spring clutch kitaco or honda?

[bootyaka]

I am having a horrible time with my local Honda garage. I dropped my ruckus 11 days ago. I asked them to add japanese parts i bought in tokyo during my last trip"
-new kitaco variator
-roller weights
-aftermarket belt
-aftermarket air filter pad
-i already installed the supertrapp exhaust and cdi.

3 days after i dropped it off, they asked me to pick it up. i test drive it outside and there is a clear problem (speed not steady, wont go up 20mph.) they reopen it and realise they broke the clutch spring.

it's been a week i am waiting for them to replace it with a Honda spring. They messed up on the order ...

my question is: do i need to reorder a spring from kitaco or will the Honda spring will do the same work ?

thank you

[Dandy Dan]

Why didn't you install it yourself? It's way easier than the CDI which you already did. Anyways, what spring is broken? The big one in the rear clutch or one of the two smaller ones in the rear clutch? Either way a Honda spring should be fine. If it is one of the two little ones you may wanna go both Honda springs just so they are even...I'm not really sure. If you can I'd order another kitaco one so you'd get all the perf. change.

How did the supertrapp exhaust work out for ya? Any performance improvements/drops?

[bootyaka]

Thank you Dan for the quick reply.

Well after all this drama, i think that yes i should have tried to install everything myself. I don't know much though so i thought it would be simpler to drop it off to Honda. After 11 days , many phone calls and $300 in labor, i am definitely starting to have some regrets. Anyway i just talked to them and apparently i can pick it up today. let's see if it works...

As for the spring, i don't know which one it is but my guess it is the big one. I will ask them when i pick up the beast....
The supertrapp didnt change much for speed. But i felt acceleration was a bit better after warming up proper. the sound and the looks of it is a Pleasure ;-)!

[tygerfifteen]

yuo didn't change any jets?

[Dandy Dan]

I didn't realize that Kitaco variators came with a stiffer 'big' spring for the rear but I was just judging from pictures so it's possible. If it is the bigger rear spring then it is unfortunate to have to go back to the stocker cuz the stiffer spring helps gear you lower as you slow down so when you twist the throttle from a coast you'll get better pickup. If it was the smaller ones you'd just lose some snap off the line as the clutch would engage quicker so the engine wouldn't be able to rev as high first.

I'm surprised you haven't felt the need to adjust your carb yet. With the aftermarket POD filter I'm pretty sure you'll need to and this may be causing some of your problems. Try an 85 main jet with a bit of shim under the needle too.

[bootyaka]

Sorry i forgot about that. yes i bought a jets kit from battlescooter. They added a new jet, dont know which one they used though.

[pomeruck]

make sure they used the 85. i think 85 is the magic number across the board. most of us use an 85.

[chanito]

Mine runs better with a 90 but i have the intake as big as you can get it (see my how-to)

[Dandy Dan]

I ran 90 in the winter and 85 in the summer here in Ontario. I had the stock airbox opened to the max. I even sanding the hole really smooth etc. for max velocity. An aftermarket POD style filter like Chanito's may still outflow an opened up stock box however. It really depends on your filter system and your climate/altitude. I am surprised you run a 90 Chanito in that hot Miami climate but I'm sure you've got it dialed. How much did you shim?

[bootyaka]

ok guys, i picked it up. And unfortunately there is somehting wrong with my ruckus, i am so fed up with this honda shop, i am ready to try to figure it out myself (i know i will need your help).
they changed the spring. but it is still running wrong.
first of all it is louder (don't really mind that), second it wont go over 30-35mph and third i can hear the engine go up in revs, go down, go up. very erratic.
It feels like the engine maxes out when it really should go smoothly faster. I even feel the scooter slowing down and going faster when i start accelerating after a light.
It looks like they used the 80 mm jet. So i know i already need to replace it with an 85mm. But from what i wrote, do you think it is the problem?
Also i don't think they shimmed. if i really need to do it where can i find a step by step ?
Thank you!

Modifications:
-new kitaco variator
-roller weights
-aftermarket belt
-aftermarket air filter pad
-supertrapp exhaust and cdi.
-80 mm jet

[chanito]

I added a 1mm shim, but i need to cut my spring because it still bogs down a little on accel

[Dandy Dan]

You can find a step by step on battlescooter.com. I would guess that your carb is not running right and that is a major part of the problem. I'd try a 90 jet and that should work good generally. It might a bit lean on the low end and rich up top but it might be the easiest to get running good. If you are feeling ambitous I'd say try an 85 and then shim the needle and clip 1-2 coils off the diaphram spring.

While I do think the carb is your main problem it does sound like there's something wrong with your variator. The revs shouldn't be jumping up and down. If this is really happening then it is likely a variator problem. Perhaps they got lubricant on the roller weights or the drive belt, both of these I've heard give the ruckus gearing a weird feel. Also make sure the nut on the end of the shaft is tight. If you hear any rattling don't drive it. Lastly, try checking that the aftermarket belt is the same width as a stocker. If it's narrower you won't be geared as tall. Let us know how it goes....

The increase in noise is basically cuz of you POD airfilter. The stock airbox kinda muffles the engine noise and opening it up or installing a different filter make things louder.

[bootyaka]

Dan Thanks a lot, i will try 85mm and 90mm. I hope that's it.

will keep u updated guys!

N.

[chanito]

please do