Pedstop Boys:Chris and SamPedstop Boys:Chris and Sam

WORDS: CHRIS HALLIDAY

PHOTOS: PAUL ROBINSON

ADRENALIN’S POLINI EVOLUTION 3 PIAGGIOPROJECT ZIP

After a few years selling performance parts from big names like Polini and Malossi, we were over the moon to hear that our Italian

partners Polini were making their Evolution 2 parts available as a complete unit, tuned and ready for the track. Seeing as we haven’t yet found the time to dip our toes in the scooter racing scene we thought Polini’s engine would make for an interesting road scooter (actually this is a poor excuse and frankly bollocks). If truth be told we didn’t really think about what we were going to do with the engine. It was a typical boys toys scenario, we wanted to play with something that Polini’s technicians had put together, surely this engine would be something special?

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So how much will Polini’s engine set you back? Well the price varies due to the Euro at the moment but approximately £2991 would be the RRP. Knock our usual 20% discount off and the cost is significantly cheaper ehhhh? If any of you guys out there are considering one of these we would be happy to help, expect around three weeks for Polini’s technicians to build the engine.

Swapping our Piaggio engine for one that had already been pre-tuned and tested was easy and we agree maybe even a bit lazy, but we don’t care. We had our petrol and even a helmet, we were ready. And while we were at it, we thought we’d change the front brake disc and fit some fancy Giberlaniniiiiyagranni suspension before we fire it up! Two hours later and approaching 11pm, we decided it might be better to wait until morning to have the first blast.

So how good was it on the road? Is it fast? It’s fuggin’ quick! Comparing it to something we’re accustomed to like a tuned Aerox or even a 172 Runner it feels very handy and thanks to the new suspension and brakes it feels very solid and it actually stops which is always useful.

Mr. Muscle:Liftingengines

builds bigforearms

The perfect mate for Polini’s engine would have to be our lovely Zip RS 50 which had been kindly donated to us by Sykes Bikes, actually it was donated only after we parted with our swear box takings off the counter. Can we just say a big thanks to all the bad mouthed Barnsley folk for funding our Zip project.

After a few weeks of finger tapping and a big change in direction for the Polini Evolution line of products we received our engine, No 23 (it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out each one has a number). Changes to the engine were the cylinder and exhaust. The Evolution 2 cylinder had now been replaced with the Evolution 3 and the exhaust was on its

latest mark, No 10. It would have been great to test the Evolution 2 set-up before the upgrades but we can go back to that after we’ve found out how this set-up performs on the dyno.

PIAGGIO ZIP RS 50

The Piaggio Zip RS 50 is a limited edition machine, only 250 of them exist in the UK. Each one comes with retro sports styling and a 50cc watercooled engine as standard. Of course, we don’t do standard...

Betterthan thecinema

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PROJECT ZIP

BRAKESFloating wavey brakediscs improve the stopping power, whichis always a bonus inour fast paced world. This one comes fromPolini and was made in collaboration with Braking.

Shiny, the engineobviously

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TYRESSticky rubber. In true sports fashion, we’ve opted for a pair of 10 inch PMT racing slicks from Polini.

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“A BIG THANKS TO ALL THE BAD MOUTHED BARNSLEY FOLKFOR FUNDING OURZIP PROJECT”

SUSPENSIONPolini shocks (front and rear) by FG Gubellini Suspension not only look the biz, they offera smoother ride and improved control.

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“IS It FASt?IT’S FUGGIN’

QUICK!”

PROJECT ZIP

TECH SPEC

Engine No 23 was tuned by Polini techniciansand fitted with the following parts:

ENGINE:Polini Evolution 3 70cc cylinder kitPolini Evolution crankshaftPolini Evolution 10 exhaustPolini internal rotor ignition19mm Dell’Orto carburettorPolini Evolution air filterIntake manifoldReed valve

TRANSMISSION:Polini 9 roller Super Speed variatorPolini Evolution 3 two shoe clutchPolini Speed clutch bellPulley kitClutch springs kitKevlar drive beltPrimary gearSecondary gear

POLINIMOTORENo. 23

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TESTING, TESTING...We’re hoping this little 70cc will be good for 90mph+ in its current state. So to follow we’ll be putting our Piaggio Zip through its paces with some more road testing, a dyno run and all being well a few quarter mile runs on the drag strip. And who knows we might even get some track time too. Feel free to join us in the next instalment of Project Zip. n