Best Bang for the Buck?

[alexfleury]

New to the forum and new to scooters! Just bought a 2001 SA50P with 170 miles on it. Beautiful condition! And now I need to know the most common mods for increased power. Not totally looking for more top speed although It would be a more useful ride if it would go more than 25. But it is hilly around here in East Tenn and I've already had to get off and walk the darn thing up the last steep block to one friend's house.

Have been doing research all day and it seems the first thing to do is open the exhaust. Apparently that mods need to have a larger main jet installed too. If I stay with the stock exhaust and just drill out the opening, what main jet number will I need?

I don't totally understand the variator mod but I think I get the general idea. Is there a good write up or video somewhere about it?

Is that it before I get into exhaust systems and big bore kits? Is there much to be gained with change in ignition boxes?

Will the exhaust and main jet, combined with the Variator mod get me closer to 35 mph? Will it climb hills better?

I'm familiar with motorcycle work, but like I said new to scooters. What kind of horsepower does the stock Honda motor make? After de-restriction what do y'all get?

And finally if I do decide to keep the scoot for awhile, how much money is involved in a big bore kit and exhaust and about how much money is typically involved?

Thank y'all for any info that you can help out with. I'm still searching articles and You Tube vids

[swimmingfree]

first thing i wood do is a compression test ... you shood not have to push it up a hill you may have a piston ring stuck on the piston the test will tell... next i wood pull the cover that the kicker is on pull the variator clean out the grease out ..... check the belt with to make sure its in speck... remember the scooter has been sitting for a long tine and thing seze up and need to be unseze .....
swimmingfree

[alexfleury]

Good idea! And I happen to have a brand new compression gauge. (long story) What kind of compression number should I get?

I think the engine may run OK for what it is now. That is a VERY steep hill at the bottom of the mountain. All cars are in first gear there. And I was still on the bike, just "peddling" with my feet to get there. But I will take your advice and check. Now I gotta find the spark plug hole

Hey I had to download a manual to figure out where the battery is

[swimmingfree]

download a manual is a good thing to have i look at mine allot ... the compression shood be at less 90 but higher is better..
swimmingfree

[cruzingratiot]

the restrictor is part number 6 and bolts 13 in diagram
in the DRIVE FACE section of link below
http://www.discounthondaparts.com/fiche ... veh=131298
remove the variator restrictor drill the washer out if the exhaust rejet carb
you will pick up a couple of mph

I got 39 out of a 2001 eliteS 580 original miles with what was described above
than i installed a polini variator app cost$100.00 it gps at 46.8
than installed a set of 9 to 1 gears app $50.00 ebay gps at 50.7
I wouldn't recommend the gears on hilly roads without a big bore
Paul

[alexfleury]

THANKS Paul !!! Would it be OK if I get back to you when I start on these mods? It looks like this is exactly what I need to do to make my lil scoot more useful.

[LMH]

The restriction causes a lot of the issues youre seeing on top speed, down low it may not change much though. I must have a killer 99 elite sa50p, with out gears I hit 49 using the malossi multi var, yellow malossi center spring, delta clutch, wing bell, Malossi CDI, KOSO coil,BR9HSA plug, PG short, polini reeds, and a 87.5 MJ. Also I dont know if I wasnt suppose to or not but I removed the 2nd tab in the air box next to the other one.
Coming from a stop and going up any hill is incredibly fast for a 49cc. Im almost hesitant to change my gears. If I do change the gears and I dont like them Ill do the zx trans swap to help the initial gearing even though Ill lose a little off top, like a fine balance.

[bonesv]

The restriction causes a lot of the issues youre seeing on top speed, down low it may not change much though. I must have a killer 99 elite sa50p, with out gears I hit 49 using the malossi multi var, yellow malossi center spring, delta clutch, wing bell, Malossi CDI, KOSO coil,BR9HSA plug, PG short, polini reeds, and a 87.5 MJ. Also I dont know if I wasnt suppose to or not but I removed the 2nd tab in the air box next to the other one.
Coming from a stop and going up any hill is incredibly fast for a 49cc. Im almost hesitant to change my gears. If I do change the gears and I dont like them Ill do the zx trans swap to help the initial gearing even though Ill lose a little off top, like a fine balance.

Dude, this guy is new to scooters. He doesn't even know where the spark plug is. Maybe talk to him in his language, and he could come through these modifications with happy results. Not trying to put anyone down, I just remember when I was newB. (still) People had patience with my questions. TY

[LMH]

Ya hes new to it, he wants to know what people did and what they got from it. Anything I said he can ask me what it is and what it does, or search it in the archives. Just like myself and anyone else does on here.

[alexfleury]

Yes I AM lol but I'm catching on! I've done a lot of research and saved a lot of notes.

