Buddy 125 variator upgrade *with pictures*

ScootingInTheRain · Post by **ScootingInTheRain** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 11:39 pm

So....

Would light sliders and no washers be a good thing? like quick off the line but good top speed?

I'm definitely looking at the Dr Pulley, and thinking of 10/11g+no (or 1) washers based on this thread...

I am in the "top speed ever of 65bmph and sluggish off the line" camp. I think I just have one of the slow motors.

Every once in a while it seems peppy, though. I'm confused. Off Topic.

~SITR

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:26 am

ScootingInTheRain wrote:So....

Would light sliders and no washers be a good thing? like quick off the line but good top speed?

I'm definitely looking at the Dr Pulley, and thinking of 10/11g+no (or 1) washers based on this thread...

I am in the "top speed ever of 65bmph and sluggish off the line" camp. I think I just have one of the slow motors.

Every once in a while it seems peppy, though. I'm confused. Off Topic.

~SITR

Light sliders(rollers) increases low end accelleration by allowing the engine to reach a higher rpm before the variator starts ramping up to a higher gear ratio. Sliders(rollers) that are too light, on the other hand, may prevent the scooter from ever reaching it's top speed or cause it to take one day short of forever to reach top speed or last but not least, cause the engine to run at a very high rpm while at top speed.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:32 am

docutech wrote:
babblefish wrote:The washers limit a scooter's top speed, so the more that are installed, the less your top end will be. This is one of the techniques used to limit (restrict) a 50cc scooter to 30mph.
Interesting.

I explain it in a little more detail in my Dr. Pulley installation guide in the Technical Library forums.

docutech · Post by **docutech** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:36 pm

I had my other 3 11g sliders installed this morning. We also removed the 2 washers. The high revs are gone yet my scooter still accelerates pretty quickly. I haven't been able to test the top end but I will do so this evening. Prima pipe should be here Friday

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:55 pm

docutech wrote:I had my other 3 11g sliders installed this morning. We also removed the 2 washers. The high revs are gone yet my scooter still accelerates pretty quickly. I haven't been able to test the top end but I will do so this evening. Prima pipe should be here Friday

Nice, thats about what I experienced. I wasn't able to REALLY top out my scooter on my way in to work this morning, but I DID hit 70 indicated in less time than it took me to reach it with the old variator. I'll be interested if it will still top 80, but so far it feels like it should.

docutech · Post by **docutech** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:52 pm

I was able to squeeze out 64mph on the GPS this morning

That was all she had. For the life of me I could not get it to go any further, I hit a wall. Surprisingly engine felt like it wasn't even working very hard. I hit 55mph (GPS) and the scooter felt like it used to feel at 45mph. I am not sure what happens between 45-50mph but the engine calmly accelerates as the numbers climb on the speedo. Before I knew it I was doing 60mph. It is actualy quite exciting. I hope to break the 64mph wall once the Prima pipe is installed. According to my mechanic this is a done deal

My gas mileage has suffered roughly 5 miles less per gallon. This must be due to the high revving that I did for a couple of days.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:03 pm

docutech wrote:I was able to squeeze out 64mph on the GPS this morning That was all she had. For the life of me I could not get it to go any further, I hit a wall. Surprisingly engine felt like it wasn't even working very hard. I hit 55mph (GPS) and the scooter felt like it used to feel at 45mph. I am not sure what happens between 45-50mph but the engine calmly accelerates as the numbers climb on the speedo. Before I knew it I was doing 60mph. It is actualy quite exciting. I hope to break the 64mph wall once the Prima pipe is installed. According to my mechanic this is a done deal

My gas mileage has suffered roughly 5 miles less per gallon. This must be due to the high revving that I did for a couple of days.

I've still not been able to try topping mine out with the new variator, but I did hit an indicated 70(my speedo averages about 2MPH off) and it still had plunty to give! I haven't noticed any real change in gas milage, but I'm not driving it a whole lot different than I did before. And I think my very long commute helps keep my milage fairly constant.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:41 pm

Good to hear it works docutech! How's the bottom end? Similar? Or faster?

docutech · Post by **docutech** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:49 pm

jfrost2 wrote:Good to hear it works docutech! How's the bottom end? Similar? Or faster?

Compared to the stock variator and rollers the bottom end is much better. It accelerates quicker. Not as quick as having the 9gram rollers in but quick still. Smooth and strong acceleration from start to around 60mph. The kevlar belt that I ordered may help a bit as well. The stock tooth angle is a 28 degree while the new one is a 30 degree. Not much difference but with the more aggressive angle on the Dr. Pulley vairator it may help just a dad. The kevlar material should help as well. The biggie will be the Pipe.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:04 pm

The kevlar belt probably will just last longer than your current belt in the buddy, but I doubt it will give much of any boost. Your right about the pipe giving the boost though. Do you plan to rejet? The pipe is made for just plug and play, but some like to rejet.

docutech · Post by **docutech** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:08 pm

I haven't decided yet. I want to see what results "plug and play" give.

Shane Wilson · Post by **Shane Wilson** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:14 pm

jfrost2, i think i've seen you comment before that the pipe is made for plug and play and that just is not accurate.

it's not a matter of 'liking' to rejet, it's a matter of needing to rejet.

even on the scooterworks site they recommend checking your jetting after adding the pipe.

i know for sure on my italia that i needed to go up a couple of points on the main jet to get my plug to look right after the addition.

anyone making modifications of this kind should always be advised to be sure that your engine is not running lean after doing it.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:35 pm

Shane Wilson wrote:jfrost2, i think i've seen you comment before that the pipe is made for plug and play and that just is not accurate.

it's not a matter of 'liking' to rejet, it's a matter of needing to rejet.

even on the scooterworks site they recommend checking your jetting after adding the pipe.

i know for sure on my italia that i needed to go up a couple of points on the main jet to get my plug to look right after the addition.

anyone making modifications of this kind should always be advised to be sure that your engine is not running lean after doing it.

Yeah, any upgrade to exhaust will nearly always require some tuning of the carb and likely rejet as well.

Modern Buddy

Buddy 125 variator upgrade with pictures