I admit it. I cannot own and ride a scooter without messing with it. There. Is there a 12-step program for that?
This affliction has now manifested itself upon my Buddy 125. I actually did just minor surgery, but the difference is major! I simply replaced the original (about 20 pound) muffler with a cute, little SuperTrapp slip on muffler. I first saw this muffler (a short tale of woe) hanging on the wall at Encore Performance in Prescott when I bought my Bajaj...which after manifesting my affliction on it became the renowned "Mad Hornet". I remember thinking that really belonged on a scooter...preferably mine...when I saw it. I never got around to buying it, though, but my Scarab buddy, Jes' Jim did. He suffers from the same affliction. Anyway, he put it on his modified Kymco People 250. And subsequently removed it. It seems no matter what spring he used between the end-cap and the end-nut, the heat adversely affected its "springy-ness". It no longer sprang. Or whatever. So Jes' Jim removed said SuperTrapp and put something else on he didn't have to constantly mess with and sent the 'Trapp to me. I never did find a was of mounting it on the Bajaj, but the Buddy was a different matter.
This last Wednesday evening, I rode the scoot up to the truck terminal where I work and commenced borrowing tools from one of the mechanics; Bo. I borrowed his little pneumatic cut-off tool and a couple of sockets and a ratchet wrench. I unbolted the muffler where it bolted to the engine sub-frame then fired up the cut-off tool and cut the head pipe off right under the engine. In the following pics you can see where the 'Trapp has slid over the pipe. When the muffler fell off (denting the concrete in the process) I test fit the 'Trapp. It fit like it was designed that way!! A tight slip-fit!
Next step was to take a little piece of 1/4" X 1" strap iron and put two bends in it. Again, that is depicted in the following pics. I put the holes in where I wanted them and bolted one end to the sub-frame and the other to the SuperTrapp. It was that easy. I added a couple shots of high temp flat black and there it was it all its glory!
I originally used all eight of the diffuser plates that came with the 'Trapp, but after two days and about 250 miles I decided that was a little overkill. It was as loud as most straight-piped Hardleys! So, in the interests of community spirit (and also because I thought it was just a tiny bit lean), I removed 2 of the plates. Brought it down slightly to a more appealing sound (still loud, though...just not obnoxious) and made it run just right.
Oh, and about the spring...I simply went to the dirt-bike shop owned by a friend and rummaged through his "spring bucket" until I found a clutch spring (which will withstand the heat) the right size and when I removed the two plates, I replaced the existing spring with this one and I haven't had to touch it yet!! Score!!
Thursday I put a couple hundred miles on it going to Yarnell with the full 8 plates. It sure ran well in the mid and upper range. The next day I remove the two and on Saturday I put well over 400 miles on riding to Phoenix and back. I lost next to nothing in power and it was much more pleasant to ride. It ran flawlessly at all altitudes from 6500 ft. to whatever Phoenix is...maybe 1000 ft. I highly recommend this change. HOWEVER!! Pay attention, class.
Genuine seems to be VERY picky about its warranty honoring system. I suspect they will not honor the warranty on ANY modified Buddys. Check it out before you do this.
Pics are just below...
C-ya...ride on!
--Keys
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