Bumble bee, the fast and pretty
New game plan. I’m going to use a peugeot seat with maybe upholstery, an ebr frame brace, a round headlight, a peugeot 103 spx kick stand, I will paint the wheels black and probably keep the bumble bee spirit by adding some yellow accents. Now it’s starting to look like a cool ped. I’ll try to update the article later with new pics.
Peugeot 103 RXC 49.9cc moped, 14 hp 14,000 rpm.
I don’t want my 50cc race moped to rust in my shop until the next race April 7th 2012 at Grange’, so I decided to remove the fairings and register the bike to blast it once in a while on moped rides. Before that I’ll do a complete engine checkup and will change the transmission for street riding top speed. The negative side is that the more miles you put on a race engine the less it performs at its full potential on the track for race day.
I installed a long seat and a Tomos square headlight for now to make it look more like a street moped american style. I’ll probably paint the wheels black, re-weld a straight frame brace, get a round headlight and modify the seat cafe’ style later. The purist french racers and bloggers are going to tease me for removing those awesome vintage Bidalot fairings but we can’t please everybody and since nobody races in California I have to take that bike to the streets. Plus the bike will also blend much better next year on the track racing against other mopeds or 50cc to 200cc and electric motorized bicycles.
The only thing missing is the license plate and the pedals but there were no pedals on the stock peugeot 103 RCX 90′s version with pegs and kick start like many other mopeds, Honda, Vespa, Motobecane, Tomos, etc… It’s almost impossible to install pedals on that bike, there’s no thread for a rear bicycle freewheel, no front sprocket on the shaft or even room to weld one. I’m still keeping the moped spirit by using a 49.9cc limit engine and after market Peugeot moped parts only, except for the auto electric water pump. Even the vintage Fournales ole0-pneumatic shocks were made for the 103 RCX frame.
Bonus video : Another fast Tomahawk 50cc motobecane.
Melvin’s motobecane Av10 polini 50cc kit with stock cases is almost done. He built the bike and I taught him how to properly assemble the engine and slightly port the cylinder W exhaust port. He custom made a swing arm, clip-ons handle bars, dual launch lever, exhaust ball joint springs system, cut and re-welded the frame’s tail to adapt new shocks (gave up the mono shock project), installed a disc brake and custom fork brace, etc… He always find new ideas using cheap parts available at his auto body shop.
I stopped by Friday night for his birthday and first start of his new moby. I reassembled the 19 carb with all the right settings, timed the ignition, tuned the doppler variator + launch lever. I did a full session breaking in the engine on the stand before doing some test runs. WOW… the 50cc polini kit rips! Good torque and some serious power even with the small 52T rear sprocket. That bike might be faster than any of our other mobys and Melvin is light too. Once completely done the bike will get a new paint.
Somebody’s gonna have a big smile on his face blasting through the streets of LA at 70 mph.
As you probably already know, you can find all those performance parts at http://www.treatland.tv the best moped parts store in the universe and build your own fast motobecane engine or have all the parts shipped to Tomahawk for complete assembly, tuning, testing, shipped back to you and experience the real 50cc power.
Who said Motobecane av10 variated mopeds can’t go as fast as one speed puch mopeds and hold top speed for miles?
I think those Turkish Kamikazes use a stock av10 bottom end + 70cc kit + modify stock pipe + small rear sprocket. Ok, they ride downhill on a light frame and small tires with an aerodynamic position but still that’s not bad… I read 80 mph on the speedometer. Those bikes don’t have good acceleration in the city though and are built to break records on the freeway.
Cafe scooter, I’m on a mission
Here’s my next project.
Today, after running into one of the top Ruckus builders in LA at a racing hardware store, I decided to start my cafe scooter project and get it ready for the next big Ruckus ride March 2012.
I’ve stored the parts for over a year and it’s time to build the bike. I like anything fast on 2 wheels but I prefer to build small bikes. I won’t consider this bike a moped or a scooter but more like a prototype 2 stroke motorcycle 77cc dual variated. I’m gonna try to mix the look of old cafe racers with modern euro 2 str0ke scooter technology. It should be a fun project. My engine setup is actually outdated now compared to what the drag scooter racers are using in Italy, France, Germany, UK, etc…
I’ve seen pics of old cafe racers with Lambretta engines but this bike should be pretty unique in the States, especially with a fast 2 stroke scooter engine. Everything is 4 stroke now in the scooter and motorcycle world in the US since the big Japanese manufacturers like Honda have started pushing and imposing their 4 stroke engines for financial reasons on the streets and race tracks.
ENGINE:
I’m using a 23 hp 2 stroke minarelli horizontal scooter engine imported from France (Mbk nitro/Yamaha Zuma) with malossi 77cc h20 kit, malossi crank 85mm, stage 6 digital cdi, dell’orto 28mm carb flat slide, stage 6 R1400 exhaust, malossi over range transmission kit, stage 6 clutch pulley, stage 6 gears.
CHASSIS:
I’m using a vintage Honda 2 stroke motorcycle frame. I will probably cut the frame to rethink the lines and weld the scooter engine mounts. I was originally going to use a step-through motobecane av10 frame but I changed my mind and got a top tank frame. I hope it’s not a crime to chop that vintage bike. I’m using a scooter aprilia RS 13″ rear wheel with disc brake and a motobecane moped 17″ front grimeca mag wheel with stage 6 rotor and brembo caliper. I haven’t decided about the fork yet.
I might also change my mind and decide to stick with the original plan using a super light motobecane av10 moped frame to get the most out of the 23 hp engine and be able to ride the bike “legally” as a registered 50cc moped, I just wont be able to carry much fuel. The motorcycle Honda frame has no VIN number and feels super heavy, I might still build that cafe bike but strip down my registered TGB scooter and mount the 4 stroke 150cc GY6 engine to use it as a rad and reliable daily commuter.
Some photos of the parts + the 1st motobecane prototype that inspired me 2 years ago and one of my old sketch exploring different frame + seat options.
VIDEO:
Here’s the sound and acceleration of a minarelli engine with the malossi 77cc big bore kit on a 50cc scooter Yamaha Aerox/Mbk Nitro. The 50cc Yamaha Zuma in the US also called Yamaha BWs or Mbk booster in France, uses the same engine type but there are many versions of kits depending on the year model, before 99′, after 99′, after 03′.
Don’t we love the power of 2 stroke engines? It’s only a 95cc. Try to match that with a same size 4 stroke engine.
MAXISCOOT article:
Here’s a drag scooter with a 2Fast cylinder kit + Nitrous fuel built by http://www.maxiscoot.com a young french company that sells high end performance parts and is actually located outside France since the laws there don’t allow to sell kits above 50cc. They also own MXS custom that builds some of the sickest and fastest scooters and competes all year long.
Maxiscoot video:
32 hp at the rear wheel by MXS Custom, 2Fast 86cc kit + Cristofolini 80cc exhaust.
Here’s another drag scooter 2 stroke twin cylinder engine (probably 2x 86cc, one of the latest hot engine setup in Europe right now) by ALP design sponsored by http://www.maxiscoot.com
