Buget HP

[OchoR]

Thank you all for your patience. I have used other peoples quads about 12 times, and have finaly bought my own. Like most everyone, I want to go faster, but am on a budget. In your opinion what are some bolt-ons under $500, that I would see the biggest increase in power. I am totaly stock with the exception of a Paul Turner pipe. I will be trail riding and duneing. Thanks in advance for any imput.

[OchoR]

P.S. it is a 86 trx 250r

[8686]

Are you looking to spend a total of $500?

Which Paul Turner pipe do you have? Do you have the matching silencer?

Everything else is bone stock?

[OchoR]

I am just looking to do a little at a time, so no, I plan on spending more than $500, just not all at once. I am not sure which Paul Turner it is, and no, it is not a matched silencer. It is aftermarket, but not a paul turner. Other then that it is bone stock.

[8686]

Since you already have a nice pipe, I would say a fresh top end with some midrange porting would probably be the best bang for your buck. There's a ton of places that port 250R cylinders. Make sure your head is set up properly as well. There's a lot of room for improvement there.

Along with cylinder work, upgrading your carb would be a good move. You can't go wrong with a Keihin 38mm Airstryker carb. It will work well with other mods you do down the road as well.

Make sure your reeds and air filter are in good shape, too.

I know buying all of these things at once would be over $500, but this might give you some ideas on which way to go with your quad.

[OchoR]

TY

[ballzdeep38]

you mentioned that everything other than the pipe was stock. how about your airbox/filter? going to a uni or K&N would help along with rejetting your stock carb and removing the lid off the airbox ($20-50). 38 A/S carb ($150-250 depending on if its new or used). as was mentioned before a fresh top end and a port job ($150-500). that should be a good starting point.

[Saul76]

a really cheap 'feel it in the seat of your pants' mod is dropping two teeth from the front sprocket (say 14 down to 12) or go bigger in the back (say 38 up to 40 or 42)

That's if you're looking for low end grunt.

[LONG-ROD]

Jeff windorf at F.A.S.T will give you a port job that will rival any for $150. do a new top end. and get a cool head w 19cc dome and run race gas. then do a 38 or 39 carb. looking at about $750 total w. carb. all new stuff. you will beat most 450s as long as everything else is up to par.

[jcs003]

to start. i would say reeds and a rejet. get a uni filter to aid in the first two upgrades.

[OchoR]

A few of you have mentioned "a new top end". What is this?

[86 Quad R]

nothing more than freshening up the cylinder with new bore, piston and rings. :)

[All250R]

In my opinion and what I tell anyone who asks, is when you first get a used bike is spend your initial money on the maintenance that's needed. Once the needed and deferred maintenance is done, you'll have a better idea what you're dealing with in terms of performance. Little things like cables, suspension settings, grease points, worn tires, and a loose, low compression top end will make performance problems seem worse than they are. Correcting them makes the other items show for what they really are.

Spend your first dollar of the 500 on a service manual.

Then go through and identify issues that are easy to correct.

Ride, and then identify issues that are not as easy to correct (like clutch action, engine performance, crappy chassis feel).

By the time you're done with all this you'll be well into your $500, but at that point you'll have a more honest representation of what your quad really is and you can spend your performance mods budget more effectively.

It's not sexy and overly exciting to do this work, but it will yield you the best long term results for the least money.

[OchoR]

All great stuff guys. Thank you.

I do have an owners manual, and have gone through 99% of it so far, which makes me feal good to have that assurance before moving forward. I like the bolt-on idea of the carb, but I was talking to a well know bike builder local to here, and he said that no one thing will I really notice a differance on. Your guys thoughts?

[IcutMetl]

Well I can tell you this, I noticed a TON of difference when I had my cylinder ported and used a thin head gasket to boost compression. Granted I had a 38mm carb to begin with , but afterwards it was a night and day difference. I don't think I had any more than $375 in a bore/hone/port, plus a complete wiseco piston kit/gasket/pin bearing set off of ebay.

[LONG-ROD]

ya put a fresh top end and port job. if everything else checks out. you will notice it.. alot.. your small carb will work.. just wont be much for top end . but will be plenty snappy. get a 38 air striker or pwk next go round. and understand your gearing.. so you can tune it to your likings..

[OchoR]

I thought the PWK and the Airstryker were one and the same....No?

[OchoR]

I am so confused:p

[K-Dub]

The make both a PWK and then a PWK air stryker.

[OchoR]

If I buy a used one, is there a way I can tell the differance?

[LONG-ROD]

yes you can.. a pwk will have pwk printed right on the side. the pwk was the first to come out i beleive. the air striker will give a little better throttle response in the beginning of the power band. a pwk is better for the top end... most drag banshees run pwk. I run a 39 pwk on a 265 and Im not complaining

[OchoR]

Does the Airstryker not say PKW on it?

[K-Dub]

The easy way to tell the difference is on the air cleaner side of the carb has 2 fins that stick up angled in toward each other. That is the air stryker, if it doesnt have these fins its a regular pwk.

[LONG-ROD]

thanks now that you say that I remember seeing that on my buddies. I dont think his labeled pwk.

[250rPRIDE]

i think they are all pwk's but look for the fins on the AS.

you got a pipe, good. now get your cylinder ported for sure!! its will be your best improvment.. dont worry about a coolhead not needed. get a thinner head gasket to bump compresion a little so you can still run high octane pump gas.. get it around 185lbs.. then get a used 38 AS carb and get it tuned perfect! with a uni air filter and some new reeds. and a rad valve or cr250 intake set up..
wow you will be so happy. i promise

porting around $150 for mid range job.
used 38 AS carb 130-150
gaskets 50
used uni or k&n 25
used rad valve on ebay 50
new reeds 40
jetting about 10
the look on your face the first time you hammer on it after "break in" PRICELESS!!!! :D
TOTAL price $475.00 there you go
hopefully you dont need a piston and bore. but i would save up another 150 and do that and it will all be new. you may get away with rings for a while

take you time look for good used parts and you can do it for this price or less and your r will RIPPPPPP
ha goodluck and have fun with the rebuild

[LONG-ROD]

dude don't waste your time taking the top end down for a port if your not going to freshen it up.. don't half *** it.. you will regret it

[250rPRIDE]

Originally posted by LONG-ROD
dude don't waste your time taking the top end down for a port if your not going to freshen it up.. don't half *** it.. you will regret it

i agree 100% but it seems to me that he was unsure of a lot of things.. this bike might have just been freshened up.. but ya it should be all done with a port-job, RIGHT..