variator problem or what?
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variator problem or what?
Hello to all! Thanks in advance for all of the great info I have found on here for my first ever scooter build.
Here is the setup:
2001 Elite S
Taz 50mm bbk
Ported intake passages and boost port
CT intake Ported (really just removed casting marks and smoothed a couple transitions)
Still has the fiberglass reeds
Taz 9 to 1 gears
blue main spring in the back (stock clutch springs, but I have a set of the blue polini clutch springs sitting around)
V8 exhaust
Deleted the oil pump (Traffic Jamz stack of coins style) running premix
Daywot variator running the stock weights (I think they are 8g?? I have a set of 9g from daywot but I am still waiting for my new complete set of rollers to come in)
Just installed a 24mm OKO from treatland (had the 28 but could never get it dialed in)
Running a 50 pilot and a 135 main (also midrange sucked and I had to change to a leaner needle, not sure if anyone else has ever needed to do this??)
Ok here is the problem.
The thing leaves the line like I was pulling a trailer full of sand. Then once you can get it moving, screams to 35-40, then it feels as though the tranny shifts and rpms drop and it gets stuck at a low rpm and I cannot get anymore out of it. It feels like you were driving a stick shift car and shifted from 1st to 5th. Once I get up to that speed (35-40) the rpms drop suddenly and then the engine seems to be out of its powerband and cant get me going any faster. I am new to this whole variator tuning thing and it gets a little confusing. I looked at the variator and it seems that the belt is riding all the way out.
Before the Taz BBK I had an:
Autotech taiwan bore
Blue torque spring
Blue clutch springs
stock vari
stock carb w/ a drilled out main
stock gears
And that thing would barely keep the front wheel on the ground off the line! and would blast up to 40-45 (faster than all my friends Zuma's anyway) Of course it seize in about a month, but I think that was do to me not reading enough before beating the snot out of it.
I cant think that changing the gearing would cause the shifting characteristics of the trans to change that much????
Any help much appriciated
Here is the setup:
2001 Elite S
Taz 50mm bbk
Ported intake passages and boost port
CT intake Ported (really just removed casting marks and smoothed a couple transitions)
Still has the fiberglass reeds
Taz 9 to 1 gears
blue main spring in the back (stock clutch springs, but I have a set of the blue polini clutch springs sitting around)
V8 exhaust
Deleted the oil pump (Traffic Jamz stack of coins style) running premix
Daywot variator running the stock weights (I think they are 8g?? I have a set of 9g from daywot but I am still waiting for my new complete set of rollers to come in)
Just installed a 24mm OKO from treatland (had the 28 but could never get it dialed in)
Running a 50 pilot and a 135 main (also midrange sucked and I had to change to a leaner needle, not sure if anyone else has ever needed to do this??)
Ok here is the problem.
The thing leaves the line like I was pulling a trailer full of sand. Then once you can get it moving, screams to 35-40, then it feels as though the tranny shifts and rpms drop and it gets stuck at a low rpm and I cannot get anymore out of it. It feels like you were driving a stick shift car and shifted from 1st to 5th. Once I get up to that speed (35-40) the rpms drop suddenly and then the engine seems to be out of its powerband and cant get me going any faster. I am new to this whole variator tuning thing and it gets a little confusing. I looked at the variator and it seems that the belt is riding all the way out.
Before the Taz BBK I had an:
Autotech taiwan bore
Blue torque spring
Blue clutch springs
stock vari
stock carb w/ a drilled out main
stock gears
And that thing would barely keep the front wheel on the ground off the line! and would blast up to 40-45 (faster than all my friends Zuma's anyway) Of course it seize in about a month, but I think that was do to me not reading enough before beating the snot out of it.
I cant think that changing the gearing would cause the shifting characteristics of the trans to change that much????
Any help much appriciated
- swimmingfree
- CBR1000RR

- Posts: 3065
- Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:28 pm
- Location: mich.
Re: variator problem or what?
my input is you need lighter rollers to keep you in low range longer ...
swimmingfree
swimmingfree
handicap (dyslexia)
looking for
se50 crank...
SpreJunk 87elite in a spree body
ruckus variator , 3.5 tire , 1500 drive face spring , a 64 bbk ,
8 gram rollers, stock carb , after market air filter and 105 jet
looking for
se50 crank...
SpreJunk 87elite in a spree body
ruckus variator , 3.5 tire , 1500 drive face spring , a 64 bbk ,
8 gram rollers, stock carb , after market air filter and 105 jet
Re: variator problem or what?
are the stock ones 8g? I am still waiting on the whole set from daywot
- swimmingfree
- CBR1000RR

