Cheap exhaust dilemma, 2001 SA50

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zage
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Cheap exhaust dilemma, 2001 SA50

Post by zage »

Hey all,

Scored a 2001 Elite SR for $50 a couple months back, has low compression (~70-75psi) but still runs like a champ all things considered (some transmission mods and it gets up to about 40). I’ve got a polini contessa bbk on the way from Treatland to hopefully solve my compression woes, and race my buddy’s bbk Roughhouse. I’m figuring I should probably get more of a performance exhaust, and since I’m in a state/city where there are no inspections/emissions, I can put whatever I want on. I’m trying to decide between the ~$150 “street” style pipes on scooterworks/sss and the ~$70 chinesium eBay “race” style pipes. I’ve got no problems making modifications to make em fit, and no qualms with volume. Any weigh-ins on this? I would probably powdercoat the cheaper exhaust myself to be safe. Just lookin to go reliably(ish) fast.
2001 Honda Elite 50 SR - Polini Contessa, malossi variator, other bits and bobs
1998 MuZ Moskito - basically stock with an exhaust
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motormike
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Re: Cheap exhaust dilemma, 2001 SA50

Post by motormike »

Just a note by way of general advice.
I find that there's usually better product if you spend more up front.
Buy cheap-o, and maybe end up having to spend more when it sucks...idk
Asking here is a good idea, be careful what you are told on fb pages unless you know the source....rock-on...motor
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zage
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Re: Cheap exhaust dilemma, 2001 SA50

Post by zage »

That’s what I’ve been told, but I feel like both these exhausts fall into the “cheap” category compared to like Arrow or other pipes. I just don’t know if the stock-style ones even have a proper expansion chamber, or if the sport ones are even remotely tuned. Nothing wrong w my stock exhaust necessarily, so if neither will give a boost to performance and/or reliability then I won’t bother until I’ve got more cash on hand.
2001 Honda Elite 50 SR - Polini Contessa, malossi variator, other bits and bobs
1998 MuZ Moskito - basically stock with an exhaust
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Re: Cheap exhaust dilemma, 2001 SA50

Post by noiseguy »

I'd need to see photos. The problem with expansion chamber exhaust is they are tuned to a narrow RPM band. Off the line suffers until you get in band. Street pipes (like stock) have a broader tuning.
You can make the race pipe work on a street bike and might be faster overall, but you'll need to tune transmission around it.
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Re: Cheap exhaust dilemma, 2001 SA50

Post by Wheelman-111 »

Greetings:

Contesta 72 is a "Sport" bore, not "Racing". It makes decent torque down low, but doesn't need a chamber-type pipe because it won't go much above 9K due to porting. I run the stock Honda exhaust on mine, AND stock airbox with Noisy-guy filter, AND stock PA carb jetted up to 90. Even with 9:1 gears, it Zips off the line and still gets to 55 rather smartly, at about 2500 miles (or more?) on the bore. The V8-type pipes all seem pretty much the same for my build, and affordable. Or find a clean take-off stocker pipe if yours is thrashed for even less, and enjoy!
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Most of my money is spent on scooterparts. The rest is just wasted.
"ISO": '03 Vespa ET4 Malossi187 74MPH
Flash 9: 2001 Elite SR Contesta 72 ZX Tran, 9:1 Gears, Stock Airbox/Carb/Pipe 58.8 MPH
Punkin: 2010 Vespa/Malossi S78, 61MPH
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zage
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Re: Cheap exhaust dilemma, 2001 SA50

Post by zage »

Wheelman-111 wrote: Wed Feb 09, 2022 6:23 pm I run the stock Honda exhaust on mine, AND stock airbox with Noisy-guy filter, AND stock PA carb jetted up to 90.
Sounds like we have the EXACT same power train setup, down to the jet :D so I guess I’m on the right track. I’ve got stock rear gears rn and 8.5g rollers, but I’m still well within the break-in period so I haven’t taken it full throttle yet anyways so it’s actually been helpful. Do you run premix, or have you zip-tied the pump open, or neither? Im running premix for the break-in w the stock pump, but I wanna know if I need to change it later on.
2001 Honda Elite 50 SR - Polini Contessa, malossi variator, other bits and bobs
1998 MuZ Moskito - basically stock with an exhaust
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Wheelman-111
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Re: Cheap exhaust dilemma, 2001 SA50

Post by Wheelman-111 »

Greetings:

On the advice of Forumista who have been goofing with these little buzzers even longer than I have, I deleted and plugged the pump socket long ago. The addition of extra oil for break-in is unnecessary, and the pump adds a variable that's almost impossible to estimate. If you're pre-mixing anyway for the larger bore/volume, you might as well run 32:1 and forego the pump. Another reason to do so is that the pump tends to leak past the o-rings as they become embrittled, causing a Smoke-Fest and potentially hydrolocking if the scooter sits for a few months.
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Most of my money is spent on scooterparts. The rest is just wasted.
"ISO": '03 Vespa ET4 Malossi187 74MPH
Flash 9: 2001 Elite SR Contesta 72 ZX Tran, 9:1 Gears, Stock Airbox/Carb/Pipe 58.8 MPH
Punkin: 2010 Vespa/Malossi S78, 61MPH
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Re: Cheap exhaust dilemma, 2001 SA50

Post by ASI828277 »

zage wrote: Thu Feb 03, 2022 2:12 pm Hey all,

Scored a 2001 Elite SR for $50 a couple months back, has low compression (~70-75psi) but still runs like a champ all things considered (some transmission mods and it gets up to about 40). I’ve got a polini contessa bbk on the way from Treatland to hopefully solve my compression woes, and race my buddy’s bbk Roughhouse. I’m figuring I should probably get more of a performance exhaust, and since I’m in a state/city where there are no inspections/emissions, I can put whatever I want on. I’m trying to decide between the ~$150 “street” style pipes on scooterworks/sss and the ~$70 chinesium eBay “race” style pipes. I’ve got no problems making modifications to make em fit, and no qualms with volume. Any weigh-ins on this? I would probably powdercoat the cheaper exhaust myself to be safe. Just lookin to go reliably(ish) fast.

Thanks for advice
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