Maybe this will help someone fix their bike before this happens...
So the other night I notice my Hobbit making a weird metallic tinging sound. Like the clutch grabbing the variator and letting go or something. I figured it was just acting funny so I kept riding it. I had also noticed a week before that the variator weights had looked like they were chewed up by an angry baby. And there were also a few times I had had trouble starting it. It acted like the belt had come loose 'cause I could pedal it really easily. The final straw, when I decided it was time to get it the hell home and open it up, was the sound of the belt hitting the inside of the side cover.
About a block from the moped shop I hear a loud thunk like I had been hit by a car and then my engine winds up to an RPM range I had never heard before. When I got it to the moped shop and took off the side cover the variator fell to the ground. [insert sad face here]
So the moral of the story. If it's acting funny, look at it. Had I known I was about to shear off my crank shaft I could have saved a case. This one doesn't look too bad but I don't think I'll use it again. It broke just after the seal. If you look at the picture it looks like it had been cracked for a while, the 21mm carb pipe and kit probably didn't help the situation.
So take pitty and sell me your PA50 II bottom end.