KymcoForum.com

Final post on my experiences to date and I hope it helps someone out there - cause you guys suck a** for 0 responses to my question.

Finished all upgrades (with the exception of the 70cc BBK will not replace a perfectly working top end until needed)

First upgrade was to the fuel - concerned about lean burn during my other upgrades so wanted to get fuel delivery right first.

19mm Arreche/Amal - completely unnecessary!!! save yourself the $150+ and endless plug chops until you do a 70cc kit!!! And even then I feel a 17mm carb (even the stock) would suffice. The stock carb, re-jetted, would most likely be fine so long as you open up the stock airbox, but at least the 17mm Areche carb doesn't require modifying the intake manifold or new reeds! So if you insist on a new carb I would go with a 17mm which requires min. mods.
NCY Transmission kit - completely unnecessary!!! save yourself the $160+ my suggestion is to get a 1500 clutch spring and 15% contra spring for under $50 for the stock CVT.
NGK Iridium IX - Good investment for $8 will see if it prevents fouling as advertised but for now increased power/power band and quicker throttle response - my scoot likes the hotter '7' over the stock '8' plug but every engines different. Make sure to get the right plug - there is a special version with a 'P' in the code that lowers the ignition point further into your chamber and may contact your piston head - works in my scoot but may not in yours.
K&N Open Cone Air Filter - completely unnecessary (even with 70cc kit I suspect) save yourself the $40+ and just open up the stock filter with a couple of 3/8" holes in an out the way spot - scoot engines do not 'draw' enough air to ever warrant an open air filter (with the exception of racing of course)
Variator Roller Weights - second best investment so far was a 16X13 roller weight kit from 4grams - 11grams - it's gotten so I can change roller weight setups in under 5 minutes after endless 'tuning' - the combinations are endless when you mix/match and then take into account heavy/light weight in front (counter-clockwise side) or in rear - and my conclusions are - 3/6 gram weights in front and 3/11 gram weights in rear that works out to an average of - 8.5 grams the weight of the stock rollers But the delivery to the rubber is completely different with this setup from all 8.5 gram rollers - no hesitation in lower rpm/power band much more responsive quicker power up to higher rpm's and good mid-range power through to top end. Before dropping a comment that you can't mix roller weight differences that big - instead of just saying you can't do that you have to tell me why!! I maintain that from a structural and mechanical point there is no reason why you can not mix any size rollers together(within reason of course).
Exhaust - the initial reason I posted to this sight and got 0 responses - anyway - I have not gotten an expansion chamber exhaust and will not until 70cc BBK is installed (leaning towards the Stage 6 replica) and that might be for quite some time as the more I work on this scoot the more I realize that it is a quality build - I did however do some tinkering - found a stock Kymco exhaust at a local scoot graveyard for $10 and went to town - if anyone on this site is old enough to remember why a 2T exhaust is called a pipe you will know that initially 2T exhausts were just a straight pipe that you cut down until you heard the 2T 'ping' and then you knew you got the back pressure right slapped a silencer on it and called it a day and that's more or less what I did - cut off the manifold side of the exhaust and welded on a straight pipe and then trimmed until I got the 'ping'. Except while it was crazy loud (sorry neighbors) there was absolutely no performance improvement at all - a lot of work re-tuning carb etc. for no gains!!! Confused the sh** out of me until I took the cutter to the stock exhaust and opened it up - I wanted to see where this catalytic convertor was located and all the baffling/through pipes etc. - so what did I find??? NOTHING!!! Kymco might show catalytic converters and through pipes with all sorts of baffling on their exhaust schenmatics but the reality is that (at least on a 2005 Super 9 l/c exhaust) that exhaust is as clean on the inside as a 'church during Mardi Gras'. What I'm saying for the particularly dense is that there is NO restrictions on a Super 9 exhaust - don't even waste one second of thought about modifying (or buying a Leo Vince Touring, etc.) your stock exhaust because I can state with absolute certainty there are NO restrictions in a stock Super 9 l/c exhaust - your stock exhaust is as good as a Leo Vince Touring, pj long, Naraku Traffic, etc. so save your money until you do a 70cc BBK and need an expansion chamber exhaust - of which I am leaning towards a Stage 6 Pro Replica based on power/performance/price.
Michelin Power Pure SC - F/120-70 : R140/70 - I went overstock on the rear tire with 140/70's - it's a tight fit but doable - and it makes a significant difference the scoot is much more aggressive in it's stance which transfers directly to its handling. Best $100 spent on this scoot so far BY FAR!!!

So to break down my experience in a nutshell:

1. Carb/Air Filter/Intake Manifold/Reed Block - just open up stock air filter box with a few (2-3 not 100) 3/8" holes. Do upjet though to at least 90 main jet.
2. CVT - keep stock everything just upgrade clutch springs to 1500 and a 15% contra spring.
3. Roller Weights - Get a kit and have at it till you find the right balance. Below 6 and over 11 is a waste of money!!!
4. DO NOT mess with the stock exhaust - put down the cutting wheel/Step away from the welder!!! Get an expansion chamber exhaust when you do a BBK.
5. NGK Iridium IX spark plug - yes $8 bucks is a lot for a plug but for me it is worth the money improved everything and hopefully no fouling!!!
6. Michelin Power Pure SC - best $100 you will spend on your scoot - run don't walk and I strongly recommend a size increase in the rear to 140/70.

So I hope this info helps out a fellow newbie 'cause you veterans to this site are a bunch of clowns and can kiss my ***!!!

Hey MB,

Yeah - now I know why they call them scooters! Biggest change I think I'll ever make on this scoot is the rubber - my Super '9' came with the OEM Cheng Shin Vinyl tires and I put about 200 miles on them before I realized maybe scoots aren't supposed to be this loose - and boy was I right those Michelin Power Pures are amazing!!! Night and day handling - I've used Pilots plenty and like them but these Power Pures are in a class of their own will eventually find out if they handle the wet as well as everybody says they do (and the main reason I got them it rains here in Tampa occasionally) but even if they don't handle the wet as well as I was led to believe they're still the best $100 I ever spent on a scoot/cycle.

Guess my question only rates a response from fellow noobs - even though I've been riding cycles longer than most people here have been alive:-) Just got the Arreche 19mm carb yesterday and was up late with the dremel matching my intake to the new carb - up early today for a day of plug chops and tuning - yeehaw!!! I figure a 90 main will be around what I need based on the info I've gathered but every engines different so we'll see - should have everything I need including some colder '7' plugs just for sh**s and giggles.

Still wish I new which way to go on the exhaust as that will affect jetting/tuning and more plug chops = such is the life of the scooter man:-) Suns coming up here so I'll be at it shortly and try to get everything done before our daily afternoon storm.

Later MB

Eric