J. Costa specific questions for JeffR

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bigbird,

I had the J. Costa for a while and changed the pins twice and then decided to install the Dr Pulley sliders. The J. Costa is a really good modification and does smooth it out some. I really liked it except for the pins having to be replaced every 9,000 miles. It seems at that point the rpms start to go up about 200-300 rpms.

It does give a great increase in acceleration and after about 80 indicated the rpms' would start to decrease, compared to the stock variator. Now, I'm not an authority on this, at least not more than many others with the J Costa but I appreciate the confidence in me. It has been a year or so since I had the Costa on my bike so maybe others can chime in as to how much smoother the Costa is vs the stock one.

I just can't remember how much smoother it was, but I remember it being smoother and quieter. The pins were $65 a set and I put 10,000 miles a year so it just seemed somewhat expensive year after year.

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bigbird:
I am really pleased with the J Costa. I have about 8,000 miles on mine and I expect that I will need to change the pins later this year, but the increased performance and smoothness is most definitely worth the cost. I live above 5,000 feet above sea level and weigh about 235lbs, so the combination is quite a load going up and down the mountains. The J Costa gives my bike the extra power I need to pass quickly - plus it is just plain fun.
DCC

I put a J Costa on mine in January and have put about 1200 miles on since then. I love the extra power and tend to do too many WOT starts. I do think that it is smoother than with the stock variator - the stock variator made the dash rumble and the JC only has the smallest of rumbles.

One drawback is the increased gas consumption. My mpg had gone from 51 to about 48 before installation. After installation, it has since dropped to as low as 44 for a few tankfuls and has crept back up to 47 mpg (all US gallons). It is probably a combination of the cold weather and being very lead-handed with the throttle.

I bought my scoot for fun, not utility or "savings". I don't regret the $280 expenditure at all. If anything happened to the JC, I would either replace it immediately, or experiment with lighter weight rollers/sliders for a similar performance feel.

I'm going to try the dr pulleys 28g roller weights next after the pins are worn, see if there is any difference

Go for it, big bird!! The difference between stock and the Costa is like night and day, so long as your expectations are reasonable (hey, its not a turbo/supercharger). In my mind its what should've come on the bike (much like the Givi windshield).

I don't worry about how many miles I put on as we get only 3-4 decent riding months in Newfoundland. The pins will probably outlast me!!

My latest mods are mirror extensions and a Leroy style rider backrest that provides me with a nice backrest instead of a buttrest. I used a slightly different approach as the brackets I made were shaped like a lightening rod (helps move the seat forward while maintaining the correct angle.

Captain

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bigbird,

Matt has great customer service. I remember when I ordered the J. Costa one of the pins broke and he sent one out the next day, even though I told him it would be a couple of weeks before I installed it. Don't worry though, he said I was the first one that a pin cracked. It was probably dropped by one of the shippers.

Bigbird,

There's a pictorial on here somewhere (believe its Jeff's) of how to do the install. I wouldn't even attempt it without having a paper copy for reference (of course, you may be machanically inclined whereas I'm still working on legos).

Cap'n

Bigbird,

Here is the pictorial link:

https://www.silverwing600.com/pictorials-how-to-perform-maintenance-f21/variator-and-belt-pictorial-t23.htm?sid=d329bc6153a81ea6eb9bb9c3cd92c951

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The most obvious J. Costa improvement for me was a serious reduction in vibration when you're pulling out. It's a bit more zippy too.

I put my JC on last year and enjoy the scooter a whole lot more now. Got rid of the belt slap and vibrations, alot more "pull" through the entire powerband. But like they have said, your mpg drops a little. (not sure, but this might have something to do with my more "spirited" driving though...LOL)