xer0piggy
07-10-2007, 05:01 AM
Previously, I had (still have) a cheapo china model that tops at 32 mph. Nothing great, but has been reliable and the wife likes it. We have had so much fun riding it, that I figured it was time to get another so we could ride together. Wanted used, cause I'm too poor for new. Well, hitting the Boise Craiglist, what do I see, a 2003 Derbi 50cc GP1 with 2600 miles for $500.00 posted a few minutes earlier. All I knew about Derbi's were that they were a European brand generally out of my price range. Not so today! I call immediately and go over to look at it. Besides normal wear scratches, it's physically fine!
The owner was a 62 year old lady who just moved up from Nevada who bought it (took over payments) from the original owner at 1000 miles (has the paperwork to prove). She commuted outside of Vegas over 10 mile ride to work (At least this is what she told me, could be BS of course, but she seemed trustworthy). Her comments about it's ride were that it kept up with traffic easy but was a bit jumpy from a stop...Other than that, she didn't know much about it except she had lots of fun riding it, but was getting too old to go through the hassle of getting a motorcycle license and requiring plates in Idaho (Apparently not in Nevada!?) . No owner manuals or anything.
After a slow 20 mph ride up and down her little street to make sure everything worked, I whip out the $500 cash hop on and ride it home. It did seem a bit sluggish, but figured it had just been sitting too long; she hasn't rode it since coming to Boise because you need to license it here. and needed some cleanup/maintenance work. The temp gauge would drop to zero after a few minutes, but go back if I jiggled the ignition switch, so figure a loose connection. No biggie. Also had a exhaust leak, but again, no bigge just made it loud.
On the way home I let it warm up and then I open up the throttle on some flats to test it and it seemed like a turbo kicked in once I hit 35mph. Damn this thing is fast for a 50cc. It accelerated hard up to about 55mph and shortly thereafter I hit 60 friggin mph (according to the speedo)!! Call me damn impressed!
Now obviously, this thing has been de-restricted. From reading up on the Internet, with it's high RPM clutch engagement (this thing is fast off the line when throttled high, but below a certain RPM won't even move), I would assume that some work has also been done on the variator engagement tensionings mechanisms. Now my problem is that I still want to ride alongside my wife who is on the slowboat scooter. With the way the Derbi's transmission is tuned, her normal speeds are right where the Derbi's is either having to be throttled up a lot or back to zero to slow down after I have whizzed past her :-). From what I have read, normal tuned Derbi GP1's aren't like this (or at least as much).
I don't mind losing some top end for more low end torque, especially for city stop-and-go driving. Can I just put in a stockish pressure spring to drop the rpm clutch engagement? This is all based on the assumption that a much higher rated spring has been put in; I haven't opened to look and without any manuals, wouldn't know visually anyway.
The other question is whether there is an easy way to drain out the coolant (is getting old looking). I don't see any convenient petcock valves.
Thanks in advance!
The owner was a 62 year old lady who just moved up from Nevada who bought it (took over payments) from the original owner at 1000 miles (has the paperwork to prove). She commuted outside of Vegas over 10 mile ride to work (At least this is what she told me, could be BS of course, but she seemed trustworthy). Her comments about it's ride were that it kept up with traffic easy but was a bit jumpy from a stop...Other than that, she didn't know much about it except she had lots of fun riding it, but was getting too old to go through the hassle of getting a motorcycle license and requiring plates in Idaho (Apparently not in Nevada!?) . No owner manuals or anything.
After a slow 20 mph ride up and down her little street to make sure everything worked, I whip out the $500 cash hop on and ride it home. It did seem a bit sluggish, but figured it had just been sitting too long; she hasn't rode it since coming to Boise because you need to license it here. and needed some cleanup/maintenance work. The temp gauge would drop to zero after a few minutes, but go back if I jiggled the ignition switch, so figure a loose connection. No biggie. Also had a exhaust leak, but again, no bigge just made it loud.
On the way home I let it warm up and then I open up the throttle on some flats to test it and it seemed like a turbo kicked in once I hit 35mph. Damn this thing is fast for a 50cc. It accelerated hard up to about 55mph and shortly thereafter I hit 60 friggin mph (according to the speedo)!! Call me damn impressed!
Now obviously, this thing has been de-restricted. From reading up on the Internet, with it's high RPM clutch engagement (this thing is fast off the line when throttled high, but below a certain RPM won't even move), I would assume that some work has also been done on the variator engagement tensionings mechanisms. Now my problem is that I still want to ride alongside my wife who is on the slowboat scooter. With the way the Derbi's transmission is tuned, her normal speeds are right where the Derbi's is either having to be throttled up a lot or back to zero to slow down after I have whizzed past her :-). From what I have read, normal tuned Derbi GP1's aren't like this (or at least as much).
I don't mind losing some top end for more low end torque, especially for city stop-and-go driving. Can I just put in a stockish pressure spring to drop the rpm clutch engagement? This is all based on the assumption that a much higher rated spring has been put in; I haven't opened to look and without any manuals, wouldn't know visually anyway.
The other question is whether there is an easy way to drain out the coolant (is getting old looking). I don't see any convenient petcock valves.
Thanks in advance!