Honda NC50 Express Owner's Manual | Official Owner's Manual 1978 UK Model

Here is the official 1978 Honda NC50 express owner's manual (UK Model)! I can't believe it has taken me this long to find it. This is different from the Honda express shop manual that can be found on this website as well. Here is a few small excerpts from the document:

This booklet is your guide to the basic operation and maintenance of your new motorcycle.

Please take the time to read the Owner's Manual carefully. As with any fine machine, proper care and maintenance are essential for trouble-free operation and optimum performance.

Your authorized Honda dealer will be glad to provide further information or assistance and is fully equipped to handle your future service needs.

Thank you for selecting a Honda. We wish you many miles of continued riding pleasure in the years ahead.

PRE-RIDING INSPECTION:

At the start of each riding day, perform a general inspection to be certain the motorcycle is in good, safe operating condition.

Gasoline Level - Check gasoline level and fill tank if low.
Capacity: 2 liters (0.53 U.S. gal., 0.44 Imp. gal.)

NOTE:

* Use low-lead or regular gasoline with a Research Octane number of 91 or higher, or a Pump Octane number of 86 or higher.
For Australia and New Zealand models; Use unleaded gasoline only. The use of leaded gasoline will cause spark plug fouling.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MANUAL

Moped Auxilary Fuel Tank | Carry Extra Gas on Moped Scooter

How to carry extra fuel on your Honda Express moped:

It WORKS!!! One of my previous posts I talked about the best (cheapest) way to carry extra fuel on my honda scooter express. Here it is! Visit your local camping store (Dicks, Eastern Mountain Sports, etc.) and pickup TWO 30 oz MSR fuel bottles for about $40 total (made to carry fuel and virtually indestructible). They you visit your local hardware store (or chain) like Lowes or Home Depot. I visited Lowes and the supplies cost between $5-$10 total to make the harness for the fuel cells. Using a Drummel and some ingenuity... walla!

Moped Battery Exploded | Honda Moped Battery Blew Up

Honda express scooter battery exploded! What the heck!?!

I have been riding my Honda Express for 3-4 months with a new moped battery I purchased online. There was nothing wrong with the battery. I followed the directions when initially filling the moped battery with acid and charging it. It worked great and purchased the scooter batter at perfect price!

Since that time I have done several honda express performance modifications to it. I did a muffler modification (video to come soon) and a engine kit mod (video to come soon). Both worked great! I have been in the "break-in" period of my new engine kit and was about 250 miles in. I want to wait until 300 before I really start to open the ped up and see what she can do. Well, I was pushing things a little. I was doing 35mph with the ped and gaining on 40mph... when I heard a LOUD "POP." At that point, I quickly backed off the throttle and decelerated. At first, I thought it was the sound of the engine back-firing. It wasn't until I returned home from my ride that I noticed my headlight low beam and high/low indicator lights were burned out. I have read a simple tip on many different forums:

"If you have a bad, low, or no honda nc50 battery than you will BLOW your headlight bulb."

Yes, that is true.

I checked my battery's condition after noticing the headlight was out. When I popped off my seat, I could see one of the battery caps was missing and sides of the battery were broken and busted out. Even the over flow tube that connects to the battery was disconnected. I quickly got some baking soda and sprinkled it over all the wires and Styrofoam holder around the scooter battery to prevent corrosion from the acid.

I don't know 100% what happened. Here are some theories:

• I let the battery acid level get too low and the heat from electricity flowing through the battery damaged the plates and it exploded. (have read about motorcycle batteries doing the same thing)
• The new kitted engine is generating TOO much current, flowing through the battery, damaged plates, and it exploded
• Battery was faulty and current caused explosion
• Moped battery was inhabited by daemons that became unhappy and blew up in protest (ha!)

What do you think? Please post your ideas and suggestions!

Moped Scooter Extra Gas Tank | Auxiliary Fuel Tank | Carry More Fuel | Ideas

Auxiliary Fuel Tank might be a good idea if you plan to take long/touring trips with your Express Moped. The 1978 Honda Express nc50 moped has a fuel (gasoline) capacity of 2 liters or .53 US gallons. If you get approximately 80 miles to 1 US gallon for fuel consumption... that means you can get approximately 42.4 miles on one tank. Granted, you will probably have used your reserve (which is 0.2 liters or .053 US gallons). The reserve (again using a 80mil/gal estimate) will get you 4.24 miles if you're lucky.

