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My adventures are not only related to the Vespas, but this time to their little sister: the mopeds.
In an impromptu plan, I accompanied some members of the technical team from Scooter Center: Marc, Frank and Roland test their Ciaos on the Moped festival 2022 by Iron Mofa.
Platonika would stay parked because I had to drive in a real vehicle! And I couldn't get a better backseat than the Flatliners boys tandem!
Not knowing what to expect, I set up cameras and we embarked on an adventure that turned out to be a lot more fun than I imagined.

It was fun to see so many bad boys in these little vehicles, but above all, as always, to meet wonderful people full of good humor.

Hello tandem: 

The reason for the construction of this tandem is special, as are the components that make it possible Scooter Center managed to create this rarity!

The tandem is driven by a Polini speed engine with one DR Evo cylinder farms.
As a further tuning measures were a 13/13 carburetor with one SIL Tech Venturi and a Malossi air filter installed.
The exhaust gases are through a Gianeli Ori Power derived.
The landing gear was through the Shock absorber holder from MMW and the bgm ProF16 shock absorbers upgraded.
Due to the increased load on the axles, the normal front axle bearing was replaced by a MC Proparts Front axle kit replaces + socket set

But it wouldn't be the only distinctive feature I would see at this meeting:
The motor of this Ciao comes from a cut-off grinder for railroad tracks.

Video

Pictures

Piaggio moped tuning information

The subject of Ciao and Piaggio Mofa tuning is very important to us. For many of us, the Ciao was the first motorized means of transport we used as teenagers to explore “the big wide world”.

Back then, the "chrome potty" was a good thing, a hole was drilled in the air filter and the 32 km / h was scratched on the speedometer (of course only after the hole in the air filter had been closed again with a cigarette filter ;-). Then the "small" disc came along and Zack, you had to pedal uphill ... but downhill ... it was off :-) Back then ...

Long belong Ciao, Bravo and Si to collectibles, but tuning is still popular today!

Even today, everything is still feasible from + 5 km / h to + 100 km / h - to give you a decision-making aid when tuning, we have put together 3 simple setups, peppered with a few technical tips.

 

Ciao, Bravo and Si Mofa tuning setups:

1. Go to the bakery on Sundays, up to 40 km / h.

Very simple plug-in tuning, quiet and inconspicuous, because it is basically the moped components. At some TÜV bodies, after prior agreement, can be registered.

The original 50cc cylinder is retained and a SitePlus , and a SH12 / 12 carburettor with moped air filter mounted, main jet around the 48th belt pulley remains original 90mm.

Exhaust

SP0219 exhaust Sito Plus 47,95 euros | https://www.scooter-center.com/product/sp0219

Moped exhaust SITO PLUS Piaggio Ciao Bravo

The Sito Plus has the look of the original exhaust and is particularly quiet, and it also brings the required E-marking with which is necessary for carrying on a moped.

 

Chrome potty

Chrome potty for Ciao Tuning in chrome or black

 

For fans of the 70s and 80s there is still the original "chrome pot" with the separable muffler and screw in the middle - disadvantage, no labeling, but pure retro feeling. Available in chrome and black:

Carburetor:

Moped carburetor DellOrto 12/12

The moped carburetor with a passage of 12 mm replaces the original carburetor with a passage of 10 mm.

Air Filter

Moped air filter for Ciao moped tuning

The moped air filter cannot be distinguished from the moped air filter on the outside, but inside there are 6 holes under the steel mesh filter instead of 3 holes.

 

spark plug

Recommendation Ciao Tuning spark plug NGK

A new spark plug doesn't do any harm, you should always have one more than too few at home, for the above tuning you need an NGK B 6HS with short thread.

The spark plug is also available in the suppressed version, if your radio crackles as soon as you start the Ciao, recognizable by the addition "R" in the product name:


Nozzles Ciao

If you intend to experiment a little more in the future, a nozzle set is worthwhile. This contains 10 different sizes and is cheaper than buying it individually. The set that comes into question here includes 10 nozzles in the size between 50 and 72:

Moped tuning nozzle set

 

 

 

TECHNOLOGY TIP!

Which Ciao cylinder / piston pin do I need?

Now it gets technical: So that you can find the right cylinder: When you have selected a cylinder, you will quickly come across the words "piston pin 10mm" and "piston pin 12mm". If you do NOT want to change the crankshaft, you must now, before ordering the cylinder, measure the piston pin of your installed cylinder (10 or 12mm) and then decide on the corresponding cylinder with 10 or 12 piston pin:

  • Piston pin 12mm- ORIGINAL installed in all crankshafts with bronze bush in the upper connecting rod eye.
  • Piston pin 10mm- ORIGINAL installed in all crankshafts with connecting rod bearing in the upper connecting rod eye.

More about crankshafts, 10 and 12mm piston pins can be found in Chapter 3.

