*cracks knuckles*
Ok, I've been digging into my little Kymco more to try to dig more top end out of it. Turns out, there are at least 4 models of Kymco People 50. All with the same exact name, and no easy short hand way to reference them on sites. Not People S 50, but just People 50. Neat, huh? Well, also frustrating since not all of them used the same engine, and sites tend to not specify which they're referring too- fun. Kymco uses different model numbers for different regions too, and I havent been able to figure out what the Europe model number of mine is realted too- which we all know is where most the scooter aftermarket is made and imported from.
To keep things clear. I have a US sold, 2005 BA10AD, acording to Kymco's own website Vin check for their bikes. However, mine was sold by a dealer who also carried Genuine scooters as well, and whom also carried various other stock parts for their Kymcos. From which they added a back seat to (which looks OEM), and a trunk from Genuine that color matched and had a seat back on it- of which I took off. Also, the exhausts mentioned, being the only ones easily buyable within the US, without importing that customs may or may not intercept.
-The Quest for More Gearing-
The GearBox
Learned some interesting stuff while digging deeper. Turns out, Kymco does seem to have engine model numbers, but no one uses them in reference. They also seem to have gear box model numbers, but the model number seems to only relate to the gear layout used, and not the casing around it. So bolt holes, fluid fill and drain holes, and I'll assume variator and rim tooth patterns, can vary between them.
The engine model number on mine is: KFA6
The gearbox oreintation number is: E08
The gearbox number here is important, and you can check why this for yourself, as other higher CC bikes with higher top speeds from Kymco use the same orientation.
Which means, if the higher CC bikes have a different gear ratio used to get their higher speeds- we might be able to swap in the gear reduction from those bikes. Granted it might mean a different rim, and/or rear variator, will be needed, but that's a worth while trade off to me.
Speaking of, if anyone knows where I can get a gear set from those for cheap- let me know. Better yet- if you know someone with one or have one- get really good pictures of those gears and where they go with rulers galore. If their holes line up- I don't care if it'd go outside our gear box cover, I will make them boys fit! Same with the diameter of them. Can always order different sized bearings that'll fit the diameter of both the casing and them.
-Variators-
I mentioned grinding at the case. Well, the other day I did that! I noticed the outer side of the front variator had face left untouched, aswell as a bit of the torque face. So I tried a few different larger inside faces, till I found one that worked. However, it was a hair over the max, and conflicted with the part of the casing that covered the starter. I took out my dremel, and thinned out the part of it that it would roate over. The casing there is quite thick, and was able to remove enough without breaking through. After a few rides, no cracks have formed yet over the spot thinned out.
This did change the acceleration curve slightly. The lead in is more shallow, and lets it rev up into peak power band, before gearing into the higher ratios. Unlike the stock that's tuned for torque, and dumps straight into higher ratios.
The stock belt was not able to fill out the face further. Allegedly it's a 720? I had a stock PGO belt from a Genuine Roughhouse 50 that was all of maybe 10mm larger. My room mate borrowed my tape, but when I ran something else around the edge to check (marking the spot on where each lapped), it was indeed larger. It seemed to add another 1 or 2 mph before running out.
I have a 757 belt, and 748 belt, ordered to come in.
The 748 appertnly goes to kymco's bikes that don't use the People 50's weirdly small front variator. So I'm hoping it'll be the perfect size. The 757 was 10$, and figured why not. A 788 I had from a 1PE40QMB, was too large.
Another possible option, would be to put in a thicker front variator sleeve on size with the limiter, and bore out the variator to fit. This would keep a larger belt from going too far up the torque face, and let us use longer belts without worry. Additionally, am looking into decreasing the size of the torque variator inner "shaft"(?). Which would let the belt ride higher on the front variator without the use of a different belt, while also increasing the ratio to allow for more of those sweet rear wheel rotations.
Last, terrible idea, is to get a belt with decreased tooth length. Would let it sit lower on the rear, and higher on the front, just a hair. Those teeth are already pretty short though, and I imagine lots of belt flipping would occur.
I'll take pics of it all when the new belts come in to try out. As well as reposting some really nice quality pictures of the gearbox apart that someone posted somewhere. Am currently breaking in the Polini 70cc head. So not being able to go outside gearing has been killing me, and pushed me towards finding more of said gearing. None of these gearing modifications seem to do much on their own, but when you combine all the variator stuff, with the larger rear wheel, with a high RPM crank shaft- it all comes out to equal a decent gain. Hopefully we can hit actual 50 before gearing runs out. As the speedo reads at least 5 below.