You also need to take into account that any honda moped performance modifications you might have made, could increase your fuel consumption to 50-60 miles/gallon. That is a generalization because I haven't done a before and after comparison on moped gasoline consumption. If you engine "kitted" your moped (ie. you replaced the stock 49cc with 60cc, 70cc, or higher) then you will obviously be using more fuel because there is a large area of displacement and you're going faster (faster = more fuel... in a tuned honda moped bike).

I NEED MORE FUEL!!!

I hear you. Don't worry, we can't all assume there will be gas stations along our moped scooter route. I have done some extensive research and there are solutions! Here are just a few:

• MSR Fuel Bottle with CRP Cap - ($19.95 + shipping - can be found for less $$$ on internet) With various fuel capacities (ex: 11, 20, and 30 fl. oz.), this aluminum bottle stores and transports your fuel.

• ROTOPAX - ($49.95 1 Gal - plus shipping) Our 1 Gallon packs are the perfect size to attach to your motorcycle for your all day outdoor rides. We have a lot of different mounting options available. Whether you are a farmer or rancher, outdoors enthusiast, winter sports advocate or whatever your needs, we have a mounting option for you.

• Motion Pro Auxiliary Fuel Tank - ($49.95) Includes 4 ft. of 1/4 inch fuel line and an 1/4 inch in-line fuel barb. Holds up to 2000cc or 1/2 gallon of fluid.

• MAIER ENDURO — ATV JUGS - 1 QUART - ($6.50 + shipping) Jugs constructed of polypropylene and designed to fit 3/8’’ to 1/2’’ dia. crossbars or mount to flat surfaces on ATV fenders. Nylon strap with quick release Velcro® holds jug to a bracket that won't rotate.

• Blitz Gas Can - ($6 found at most stores) Standard plastic jug you could get at Walmart in 1 gallon size. Just strap to your back express moped rack, above gas tank.

• SAMPSON Motorcycle Auxiliary Fuel Cells - Too big, too expensive, not right shape.

• Tour Tank - ($159 + shipping) - Cool, but WAY too expensive. 1.5 Gallon Tour Tank, (6-inches x 16-inches), Aluminum Tank comes with:, Black Steel Brackets, Non -Vented Cap, Vent Tube in Filler Neck, 1/4NPT Threaded Outlet Centered.

At this point, the MAIER ENDURO — ATV JUGS - 1 QUART looks like the best choice to carry more gas on moped. Unfortunately, I can't find anywhere to purchase them!!! I have been scouring the internet with no results! If anyone knows where to get them, please post comment.

The runner-up choice is a MSR Fuel Bottle with CRP Cap. You can find these all over the internet and local camping stores. I really liked the Maier Enduro because it came with strap and was constructed to fit on a cross-bar. Ah well... can't win them all.

Whatever you decide to purchase and use... please make sure you attach it safely to honda moped parts and use all safety precautions.

Moped Clothing for Sale | Honda Express Books, Clothing, Lifestyle

Moped clothing for sale, you ask? You have finally finished restoring your vintage honda express moped, and put your heart, sweat, and time into making this noped look better than new... no what? Of course you're going to ride it around town, around campus, to work, to amaze the neighbors, and for pleasure. But, now you have to look cool doing it. Well, honestly you can only look so cool riding a honda moped with performance parts. You will still get "thumbs-up" but those you pass on busy streets who know what it means to own and ride a classic scooter or moped. You know what? You need some sweet duds! That's right, you need some honda express moped clothing, books, lifestyle gear but where do you go? The sites you are looking for are right here. Check out the following links for "tight" moped swag:

• DK Scooters - DKScooters.com provides aftermarket parts, accessories and apparel to consumers who own and service Japanese-made gas powered scooters.

