Scooter Performance Tips

Whether it's a classic scooter or a modern one, plenty of options exist for you to improve its performance. Handling, speed, power, torque --- all of these can be addressed. As long as you're willing to spend the money, time, and effort, you can increase your scooter's performance significantly.

Variator kits
Many companies manufacture variator kits specifically for your scooter that change the way the gearing engages. This can help you to increase torque lower down in your scooter's power band, allowing your scooter to be quicker getting off the line and up to speed. Some manufacturers of these kits include Malossi, J.Costa, and Athena, although others exist. Before you invest in one of these, check to make sure the kit you're buying was made with your scooter in mind --- there's no such thing as a universal variator kit.

Air filters
Depending on your scooter, an air filter change may or may not make a noticeable difference. But if you can increase airflow from your air box into your engine, it's a relatively inexpensive way to get a little more power. K & N makes filters for almost everything, including most scooters. Check enthusiast forums to see what other people with your scooter have found to work well.

Tires
Tires make a huge difference in how your scooter handles. From the factory, unless your scooter was some special race-prepped replica or model, most manufacturers equip their scooters with tires that will give the longest wear life possible -- which isn't always the highest performance. Generally speaking, the grippier the tire, the softer the rubber -- meaning they won't last terribly long. Unless you're taking your scooter out on the track, you probably don't need something with obscenely high levels of grip, but you might want something that will stick you to the road a little better through corners and in rainy conditions. Do some research to find out what tires are available that fit your scooter, and see what other owners of your scooter's model have had success with.

Exhaust
If you've got a scooter with a carburetor, you'll want to replace the carb at the same time as the exhaust. Once again, research is your friend. Find out what's available for your scooter, and see if you can locate a kit that includes the exhaust and carb (and possibly a new airbox, too) together for one low price (see Reference 1). Set aside a weekend or two to do all the dirty work, and invite a friend to drop by if you don't feel like doing it yourself. If possible, make sure to have your scooter's shop manual handy so you know where everything is located -- and more important, torque specifications for all your nuts and bolts when you're putting it back together. You don't want bits and pieces rattling off your scooter when you're taking it for a test run.