New from Thailand

[ThaiGyro]

Greetings from SouthEast Asia.  I am an American living in Thailand and new to this forum.  I am likely older than many here, but having fun with a few new projects.

My partner and I split our time between Pai District, up North in Mae Hong Son province, where I am doing a Yamaha TRX 850 project and here in Pathumthani, an hour North of Bangkok where she has a business.  We bought this little Gyro Up for running around the village, because it is much easier to park with very narrow streets in most places.

I am a semi-retired oil refinery worker and Mechanical Engineer.  I spent my post High School days in the San Francisco area, racing 2-strokes in 125GP, 250GP, AMA Pro Endurance races and in a 600cc Thumper GP class. I raced bikes from age 19 until 50, then SCCA DSR & FV class in NorCal, Utah and Washington State.

I am having fun researching upgrades for the Gyro and have found great data, but not in any easy fashion.  The Gyro Up and X are more popular here than the S or Canopy or Road Fox...there are a few more.  A few Thai companies still bring old ones here from Japan, so parts are available.  Many parts sources in SouthEast Asia, Japan and New Zealand.

I have seen older posts on other forums regarding the Gyro variations that are mis-information or speculation. I have been verifying things part-by-part in a effort to broaden my upgrade potential.

I see good things here that I will learn from.

Thanks!

[90GTVert]

Can't say we have many folks around with Gyros, but any info you care to share in the future as you continue your own education would certainly be appreciated.

[ThaiGyro]

Thanks Vert. I will be trying to pick the brains of anyone who has done mods to the Honda SK50 Dio. Though the cases are very different, as the Dio has 2 legs and the Gyro has 3, but it appears that they share everything else. So top end, ignitions, carb upgrades, pipes...I am trying to get good feedback on variator changes and clutches.

Everything should be easy and fun...no mods to this Gyro yet, except that someone decided that it needed no air filter, just a box. Easy to start, warms up slow, runs horrible sometimes, screams then nearly seizes...haha! Thailand is humid, then not...but always hot. It needs better air ducting and a fan to keep it cooled.

[aeroxbud]

Welcome to the forum.
Never seen that style of scooter before. Looks like a cool run around.
The TRX is starting to become collectable over here in Europe. You can do some cool mods to them, they sound great with open pipes too

[Senna1Rossi]

WELCOME!

WOW, 250gp bikes! what kinda?? RS250?? We need pics! Awesome

I bet there are some cool scoots there in Thailand! btw, have you ever tried Pad-thai? it's a noodle dish... it's really yummy. heh

[spaz12]

Welcome to the forum and I'm just as interested in your colorful race history as Senna. I have big love for anything fast and especially 2 strokes!

[ThaiGyro]

Sorry, this computer has more recent stuff. My racing two-stroke days ended in '84. I started on a production RD125B, then to it's racing bro the TA125. (Mine actually had a 6 speed) After that I competed in 250GP in AMA on a Yamaha TZ250D and a TZ250J. Once, I got to ride a TZ750, when a friend crashed and broke his collarbone. Scary! My favourite bike to race however, was my thumper. Honda NSR250 Frame, with a XR600 4T single at 13:1 compression. Loud!

Somewhere I have a flash drive with pictures of the NSR-XR600. TZ pictures are all in a box in the US in old slide form. Never did get them digital. I will try to find some. My TZ racing was money limited, so I would usually qualify 15 to 20th, out of 35 or so...and finish 10 to 12th...an occasional OMG day in the top 10. Was in third once, having a great day but crashed in turn 4 at Sears Point on the last lap after overcooking the entry...forgot to downshift coming down the hill off of 3A.

Yes, there are some fantastic scoots here. One local kid has a drag race looking Honda Zoomer...extended frame, fat road race style tires, CBR600RR fairing.

Thai food? I eat Thai food every day! Pad Thai is good everywhere, but there is so much more...We eat Southern Thai food a lot, which is spicier than the north and eastern food. Much seafood here. I like most of it.

[ThaiGyro]

Girls late for school...

[spaz12]

Winning is cool and all that, but just being in the race is what it's all about and from what little you mentioned, I'm sure that you've had a grand time of it! Hell, I'm fine if I can just watch it from the pits. Even watching it on the boob tube gets me excited   

[ThaiGyro]

You said it Spaz! I am nearly 60, and still ride hard enough to surprise many youngsters. I too am a pit junkie, and track days. I am hoping to get the TRX out there when I get it back together. In Buriram Thailand, Chang International raceway just hosted the second round of World Super Bike...nice!

Thai CTH TV channel carries F1, WSB, Moto GP and many more live! We often are up at 3 am to watch a good event.

[spaz12]

I have a buddy that is 60 ish and still races. Wins all the time and I think that it's just awesome that he's still out there smashing on the youngsters.

[sumo210]

Thats awesome you still race. welcome from here in texas

[tsimi]

Hi and welcome!
I was just driving by a small army of those Honda's today.

[ThaiGyro]

Yes! Those are all Honda Gyro X models. More square and boxier, but the same TA01/TA02 engine as the Canopy or Up as I have. The big difference is that the X and Canopy pivot the rider and rear platform/roof, whatever. The Up models rear deck was stationary above the engine as in my picture. The rider and front end only pivot. I chose the UP for that reason. I can haul "stuff", like parts, food, dogs or girlfriend without dumping anything...plus it it easier to get the rear, twin shock suspension to work better. It is harsh, with small hard tires and about 1.5" of travel. My new setup will be better.
My project will be slow, as we are developing a new business here, but I will keep a log of things where it fits in this forum. New builds....is there a slow build/dinosaur speed project spot?

If you find anyone interested... here is some information that other forums didn't quite understand regarding the Gyro's:
This 2 stroke line with the basic 49 cc engine began in '81...'82 model year. All were variations of the TB50 Honda line:
* Gyro X
* Gyro Up
* Gyro Up Canopy
The above had either TA01-E or TA02E engines, which shared near everything with an SK50 (and others) with AF16/18E engines. (Dio, Elite, Kymco, GY6, etc.) Honda made Gyro Canopy models are still being produced for Japan only, with a four stoke 49cc engine, the TC50-BB02E, as of 2008.

Other or later models included ones for North America: These scoots did NOT have the same engine. They came with a TB08E or TB090E.
*Stream
* Joy
* Just
* Road Fox

The difference as I have found is major. The TA01/02 & AF16/18 and maybe later...are Honda upright cylinders in a front mounted location near/above the swing arm. The other, NOrth American models listed, though still sharing most parts...have a rear, angled cylinder, with the plug exposed out the back, in effect, reversed. Other forums somehow, did not make this distinction and consider them all Gyro's, which they clearly are not. The other difference, though kind of minor, really, is the the original Gyro transmission is NOT like a current CVT, but rather has a 2 speed, stepped, lo-hi actuation. That matters little as the CVT variators, clutches and drive belts from all newer units mount directly. In Thailand, most have been changed already.

[stepthrutuner]

With your racing experiences you've led an envible life in my book. What did you run in DSR?