• Scooterworks USA - Scooterworks USA began in 1990, when a couple of Vespa scooter owners found that parts, accessories, and service were both expensive and hard to find. We thought, as did others, that we could help bring the Vespa scooter back to life after a long absence from the USA by providing good customer service, helpful advice, quality parts and accessories, and a professional attitude. Over the years we have grown by leaps and bounds!

• Motorcycle Super Store - Buy motorcycle gear, moped apparel and accessories at Motorcycle Superstore. Largest online motorcycle accessory store selling motorcycle helmets, motocross gear, motorcycle accessories, motorcycle apparel, motorcycle tires and motorcycle parts.

• Powersports Max - Your online source for quality motor sports vehicles and clothing. We carry ATVs, Dirt Bikes, Go Karts, Mopeds, Scooters, Pocket Bikes and Utility Vehicles at PowersportsMax.com!

How Fast Honda Express Go | Top Speed | Stock | Performance Tuning...

If you own a 1977, 1978, or 1980's Honda Express moped... I am sure you have thought, "How can I make my stock express noped go FASTER!!!" 20-28 mph is great for cruising back roads, downtown small cities, or even along the beach/boardwalk. But, when you need to keep up with traffic on some busy roads or just get somewhere a little quicker... Express Honda performance modification might be what you are looking for. Also, most people don't want to spend $300 or even $150 on aftermarket performance parts. Honda moped owners just want to spend a few hours in their garage and tinker to push out 2-3 or even 10+ mph more. It can be done!

Here is a recently uploaded YouTube video of a vintage honda express owner who modified their stock moped muffler, bored their intake out, enlarged exhaust port, and did a spark plug chop. This brought his stock honda express top speed from 26 mph to 35+mph with little to no money spent.

Here are some initial/standard performance tuning tips to get you started (look around this site for much more information regarding honda express performance tuning):

• Clean your express scooter carburetor (Don't forget to clean the honda express carburetor jet) 
• Replace moped spark plug
• Fill tire pressure properly (see honda moped manual)
• Clean moped ignition point:




• Add a little Performance Boost to your fuel (won’t boost speed, but will help engine running smoother and facilitate overall engine process).
• Change your transmission case oil (use new Royal Purple 10W-40)
• Remove your air filter (WARNING - be careful when doing this. You could overheat your engine if air is not properly regulated) Doing this will allow a leaner mix of air/fuel and give you a boost.
• Modify moped muffler (open it up... cut out some guts... weld back together) Doing this will probably provide you with the most performance boost (for no $$$). CLICK HERE FOR MUFFLER MOD HOW TO VIDEO

My next post will have detailed information on purchase aftermarket performance parts for your honda express nc50, na50, express sr, express II mopeds.

1978 Honda Express Print Advertisement - Get On!

C'mon America, get on the Honda Express.
 

Honda Express Moped Battery | nc50 scooter parts | How To Remove, Repair, Replace 1978 honda

Honda Express Moped Parts | How to remove, clean, repair, refill, replace a 1978 Honda Express scooter battery. This can be done on any stock or new moped battery as part of your regular maintenance.



Additional Honda Videos:
Honda Express Oil Pump
Honda Express Carburetor

Honda Express Oil Pump | How to Remove, Inspect, Repair, Install 1978 NC 50 Oil Pump Scooter

Honda Express Oil Pump video is done! I have edited the video and uploaded it to YouTube. You can view the entire video below. The video will take you through (step-by-step) process of removing your Honda Express Scooter's oil pump. I have tried to interject helpful tips and information during the video to help you with inspecting and reinstalling your oil pump. It is good practice to check your oil pump several times throughout the lifetime of your nc 50 moped. It helps with moped performance and prevents the oil pump for malfunctioning and seizing the engine. Good Luck!

 

Checkout my other YouTube video on How to Remove Honda Express Moped Carburetor.

Honda Express Spark Plug Moped NC 50 Scooter | How To Inspect

Honda Express Spark Plug inspection begins with understanding how the spark plug functions and what a GOOD running engine's moped spark plug should look like. I will also touch upon inspection, adjustment, and where to buy moped spark plug for sale.

