Tomos Super Moped

1999 Tomos Targa LX moped. 50cc two stroke. Two speed automatic centrifugal clutch transmisson. Top speed, about 34 mph.

I bought this about a year ago with the intention of turning it into the ultimate high speed race ped. Mopeds usually get a pretty bad rap for being sissy machines. Ride one for awhile and you'll hear people yelling "Get a real motorcycle!" out their window as they pass you in an intersection. Or the kids walking in the parking lot of your local walmart will yell, "Heyyyyy it's a moped!!" The woman riding on the back of the harley that passes you on a back road will look over and be chuckling.

That's to be expected, if you want to ride a moped, you know that it's coming. And more or less, it is a sissy machine. It beats walking or pedaling up a long hill by a lot. But as far as high speed thrills are concerned...uh...not so much.

BUT! Maybe not too many people know, there is a pretty large aftermarket for performance parts for these things, especially Tomos mopeds, but also other brands. Big bore kits, exhaust pipes, intakes, different heads.

So my plan is to buy all the biggest, hottest parts that are available, and with a few of my own modifications also, have the worlds fastest street ..eh emm.... "legal" moped.

I have read online reports suggesting 60mph or more is possible with a 70cc kit
My goal is at least 65mph top speed


Stock and tired looking engine. Plastic factory air box and Dellorto flat slide carb.
I'll be switching to a mikuni round slide


This is actually not the factory exhaust. It's an aftermarket Bi-turbo exhaust (which is extremely dented up on the bottom)
These are the low end of the aftermarket stuff, we'll need something a bit more high tech
This one is going on the wall for display


First we gotta tear it down, then order a ton of parts
I'll keep the updates coming...

Cool! Gonna be kind of like a "sleeper" of sorts when it's done, haha. I'm looking forward to seeing the mods you're gonna be making yourself.

Sounds like a good plan! This should really be interesting, lol

Cool project, looking forward to seeing what performance mods you're going to do to it. Should be pretty fun when finished.

Thanks. Yeah It'll be sort of a sleeper I suppose.
Right now the engine is out and I'm working on the upper frame brace
The plan is to weld in some 1" square tube. It should still fit nice under the fuel tank


Pedals removed. The two clutches are under that bulged area right under the carb
They have a cork lining and run in automatic transmission fluid
One is for 1st gear and one for high gear


Drive sproket and the three mounting points on the engine visible
Once I mod the engine, I'll also change the gearing a bit
I'll go a few teeth larger on this front sprocket
26 tooth front is supposed to be stock, I hear going much larger than 29 or so requires hacking into the case
Going smaller in the rear is hard too because the edge of the rim prevents you from putting a much smaller sprocket on

going for more speed?  I'd lose that engine and stuff a two stroke dirt bike motor in it or something like a 150cc lifan motor might fit the frame easier.  I'd rather mod that than a chainsaw motor, but either way you go I'm making some popcorn to watch this thread.

That was always one of my ideas too, but the frame is so light duty. By the time you swap the engine, not much of it is a moped anymore, so you kinda lose the sport of it in my opinion. Also to be a legal moped in my state, it's supposed to have pedals.

Also it's supposed to be 50cc or under but....

yada yada yada, one engine "rebuild" later and the displacement is now 70cc, sorry officer

1" square tube frame brace. Still needs to be welded in place but I think that should keep things feeling solid during high speed and hard cornering.


On step through models, that fatter front part of the frame is used as a gas tank.

Have you fathered a child yet?

That's no problem lol, the gas tank goes over it anyway so same difference.

Welded in the frame brace


Cleaned some of the mold and dirt off the frame so we look a bit more professional


Still plenty of room under the gas tank around the brace. Clears it no problem.

How have I missed this project? Very cool.

Those rims look pretty light duty. You sure they'll hold up?

Thanks mightyraze

Rims hold up? I have no idea lol. This morning I found a dented in spot in the rear one. It's out of round a bit, not sure if it had anything to do with me trying to hop over a small log with it a few months back or not...

Other guys have reported 60mph speeds with these with a kit, so it's been done. But with a lot of use and possibly hitting some accidental bumps, I really don't know what will hold together. The whole thing is pretty light. It's not meant for this kinda thing for sure.
Buahahahaaaaa. We either hit 70mph or end up in the hospital....or both