Modern Vespa

I like my J. Costa fine but I've noticed that it improves the revs rapidly and there is this little spot where the clutch lags behind it. So my question is, does the J. Costa function better with a new clutch and what do you suggest?

Oddly enough, I had corresponded with Paul at Union Material about the Dr Pulley rollers and clutch and just 2 days ago he emailed me (after quite a while) to see if I still was interested in his stuff. I told him I had gone with the J. Costa, and he said the following:

It's ok, you can go with J Costa's variator.

Following opinion is just for your reference only.

The function of anyone's variator is to tune and make sure the gear shift proceed at the engine's power peak.

But the function of clutch is to transmit the power (ie. comes from the variator) to the ground.

That means no matter how good is the VARIATOR ,you still need a GOOD clutch to get the most power to the ground.

If the grasp force of clutch is too weak ( ie. the transmission efficiency of clutch is poor ),you just waste the power into friction heat ( ie. clutch bell becomes BLUE ).

Regards,
Paul Wu

I'd love to hear some opinions, especially yours, jimc since you are big on the J Costa - but everyone else's as well.

Hmm... My clutch seems to engage straight away. The last time I looked the clutch bell was just fine. The load on the bike might make a big difference, heavier riders might find clutch overheating a problem when moving slowly.

I've got the costa, and I've also wondered if there was some clutch slipping going on.

I've thought about trying a different clutch, but the DP Hit is the only alternative I'm aware of and I think it's only got 3 shoes vs the stock's 5. I know the Hit allows different springs that allow tuning of the engagement point, but I can't seem to get past the idea of giving up friction surface on a clutch.

Anyway, just thinking out loud an on topic.

Mine engages straight away but seems to have a slight lag moving from about 10 mph to 30 or 40. (I'm not sure the exact spot. I'll try to check it.)

There is still a slight lag on mine, but it's through that in well under a second. If you ever go back to the old 8-roller variator you'll realise just how little lag there is with the J Costa. By the time I've flicked the throttle full open, I'm at 30mph and have to back off straight away, good enough for me.

Anyone who had the even older 6-roller variator would have felt a similar difference moving to the 8-roller, so for them the J Costa is a revelation! I don't think any bikes with the 6-roller variator in a 500 engine ever made it to the US though.

There have been reports of a disappointing lag on the 400 - hopefully sorted now by using different weights.

Thanks. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. It does move through it pretty fast.

Jerry

I have an MP3 250. Put on J Costa Variator a while back. Major improvement on acceleration. VERY HAPPY.

I researched putting on new clutch as well. My reason? I get the strangled seal noise clutch ... but thats a result of me being 200 lbs riding in slow traffic on the hills of San Fran.

My research said to keep the original clutch - even after i got the Identical email from Dr. Pulley.

Ride and Enjoy!

I've got exactly the same problem at the moment vitomatt. My clutch blued up after I installed the Dr Pulley 13gm sliders into a stock MP3250 variator.

I was considering going down the path of a HiT clutch and Dr Pulley Clutch Bell, but I'd be interested to hear more about your opinion.

I do a lot of 2 up riding, and the clutch takes a fair while to bite in hard when there's two on the bike.

I think I'll just keep what I have. It sounds like you'd have to be a pretty good mechanic to match the clutch to the variator and I'm not that.

Umm. Im no expert - far from it - esp on Hit/Pulley systems but this is what I've learned from asking questions/this site/googling etc:

When riding two up, or going up steep hills - to avoid clutch slippage/glazing - dont baby the clutch. Full throttle it.

The J Costa does help - not just with acceleration which is great but I do get less slippage - altho there still is some -- but I dont know if the Costa will pair well the Pulley Sliders. You'd have to check that out.

Good luck, mate!

The JCosta will have nothing to do with Dr. Pulley sliders.

Hi,
the big difference of HiT clutch and conventional clutch is the GRASP force of stock clutch comes from centrifugal force of clutch weight but the GRASP force of HiT is mainly from the engine itself.
the grasp force of HiT is much much stronger than that of stock clutch.
So the clutch slippage of HiT is very less or almost non-existed.

you can get some information about the HiT from following websites,

http://www.burgmanusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=41058&p=380497&hilit=HiT+CLUTCH#p380497 --Review of HiT clutch for 07 and 08 400s

http://www.burgman400.it/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17691&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

http://atvfrontier.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=36819.html

http://www.silverwing600.com/silver-wing-accessories-modifications-f5/dr-pulley-s-hit-clutch-installed-t663.htm

http://www.scoot-mania.com/preparation-et-modifications-du-gp800-f34/embrayage-hit-du-dr-pulley-pour-le-gp800-t3175.htm?highlight=embrayage+drpulley

Hi Dr Pulley

I'm glad you chimed into this conversation because I am strongly considering switching to the HiT.

