Minarelli vs. Piaggio

MrBenelli

10sec Racing
I was just wondering what everyone thinks of these engines. Piaggio and Minarelli have the most parts made for them, but which manufacture do you believe puts out the best performance? Piaggio or Minarelli? and why?
 
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Sssh! That's a dangerous topic ;)
Of course it depends on who's the tuner. The basic design of the Piaggio engine is a bit better, but both can be tremendously improved. No-one races with a stock-engine of course.
 
Originally posted by MrBenelli
In saying all of this... in competition, will a minarelli based bike be competitive against a piaggio? Just looking for opinions...

Sure it will! From what i know, they use alot of minarelli machines on the racingtrack in France.
IMO a minarelli can be as powerful as a piaggio, but i just think it takes a bit more effort. But sure it can compete with piaggio :)
 
Originally posted by Aidix
Sssh! That's a dangerous topic ;)
Of course it depends on who's the tuner. The basic design of the Piaggio engine is a bit better, but both can be tremendously improved. No-one races with a stock-engine of course.

Hey I am not too familier with Piaggio based bikes, I was curious as to the specifics in their design that makes them a little better?
 
I thought the shape of the crankcase was better. Somehow it just results in more HP.

One thing that always freaks me out is that minarelli parts are so damn small and/or located at a very inconvenient place. Piaggio engines are easier to work with, everything is within reach (without having to take the entire scooter apart just to reach the carb) and there's enough room for your hands and tools.
It's also in small details, the piaggio exhaust is attached to the cylinder and crankcase with a separate nut that can be replaced. The minarelli system is 'direct bolt in thread'. Make one mistake and your cylinder or crankcase thread is ruined.

Still I'm very satisfied with my current minarelli setup. Most people won't notice the difference anyway and the most important thing is that you can have a lot of fun with both.
 
There ain't that much difference. Piaggio has bigger pulleys, stronger crankshaft, the cooling of the cylinder is better designed.
Bigger is the difference in racing parts; The ZIP is a bomb on the track, so parts are more optimised for its engine. Less effort is put into development of minarelli parts.
However thermodinamics don't look at the type of the engine, so with a little work and knowledge engines will perform the same.
 
Originally posted by Aidix

One thing that always freaks me out is that minarelli parts are so damn small and/or located at a very inconvenient place. Piaggio engines are easier to work with, everything is within reach (without having to take the entire scooter apart just to reach the carb) and there's enough room for your hands and tools.
It's also in small details, the piaggio exhaust is attached to the cylinder and crankcase with a separate nut that can be replaced. The minarelli system is 'direct bolt in thread'. Make one mistake and your cylinder or crankcase thread is ruined.


I don't see why they can't make a minerelli style cylinder that has the seperate nut to bolt into. I always have to be so carful about putting my exaust bolts on plus I bet you can tighten it better with a nut, my evo exhaust is always spewing a little burt oil gas out a tiny leak. I'm switching to a different style gasket I think. But I definetly agree with you on the carb set up, I hate where my carb is. On my bike though I did learn a way to get the carb out and jet it without removing any panels. Just have to undue one screw for the side trim to hand down for extra room but I don't have to take the body panels off. All I did was drill a hole in the bottom of the underseat storage to allow my screwdriver to get in to the intake clamp, works rather nicely.
 
What i've noticed is that any performance parts made for a piaggio motor produce more HP period then the minarelli counterpart.... doesn't anyone else think thats bias? lol ... i know with a bit of time that you can get a minarelli performing to competively compete with a piaggio motor.... although the fact that the zip IS the preffered competition bike. I ride a benelli and with the weight comparision of the two bikes... i'd have to more HP then a zip to compete with the torque out of a corner. and as we know, piaggio motors are more highly favoured by manufactures... so it takes work with a minarelli in order to get it up to par.
 
i disagree with some statements... i think the piaggio is standard a bit better, but after some modifications (on both) they will perform the same.
Aidix, you say everything is small on mina, but i think its the other way round, for example the 'tapeinden' (cilinder screws:p)
the waterpump is inside the carter, very difficult...
most minarelli scooters have lots of space to reach everything, after removing the standard airfilter (which nobody uses anyway...)
its just the lowweight zip that made the market this way, maybe some lc zonic builders can end that :p

mina powerrrrr :D
 
But what about the small pulleys, less extra space (you have to machine a minarelli engine for use with overrange/evo, plus there is less than 1cm of free space above and below the standard air fan), 10mm piston pen, inconvenient carb location.....
Once I remove my air filter box I still have to remove about 12 screws, entire seat+ rear fender + side of my scooter before I can adequately reach both carb and inlet.

My Runner simply had a maintenance hatch :) 1 screw!!!
Oh wel...
 
mja, like i said, some std mina parts are a bit less. but nobody rides an 10mm crank icw evo/speed etc.
my aerox was easy, no buddy removal...
 
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