I recall people using McCulloch chainsaw engines on gokarts in those days Deejay, but I hadn't realised they were reed valve. It seems an odd way to go, but it was a long time ago. What I've read about the rationale seems to hover between "that was before we developed good port-controlled designs", and "reeds give better low speed torque and in special cases, a narrow-band boost at medium speeds". My current thinking is that they do have something to offer where low speed torque is important, and any weakness in high speed power can be overcome by making the engine bigger. Lawnmower engines may be a good application, since I think users like to hear the engine running decently across a range of speeds and loads, and I've never heard a Victa engine, in particular, do that.
