The silliest project I have undertaken in quite a while

Last month, the day after I got sidelined by a blown headgasket in the FIAT I was passed by what looked to be a tiny cafe racer. As it blew by me at more than 45mph I realized it was a modified moped. 15 minutes of googling showed me what they are capable of when kitted and tuned and I needed some cheap, fun backup for the 850. I commuted on mopeds in the mid-90's so I was pretty sure of what I was getting into.

I found most of a 78 Vespa Ciao in boxes and snapped it up. Only what I bought looked like this

With all that was bad there were a few good things going on. The original rigid front fork had been replaced with a yamaha triple tree and there was an old CEV headlight included. The first step was to weld up some aluminum headlight brackets I then blew apart the Dell'orto 12/10 sha carb and reamed it out to 1/2" I ordered 17X2.75" tires not knowing they would be way too big. I had to actually flare the rear fender a lot to make them fit. Next step acid etch the fuel tank to remove the rust, seal with POR-15 tank sealant. Prep and paint the frame and start reassembly. The clubman handlebars came from treatland.tv

The next step is engine rebuild and a massive overbore. My 75cc kit shiped on friday so I hope to get it soon. There is apparently quite a bit of case grinding needed to fit the oversized cylinder. I still need to source a pipe. I would love to build one but the science of expansion chambers is lost on me.

Practical? probably not, Fun? sure but for how long? Cheap? yeah I hope to have less than $400 into the whole thing.

For some reason SWMBO hates the idea of me on a motorcycle but when I told her I was buying another moped she was delighted. Perhaps this will get her used to the idea of me commuting on two wheels so when I say "You know, this really isn't practical enough, I think I need something with gears that can keep up with traffic" she will be OK with me draggin home an old Gilera or Puch motorcycle.

Hope to update soon.

Vespa on steroids - totally awesome project! If you intend to ride it much, I'd suggest some real fenders, for function. Big tires kick up stones, and at speed- they HURT!!!

Rigid front end? Ouch.

That's the toughest looking moped I think I've seen. Nice color choice btw.

Bitchin'!

nice!

That looks like a pile of fun.

I just found out that P.S.R.A. aka the Pacific Scooter Racing Assosiation has a moped class and they race at PIR. That is close enough to try it out

I love the guy on the far right (Left?) that has the cardboard number plate. Sure the joke is played, but it's ghetto fabulous enough to make it funny.

When I used to race BMX in the NBL, we used to use paper plates from the consession stand at the BX track...but you had to buy something to get a plate. We used to joke about the 50 cent number plates that came with a hot dog.

I think that thing would be fun, but you can't beat a geared 50. My new to me Honda MB is so much fun that I have neglected the forums all week.

The kit is here!

First step is to bore out the case to fit the oversized cylinder. From what I understand most folks use a grinder. I opted for the vertical mill

Nice and clean.

The jug snaps in like a lego.

Just laying out the Dykem now and scribing the locations of the enlarged transfer ports and the new boost port passages.

Coolest moped project ever.

I would so TOTALLY ride that!! (says the guy with a Kawasaki Eddie Lawson Replica)

In reply to ditchdigger:

Awesommme1

Motor is back together

I had to actually build up the outside of the case by drop filling in weld in order to port match. This is the largest kit that will fit in the stock case and I can understand why folks say it isn't as fast as it should be. There just wasn't much left of the transfer ports, boring the case just cut them way down. By building up the outside I was able to enlarge them to at least what they were before. Hopefully I didn't screw anything up. I used this as a guide. http://vespa-ciao.nl/page.php?id=187

motor is in. New everything. Bearings, seals, points, condenser and everything else. This is supposed to be a 7+hp motor. For I bike I can curl with my right arm I think that should be a lot of fun.

Now to buy or build a pipe.

Awesome project! I say make the pipe, if for no other reason than to learn.

So you gotta throw a kit on that b##ch!

Damn! Beat me to it.

"Can't ride to long, smell like a lawn mo', If the light goes out, jus' jiggle da cord..."

that

is

awesome!

Big McLargehuge wrote: For I bike I can curl with my right arm I think that should be a lot of fun.

There's a joke in here about why your left arm is weaker...if only I could think of it.

Awesome bike...err...moped!

Please build your own pipe so I can live vicariously through you:

http://vincentcrabtree.co.uk/ExpansionChamberDesigner.aspx

And I've always wanted to try something I saw on Tony Foale"s site:

Hydro-forming exhaust http://www.eurospares.com/frame8.htm

Ahhh... Crap. That calculator is pretty understandable.

.........shuffles off to look for DIY slip roll plans

To bad your on the wrong coast. You could use mine. It's way to heavy to ship.... Somewhere i have a link to a place that sell cones.... I used to make my own pipes and alway wanted to try the hydro forming but never made the pump.

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