Yet another thread about "best tourer set-up"

[ArmandTanzarian]

This has been discussed a fair bit but I'm still struggling to get to a conclusion.

What I want is a RELIABLE mile muncher that can cruise along at realistic motorway speeds with a good spread of power throughout the rev range and sensible fuel consumption. So far the only fixed decision is that the carb will be a TM24 with a foam filter and a "normal" looking pipe such as an Ancillotti or AF Big bore. The gearbox is SX200 (Jet)

Being a tight b@stard, money is definately a factor but I''ll pay for something that really does the job.

Ideas so far

1) Tuned Indian Iron barrel, standard crank, cut piston. This is what I have at the moment and it goes pretty well but needs a new piston after some "unpleasantness" when I tried a different pipe that just didn't work out right.

Advantages - Cheap as chips, got me to Holland and elsewhere no bother

Disadvantages - I worry that it isn't quite up to higher speed cruising. A sustained 60ish with a bit in reserve for overtaking lorries is pretty much its limit. (Thats GPS speed not lambretta speedo speed)


2) Mugello 225 with 116mm con rod. £365 kit plus £120 crank

Advantages - Hopefully a bit more power and the Ally barrel should be more reliable than an iron one. Theoretically bolts straight on

Disadvantages - Might need further tuning work to make it as good as it can be. I used to have a mugello with a 107mm rod and it was very disappointing. Not that fast and quite vibey.


3) Mugello as above but with a 60mm crank £365 kit plus £165 crank plus adjustment to make it all work together (another £150 at a wild guess)

Advantages - promises to be a good combo with nice long legs for touring.

Disadvantages - definately not a bolt-on as it will need fettling to get the ports set up for the long stroke which will put the cost right up.


4) Rapido Classic £180

Advantages - good price

Disadvantages - I don't know anything about them and don't know anyone with one. Read mixed reviews regarding quality. Might need further fettling by a tuner.


5) Rapido Classic with 60mm crank £180 kit plus £165 crank plus adjustment to make it all work together (another £150 at a wild guess)

Advantages - Long legs like the mugello but cheaper

Disadvantages - I don't know anything about them and don't know anyone with one. Read mixed reviews regarding quality. Will definately need axtra work doing to it


6)RT220 from MB £616

Advantages - Supposed to work straight from box, very high quality

Disadvantages - HOW MUCH! For that price I could pretty much get a 60mm crank mugello including all of the additional tuning.



So there we have it. I like the idea of a longer stroke engine for the torque but is the benefit worth the money? The RT sounds good but stone me, at £100 more than an RB22 that's a hell of a lot of cash for a conventionally ported cylinder kit. Just how much better than everything else is it. Would a tuned, 60mm crank Mugello be better than an RT for the same money? Or are all these exotic combos a good way a spending a lot of money for marginal benefit over what I have now?

Opinions gratefully received.

[goffy]

I,m after a similar good tourer setup for my tv175, still standard at the mo with a clubman 42 exhaust.Tried Mugello 186 with 28 del, went well but as you say vibrates quite alot,tried a casa 185 kit with 25mm del smoother definitely but not as quick. Spoke to Mark at MB about the RT190 and says his kit is the best on the market but then he would. I know MB have a great reputation and its expensive but i don't mind digging deep if it transforms the bike and smoother to ride than the mugello.
The biggest problem i have is because the kits are fairly new out, finding someone who's fitted one to get some honest feedback. Maybe i'll have to hang on to my hard earned cash a big longer until i get some genuine reports about this kit,I'd hate to go Mugello and then the RT proves to be a wonder kit or push the boat out now and get a RT and it proves know better than a Mugello!
Drives you f..kin crazy don't it!!!

[J1MS]

A TS1 setup with a low revving expansion chamber, is IMO probably as close to a tourer that can achieve motorway speeds with a degree of reliability... I don't think the barrel really needs tuning as such, maybe dressing the leading edge of the transfer ports with a rotary burr at the entry into the barrel then just blending all the parts that bolt to it so they work to their best to suit the barrel, Keep the compression ratio low"ish"... 9 or 9.5-1 but no higher as its a tourer your after not a race bike... They can achieve 50+mpg, and will sometimes put you into the 3rd lane of a motorway when overtaking...
Many other kits will be as quick, some are a lot faster but most will cost more to do and may not be as reliable "Long Term" as a TS1...

[Killkenny]

You all go on about the RT been expensive! Its totally made in the Uk
and designed by the man who has probably tuned more Lambretta
cylinders than anyone, if you don't believe me ask Mark, he will show
every tuned kit in his library. Then you should consider the
advantages to the RT kit over every other cylinder kit. Not just that
but Im hearing 80mpg! and genuine GPS speeds of 80mph! Can you not
work it out 80mpg........... it pays for its self very quicky!

[ArmandTanzarian]

Fuel and air is still fuel and air and the principles of two stroke engineering still apply. Stuck with the confines of of the lambretta crankcase design you'll never get anything to work like a modern two stroke. Its not like MB has any magic powers, he's just a highly skilled engineer with lots of experience.

I don't doubt that the RT is good but to quote a certain space travelling scotsman, "You canna change the laws of physics cap'n.".

[soulsurfer]

I think the RT will be the easiest, stress free solution that has had the laws of physics applied with some precise attention to quality control. I suspect it does what it says on the tin and, if I was in the market, it would be my choice. BUT no matter how you dress it up, it's still expensive, reassuringly expensive, once you weigh up all the f@@king around trying to get all the other options to work together and/or paying someone to sort it once you're totally hacked off with what it doesn't do. Oh and I suspect you'll even get some instructions on how to fit it, now there's a novelty. Other than that TS1 seems quite easy to build.
I do find it unbeleivable how many so called bolt on kits require so much fettling and others that really don't deliver the goods.

[sydduckett]

I know f*** all about engines but show me a lambretta kit that will give me a true 80 and the same to the gallon and ill get circumstised and start watching spurs, and that aint gonna happen.....

[ArmandTanzarian]

I used to have a TS1 with a 28mm and while it was fairly tractable with a varitronic ignition it still needed a good spanking to get the best out of it and was quite peaky. I have a Monza 225 on my other scoot and while its a lot faster than the Jet, it just isn't as nice to ride. Also when I go out with mates with TS1s and RBs they get through more than twice the petrol that I do at just 60mph.

[rog60]

I know f*** all about engines but show me a lambretta kit that will give me a true 80 and the same to the gallon and ill get circumstised and start watching spurs, and that aint gonna happen.....

Oi, watch the language about Spurs or I'll send Harry and the boys round your house.

[red ghost]

So what's the outcome?