I sent my cylinder away to eric gorr over the winter to have the 144 treatment.
Over the last 3 years I've rebuilt my bike way wayyyy more than I should have needed to, mainly because the plating had been worn down and piston slap has been the cause of my last 2 siezures(broken skirts).
Finally got a few $$ set aside and shipped it out for the 144, since it would have cost me $400(ballpark) in Canada to just re-plate the damn thing.
Anyway, when I first got it together it was lean, jets are on back order for weeks, I could tell the bottom was stronger, but it was so anemic up top because it was starved for fuel I didn't scream it.
First race comes up, FINALLY a nice hot day, and I could tell in my practice the bike was ripping, I'd come out of a corner neck and neck with a 250f on a straight and leave them way behind.
First moto, decided I'd have full confidence in the engine and see how it did on the start.
And to be clear, I mean that I'd shoot right for the money line in the corner, where the bottle necks and pile ups are, assuming that I'd be able to get there before most of the pack, where last year I'd go outside because I KNEW I'd be beaten by half the field to the first corner.
Lined up against 34 other bikes, about 6 were 2-strokes.
Gate drops and I'm SECOND into the first corner! Couldn't believe I just left a gate of four strokes on the start.
Unfortunately I ran out of talent and fell back to 12th haha.
I've had 6 moto starts this year, only one of them I was mid pack. All of the others I've pulled top 10 starts every time, and twice I've been top 5 out of the gate. It goes beyond that too, used to be 2-strokes had to make use of their advantage in corners, but in straights are where I'm passing.
Now, bottom gain is noticeable, but you'd still have to be stupid to lug this in a corner and try to use bottom end power. It's just nice to have a little more there when I mess up and am a gear high in a corner and it can still sometimes pull through it without losing my momentum.
Very happy with this engine now, and 2-strokes seem to be coming back a little bit around here, since the 1st and 2nd place riders in my class are on a yz and sx 125.
If I had no bike right now, instead of dropping 4k on a used 250f, I would 100% buy a 2002-2006 125 and bore it to a 144. You could probably still do this for a good $500 less than a good used 250f.
Over the last 3 years I've rebuilt my bike way wayyyy more than I should have needed to, mainly because the plating had been worn down and piston slap has been the cause of my last 2 siezures(broken skirts).
Finally got a few $$ set aside and shipped it out for the 144, since it would have cost me $400(ballpark) in Canada to just re-plate the damn thing.
Anyway, when I first got it together it was lean, jets are on back order for weeks, I could tell the bottom was stronger, but it was so anemic up top because it was starved for fuel I didn't scream it.
First race comes up, FINALLY a nice hot day, and I could tell in my practice the bike was ripping, I'd come out of a corner neck and neck with a 250f on a straight and leave them way behind.
First moto, decided I'd have full confidence in the engine and see how it did on the start.
And to be clear, I mean that I'd shoot right for the money line in the corner, where the bottle necks and pile ups are, assuming that I'd be able to get there before most of the pack, where last year I'd go outside because I KNEW I'd be beaten by half the field to the first corner.
Lined up against 34 other bikes, about 6 were 2-strokes.
Gate drops and I'm SECOND into the first corner! Couldn't believe I just left a gate of four strokes on the start.
Unfortunately I ran out of talent and fell back to 12th haha.
I've had 6 moto starts this year, only one of them I was mid pack. All of the others I've pulled top 10 starts every time, and twice I've been top 5 out of the gate. It goes beyond that too, used to be 2-strokes had to make use of their advantage in corners, but in straights are where I'm passing.
Now, bottom gain is noticeable, but you'd still have to be stupid to lug this in a corner and try to use bottom end power. It's just nice to have a little more there when I mess up and am a gear high in a corner and it can still sometimes pull through it without losing my momentum.
Very happy with this engine now, and 2-strokes seem to be coming back a little bit around here, since the 1st and 2nd place riders in my class are on a yz and sx 125.
If I had no bike right now, instead of dropping 4k on a used 250f, I would 100% buy a 2002-2006 125 and bore it to a 144. You could probably still do this for a good $500 less than a good used 250f.