Two cycle engines run hotter than four-cycle engines since each upward movement of the piston is a compression stroke and each downward movement, a power stroke. At the peak of the compression stroke an electrical current is sent through the spark plug and creates an electrical spark. This spark ignites the air/oil/fuel mixture thus generating the power stroke downward.

The electrical current jumps across a "gap" on the spark plug. The gap can be adjusted to the honda nc 50 manual specifications to ensure proper firing. The correct spark plug gap for the 1978 Honda Express is 0.6 - 0.7mm [see diagram below]

[click above graphic to enlarge]

You can pickup a moped spark plug gap measuring device at any local auto parts store, including Pep Boys and Advanced Auto Parts. [see picture of tool to left]

To achieve your honda moped's top speed you need to have the right combination of air and fuel in the cylinder to be ignited. This is when you will hear the terms "lean" and "rich" concerning your mixture.

• Moped Engine Running LEAN - Too much air in fuel/air mixture being fired by the engine.
• Moped Engine Running RICH - Too much fuel in the fuel/air mixture being fired by the engine.

To figure out if your engine is running too lean or rich you can remove and inspect your spark plug. A good running spark plug should look a light chocolate brown color. If the honda spark plug is black and sooty the engine is running too rich. If the express spark plug is black and shiny (very oily) then it is oil fouled. If the nc50 spark plug is whitish you could be running too lean, wrong ignition timing, or even too hot of a spark plug. There are spark plug charts online that can help you identify how your engine is running. [see chart to right - click to enlarge]

Detailed Video of Honda Express Moped NC50 1978 Scooter

I recently found the following video listed on YouTube that is a video documentary of a stock (good condition) Honda NC 50 moped express model. The commentary is a little boring and it drags on, but it is really helpful if you wanted to take apart the scooter bike and needed to know how everything goes back together. The moped manual give directions on how to reassemble the honda express moped parts but isn't very detailed about how/where to route the cables and brake lines. If anything, it nice to see a video of a good looking moped!

Honda Express Engine Cylinder Head Gasket | How To Replace

How to replace a cylinder head gasket on a Honda Express moped is brought to us by Bakirkwold. He is a fellow honda nc50 scooter enthusiast and has brought us such videos as kick-start conversion on honda scooter express and muffler performance tuning on honda express.

In this video Bakirkwold has previously removed cylinder head for cleaning and replacement of new piston. He broke the seal/gasket when removing the honda noped head. When he put it back together, unfortunately, he used Permatex Ultrablack Gasket Maker (<= DO NOT USE). Basically, the point of the video is that he used the Permatex gasket maker and due to temperature, friction, application, or who knows... it didn't seal properly. His nc 50 moped was loosing compression and dropping his honda moped top speed. So, this time around Bakirkwold purchased a genuine honda express cylinder head gasket part from local parts store for only $5.99. Well worth the money and much less headache.

Check out all his videos. He is a true credit to the Honda Express moped race!

Honda Express Video Commercial | 1980 Honda Express

You're about to see a 1980 import that can get 100 miles to the gallon. It has got automatic transmission, air conditioning, and more head-room than a Rolls Royce.

And for all the practical reasons you should buy it, the best reason is impractical. It could just be the most fun you've ever had! The 1980 Honda Express.

Honda Express nc 50 Transmission Oil - What Should I Use?

As printed in the 1980 Honda NC50 ('77-'82) Express NA50 Express II ('79-'81) Shop Manual by American Honda Motor Co. Page 26-1, you should use 10W-40 Motor Oil.

The Honda Scooter nc 50 has a Transmission Oil Capacity of 0.75 lit. (0.79 U.S. qt.) (25.28 U.S. oz.) that should be filled with 10W-40 Motor Oil.

Do NOT use 2 stroke oil and do not use 10w-40 lubrication oil in your Honda Moped Oil Tank.

What brand is the best for your honda ped? Well, Synthetic is all the Rage. During my internet research another brand of oil that people love and stand by is Royal Purple which happens to be easily located at many auto parts stores near you. I have seen it stocked at my local Pep Boys and Advanced Auto Parts store.

Honda Express Moped Poor Performance High Speed (Highend Speed)

Honda Express moped - loosing performance all of a sudden at high speeds (high rpm's). What's going on???

