out..

<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2ue-1_Jk2Y0?feature=player_detailpage" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" width="640"></iframe>

Don't want to steal a thread, but I need a seat for a 1993 Helix. Ebay was not my friend today. Anyone have any ideas to find one cheap?

I Ordered new side panels for it and I will soon order the uper panels when money allows. I really need to do something about the lack of backrest my SSR has spoiled me.


Sonofabitch runs well though. 65mph for about 30 miles the other day. Didn't even hiccup... Hot as hell on it though because of the 20 foot tall windshield.... Eesh.

Check your spam filter, mine got hung up in the filter of my provider.

And welcome to the wonderful world of the Helix. I've got an '86 too and the radio still works. I've done everything from grocery running to a couple of 900 mile 3 day tours on it.

I have bought a dye suggested by a detailer buddy for the inner plastics I have tried the heat gun method and it did not work so well for me. Very inconsistent finish I guess from the age. Made it more pliable though so I may hit it all with the gun and then dye it.

I may go the route of a car headrest converted into a backrest. I am looking now at headrest that may work.

You can clean up the dull black parts that are turned gray with a rubdown with 000 steel wool and soapy water. It takes a while, but you'll see the change and it's sort of fun to get it clean again. When it's all cleaned up you can rub a bunch of Armor-All on it and let it sit for a day or two, then rub it out.

Forget about all that work restoring black - use this: http://www.foreverblack.com/

And on this Helix forum you can see the results - http://www.slonaker.net/helixforum/viewtopic.php?t=1154

That's the same brand dye I got.

I got the Restore Black from Bondo and it works pretty darn good, but it is more like a black jelly and probably harder to work with than Forever Black. BUT... The Bondo product is on the counter at Walmart, so easier for me.

The forever black came in today but didn't Do a darn thing to my plastic.
I washed the parts first and let them set overnight but unfortunately it did not work.

Works on some car trim I had real well though.

I painted all my black plastics in March of last year... 6,000 miles later, they still look brand-new.

I washed everything with dish detergent, and painted it all with Krylon Fusion (about two coats). People still come up to me asking if it's a new bike!

I've heard great things about SEM's vinyl dye; it should work better than Krylon.

I painted my old Elite 150 (the entire body) in red Krylon Fusion, with a clear top-coat; came out looking like a million bucks, save for the orange peel effect...

I Have used the Krylon fusion with good results as well. I Should have just used this in the first place. I Think I Will take all the black parts off and low pressure bead blast them and go the Krylon route.

I Purchased all new lower outer panels in grey and a Buddy unexpectedly paid off a loan he owed me so I may get all new upper panels in white with that Money.

Hell it may look like a new bike!

I Dropped the ball on the pics..... I will get some up shortly.

Today while at the auto parts store I saw a Bondo 3m restore black kit so I sprung the $10 for it.

Man this stuff works great! My plastics look new! The stuff is really thick and the applicator was well thought out.

I cleaned the plastics all off again with methyl ethyl ketone and let the helix sit in the sun.
After about a hour I applied the first coat. Then let it dry in the sun for a few hours and then put a second coat on. It really makes the black plastics look Damn near new. Touch up is easy with the heat gun.... Wipe a area with streaks and then hit it with some heat and they disappear! Awesome..

Makes the rest of the Scoot look bad though.
I recived my new grey lower panels but I think I want the white upper panels now so I will wait to put the lowers on when I get the uppers.