Soma-san's Corner

The two-stroke obsession spans across the globe. When I moved to Japan, I met my friend Japanese Soma-san.  He is a fellow two-stoke head like me!!  Like most Japanese, he is crazy into his hobby.  He owns a good amount of bikes.  He has:  two Honda MB5s, a Honda MB8, a Suzuki Z, and Yamaha 250Z.  He has tons of parts.  He even has parts under is desk in the office.  When I say parts, I mean two engines, a frame, a fairing, a exhaust, etc.  This guys is crazy!!  Like me!!  I turned him on to Treatland USA and now he is straight up lost his mind!!

Honda MB5 in its natural habitat

Two-Stroke Tuner's Handbook

Feed Your Brain!!

Anyone who is serious about two-stroke tuning read or came across Gordon Jennings "Two-Stroke Tuner's Handbook".  Although it was originally published in 1973, a lot of the information still pertains today.  It's a extremely technical book.  I felt like I was reading my old college engineering books!!  If you didn't get a chance to read it or a lot of the stuff is just flying over your head as did mines, some section I thought worth reading were:

• Squish Bands
• Expansion Chamber
• Port Timing
• Cylinder Porting (Gorr) p.90
• Reed Valves
• Intake Port Shape
• Cylinder Scavenging
• Port-Edge Chamfers
• Subtleties p.121
• Carburetion, Ignition

Puch ZA50 Motor Case & Transmission Gaskets

Here are scanned copies of a case gasket and transmission cover gasket for the Puch ZA50 motor.  These gaskets are available at Treats or 1977 Mopeds.  If you don't what to any spend money or just too impatient for an order, you can download the PDF file here.  Print it onto your gasket material then cut out using a xacto knife and scissors.  The key to making these types of gaskets is to use the correct size paper hole punchers for the bolt holes.

Mr. Two-Stroke

“…You have to know what you are doing with a two stroke, you don’t with a four stroke.  With a two stroke you are doing it yourself, with a four stroke you buy the pistons, buy the cam shafts and just take it apart and put it back together.  There is less skill, it’s just fitting…”

An quote from an article featuring world renown two-stroke tuner Stan Stephens.  Read the whole article here.