So, recently I neglected to check my nc50 express moped oil level and I came close to running out completely. I luckily checked before it was too late. Had I waited too long, the honda engine would have eventually seized. Side Note: You can check the oil level using a little see-through window in the gasoline/oil tank on the back of the honda express. [see diagram]

So I filled up all the oil reservoir with new Lucas Semi-Synthetic 2-Cycle Racing Oil. I then rode my Honda noped to work and 5+ miles into my ride, I noticed poor performance at high rates of speed. Just a few days ago I didn't have any trouble going 30+mph on the moped, but now I can't get over 25 mph. My honda express moped top speed totally decreased and isn't changing. I can also feel the engine "pulling back" or lacking power at the top honda speed ranges. It has no problem accelerating though.

I have been trying to deduce what the problem is. The only thing that has changed in the past couple of days is the oil situation. I was running the 2 stroke (cycle) moped oil from the previous owner. I don't know if he had put in low grade 2-cycle moped oil or high performance synthetic oil. I am betting he used the cheap stuff. Does that mean I should use cheap stuff or good stuff?

After doing research online I have found many fellow moped riders LOVE synthetic 2-Cycle oil. In particular, I discovered many riders stand by AMSOIL DOMINATOR® Synthetic 2-Cycle Racing Oil (TDR). Perhaps I should give this a shot. Maybe my Lucas oil just isn't cutting it.

I will continue to repair my problem and post my results here. Perhaps a video on how to remove the Honda Express Engine Oil Pump??? We shall see... stay tuned and check back often for new posts.

Moped Parts and Accessories for Sale | Online

I have updated the Honda moped and scooter parts for sale post that features many reputable online parts stores. For those of you trying to fix your ride or looking to restore a classic, these sites are invaluable when it comes to finding new/OEM honda moped parts.

Check Out the Updated Post:
http://www.hondaexpressmoped.com/2009/10/1977-1978-1979-honda-express-nc-50.html

Honda Express Moped nc50 Battery - 6N2-2A 6V 2Ah Motorcycle Battery

IT'S MOPED SEASON AGAIN!!! That's right. I am sure it is different depending on where you are, but in New England it has been warm (enough) and sunny to break-out my Honda Express Moped and do some real riding.

Any moped enthusiast can tell you the first step for a new season is honda nc50 maintenance. Time to check the tire pressure and moped oil, check the transmission gear oil, check the moped/motorcycle battery, check your fuel, and so on. Well after checking my honda scooter battery, I noticed the levels were down.

A 1978 Honda Express NC50 moped will take a 6N2-2A 6V 2Ah Motorcycle Battery for a replacement. But, where do you get one? That's a good question. Well, I have done the shopping around for you. You can find dozens of replacement batteries on Ebay or just plain searching on Google. Here is the best deal I found:

UPG 6N2-2A 6V 2Ah Motorcycle Battery

Replaces 6N2-2A (acid included)

Price: $7.95 (s/h $12.34)

10% Off New Customer Coupon Code: 10P52307ft

BatteriesInAFlash.com

Click HERE to purchase battery.

Here are some specs on the honda nc50 6N2-2A scooter battery:

• Output Voltage: 6V
• Amperage: 2Ah
• Brand: UPG
• Chemistry: Flooded
• Length: 2.75" (69.85mm)
• Width: 1.88" (47.75mm)
• Height: 3.75" (95.25mm)
• Warranty Life: 1yr
• Model Number: 41500
• UPC: 806593415005
• Fits: Fits: Honda 50 NA50 Express II 1979, Honda 50 NC50 Express 1978 - 1979

If you maintain the battery, like storing indoors over winter or using trickle charge... should last few years. Please feel free to post if you have or know of a better price for these batteries.

1978 Honda Express Left Crank Case - Transmission

I am trying to help a fellow express scooter owner find a 1978 Honda Express moped left crank case. See below for a diagram of what I am talking about exactly:

You can also find reference to this part here: http://www.cmsnl.com/honda-nc50-express-1978-us_model7471/partslist/E++03.html

If you have this part please contact me by posting a comment to this post.

Please leave your e-mail and how much you are willing to part with your honda express left crankcase cover.

