Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125799
The luddha-ized lui o This stubbV-looking chamber is part of the Pursang performance package. RPM band in the lower gears was shortened by Buddha kit but it ran on out at top end. by John Huetter Photo by Randy Dietzel and Huetter In keeping with a non-policy of foUowing up tests of stock racing machinery with a few hot tips and trick set-ups for performance freaks and fInesse fanciers, we got exposed to a "kit" of sorts that Buddha Bultaco out in Riverside, Cal. uses on their shop racers. The modifications indicated apply to the 125 Pursang which, for 90% of all riders, is plenty quick enough already. But if you wanna be fastest... Th e modifIcations that Buddha makes include matching the ports, which isn't any big secret but is a good stan toward shaping a racing engine. The stock Amal is replaced by a whopping 38mm concentric Amal. Some of the riders fel t the bike was overcarbureted. Others that rode it never experienced anything detrimental, or anything really different from the stock carb except at the top end. There was a lot more of it. A special Buddha-designed manifold is required to adapt the 38 Amal to the engine so that, necessarily, is part of the modification kit. There is also a trick pipe that goes on the modified Pursang ligh tweigh t. I t is very short and stubby. It was developed empirically rather than by' pencil and paper and slideruJe and seems to have the effect of shortening the RPM range in each gear. You run out of first and second very fast. The positive effect is that you get into the higher gears out of necessity and that gets you going faster. So far, we've only mentioned bolt·on performance improvemen ts. A rider can do the pipe, carb and manifold bit alone for a power increase that will cost him a little over $100. Buddha goes a bit further, however, and replaces the Pursang flywheels with some heavier wheels to provide more low end torque. What this means is a more effective transfer of power to the ground. The whole treatment (including parts) will set you back financially about $200. How far will it set you abead racewise? Enough. You will notice the difference. There's no doubt that a quick motorcycle has been made quicker. There are two questions the Buddha-ized Pursang raises. How quick is it? and is all the money and effort worth it? We, answered the question in a practical fashion by having a head to head to run with some other racers. It didn't matter too much who was in the saddie, the trick Pursang could beat any other 125 stock, all of them racers, in a drag race. We ran it against some respectable racers, but none cf the other ones had received the special treatmen t as had the 125 But The 125 was run against some racing 250s. Motocross machines, to be more precise. It would not pull all of them out of the hole, the gearing was not quite right and, frankly, even with the heavier flywheels, the 250 MXers have more poop down low when you first start to wick it on. The little Pursang would, however, run with the 250s at the top end. If you were really sharp on your shifts and really screamed the engine, you could stay with a 250 almost all the way, eventually matching it at top speed. That is what you buy. If you're a serious racer, that is probably a very valuable commodity. We didn't have it long enough to evaluate the reliability factors in the modifIcations, but there doesn't seem to be anything inherently wrong with the setup since the 125 Pursang does feature the 250 bottom end and other running gear. You would have to be very good to really appreciate the difference. The littlest Bultaco is so fast already only the Experts can really ride it wicked all the way out. And the machine is just a trifle pipey. You run up in the revs so fast that! you get in the power band just about as quick but the band just isn't as broad. There are still more goodies that Buddha puts in to their own racers, including an American-made primary chain which helps to avoid that ominous popcorn sound in the cases that is a source' of worry to Bul riders. Another option with the Buddha kit is the special fork crown that Buddha has designed. It's not an extra cost item, but part of the kit if you want it. Buddha allows as how it permits you to shorten or lengthen effective fork tube length, thereby changing the trail for different types of competition or personal riding style. Still not enough Bultaco trick stuff? Look at the next page. The giant (relatively) 38.mm Amal carb is another part. Some liked it, some thought.it was too much.