better performance questions

I have a 1978 puch maxi.

I bought it 5 years ago.

It ran okay, went about 25mph tops, which really ticked me off cuz it was so slow.

It eventually wouldn't start.

Now i took it apart and am researching on how to make it run faster. I am having trouble figuring out what kind of cylinder kit would fit my moped, and what kind of carburetor i would need to go along with the cylinder kit. I'm trying to make my moped run as fast as possible and the biggest cylinder kit i found was a Puch 80cc metrakit large port cylinder kit. I have no idea if it will work for my moped, what carburetor i would need with it, what modification would need to be done.

If this cylinder kit wouldn't work, then what kind of cylinder kit (preferably largest possible) would work for my puch? can anyone help me understand the basics or limits a puch maxi has like if for example I did install the 80cc cylinder kit, then would other parts not be able to handle it?

If anyone knows, whats the fastest you can get a 1978 puch maxi to ride, and I'm not talking about insane modifications like changing the whole engine.. just medium-size adjustments such as cylinder kits, carburetors, air filters, etc.

Thanx for your time.

Re: better performance questions

Doubble postan givin maxes a bad name >:C

Re: better performance questions

Okay, first question: E50 (1 speed) or ZA50 (2 speed)?

Either way, scratch the 80cc Metra large port off your list. You can make it work, but I think it's a LOT more involved than you want to get. You would do better to do a smaller kit and do it right rather than just shooting for the absolute biggest displacement kit there is.

Beyond that, here are some suggestions for places to look. Read over and peruse this stuff and see if it helps.

"1977 Mopeds Puch E50 Engine Build Tool":https://www.1977mopeds.com/product/1078/Puch-E50-Engine-Build/ - maybe you don't want to pay someone to do it (or do you?) but this is a pretty neat tool for exploring some of your options. It won't tell you how any given setup will perform, but it's a start.

"ZA50 Engine Build Tool":https://www.1977mopeds.com/product/988/Puch-ZA50-Engine-Build/ - same thing, but for the 2-speed engine

"Puch tuning":http://www.mopedarmy.com/wiki/Puch_tuning - this article links to all the articles in the wiki about kits and exhausts and all that good stuff. Get click-happy.

"Performance tuning":http://www.mopedarmy.com/wiki/Category:Performance_Tuning - this is a great run-down of your general performance tuning options. There's a lot of other things you can do besides a kit (or things you can do to complement a kit) that will make you go faster.

"Spreadsheet":http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p_Ysahl1B79WHMUBbvCzNfg - this is a list of setups people have used. You can see what speeds people are getting with what kits, what carbs they're using, what gearing they're using... all kinds of good stuff. Just remember that everything is self-reported, so some of it might not be accurate or updated properly.

"Treats":http://www.treatland.tv/ - a great source for Puch performance parts

So, basically.... you could probably make a Maxi do 70 if you REALLY wanted to (and there are people who can go that fast on mopeds). Is that sane? Safe? I'll let you answer those questions for yourself. I don't have any experience with Maxis, but I know a lot of people put aftermarket forks and frame braces on them when they start adding performance parts -- the 30-year-old frames and forks really aren't meant to withstand 50+mph speeds. How fast is fast enough for you? 50? You can do 50 on 50ccs if you do it right. 50 is probably easier on a 64cc Polini (a very fast kit, BTW) or a 70cc kit, but I'm trying to make the point that displacement isn't everything. Also keep in mind that if you actually want to ride this on normal city streets, having good acceleration can be more important than having a high top speed. A ped that goes 70 is great, but if it takes a mile to get there, you're going to have a lot of pissed off people stuck behind you.

Re: better performance questions

Treats is out of kits except for the Polini and maybe one other.

Moparts Webshop is the only one I know of that has choices of kits in stock.

Personally I like the 65cc Metrakit but I can't find them anywhere at the moment.

Next best I like the Athena 70cc reed kit with the 17 Amal.

Re: better performance questions

lol i actually technically didnt double post the same message.. one had a spelling error, and the other didnt.. so technically i posted one then the other.. not "double post". so the names still good lol

Re: better performance questions

Hey thanks a lot that answered a lot of questions and the spreadsheet really helped to see what people do to make their puchs run faster. Thanks!

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