- Posts: 3065
- Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:28 pm
- Location: mich.
Re: variator problem or what?
when to tune the bike i wood guess 6 wood be the what you need as for stock i have no clue ...
if you want to try some thing pull ever other roller out and try it just for a short ride..
swimmingfree
if you want to try some thing pull ever other roller out and try it just for a short ride..
swimmingfree
handicap (dyslexia)
looking for
se50 crank...
SpreJunk 87elite in a spree body
ruckus variator , 3.5 tire , 1500 drive face spring , a 64 bbk ,
8 gram rollers, stock carb , after market air filter and 105 jet
looking for
se50 crank...
SpreJunk 87elite in a spree body
ruckus variator , 3.5 tire , 1500 drive face spring , a 64 bbk ,
8 gram rollers, stock carb , after market air filter and 105 jet
- swimmingfree
- CBR1000RR

- Posts: 3065
- Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:28 pm
- Location: mich.
Re: variator problem or what?
PS.....
be carefull not to over rev the motor if you do it
swimmingfree
be carefull not to over rev the motor if you do it
swimmingfree
handicap (dyslexia)
looking for
se50 crank...
SpreJunk 87elite in a spree body
ruckus variator , 3.5 tire , 1500 drive face spring , a 64 bbk ,
8 gram rollers, stock carb , after market air filter and 105 jet
looking for
se50 crank...
SpreJunk 87elite in a spree body
ruckus variator , 3.5 tire , 1500 drive face spring , a 64 bbk ,
8 gram rollers, stock carb , after market air filter and 105 jet
Re: variator problem or what?
read this it might help you out. I found it informative. http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5?t ... ion_Tuning
taz 50mm bbk, 51g. rollers,1500 c spring
24mm arreche, #20 pilot, E2 needle clip on lower groove
arreche air filter
Naruku intake, reeds & block
v8 pipe
stock gears
trail tech temp & rpm gauges
24mm arreche, #20 pilot, E2 needle clip on lower groove
arreche air filter
Naruku intake, reeds & block
v8 pipe
stock gears
trail tech temp & rpm gauges
Re: variator problem or what?
i use 7.7 gram rollers from polini and they seem to do real good. but then i still have stock motor, just have 9:1 gears and a prodigy vari.
1986 honda spree(silver fox)
BBK
85 head
SB50 intake
SB50 reeds
taz gears
2.75X10 tires
2000 honda elite S
prodigy vari
2k grabber clutch springs
9:1 gears
jdm tail lite
1982 suzuki FA50
BBK
85 head
SB50 intake
SB50 reeds
taz gears
2.75X10 tires
2000 honda elite S
prodigy vari
2k grabber clutch springs
9:1 gears
jdm tail lite
1982 suzuki FA50
Re: variator problem or what?
That is helpful indeed. I am a bigger guy (225lbs) I may need to step up the clutch springs as well to help with acceleration off the line. I lightened the weights I have but I do not know by how much, just used some stock Zuma weights I had from a friends build. It seems better but I dont have a tach yet and I am worried about over reving it. What is the rpm I should be shooting for with my 50mm BBK and the v8 pipe?dun rite wrote:read this it might help you out. I found it informative. http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5?t ... ion_Tuning
Re: variator problem or what?
You can't over-rev (whatever that is) a 2 stroke. Even unloaded they will only turn so many RPM. This is a product of porting, reeds, intake manifold, carb and exhaust. My stock Aero 80 normally sees around 7400 to 7800 RPM but down some long hills it has seen better that 10,000.spkrboxx wrote:That is helpful indeed. I am a bigger guy (225lbs) I may need to step up the clutch springs as well to help with acceleration off the line. I lightened the weights I have but I do not know by how much, just used some stock Zuma weights I had from a friends build. It seems better but I dont have a tach yet and I am worried about over reving it. What is the rpm I should be shooting for with my 50mm BBK and the v8 pipe?dun rite wrote:read this it might help you out. I found it informative. http://hondaspree.net/wiki/index.php5?t ... ion_Tuning
Bear 45/70

