mopeds and other two wheeled slow fun

[poopslush]

Can you explain a little about plug chopping (in super simple terms). I read up a little on it and it didn't make much sense except for a weird way to determine the rich/lean mixture at a certain rpm. what's the advantage to this? also, as far as derestricting the air filter, can I just throw a mini k&n on in some certain way?

thanks!

First of all, register/check out mopedarmy if you haven’t already. Look at the wiki entry on plug chops and this thread.

As for air filters, if your moby has the gunther carb, there aren’t going to be any aftermarket filters for it, and I don;t know if you can even get jets for it. Remove the airbox on the back of the carb and clamp 2 pieces of pantyhose over it, works just as well as any nice air filter, imo. If I were you, I’d buy a dellorto 15.15 carb (look for used ones on mopedarmy). They are bigger than stock (faster) and are the mainstay brand of moped carbs- very easy to find jets for, tons of aftermarket filters.

Before you do anything, get a can of carb cleaner and blast out all the holes and passageways in the carb. Run some fine wire through the jet. check to see if your exhaust/exhaust port isn’t clogged with soot and shit. Dirty carb and exhaust are usually the reason older peds are being slow after sitting for a while. Plug chops determine how rich (fuel>air) or lean (air>fuel) the engine/carb is. Whenever you change something on the moped to increase the air flow through it (air filter, exhaust, larger carb, etc) you need to increase the gas flow through a larger carb jet (brass piece that allows a certain amount of gas to flow). To do a plug chop, you need a spark plug ratchet bit and good lighting. Run the moped for about a mile at wide open throttle, quickly kill the engine and take out the plug. The area on the inside/below the electrodes should be a nice coffee/chocolate color. If its too lean it will be tan or even whitish. Too rich will be wet looking and nearly black.

If you are too lean now, upjet, then filter. If you’re rich, you can go ahead and try derestricting the air filter. Plug chop again after you do it and reassess. Most likely you’ll be to too lean and will need to get a larger jet. Its really hard to say how much you should go up with x parts but my guess would be about 5 or so for a high flow air filter + derestricted exhaust.

all this sounds complicated and a pain but its just hard to explain and easy once you do it a couple times

[chingon]

thanks for the help man, I really appreciate it. I just got my ped tuned up by a LA mechanic and it run's so much better now. I can pin the speedo (which means I have no idea how fat it goes). I think I'll ride this for a while and if I need to go faster i'll flip and get a 103.

[hommedeguerre]

Already posted in the Motorcycle thread....but I love her so much. She keeps breaking over and over!!!!!!!!

a.s.

[kiya]

hommedeguerre, that's a nice Vespa.. but this is the Moped thread..

[hommedeguerre]

hommedeguerre, that's a nice Vespa.. but this is the Moped thread..

I only posted cuz others were posting there Vespas as well. My apologies!

a.s.

[sycamore no more]

thanks for the help man, I really appreciate it. I just got my ped tuned up by a LA mechanic and it run's so much better now. I can pin the speedo (which means I have no idea how fat it goes). I think I'll ride this for a while and if I need to go faster i'll flip and get a 103.

a 103 won't be any easier to work on.

NEW SUPER TOP SECRET PIPE WITH RAW FINISH VRRRRROOOOOOOOM VRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOM VERY FAST YAY +5 MPH YAY!

also picked up some five-stars, going to rattle can them black ya ya ya new heavy wheelset very strurdy.

[Osmosis Jones]

I have a 1986 Honda Spree. It's been having some minor problems and I want to take off the head and check it out. But alas, no time.

no that is not me. also, check out those JDM painted-white wheels!

[sonny]

NEW SUPER TOP SECRET PIPE WITH RAW FINISH VRRRRROOOOOOOOM VRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOM VERY FAST YAY +5 MPH YAY!

is that a motomatic pipe?

[chingon]

since I am new to this two-stroke thing, is ok to put "marine" outboard oil in? what ratio should I use? gastank says 4oz to 1 gallon, should I abide by that? moped army is of little help without posting.

[poopslush]

you can use marine two stroke oil but a lot of heads will tell you to get some decent synthetic or semi synthetic oil, but no reason you cant use standard 2 stroke, thats all I use. 3 oz to a gallon or 40 to 1 or so. Then if you want to increase the accelleration and smell, add one packet of flavor aid per 2 us gallons.

EDIT- must be purple flavor, orange makes you seize

big up to all cold weather peddy ryders

[poopslush]

I have a 1986 Honda Spree. It's been having some minor problems and I want to take off the head and check it out. But alas, no time.

no that is not me. also, check out those JDM painted-white wheels!

...eww bitch

[Guest mwills]

I'm thinking of buying a 1977 Cimatti City Bike. It has a title, keys to the forks, and only 500 miles on it. Pretty mint condition. It has a minarelli v1 motor, which I guess is good because it's highly upgradable. I'm kinda new to the moped thing. Just wondering if anyone knew more about the City Bike. Oh, and he wants $600. Cop?

[+13]

Zuma > All.

[poopslush]

I'm thinking of buying a 1977 Cimatti City Bike. It has a title, keys to the forks, and only 500 miles on it. Pretty mint condition. It has a minarelli v1 motor, which I guess is good because it's highly upgradable. I'm kinda new to the moped thing. Just wondering if anyone knew more about the City Bike. Oh, and he wants $600. Cop?

not worth 600...

[Guest mwills]

not worth 600...

What should I offer him? Is it a good bike, worth making an offer on?

[fix.]

do you need any kind of license to ride a moped on the street?

[kiya]

do you need any kind of license to ride a moped on the street?

In California you need an M2 license..

[poopslush]

my garelli/avanti build is getting a 43mm polini kit and 19mm carb here shortly, I can't wait

[poopslush]

What should I offer him? Is it a good bike, worth making an offer on?

400-450, then again I don't know what the moped market is like there.

[kiya]

hey kiya is that a 50cc? or do you have a motorcycle license..real interested getting one myself, gas is a bitch here in socal

Yup, it's 50cc..

You need a M2 in california for anything gas powered on two wheels.

But i just got my M1 instead because i have a motorcycle too..

[sendepause]

I got exactly somthing like this:

I don't ride it anymore. It's stored for now.

That IS a beautifull moped!

I own two vespa 50cc's, one 50n from 1967 and a Special from 1978. Due to resent change in Dutch legislation, the one from 1978 won't get on the streets anymore. The other one is beeing 'restored' to become 'road legal' again. But the thing with these oldies is, there is always malfunctioning something. Therefor i am also riding a peugeot scooter....

Next best thing after vespa's are the Honda C50...They ar indistructable and real beauties...

[sonny]

just pick this up last week. it's a blast to ride, feels way different then my maxi.

[sonny]

quick ride around my hood on my maxi. sped up 2x to fit on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sorrydad/3148605683/

[kiya]

Oh fuck yeah.. Sonny brings the speed once again.

[chingon]

that vid makes me want to have a faster moped, and one with a straight fork

[sonny]

just put a 70cc kit, pipe, and 19mm delorto on my magnum. so fast now.

[kiya]

just put a 70cc kit, pipe, and 19mm delorto on my magnum. so fast now.

FUCKING RACE TIME NOW.

[arevalo]

hehe.

[arevalo]

ps.

too bad i seized it a couple weeks ago ... and no jobs right now.

Click my Vimeo on the bottom for some HD moped footage.

[sonny]

my new cobra, thanks to rob for helping me get it running