Why We Use Only SmartCarbs on a Range of Ducati and Norton Engines

At Italianiron & BritIron Classics, let us "Fuel Your Race Passions" is not just a slogan but a commitment, whether you are building a vintage Ducati TT or Pantah racer for competition, a Ducati F1 vintage street bike or restoring a Norton Commando or Manx racer. We continue to offer a comprehensive, specialty portfolio of Ducati TT, Pantah, F1 as well as Molnar Manx and Norton Commando engine, chassis and bodywork kits to all of our customers worldwide. We continue to help restorers and racers with providing them with top quality racing spares and offering painting services when required due to our restoration expertise and build results. We want to thank Corey Dyess, CEO and founder of the impressive SmartCarb flat-slide carbs. Since we have become dealers for the  SmartCarb factory, we have had great success improving the performance of a broad range of Ducati engines using this advanced SmartCarb technology. Whereas carburetors are designed mechanically to precisely mix air and fuel together to create efficient combustion, we find that the performance of the SmartCarb is in an entirely different category of excellence. This is why we would not use any other flat-slide carburetor despite having raced with DellOrto, Mikuni and Keihin. As Mikuni and Keihin have stopped development of their products, I am puzzled as to why there remains so much interest in buying old technology that is assembled from left over spares and sold by retail outlets. We highly encourage anyone who is interested in the most advanced technologically superior carburetor to read any of my 15 blog post articles on our successes with the SmartCarbs on this website as well as to visit the Smartcarb.com website to do your own research. Our 36 mm SC2's are shown below on our Ducati Monster S2R engine.

As written before Ducati bevel drive engines & belt driven engines love SmartCarb flat-slides. Further, at Italianiron & Britiron Classics, we have been able to confirm the factory's claims of the technical benefits of the SmartCarbs as providing a 30% saving in fuel consumption, 6 to 14%improvement in HP, "adaptability" to altitude and other atmospheric changes, ease of adjustment and 80% less in hydrocarbon emissions. It was very striking that when we installed 36mm SC2's to a Ducati S2R 1000cc engine that we achieved all of the technical benefits as listed above!! Why 36 mm SC2's? To maximize airflow with the least amount of turbulence by matching the 36 mm SC2's with the comparable size of the inlet ports of our Ducati engine. We have also found that for 2 and 3 valve Ducati engines that do not rev beyond 10k rpm, that our 36 mm SC2's are more than up to the challenge of maintaining linear power delivery up and down the rev range! We have also found that once we have set-up our SmartCarb2's, that there has been no need to "fiddle" with those settings whether at different race track venues or traveling up to Mt Lemon at 10k ft above sea level on a club ride. That has not been my experience when racing with other brands of carburetors such as DellOrto's, Keihin's or Mikuni's. Setting up your SmartCarbs is easy whether you use Michael Arnott's Hand Held Dyno kit or use a vacuum gauge. Further, as we have done a great deal of joint work with the SmartCarb factory, when an order is made, we will configure a good baseline for you. Our 36 mm SC2's are shown below on our Ducati 750 cc Flowed/Dual Plug race engine in our TT1.

What makes the industry leading SmartCarb technology competitive over other brands of carburetors and even fuel injection is the design of this precision instrument. "According to the factory, the SC2 provides extremely fine fuel atomization, precise mixture control, and air density compensation in a single circuit, jet-less fuel system." In addition, I credit the patented SmartCarb's venturi shape that focuses the airflow directly at the metering rod and in turn, maximizes fuel pick-up, atomization and most importantly performance at every and all throttle positions. Another unique design feature of the SC2 is that it vents the float bowl directly from the venturi opening. This patented feature creates that "adaptability" to changes in atmospheric pressures and manifold absolute pressure (MAP) directly into the float bowl. "This function of driving fuel flow is both proportional to both air density and velocity in real time", according to the engineers at the SmartCarb factory. As a result, the SC2 is more than able to compensate for a wider range of air density factors such as elevation and/or temperature changes. Another benefit of this design is that due to the internal float bowl venting, that there is a "near instantaneous fuel lift, precluding the need for a pumper circuit for quick throttle openings and response." A benefit for racers is that if/when you have that "off" this design will not let fuel escape. Perhaps this is why SmartCarb maintains such great racing successes and is the leader in the 2 stroke and dirt bike racing world!!  With that fact being the case, I would argue further that if an instrument as technologically advanced as the SC2 can perform so well in the "imprecise" operation of a 2 stroke engine, then perhaps it can more easily enhance the performance of the more precise functioning 4 stroke engine! Therefore, the success of the SmartCarb in the 2 stroke, dirt bike world makes it even more appealing as a fuel delivery system to be used in the 4 stroke engine world of racing!! Our single 36 mm SC2 is shown below on our Norton Commando 920 cc engine.  

Due to the successes that we have experienced using SmartCarbs on our vintage and modern Ducati engines, we have also used the SC2 with other marques. We have found that the technological benefits of the design of the SmartCarbs work well with other engines like Moto Guzzi, BMW and Norton Commando's. Shown above is our single 36 mm SmartCarb 2 mounted to our 920 cc Norton Commando engine. We will be posting dyno performance runs of our 36 mm SC2 once we have this "big bore" Norton Commando all wired up and performing as well. Currently, there are no RH and LH models of SmartCarb flat-slides but it is on the drawing board. However, we have had no problem getting to our SC2's on either the Ducati 900 ss MHR bevel drive or Ducati Monster S2R or Paso/Elephant 750 cc race engines. I almost never need to choke the SC2's unless the bike has been sitting for a significant amount of time. If there were a time that I needed to choke the SC2, I often just use the choke on one carburetor. However, I do understand that for owners of Ducati Darmah's and Paso's, for example, where bodywork restricts access to the carburetors, that remote choke kits are available as a solution. Otherwise, there is a significant range of SmartCarbs to choose from in 26 mm to 40 mm sizes and in a wonderful array of anodized colors to add to the aesthetic and individuality of your racer or performance street bike!!

We are also having great fun working on Norton Manx and Norton twin cylinder racers which is where I initially "cut my teeth" participating in period racing such as BOTT. In addition to our product portfolio for Ducati TT and other Ducati racers, we are also excited to support enthusiasts for Norton Manx and Norton Commando racers through Molnar Manx and BritIron Classics Norton. Check out our Norvil fairings & windscreen offerings. Please review the numerous newly manufactured TT, Ducati F1 and Norton Commando items such as our aluminum fuel tanks, for example, and listed on my Italianiron.com website. British marques are listed on the BritIron or Molnar Manx section of the website. As a result of our offerings, it is our hope to help you to become immersed in the history, the passion and the early racing technology of these amazing machines. Let us "Fuel Your Race Passions" to keep the sport of Vintage Motorcycle Racing alive and well!!