Honda Elite 250- 1986

When the Elite 250 was introduced, it was the largest scooter for the American market as, previously, the largest scooters available in the US were the Lambretta X200 (1966) and the Vespa Rally 200 / P200E. The Elite 250 used a vertical, liquid cooled motor which it shared with the Honda Helix (’86 – 2007), which became a stalwart example of Honda reliability. At 250cc, and an added length of 14 inches from previous models, the Elite offered a smoother ride, capable of comfortably cruising at highway speeds for long-range touring.

The original generation of Elite 250 was introduced for 1985 and lasted five years in the before Honda released a second generation. The second generation of Elite 250 was virtually all new rounded styling with a new horizontal engine. One of the unique features of the Elite 250 is its futuristic digital instrumentation that contains a speedometer, fuel gauge, clock, engine temperature gauge, trip odometer, and the ability to switch between km/hr and mph for those extra-long excursions across borders.

The Elite 250 is considered by many to be the grandfather of future maxi-scooters like the Suzuki Burgman, Honda Silverwing and Yamaha Morphous. Overseas, the Elite 250 was sold as the Spacy 250 and the Freeway in various countries. In the Japan the Elite 250 had an aftermarket cult following with a younger generation, not unlike sport bikes in America. Honda returned the Elite 250 to all markets in 2004 as the customer base was still there.

Specifications:
Manufacturer: Honda
Country of Origin: Japan
Drivetrain Configuration:
Engine: Liquid cooled, 2-valve, single cylinder, 244cc, 4-stroke
Transmission: Honda V-matic variable ratio with automatic clutch
Top speed: 75 mph
Years Produced: 1985 – 1990 in the USA (1985 – 1988 in Canada)
Number Produced:
Cost: $2398