Suzuki Katana R [AY50-K5] (Aprilia DiTech engine)

Hi everyone. So here is my very first post after getting my very first scooter and registering to this forum (spite a delay in account activation) about eight months ago. Have done a search on this forum but not many results about overall pros and cons and general comments on this particular scooter with DiTech engine type.

So, it would be nice to have a chat. I am happy to share and receive any comments or recommendations as I am looking to upgrade my scooter from it's factory settings. Btw can it be that this 50cc Suzuki Katana R could come unrestricted from the factory as it is doing 45-50mph?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

Here I found some usefull information on this forum: http://www.scootershack.co.uk/threads/aprilia-sr50-ditech-tuning.23131/

Thanks www.scootershack.co.uk

 

That's also good expanation of how DiTechs work: http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?157656-FAQ-How-does-the-Ditech-Engine-Work

 

Hope you got the game-boy plug in for it when it breaks down, because they are a complete dog to diagnose otherwise. That's the reason we all stay away from injected scooters, utter utter nightmare.
Same goes for the sr50 di-tech, peugeot jet-ronic crap, and runner di-tech engines.
And the cost of replacing parts is stupid high.
I've done 2 Katana's both carb versions, wouldn't touch a di-tech with a barge pole.

 

Well maybe injected scooters are still a mist in the forest for most of riders, but DiTech ECU has a diagnostic mode, this is what carbed versions do not have I assume.

 

Yes the di-tech ecu does have that, but you will find out pretty quickly that it's pretty much useless in what it does. It will have you replacing parts and then giving another completely different fault code that points to the same part.
If you've got a good one then enjoy it, they are ok when they are working properly, pretty quick off the mark due to the lower than standard gear ratio, but parts are getting hard to find now. And if you can't find decent used parts, then the new prices are high.

 

Mine is showing several fault codes but rides fine whatsoever, so not going to mess about changing parts other that to maintain and upgrade my scooter. Just seen lots of argument whether it's worth tuning a ditech, but found a nice Malossi big bore which come with an ECU, it's really tempting. BTW, how many miles avg. 50cc piston and cylinder can do? Cause mine is getting close to 12K..

 

As a general rule of thumb, do a piston change every 6000 miles; for "most" scooters.
I say for most scooters because a lot of my customers are older generation that only use them for work and back, doing about 2500 miles a year or thereabouts.
But even so, a piston kit for the Katana range from £15 for an ok piston, to £35 for a Meteor piston. So not mega money even if you do it twice a year.
Base gaskets are about £2 each. If that.
If you use a good grade 2 stroke oil like Castrol, then it will help as well. And putting a drop into the tank on each fill up isn't a bad thing to do.

 

urgh.... i REALLY dont like the katanas with ditech, what a fucking nightmare they are to work on, everything is in the way of everything else. and dont get me started on the peugeot ditech bullshit.... 50cc 2 strokes should be carb, it doesnt need injection, the yamaha neos/aerox 4t is a good system though, but that ditech crap is just bad... (i worked for a main dealer)