Evo 2x

The Evo 2x is the first and only production, two speed scooter (with the exception of its little brother, the Evo 2). It sports a one-of-a-kind two speed belt transmission, knobby air tires, cam-link front suspension and the exotic Active 50 engine.

The 2x is a marvel of modern scooter design, not only for it's two speed transmission, but also for various design features which make owning and riding a scooter easier. The 2x features Evo's 1-Touch Tension System, a quick release seat and the unmatched Posi-lock folding system.

The Evo is a very heavy scooter(62lbs), but that suits its primary purpose as a cruiser. Despite its weight, the Active 50 has no problem pushing the stock scooter to 35-37 mph. With a relatively simple modifications, like gearing change and the addition of a tuned pipe, the 2x can break 40mph.

Motor: Active 50 (Italian)
Oil Mixture Ratio: 60:1 (with synthetic oil)
Top Speed: 35mph
Range: 20 miles
Clutch: 78mm centrifugal clutch
Transmission: Evo two speed transmission
Tension System: 1-touch tension system
Brakes: front and rear mechanical disc brakes
Wheels: aluminum alloy split rim wheels
Tires: 10" air tires
Handlebars: MX style bent
Forks: Evo cam-link suspension
Folding: Posi-lock folding
Deck: billet aluminum
Frame: aluminum w/ steel reinforcement
Frame Protection: Composite under-frame scrub board
Dry Weight: 62 lbs.

Controls[]

The 2x has 4 sets of controls on the handlebars. On the left is the rear brake lever and shifter. On the right is the front brake lever and throttle lever. Each control operates a bowden cable. These types of cables are commonly used on bicycles and are easy to find and replace.

Evo brake caliper — Evo's simple lever calipers

Evo brake disc — non-standard disc mount pattern

Brakes. The braking system on the Evo 2x is managed entirely from the handlebars through the application of pressure to disc brakes on each wheel. The front and rear brakes are nearly identical. They both use a pulley to squeeze calipers with shoes onto the brake disk on scissor like arms.

These caliper style disc brakes are not as powerful as they could be due to the flexibility of the calipers. When squeezing the handles, the brakes will feel soft. This turns out not to cause much of a problem due to the excellent friction characteristics of the brake pads, but switching these brakes out for a standard set of bicycle calipers is a common modification.

The wheels have a non-standard disc mounting scheme and will not accept industry standard discs without fabrication.

Evo shift lever — The bottom lever switches to second gear and the top level returns to first gear.

Shifting. The shifter is a two lever thumb shifter which bears the name "Puzey" on the front and "microShift" on the back. It operates a bowden cable which extends through the support pole and frame to the transmission behind the operator's feet. 2nd gear is achieved by pressing the lower lever which squeezes the pressure plates of the 2nd gear clutch. 1st gear is return by pressing the upper lever which releases the cable and lets the 2nd gear clutch spin freely.

Throttle. The throttle of the 2x is a simple black plastic finger lever on the right side of the handlebars.

Adjustments[]

The 2x's belt system is controlled by two adjustment mechanisms. The 1-Touch Tension System adjusts the main, drive belt by pulling the bottom of the transmission against away from the wheel. One can simple tighten or loosen this belt by tightening or loosening a bolt underneath the deck.

The two belts within the transmission are more difficult to adjust. These belts will seldom need adjustment. For more information on how to adjust these belts, see Evo two speed transmission.

Performance[]

Braking Because of the flexibility of the brake calipers used on the Evo 2x the brakes fell a little soft, but provide ample braking capability for the fast speed the scooter is capable of. When adjusted correctly, it is relatively easy to lock up the back tire or front tire while in motion.

Acceleration When it comes to raw acceleration, the 2x] cannot be beat. Because of the two speed transmission, the scooter can take full advantage of the powerband of the engine twice while all single speed transmissions can only feel it once. This mechanical advantage on top of the power of the Active 50 puts the scooter in a class of its own.

