Yamaha Vino engine swap - VX 200, Typhoon 172, Grand Axis?

Discussion in 'Maxiscooter Tuning' started by element6, Apr 22, 2011.

  1. element6

    element6 New Member

    Messages:
    19
    Rides:
    '06 SR50R Factory
    Hello,

    I'm currently pursuing a project with a Yamaha Vino Classic. I'm not sure if they exist in the UK but the classic is a 50cc version of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_Vino_125.

    The Vino 125 uses a primitive air cooled 124cc 4T engine while the 49cc vino classic uses a liquid cooled 49cc 4T. The frame is the same with both models. I'm not interested in either engine option, but I am interested in the scooter itself.

    I'm not so sure of the wiring on these scooters.. I will have to see when I pick one up in the next month as I am currently waiting on the right color to show up for sale locally, but I know they are all carburated. I'm trying to find out what my easiest and most viable engine swap option will be.

    I would love to swap in a 100cc 2T motor from a Yamaha Grand Axis, AeroX, or BW's, but I know that these are also old school air cooled engines..

    What would the possibility be of the engines from either a Gilera Runner VX 200 or Piaggio Typhoon with a 180cc kit bolting up? What other engines may be a possibility in this scooters frame?

    We don't have many 4T engine options here. It's obvious to me right off the bat that I am going to need to ship the engine in or do some serious case work to the engine from a Zuma 49cc. Everyone here seems to like playing with the chinese GY6 copies. I'm not very interested in boring one of those out.

    Any ideas?
     
    element6, Apr 22, 2011
    #1
  2. tErr0

    tErr0 Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    5,816
    Re: Yamaha Vino engine swap - VX 200, Typhoon 172, Grand Axi

    Are you after more speed or reliability and speed? Reason I ask is that I know the older models of the 50cc bikes were air cooled 2 strokes which are actually very tunable.

    Piaggio typhoons are 2 strokes apart from the most recent different shaped model.

    Gilera Runner VX 200's are fitted with Piaggio Leader engines which are large and will have totally different engine mounts. Short of finding yourself a Gilera Runner and welding half of it to the back it will be a pretty hard task.
     
    tErr0, Apr 22, 2011
    #2
  3. element6

    element6 New Member

    Messages:
    19
    Rides:
    '06 SR50R Factory
    Re: Yamaha Vino engine swap - VX 200, Typhoon 172, Grand Axi

    I'm really after a little speed and a lot of reliability here. A large 2 stroke would be fun but I am interested in flat out horsepower this time around. This scoot will mostly see 2 up riding. So I am really leaning towards a big 4T.

    Aren't the old Typhoon 125's 4Ts? Is that engine an air or liquid cooled cylinder? I see a lot of 172cc kitted Typhoon 125s and that is why I ask.

    Other than these options, I am sure I could go the more expensive route and find a 125cc 4t from a US spec Yamaha Zuma 125 (they are hard to locate here). With that I could also find a bolt on 164cc kit for the Z-125 engine.. but I'm not so sure that I will be satisfied with such an easy project.. haha. Here is a vendor who pieces together bolt on kits for the Z-125 engine: http://www.samuraiscoot.com/#!__page-7
     
    element6, Apr 23, 2011
    #3
  4. Admiwal Wabbit

    Admiwal Wabbit Member

    Messages:
    328
    Re: Yamaha Vino engine swap - VX 200, Typhoon 172, Grand Axi

    the old Typhoon 125s are 2 stroke, the 172 kits you would have read about are for the 2 stroke engine and produce a lot of power.
     
    Admiwal Wabbit, Apr 23, 2011
    #4
  5. element6

    element6 New Member

    Messages:
    19
    Rides:
    '06 SR50R Factory
    Re: Yamaha Vino engine swap - VX 200, Typhoon 172, Grand Axi

    Now that put a big evil grin on my face..

    Looks like I've found the perfect engine candidate. There are no scooters in the US (except some old Vespas) that use a 2T engine that powerful.