Today I went down to the DMV and applied for a title. The original owner rode the bike at their lake house in Alabama and never titled it. But I did have the original paperwork from when it was purchased. So I had to have a VIN search documented by the Sheriff's Dept and then have my Bill Of Sale notarized and fill out another form about now owning the bike and why there was no title. But I got my shiny new tag. (after I wrote a check for $122)

So next step I stopped At Walmart and bought a new battery. (another $40)

And NOW I'm ready to work on this thing!!!!!!!


SOOO If I'm getting this right. First thing is to drill the exhaust and put in a larger main jet (85 - 88) and with this I need to do an air box mod. I have NO IDEA what to do to the air box. Do I have to do anything special to the oil delivery? I've read about the split throttle cable and the zip tie mod. But what seemed to make the most sense was one suggestion to leave the oil pump alone and just add "some" oil to the gas. From what little I know about 2 strokes this seems like a good idea. I would also guess that if I am far from home and need gas that the stock oil system would probably get me home OK. Is that right? If I do leave the stock system in place how much oil would I add to the gas tank? I checked the specs and the tank holds .75 Gallon. If I had to stop for gas, and I bought 1/2 gallon and I am running the stock oil system, how much oil would I need to add to the half gallon in the tank?

That brings up two more questions for me!! How much gas will it take to fill up when the gas light comes on? AND how far can you typically go on a tank of gas. There are many beautiful parks and places by the lake near me and sometimes I will use the bike to travel 25 or 30 miles from home.

So I drill out the exhaust, put in a main jet, figure out the oil system, and open the airbox a little. I still some help from y'all on the airbox thing.

I think I'm with you so far!

Now how much difference can I make if I do what one post here suggests and remove the variator restrictor? I have NO idea what that means but he sent me a pic http://www.discounthondaparts.com/fiche ... veh=131298 and if I understand this I just remove part number 6.
Is that right?

I'm not too concerned about top speed if I can get to about 40 mph. But I want to get the bike to climb hills better. Will this mod help? What does this mod accomplish?

Are these the things I need to do if I just want to ride the thing basically stock? Are there any other "beginner" type mods that y'all suggest? Are there changes in the variator that will improve the ability to climb hills?

OK last question (at least for right now) will an aftermarket exhaust help at all. I might want one just cause I think it is cool and it will annoy the crap out of my motorcycle riding buddies to see me on an obviously modded scoot

Guys I really do appreciate it. I ride and work oil cooled Suzuki stuff. Bandit Katana early GSXR I am often on the Maximum Suzuki site and I understand how long it takes to accumulate the kind of knowledge y'all share freely here. I am sincerely grateful for the help.

[bfowler]

Here's the airbox mod that you should do. There's pictures a couple of posts down here. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14693&p=121628&hili ... ab#p121628

You definitely are going to want to remove the variator restrictor plate. It basically limits how high the belt rides up. It's like being in a car and only being able to shift to 3rd gear when you can actually shift to 5th.

You don't really need an aftermarket exhaust unless you're going with a bbk. Won't really do much to a stock scooter and it could actually hurt performance. If you really insist on having one though, I'm sure a v8 exhaust wouldn't be too bad and you'd just have to upjet. They're about $150.

I'm not too sure about the oil. I know you definitely shouldn't run it with just the stock oil pump. Either zip tie the oil pump wide open or get the split throttle cable.

And as far as mods we've already suggested them many times, I think this is my 3rd or 4th time posting this to you. Derestrict exhaust, remove variator restrictor plate, remove tab in airbox. These basic mods won't cost anything and will get you to about 35.

If you're looking for more speed then get a performance variator and get some 9:1 gears. That'll get you to about 45-50.

[alexfleury]

Sorry for making you repeat. I'm just making sure I understand what to do. This is a pretty nice lil scooter and I don't want to mess anything up. I guess I'll forget about the exhaust. They look and sound pretty cool tho. I still want to try to get some good suggestions on the oil system. I know that is one area where an engine can get messed up. I like the idea of leaving the oil ystem stock and running some amount of pre-mix. I don't remember who suggested that but it seems to make sense.

Gonna order a new main jet tonight. I'll get started on mods as soon as it comes in next week.

Just rode it again a few mins ago. At least it's got a legal tag on it now !!

[swimmingfree]

did you do a compression test????
thing to do when you get the jet... what size did you get???
pull the pipe look at the end were it bolted to the jug get rid of washer .....
pull the cover and degrees vareater and get rid of backing plate....
nock other tab on air filter box...
put in new jet.....
when done test ride ....
swimmingfree

[alexfleury]

Actually I am still trying to figure out the jet size . If a 68 is stock, from my 4 cycle experience an 85 seems like a BIG jump.

What would y'all recommend for an engine that is stock except having the de reg mods that we are talking about here?

Thanks again

alex

[swimmingfree]

what dose the manual say??
2 cycle are not 4 cycle you will figure that out the hard wayyyyyyy ...lol
swimmingfree