Apologies for skipping around - I'm not known for not being scatterbrained.
I'm fairly certain the starting issue is carb tuning related. The idle is rough. Actually, just sitting in the buggy it was tickling my inner ear. Never had that happen. Maybe the beginning of a sinus infection. I'll pull off that valve cover and verify cam install isn't a tooth off and verify the valve lash before I do any more top speed runs.
Thanks for pointing that out that the reverse has different gearing. Based on that comment I'll likely go back to the stock 31t sprocket for the time being.
On a completely unrelated note..
I was working on the mini buggy last night and decided to cut the trash buggy muffler open. Apparently the previous owner added speed holes at some point and hid them under the heat shield.
I read these things were restrictive but I wasn't expecting all this.
At this point I can't figure out why visibility in the garage was down due to smoke. Open all the doors, turn all the fans on. Still smoky. Apparently the packing had caught fire..