I've got 13gm Dr Pulley Sliders in my 250ie MP3, and was wondering what HiT Clutch setup I would need to closely emulate the OEM Clutch.

I don't want to mess around too much with the configuration, so would be very interested to hear your thoughts.

Cheers

Jared

Hi,

HiT201203 with 45 degree pillow will make the acceleration totally different from the stock clutch.

Hi,

HiT201203 with 45 degree pillow will make the acceleration totally different from the stock clutch.[/quote]

Hey doc,
Send a pm on your recommendations for an MP3 400 and pricing and availability.

While your at it, sned me a recommendation on the slider weights as well.

bdog

Hey doc,
Send a pm on your recommendations for an MP3 400 and pricing and availability.

While your at it, sned me a recommendation on the slider weights as well.

bdog[/quote]
Hi.
For MP3 400, we have HiT251701 & SR2517
The price will be
1) $420.00 including shipping to USA for one HiT251701 + one set of SR
2) $400.00 including shipping to USA for one HiT251701 only


You can contact us via email : paul@unionmaterial.com
THANKS,

Several UK folk have purchased the Dr Pulley HIT clutch.

Yes, the acceleration off the line is great.

It is apparently useless in urban riding situations where one has to ride very slowly balancing a slipping clutch and the rear brake.

I'd use one on the track, no hesitation, but NOT on the road in the UK at least...

The variator sliders however are brilliant.

It depends on what pillow and clutch spring you use I think. You can set the configuration to "pop an endo" aggressive, but inner city performance will suffer.

The front-end of the MP3 prevents endos, so I don't need that configuration

From what I have read, if you select the red pillow and red clutch springs, it emulates the OEM clutch, but provides less slippage.

A local Australian supplier has the HiT kit for AU$380 (clutch and ventilated bell), so I am sorely tempted to get one and try it out. An expensive experiment, but it could pay off.

I asked Dr. Pulley for their recommendation for an MP3 500 with J. Costa but got no reply. How about answering here? I'd like your recommendation for an MP3 that one would drive both in town and on the road.

I would like 500 info too.

Wayne B

i would say the benefit of HiT is to make the throttle response more active and direct in whole speed spectrum.That means HiT is good for driving in the town and on the road.
from the test data (HiT251702 for Burgman400 2007+ model), post in http://www.burgmanusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=41058&p=380497&hilit=HiT+CLUTCH#p380497by wbarnier » Sat Jul 11, 2009 21:39 21
you can see the Burgman400 installed with HiT is very good at low speed14 mph.

How about at 2mph? Here we often have to crawl along for a bit.

Dr.Pulley,

What clutch should we use for the MP3 500?

Wayne B

And how much is it?

Thanks,

HiT251701 can fit both MP3 400 & MP3 500,
its price is

1) $420.00 including shipping to USA for one HiT251701 + one set of SR
2) $400.00 including shipping to USA for one HiT251701 only

Dr Pulley,

Thanks for the info.

Wayne B

Dear all,
I am having a problem with my MP3 250i.
My max speed is only 120km for distance more than 3km.
After i have installed the hit-clutch 211701 which is recommended by dr.pulley itself..the max speed with same distance only 125km....what should i do to get the top speed at least 150km constantly..need an advise from you guys..

There is no way you are going to go 150 km on a 250 without boosting horse power. The 500 only does 160 km.
You need a bigger motor.

Dear ScooterBOy..
Thank you for your reply..250cc may be could go up to 150km max speed...this is what i am going to do to my mp3...

Just want to share...i did some modification to my variator and changed the stock roller to dr.pulley roller 10g (stock clucth)...i went for a ride to Thailand which is about more than 400km...my scooter easily can go up to 150km max...and it is constantly for at least 1/2 hour..my weight is about 75-78kg...and the average speed i had been is 135-140km at least.....i am pretty sure if we go for long distance ride we couldn't stand the max speed is 120km/h. I did this to my Sportcity and i believe it shouldn't be a problem to my MP3 to get this speed.

Mr.Paul told me the same thing too..the hit clutch can produce the performance to the variator..
But this hit clutch doesnt work to my MP3....sad and confuse now...

the sportcity and the mp3 are 2 different machines. while they both have the same engine the weight of the mp3 is a lot more.

Thank you for your reply,since it is heavy..i would say..i will put in the big roller..will fix it 13g dr.pulley roller...

Dear Dr.Pulley/Mr.Paul...


I am raudy from Kuala Lumpur,,
I just bought a hit clucth for my mp3 250i..u have recommended to me the Hit211701 but several forumer get the different hit clutch which is Hit201203..Could you explain the different with these two..
And which one is the most suitable..

Thanx

I really can't see the 250 hitting 150 kmh not a chance I'm afraid