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These scooters represent the best automatic machines yet seen from Piaggio. However, despite their performance and reliability, some people (ourselves included) have wanted more performance.
After a year of development with a Skipper 150 used on the road and various race circuits in Europe we have developed our tuning work. In 1996 we had the arrival of the Malossi 172cc cylinder kits, both in air and liquid cooled formats. These kits offer substantial increases in performance over the standard 125 or 150.
Most UK models are 125cc. These can be converted to 150cc by using standard Piaggio parts, or now to 172cc using the Malossi cylinder kit. Modifications to the porting can be made to the standard 125/150 and 172 Malossi cylinder to improve performance.
The 172cc Malossi kits fit all Skipper and Typhoon 125/150 models. The Hexagon uses a liquid-cooled cylinder, and the Malossi kit comes with a new inner cylinder head cap.
The porting used by Malossi is very similar to that of the standard Piaggio cylinder except that the exhaust port shape and port timings are different. The performance increase with these kits over the standard is substantial, especially when modified. (Ask for dynojet graphs.)
Applying what we had learned from racing with modified standard cylinders, the Malossi cylinder can be improved by similar modification to its cylinder porting. In all cases, assembling these kits very carefully and keeping the tolerances right will result in the best performance.
Presently our 172cc Skipper is showing over 20bhp at rear wheel with the standard exhaust, but uses a modified crankshaft reed block, 25mm carb and a modified cylinder head. These engine units are very reliable, as peak power is at slightly higher RPM than standard, i.e. 8,250 instead of 7,500.
Gearing & Transmission
The largest problem with these automatic scooters is the standard gearing: great for in and around town acceleration but a poor open road top speed, approximately 55-60mph unless you are prepared to get your head down.
This has been addressed with the introduction of the 172cc Malossi cylinder kits, as they have produced two uprated gear sets to go with them. One to suit the Mk2 Skipper 125/150 and one for the Typhoon 125 and the Hexagon 125. The ratios are approximately 8% or 15% higher than our Mk1 Skipper 150, but some 30%+ over the later Mk2 models, allowing speeds up to 90mph.
However, prior to this, larger section tyres have been successfully used on the Skipper model to increase the gearing during the 1995/6 race season, by ourselves and by others in Europe. The use of a 3.50 x 10 or 100/90 x 10 on the standard rim results in an approximate 8% increase in gearing. (The rear mudguard has to be removed to facilitate fitting these tyres.)
After a year of development with a Skipper 150 used on the road and various race circuits in Europe we have developed our tuning work. In 1996 we had the arrival of the Malossi 172cc cylinder kits, both in air and liquid cooled formats. These kits offer substantial increases in performance over the standard 125 or 150.
Most UK models are 125cc. These can be converted to 150cc by using standard Piaggio parts, or now to 172cc using the Malossi cylinder kit. Modifications to the porting can be made to the standard 125/150 and 172 Malossi cylinder to improve performance.
The 172cc Malossi kits fit all Skipper and Typhoon 125/150 models. The Hexagon uses a liquid-
The porting used by Malossi is very similar to that of the standard Piaggio cylinder except that the exhaust port shape and port timings are different. The performance increase with these kits over the standard is substantial, especially when modified. (Ask for dynojet graphs.)
Applying what we had learned from racing with modified standard cylinders, the Malossi cylinder can be improved by similar modification to its cylinder porting. In all cases, assembling these kits very carefully and keeping the tolerances right will result in the best performance.
Presently our 172cc Skipper is showing over 20bhp at rear wheel with the standard exhaust, but uses a modified crankshaft reed block, 25mm carb and a modified cylinder head. These engine units are very reliable, as peak power is at slightly higher RPM than standard, i.e. 8,250 instead of 7,500.
Gearing & Transmission
The largest problem with these automatic scooters is the standard gearing: great for in and around town acceleration but a poor open road top speed, approximately 55-
This has been addressed with the introduction of the 172cc Malossi cylinder kits, as they have produced two uprated gear sets to go with them. One to suit the Mk2 Skipper 125/150 and one for the Typhoon 125 and the Hexagon 125. The ratios are approximately 8% or 15% higher than our Mk1 Skipper 150, but some 30%+ over the later Mk2 models, allowing speeds up to 90mph.
However, prior to this, larger section tyres have been successfully used on the Skipper model to increase the gearing during the 1995/6 race season, by ourselves and by others in Europe. The use of a 3.50 x 10 or 100/90 x 10 on the standard rim results in an approximate 8% increase in gearing. (The rear mudguard has to be removed to facilitate fitting these tyres.)
