80's / 90's scooter since overtaken by new technology but still holding a loyal following.
The Honda CH250 was an automatic transmission scooter capable of 70 mph (112kph) at around 70 mpg. A highly collectible scooter today!
The various common names stem from whichever region they were distributed. Elite: North America, Freeway: Japan, Spacy; rest of the world.
Various types probably made between 1985-1998 although from around 1989 on it was a completely different bike( body style, motor, fuel tank, frame). It has since been replaced by Honda bikes such as the Foresight, Forza, Reflex et al.
They have a pedal on the right side for the rear brake, and a hand grip on the right handlebar for the front disc brake. The rear brake pedal is a little disconcerting because you have to move your foot over to and above it to apply the brake. As an automatic there is no gear shift, but the brake pedal seems to incorporate a clutch for the automatic transmission. Electric starts reliably on the first try of the switch. The radiator fill-cap is located in the handy glove box. There is plenty of underseat luggage area, and some also have a cargo box on the rear rack which also adds lots of storage space as well as a nice backrest for the rear passenger. Perfect for the family outing and bringing home the groceries.
The egine delivers plenty of power, even for hill climbing at freeway speeds. Reports in that it tends to run wide on turns but otherwise handles like a regular motorcycle but with the advantage of stepping through and not having to through your leg over. The windscreen is reported as a little low for freeway cruising in wet weather, the rider needing to pull their head down (which of course leaves your pillion wide open to the inclement weather).
In Japan, the Freeway model is a natural choice for narrow roads while the (relatively) larger scooter engine means you have the power to travel in (and escape from) traffic. A full tank is about Y800 (US$7.) which lets you ride at least 200 kilometers (125 miles). The economy of the CH250 is a definite plus in Japan where gasoline is very expensive - approx. Y108 per liter (US$4/gallon) for regular.
Thanks to Jim in Japan for the Japanese Freeway information. A nice picture of his bike is show below (1996 model).