'83 Aero 80 X 3
'84 Aero 80 X 3
'85 Aero 80
'84 Aero 125 X 2
'84 Aero 125
'84 Aero 125 X 2
'85 Aero 50
'85 Spree
'83 Aero 80 X 3
'84 Aero 80 X 3
'85 Aero 80
'84 Aero 125 X 2
'84 Aero 125
'84 Aero 125 X 2
'85 Aero 50
'85 Spree
Re: variator problem or what?
I seldom ride wot. have seen the tach hit 8750 but really havent finished tuning the trans yet. same bbk as yours with v8 pipe but only a 21mm carb and intake so that probably limits it somewhatodinxxix wrote: What is the rpm I should be shooting for with my 50mm BBK and the v8 pipe?
taz 50mm bbk, 51g. rollers,1500 c spring
24mm arreche, #20 pilot, E2 needle clip on lower groove
arreche air filter
Naruku intake, reeds & block
v8 pipe
stock gears
trail tech temp & rpm gauges
24mm arreche, #20 pilot, E2 needle clip on lower groove
arreche air filter
Naruku intake, reeds & block
v8 pipe
stock gears
trail tech temp & rpm gauges
Re: variator problem or what?
dun rite wrote:I seldom ride wot. have seen the tach hit 8750 but really havent finished tuning the trans yet. same bbk as yours with v8 pipe but only a 21mm carb and intake so that probably limits it somewhatodinxxix wrote: What is the rpm I should be shooting for with my 50mm BBK and the v8 pipe?
What top speed are you hitting? We have the exact same setup minus the 24mm carb.
- Trafficjamz
- CBR1000RR

- Posts: 5013
- Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2009 7:53 pm
- Location: Eastlake, MI
- Contact:
Re: variator problem or what?
Top speed with 9.1 gears should be about 50mph.
What do you mean you still have the fiberglass reeds? what intake do you have?
What do you mean you still have the fiberglass reeds? what intake do you have?
new best 1/8th mile time 9.647 seconds @67.155 mph 310lbs total weight
Re: variator problem or what?
Saw some of your videos by the way, they look pretty sweet, your scoot flies!!!Trafficjamz wrote:Top speed with 9.1 gears should be about 50mph.
What do you mean you still have the fiberglass reeds? what intake do you have?
Well I assume they are the fiberglass still or they look like it. I bought the CT intake from treatland, have to say they have great service. Right now my speed'o will wind out to the "h" in "mph" on the dash. Feels like 50-55, mine just sucks off the line, then hauls to 40, then slow to get to 50-55 or whatever that "h" is. I just want to embarrass all my buddies with Zuma's. Is that so much to ask?
I ordered the clutch springs to help with power on take off, also a yellow rear spring to slow down the shifting and help keep me in lower gear a bit longer. I feel like this will help put the rpm's where they need to be to make power above 40 mph. Am I right with this thinking?
- swimmingfree
- CBR1000RR

- Posts: 3065
- Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:28 pm
- Location: mich.
Re: variator problem or what?
you going from a blue to a yellow is going to do the opposet of what you think...
you need to find some one that can way your rollers im sure you no some one that has a scale or can barrow one ..
swimmingfree
pot head no scale....
you need to find some one that can way your rollers im sure you no some one that has a scale or can barrow one ..
swimmingfree
pot head no scale....
handicap (dyslexia)
looking for
se50 crank...
SpreJunk 87elite in a spree body
ruckus variator , 3.5 tire , 1500 drive face spring , a 64 bbk ,
8 gram rollers, stock carb , after market air filter and 105 jet
looking for
se50 crank...
SpreJunk 87elite in a spree body
ruckus variator , 3.5 tire , 1500 drive face spring , a 64 bbk ,
8 gram rollers, stock carb , after market air filter and 105 jet
Re: variator problem or what?
The way I thought it worked was that a stiffer spring resisted upshift longer and down shifted earlier? You think I should stay with the blue spring and just lighten the weights? right now my rpm's feel good in the mid speed range but once the trans shifts into high gear at about 40 it lowers the rpms so much I have no power.
