Modern Vespa

I am running the Polini and it has been great. I would also love to hear from the OP on his purchase.

I am running the Polini and it has been great. I would also love to hear from the OP on his purchase.

What would you say you have noticed in terms of performance positives and negatives?

Where abouts was the belt rubbing in the transmission case?

Doug

Doug,

I found the rub marks directly under the fixed half (outer) variator, essentially directly above the dipstick in the transmission case.

Right I have just got back of my Hols to find out the good chaps at CBS in Witton near me have fitted my new variator for me and installed the spring that comes with the kit......They have the use of the Dyno and there is some intresting results, first of all Please remember that the dyno is very handy for getting good results when comparing diffrent tuning products and to also help with setting up..But as most of you will know when you get on the road you can only then judge if any improvment...
The new variator has been fitted straight out the box with 9 9.5 gm weights that come with it and the blue contri spring, it is combatable with all 250/300 engines...

The std dyno run showed a nice curve no issues and then dropping off as you would expect.

With the kit fitted there was a small increase on pick up but there was a apparent looking lag on the graph before the engine picks up and levels out, what the graphs do show is that the Polini gives a increase in torque and a sligher higher rev's.

So what does it go like ???????? you all ask , first thing you notice how much quiter the engine is and when you crack the throttle the accleration feels quicker and so much smoother low down , had a good old run down the motorway and the bike felt good , would be hard to say if there has been a massive increase in top end but bearing in mind this is fitted to a MP3 , on a GTS there could be a small difference.

I have a leo pipe to be fitted and will be back to the shop to try a run with that on, and am going to prob order up some different weights from SIP and possibly give them a try if it might help.

So overall a good bit of kit and a quiter and smoother ride
The are pics which i will update when i get them and will show pics of the graphs as well

Big thanks to the boys at CBS scooters for all there help and dyno time.

I'm wondering how long the center bearing will last in this variator. It looks eerily similar to the J Costa variator, with the graphite inserts. The huge weak link with the J Costa is that the center brass bearing with these inserts wears out very quickly, both on the inner surface of the bearing where it rides on the shaft, and on the side face where it contacts the outer pulley half. In my case, the J Costa wore out within about 8000 miles, becoming sloppy on the shaft, chewing up the outer pulley half and shredding the belt. Hopefully the center bearing in this variator is made from better material, but I'd be curious to know if anyone using it has checked for wear on the bearing surfaces, and if so, how much had worn in how many miles.

+1

That's what I was told when I was asking about one. It should be ok as long as you're not doing lot's of high speed and long distance riding.

Hmmm, I wish *someone* would have told us that when we made the switch. Ah well.., lesson learned. Albeit a very expensive lesson.

The rubbings quite bad on a standard variator with Dr pulley sliders too, had one come in the other day and it was lucky to still be running with the belt like it was... it had worn the top half of the belt away until it all broke off... the cut into the crankcase is well over 1mm deep so not much metal left in places..