Honda Express Electrical Wiring Diagram

Honda Express Moped Electrical Wiring Diagram

(click to enlarge)

I thought many of you could find this Honda Express scooter wiring diagram useful. This honda moped wiring schematic shows everything from headlight, to moped battery, to alternator, to scooter tail-light, and more.

Performance Tune Your Honda Express Moped? - Do What He Did

So during my extensive searching online for honda express scooter modifications and performance turning, I found a YouTube poster with the screen name "bakirkwold."

The first post he made that caught my eye was when he converted his honda moped ratchet start to a full-out kick start. (by the way he mentioned he will be making a "how-to" video on that this summer) I have seen lots of requests on how to do honda scooter kick-start conversions for quite sometime.

Well, recently he posted his experience with his 1980 Honda Express moped and how he performance tuned and increased his scooter's top speed. Very impressive. Now, I have seen some documentation online about how to do some of these things, but never heard first-hand if they worked. Well, in his case... they did.

Hat's off to "bakirkwold" and I would highly suggest subscribing to his YouTube channel, because there are even better things to come. While you are at it... go ahead and subscribe to "EverydayInternetSol" channel too. I will be bringing many more "how to" videos in the coming months.

Here is bakirkwold's video:

Here is the list of honda restoration that was done to his moped:

• Cleaned up the bike
• Fixed up the rear turn signals and painted them
• Bought a left-side engine cover from Ebay
• Converted it to kick start (video coming soon)
• Fixed a broken rear brake line
• Fixed rear fender
• Fixed rear lights
• Built a honda moped headlight out of a car head light
• Made a seat
• Cleaned the carb (HOW TO VIDEO HERE)
• New piston and head
• Cleaned out the gas tank
• Converted a batter that father got from work
• Painted air box
• Spent lot of hours getting it to run
• New tires
• New points
• Lots more!

Honda Express Moped Scooter Repair - Series Part 2

Let's start fixing that 1978 Honda express scooter of yours. You will need the right tools to begin your work. Here is a list of items/tools that will make your honda moped restoration experience simpler:

• Husky 6-In-1 Screwdriver - Phillips, Slotted, & Nut Driver (The Home Depot)
  
  
• European Metric Socket & Open Ended Wrenches (Crafsman Sears)
  
• Rags
  
• Moped Carburetor Cleaner (see previous post for suggested carb cleaner)
  
• Automotive Spill Tray (or cheaper system - use old newspaper to absorb spills)
  
• Paper & Pencil (take notes and measurements)
  
• Digital Camera (to document - incase you forget something goes back together)
  
• Moped Honda Manual (see previous post for manuals online)
  
  
• Box, Zip-Lock Bags, or Other Container (to store bolts and screws after removing from moped)

Next honda blog post will cover where to begin the restoration (honda moped performance tuning) after you have gathered all your nessesary tools.

Honda Express Moped Scooter Repair - Series Part 1

You have just returned for an exciting trip to a yard sale with your new winnings resting in the back of your truck. You just could not believe you bought a Honda Express moped off a guy for $50 bucks. He told you it used to run and you can see it only has a few hundred miles on the odometer.


What luck! You're excited and wouldn't have been able to guess this morning that you would have a piece of Honda moped history sitting in your garage. Heck... the moped could be older than you - having been made in 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, or 1981. Perhaps you remember riding one of these when you were a child. You can vividly remember the joy as your brothers or sisters used to zip around your neighborhood.

"But... wait!" you think. How do I get my new honda scooter running? What model is this moped? Is it a Honda Express, Express II, Express SR, Urban Express? What is the top speed of my nc50 moped? Where can I get Honda Urban Express parts? Where can I get a honda express manual? What is the best express moped oil to use?

You head begins to swim with aniexty and questions. You think, "What did I get myself into?" But then, you take a deep breath and realize life is too short to worry and thank God you found a Honda Express moped blog / forum like this one!

Now... let's begin the process of restoring that beautiful vintage honda moped. In the next few blog posts I will walk you through some important steps to restore and repair you newly aquired "eco-friendly" moped.

Will be posting moped scooter repairs series this week. Stay tuned...