It was born for fun and delivered on every promise made to youths in the 1990s. Since models are now circulating on the streets that have been passed down from father to son, it’s natural for today’s youngsters to wonder how to boost the performance of their Malaguti Phantom F12.
The short answer is: with Malossi upgrades, that can transform your scooter from a “good travel companion” into a thrill machine.
Why boost the Phantom F12’s performance
IThe Phantom F12 has never been just any old moped (cinquantino): it has been rebellious ever since it came out of the factory – thanks in part to its design – it naturally invited riders to amplify its innate attitude, to make it faster, more responsive, and even more fun. While some aim only for pure top speed with their customisations, boosting the F12’s performance delivers much more. Tuning a Malaguti F12 with Malossi components is like unleashing its racing soul and supporting the natural evolution of a scooter built to thrill.
The thermal unit: where the spark fires
If we were to imagine the F12 as a patient, replacing the original thermal unit with the Malossi one would be equivalent to a heart transplant. Before starting the procedure, the owner of the vehicle should:
– know whether their scooter is air-cooled or liquid-cooled,
– choose whether to keep the original displacement unchanged or to increase it: this is a decision that changes everything.
Within the 50 cc limit or beyond?
Those who choose to maintain the original displacement have one mantra in mind: take it easy. Indeed, these thermal units can be easily mounted with approved exhaust systems, the original crankshaft and carburetors, do not require crankcase boring and are also favoured by the Municipal Police. Yet how do they manage to boost the Phantom F12’s performance? They succeed by making the most of what is already there, thanks to Malossi’s experience in the study of transfer ports and combustion chambers, to the lightened and balanced pistons, minimum tolerances, and the use of first-rate materials. Those, on the other hand, who crave speed and extreme power will find what they are looking for in our kits over 50 cc which go up to 94 cc.
The reliability of cast iron and the bisegment piston are what is needed for a “low cost, high yield” tuning that still meets the strict Malossi standards. For the air-cooled versions we have created:
- A 50 cc thermal unit
- A 70 cc thermal unit
- A 70 cc cylinder that also works great with the stock cylinder head
Liquid-cooled Phantom F12s can also rely on 50 cc and 70 cc thermal units Made in Calderara di Reno.
MHR Line for Malaguti Phantom F12
The acronym MHR stands for Malossi Hyper Racing: this refers to the line of components that originates directly thanks to the experience gained during the Trofei Malossi (Malossi Trophy) races and dedicated to the most extreme tuning, aimed at those seeking maximum performance on the track. Each MHR component is designed to work in perfect synergy with others in the same range, thus guaranteeing balance, power, and reliability even at high speeds. This is why, to achieve their utmost, MHR thermal units must always be paired with the corresponding exhaust system: only then can the engine express its full potential, making the best use of the timing diagrams and the power delivery curve for which they were developed.
For an intermediate upgrade, we therefore had to consider the superior performance of aluminium in terms of heat dissipation, the nickel and silicon carbide coating, as well as the more aggressive timing diagrams. We have increased the performance of the liquid-cooled Phantom F12 with the MHR 50 cc thermal unit equipped with a monosegment piston with tin coating. Instead, we have increased the displacement for the air-cooled version with the MHR 70 cc aluminium thermal unit and the equivalent variant for those that are liquid cooled.
At this point, the improvements are just a matter of splitting hairs: a further upgrade comes from the split cylinder head. The MHR Team thermal units were developed directly thanks to the experience we have gained from our experience in the Trofei Malossi (Malossi Trophy) races and guarantee unparalleled power. For the F12, we have created two variants:
However, we haven’t stopped there, because we also designed the Big Bore Testa Rossa with a split head, which reaches 94 cc. In addition to high performance, the two Testa Rossa kits have yet another feature in common: they require crankcase boring. When the displacement increases exponentially, it will be necessary to broaden the “shoulders” of your Phantom with our crankshafts that support all pin sizes, equipped with connecting rods of different lengths and increased strokes.
The Exhaust: your Phantom F12’s voice
If the thermal unit is the heart, the exhaust is undoubtedly your scooter’s voice. As we know, with your voice you can whisper, growl, or scream to the world. You decide how to make it sing, but to boost the Phantom F12’s performance, we have developed as many as eight different exhaust systems (for now). Why eight? It’s simple: it is essential to pair each thermal unit with its corresponding exhaust to allow the engine to express itself fully, as every cylinder has its own dedicated exhaust.
Fuel system
Without a good fuel system, the Phantom F12 is like an athlete on an empty stomach: it will never be able to give its best. Carburetors, reed valves, intake manifolds, and air filters work together to deliver the right charge to the engine, in the right way and at the right time. Here it’s not just about “feeding” your scooter, but about offering it a champion’s diet to transform every drop of fuel into fun.
Jus as with the exhausts, it is also important for the fuel systems to install products that are well matched to the rest of the tunings carried out. This is why, in this case too, we have developed a range of different solutions. The air filter, an element that may seem simple at first glance but must guarantee two fundamental and seemingly contrasting functions for performance is definitely worthy of mention: allowing the highest possible volume of air to pass through and, at the same time, having maximum effectiveness in retaining impurities. Our E5 and E13 Red Filters guarantee maximum performance in both aspects. For systems with a PHBG carburetor, the following are available in our range:
The Malossi VL12 and VL14 MHR reed valves have been redesigned with a recalculated flow angle and delivery section, and are equipped with 0.3 mm thick carbon petals.
Ignition systems and control units
The original ignition systems and control units might not work correctly at the high rotational speeds (RPM) that our tunings guarantee. However, we’ve thought of this too.
Our Phantom F12 ignition systems and control units deliver powerful, precise sparks, and the MHR Team inner rotor ignition system never misses a beat.
The transmission
The variator is the element that transforms the engine’s power into actual thrust, but to boost the Phantom F12’s performance, it is necessary to harmonise the set of tunings. It would prove to be useless, if not detrimental, to install a variator designed for very high rotational speeds with a thermal unit that does not match this upgrade.
That being said, with the Multivar variators, there is no need to modify the crankcases: the kit is of a plug-and-play nature, guaranteeing a smoother power delivery curve, a more reactive gear ratio change, and more stability at high speeds. With the Multivar MHR variators, however, a small modification to the crankcases is required. The kits include a movable half-pulley in a special diamond-machined alloy, interchangeable rollers, and racing springs to adapt to different setups. Based on the degree of tuning of your scooter and the required versatility, you can choose between:
– Multivar
– Multivar MHR
– Multivar MHR Over Range
– Multivar 2000 MHR
To bring the discussion on the transmission to a close, at Malossi we have two automatic clutches – the non-adjustable Fly Clutch and the adjustable Delta Clutch – which allow for extremely fine adjustments, to tailor the response of your scooter to your tastes as much as possible. Moreover, with a view to customising how your F12’s power is grounded, you can rely on a wide selection of clutch springs, variator springs, rollers, and gears with different ratios.
The important thing, before purchasing our components, is to carefully read the various applications for which they are designed, to make sure you buy the right part. After all, over the years, we too have grown and have made a few changes even to historical components in our catalogue.
Do you have your parents’ old avioscooter in your garage, or do you want to give your own a new lease of life? Now you know how to boost the Phantom F12’s performance to make it take off again.
