OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Victa Two Stroke Engines 125cc Powertorque Series. Might Have Been?

Can anyone verify if Victa were considering a 125cc version of the half crank 'Powertorque' 2 stroke?
They could have positioned it for the cheaper steel deck models, and had more excuse to charge the higher prices they did for the fancy looking Vortex. Commando and Mustang models.
The cheapo steel decked models performed just as well at their task as the flasher looking thumb latch
catcher models. (I'm talking of the late 1980s era -the peak period of PT sales.)

I can't imagine why Victa would have even considered it, the difference in manufacturing costs would have been insignificant so why complicate matters with another engine. They got it right when the came out with the Powertorque and that has been proven by the fact they only stopped making them this year. Pretty good run for a motor, over 30 years with only the plastic top being changed to make it look like a new model. My guess is sales dropped off on them because people got sick of problems with the carby causing over revving and the cable getting stuck on the lumps and bumps they put in the cam. Once people realize just how much better a 2 stroke will cut grass they are amazed. People forget that the 2 stroke turned millions of Australian back yards into easily managed lawns, and a lot of those were Victas. Remember Victa was selling 1000 of the toe cutters a day once people saw how well they performed

The 125 was already there when they introduced the 160 for more power, so it must have been viable to keep making the existing125 alongside it.
I guess there was no point in going to the trouble of developing a small version of a newly developed ground up engine.

I don't follow the history too much but I think the 125 was long gone by the time the Powertorque was introduced. The full crank 160's had been around for a lot of years before the Powertorque came into being, so there would be no reason they would have thought of going back to a 125.

G'day all

These are only observations.
To my knowledge, no 125cc was contemplated.

By about 1975-76 Victa had the larger 170cc Twin.
By 1977-78 Victa had the smaller 85cc engine.
With the 125cc and 160cc that made four engines in the line-up.

I feel Victa learnt something from this, or were forced to
take note from other lawnmower makers and the market in general.

It was this: you can have very successful market differentiation
at a much cheaper price if you focus on cosmetic changes, and/or
cheaper-to-make specification changes.

Today, we see this in lawnmowers ... but we also see it everywhere.
The mere change of dress cowls, colour, wheel sizes, options, etc.,
all could deliver a 'range' more economically than the economies-of-
scale loss in having to produce distinct engine sizes.

Being a cynic, I might also add that, today, identical products
can be packaged and marketed differently and to different classes
of consumer. It's all about deception and perception.

Interesting question
----------------------------
Jack

The powertorques has varied power grades according to models. How did they achieve this? Differing inlet size or a restrictor applied to lower end models?
Her is another idea. A170cc twin powertorque!!

I think the difference in the power is probably the different cams they fitted in the carbies, they were obviously trying all different types. I don't believe there was any need for a bigger motor to be fitted to any domestic mower, a 160cc 2 stroke will cut anything you can push it through, particularly if you tweek the carby and get it to function smoothly

On a couple of occasions I have mowed grass nearly 2 feet tall with a standard powertorque domestic mower without complaint, except for a grasscatcher that had to be emptied with each strip of mowed lawn!!
No way would my B&S four have had a hope in doing it.

Try that with a B&S and you would end up with a leg out of bed

Just got thinking today, what about a powertorque with wind up starter??

Why complicate a starter setup that works so easily as it is, probably one of the best pull starters on any small engine

I do agree, it is an excellent pull starter mechanism the way it engages the crank. Superior to anything before it.
Come to think of it, an impulse starter on a pt would cause damage inside!!