    Any ideas of the most reliable 172 cylinder and which exhaust works best with that setup usually?

    Thanks for all of the help.

    As soon as we get this going and have a course of action I will start a build thread.
     
    element6, Apr 23, 2011
    #5
  6. element6

    element6 New Member

    Messages:
    19
    Rides:
    '06 SR50R Factory
    Re: Yamaha Vino engine swap - VX 200, Typhoon 172, Grand Axi

    Just a quick question.. I know in the UK there was an Aprilia SR125. Does the Piaggio Typhoon 125 have the same engine as was used in the SR125? My guess would be that since Piaggio makes the engines and the scooters were sold in the same period that they would have the same Piaggio block.
     
    element6, Apr 23, 2011
    #6
  7. tErr0

    tErr0 Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    5,816
    Re: Yamaha Vino engine swap - VX 200, Typhoon 172, Grand Axi

    To me it all seems quite silly and near impossible as most of the parts you will need to find are not available in the states... Seems much more sensible just to go out and buy a Vespa LX/ET/GT 150 or something of the sort. Reliable with enough punch to take 2 people and cope with the speed. There are lots of reports of Yamaha Vinos not really coping with high speeds due to their pretty cheap design and small size.

    It's all well and good adding power but it's important to know the bike can take it. Pretty much all of the tuning done by people on UK bikes are due to the fact that the bikes are proven to be able to cope with the added power. Some do need brake upgrades but apart from that they are good.

    Back to your actual questions. 2 stroke piaggio engines as found in Typhoon 125's, SR125's Gilera Runner 125s can be very very fast. There were 2-3 different versions of the same engine made in both air cooled and liquid cooled.

    The Typhoon has a similar engine to the SR but all SR125 engines have a larger drum brake that was only found on the later models of Typhoon.

    There are all sorts of topics on here and projects using these engines including my own. We also have a tuning guide to give you some idea of the parts available. http://www.scootershack.co.uk/125tuningguide.html
     
    tErr0, Apr 24, 2011
    #7
  8. element6

    element6 New Member

    Messages:
    19
    Rides:
    '06 SR50R Factory
    Re: Yamaha Vino engine swap - VX 200, Typhoon 172, Grand Axi

    tErr0,

    Thanks for the well informed response..

    I do remember looking through the SR125's now and remember the drum brake on the rear..

    It's the girl swaying my opinion. We all know how good they are at doing this ;-)

    My original idea was to pick up an older Vespa P200E and throw a couple bolt ons at it.. I like the older Vespas much more. However, as soon as I start showing her pictures of the Vespa among a honda metropolitan and yamaha vino, she goes crazy over the vino. So my thought process was to start looking into the less-than-capable vino with its underpowered 124cc, air cooled 4T and come up with a plan to swap it out.

    I'd much rather go with a P200E or something equivalent, but we will have to see what happens in this debate. I know very well that the vino was not intended for any high speed mods.. but I have seen a converted Zuma/Bw's with a Suzuki Burgman (400cc 4T) engine and rear frame mounted to it. Granted it was a radical conversion; the frame handled the power very well.

    We'll see where this goes. If I do end up with a nice P200E or something like that.. I'll still be throwing bolt ons at it and will definitely post the progress. Thanks for the tips.
     
    element6, Apr 25, 2011
    #8
  9. element6

    element6 New Member

    Messages:
    19
    Rides:
    '06 SR50R Factory
    Re: Yamaha Vino engine swap - VX 200, Typhoon 172, Grand Axi

    Well the vino idea is out the window finally.. she gave up.

    I will be picking up a new(er) GTS 250 in the next month or two. It depends on when I find the right used machine. There are lots of Vespas around here though.. shouldn't take long.

    I'm making a new thread in the maxiscoot section related to my SR Factory and where I'm headed with that one.
     
    element6, Apr 29, 2011
    #9

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