Top Speed The stock scooter will compete head to head with the fastest scooter produced by any other manufacturer. Although the belt drive transmission produces a noticeable amount of friction when compared to a direct chain drive, the friction is less than that of a static tensioner chain drive system. With the addition of a tined pipe and higher gearing, this scooter can carry an adult rider up to 40mph.

Stability With the combination of the rock-solid posi-lock folding system, the low center of gravity and front suspension, the 2x is one of the few scooters that does not experience speed wobbles at any reported speed.

Reliability[]

The 2x is one of the most reliable scooters ever produced. The steel and T6 aluminum frame are nearly indestructible. There have been reports of Evo scooters going 1300 miles without even replacing a belt^[1].

The 2x and all of Evo's scooters have been held in high esteem since they were first introduced. Although they 2x was originally released with a flawed 1st generation transmission, Evo quickly replaced each at customer's request (without charge).

The reliability of this machine has a lot to do with its robust design, thick steel and aluminum frame and reliable Active 50.

Things you'll never have to replace[]

The Frame and Suspension. Even though this scooter is largely designed with light weight aluminum, it is reinforced with steel where necessary. This makes the frame and structure of the scooter nearly indestructible.

The Engine.The Active 50 is not only an impressive power plant, it is also one of the most reliable engines available. A properly maintained engine which is run on 91+ octane fuel with a proper mix (1:40 - 1:50) will last the life of the scooter.

The Deck. The 2x comes with one of the sturdiest decks available for a scooter. Although it is aluminum, it is unbelievably resilient to scratching and will never bend or crack.

You may eventually have to replace[]

The bearings. When Evo produced the 2x, they decided to use shielded bearings to support the drive mechanisms.

While these shielded bearings allowed for higher RPM operation and slightly lower original price, they often became contaminated with dirt and failed around 800 - 1000 miles (depending on driving conditions). If the bearings weren't replaced before they failed, often, they would do considerable damage to the rest of the transmission.

A simple bearing replacement can also be done for less than $50 and without access to a shop.

You should immediately replace[]

Nothing! This scooter was built to be a high performance machine and that is exactly what it will be for a long time.

Production[]

The 2x was generally constructed in Taiwan and shipped to the United States for final assembly.

United States. Evo's 2x began production in the Italy and the last new 2xs were purchased in late 2006. Officially, Evo claims that the 2x is out of production due to EPA restrictions that the Active 50 engine did not meet. Though speculation has been made about the viability of offering a roller or producing the 2x with a different engine. However, Mike Puzey (owner of the company) switched the production from itatly to Japan/China. Mostly everything is the same accept the Engine. The original Active-50 A50 was banned from being sold in the united states becuase it did not pass EPA regulation. Now the scooter comes with a Mike-Puzey designs 49cc "china" engine that is relativily weak compared to the active-50, but will last a life time as it was made for live-time, not performance. If a user decides to stick with the chinese engine, a Exhuast pipe and a HP carborator along with MILD easy porting done to the cylinder head will bring the chinese engine to live. The engine can also be replaced with any other standard 78mm clutch based engine. A very popular engine swap is the GP460. A Ching-Yang Engine that is extremely popular and is used on many other scooters like Go-peds and BladeZ scooters. The GP460 will not phase out support for a very long time so it is very easy to optain any parts in the u.s.a and anywhere else in the world; so a engine swap to a GP460 is recommened. The other changes included, different tires and a switch from a Belt-Type final drive to a chain-type final drive. Everything else is the same and either the same materials or relativilly the same materials (like the difference between t61 and t68 stainless steel. It isnt but so much different.)

Now the Evo2x BIG is being sold and warrenty support is no longer availible for the original Evo2x. However, Evo2x and Evo2x BIG parts are 90% interchangeable.

References[]

↑ http://puzeydesign.blogspot.com/2006/03/evo-1300-mile-monster-machine.html