Modern Vespa

Hi folks, a mate of mine wants to put a larger engine in a PX50.

What are the options?

What's gonna fit?

Eric, i needs ya baby.....

a mate of mine has a pk50 with a px125 engine in it but due to the smaller frame size of the pk the engine is a bitch to work on unless you drop it and work on it externally. it can be done but depends on how much skin you like on your knuckles

A PX50? Is that like a PX80 - a full size PX frame ( like a P200 )?

I know the PX80 specifically - it's the German lageframe p-series that they basically took a P125 frame + engine, but put a wee 80cc top end on it so kids there could ride it as a moped and not require a motorcycle endorsement.

You can easily pop off the 80cc top end and throw on a 125cc, 150cc, 166, 177, etc top end and rock the thing like a full-sized beast.

Is that what the PX50 is like?

Or are you confusing with a PK50, which is a smallframe, and thus would require an engine like a PK125 engine ?

Clarify if we are talking largeframe or smallframe.

-Eric

Yes, I am Pepys mate.

Just a bit of background, I am a motorcycle mechanic/custom painter & I normally work on 4 cylinder Yamahas. But I recently bought a 2001 Piaggio Ape 50 to advertise my business and do the daily commute of about 10 miles to work every day.

Now the ape tops out at about 22mph.... which I really cant live with, so I need to fit a bigger engine and am having a really hard time getting some info. I found on a german website that it was a PX50 engine??? but I know nothing about Vespas and am just after a bigger engine that will slot in with no messing to bring the ape up to a more respectable 40-50mph.

Help......................

Ape engines aren't compatible in the least with normal largeframe / smallframe engines that i'm aware of. Some small parts are similar, but the engines can't be swapped or anything.

You should talk to Vic in the Dogs Bollocks SC in London, Ontario. He just did a wicked fast engine in a Ape 3-wheeler. There's also Vespa Ape yahoo groups that might be a better reseource.

I love Ape's, but i've never worked on one and can't really answer any tech questions about them.

-Eric

Bugger!.... I guess it might have to turn into a project vehicle with a 600 Yam engine fitted, Shame as I wanted to keep it originalish.

Ah, a fellow ape enthuiast has just told me that it is a PK50/V50 engine

He's gonna do it you know.......the 600cc Ape!

Check out the ducati powered ape on U Tube..... I see a plan forming