 

 

 

 

2. Cool at the ice cream parlor, from 50 km / h

So that things go faster and more powerfully, the heart of your classic is now being exchanged - the Cylinder ! Look for a cylinder of the 60 - 63ccm class with a bore of 41 - 43mm, the DR cylinder in cast or the Athena cylinder in aluminum offer an entry point.

Even if the manufacturer speaks full-bodied of 60ccm and more - when we turn on the calculator, the following ccm numbers result with a standard stroke of 43mm:

Standard stroke of the crankshaft 43mm

Calculate cylinder volume, seventh school year: diameter divided by 2 = radius "r", "h" the height (stroke) of the crankshaft original = 43mm, results in the following formula: circular area on the floor multiplied by the height: r2 x pi xh = volume of the Cylinder.

Smart ass mode off, this one ccm numbers of the common tuning cylinders:

Standard cylinder diameter 38,2mm = 49,28 cc
Diameter tuning cylinder 40mm = 54,04 cc
Diameter tuning cylinder 41mm = 56,77 cc
Diameter tuning cylinder 42mm = 59,57 cc
Diameter tuning cylinder 43mm = 62,44 cc

With a 43mm bore, the standard case is finished because otherwise the case would have to be spindled - more on that later. Now back to the ice cream parlor:

 

Tuning setup Ciao 60ccm

Racing cylinder Ciao Tuning

After you know which piston pin you have installed, you look for a cylinder from the following manufacturers

  • DR
  • Athena
  • Polini
  • Malossi

All of the cylinders listed below are absolutely stable and bring one noticeable extra power, more torque and speed.

 

Racing cylinder 10mm piston pin:

 

Racing cylinder 12mm piston pin:

 

Tuning translation V-belt & pulley Ciao

Ciao moped tuning pulley and V-belt

Due to the increased power of the cylinder, we can now also adjust the translation, ie one smaller pulley and the matching V-belt assemble. We recommend the following setup in combination with a cylinder of the 60ccm + class:

The complete sets from CIF are cheaper, but the pulleys are not quite as dimensionally accurate as those from Malossi, which can lead to a slight "wobble" of the pulley when driving:

Moped carburetor setup 12/12 or 13/13 Ciao tuning

In addition, the DellOrto Moped carburetor with 12 / 12mm or the DellOrto 13 / 13mm carburetor,

Main jet approx. 53-55, plus the moped or Polini air filter. All these components are plug & play and interchangeable and fit without problems on the original engine housing and in the original engine compartment:

carburettor

Moped carburetor DellOrto 12/12

Air Filter

Polini racing air filter

Nozzle set

 

Racing exhaust Ciao Tuning

Racing exhaust Ciao Tuning

Since we are still inconspicuous when tuning, we recommend the exhaust as again SitePlus or as an alternative the Gianelli "Ori-Power".

 

Clutch springs Ciao

Clutch springs Piaggio Ciao Tuning

For better acceleration through a higher clutch speed, reinforced clutch springs are now used for the original clutch, here we recommend the black springs from the Malossi set of 3 or the blue springs from the set of 3 Polini:

Racing clutch pads

Clutch shoes - clutch linings Ciao Tuning

Anyone who has the feeling that the clutch linings are no longer 100% in order can mount the Malossi clutch shoes with reinforced linings, these are also supplied with a set of reinforced springs. The clutch shoes fit plug & play in the original clutch:

Spark plug Ciao 60cc cylinder

Spark plug and spark plug cap tip Ciao

With this setup you have to drive a “colder” spark plug, e.g. an NGK B8HS or BR8HS:

... and why not a new one right away NGK spark plug connector to ?

 

TECHNOLOGY TIP!

Ciao Tuning Translation, gears, background knowledge.

Our recommended ratio for setup 2 with the 80 mm disc is based on the original "10,5: 1" gearbox of the German Ciao 25km / h mopeds. Even back then, the Bravo 8,5: 1 gearbox was often used to extend the gear ratio; this gearbox could then be used inconspicuously with the original Ciao 90s disc.

So - how do I know which gearbox I have installed on a Ciao?

The ratio of the number of revolutions of the rear pulley to the full 360 degrees of rotation of the rear wheel gives the gear ratio. E.g. Ciao Mofa original gearbox 10,5: 1.

Mark the rear wheel and the pulley with a line to measure, turn the rear wheel once completely through 360 degrees and count the number of revolutions of the pulley - done.

Standard mono (pulley) gears are for example:

  • 10,5: 1 original gearbox Ciao Moped
  • 8,5: 1 original gearbox Bravo moped
  • 7,5: 1 original gearbox Ciao moped 40 km / h Holland
  • 6,5: 1 original gearbox Ciao moped 45 km / h Italy

Mono gearboxes are designed to accommodate pulleys, Vario transmissions have a long output shaft and can accommodate the combined converter / clutch unit. Vario transmissions then have the variator on the crankshaft instead of a clutch.