I had a 100% stock 1998 Honda XR250R and installed a Thunder Alley pipe, Edelbrock "pumper" carb, and Twin Air filter. I installed everything all together so I don't know what each individual component added to the power increase, but the power and throttle response I gained from this combination was amazing. I didn't realize an XR250 could make so much power. It is a completly different bike now. It starts easier and has much more power.
The Edelbrock carb was easy to install and easy to tune since it does not have "jets". It uses needle adjustment to richen or lean the mixture. It comes with a special tool that makes the adjustment very easy. The carb was rich when I installed it, but leaned it out 4 "clicks" on the needle and it seems to be pretty good now. Throttle response and starting are really great.
I guess most of the raw power increase came from the Thunder Alley pipe. I really believe Thunder Alley has the best performance designed pipe currently on the market. I ordered the complete exhaust system with header and ceramic coating. I did have some problems though that I will outline here. When I called Bob (Thunder Alley owner) and ordered my pipe, he gave me an estimate of 4 weeks. I told him that would be fine since I was not in a hurry. I received the pipe 7 weeks later. Again, this was not a problem since I was not in a hurry. My bike was in storage at the time. However, when I went to install the pipe in late April, I was dismayed to discover that the header pipe would not seat up to the exhaust manifold because the header pipe interfered with the downtube on the frame. I spent about an hour with a vice, hammer, and punch putting dents in the header tubes so that it would seat up to the manifolds. Once I got the header pipe installed, I went to install the muffler portion and found out that it wouldn't mount up either since the mounting points on the muffler were "off". I was very unhappy at this point and called Bob. He instructed me to send the pipe back to him and told me that he would pay for the shipping and that he would make up another one for me "right away". After waiting a month, I called Bob and he told me that the pipe had been sent out a couple days before (which would have been June 2nd.) I received the pipe on June 25th with a postmark of June 18th! I don't know why I was given misinformation. Bob is a nice guy to talk to, but I don't know how he runs his business. The 2nd pipe that I received bolted up just fine. Both the header and the muffler that I received the 2nd time were new. He used a different mounting attachment on the 2nd muffler compared to the first one I received.
What I'm happy with: Much much more power, outstanding pipe design, Edelbrock carb throttle response, and easier starting.
What I'm unhappy with: First pipe did not fit, slow to get the second pipe back to me, given misinformation on date of shipment, did not respond to my e-mail inquiries, still have not been reimbursed for return shipping on the first pipe.
The Edelbrock carb was easy to install and easy to tune since it does not have "jets". It uses needle adjustment to richen or lean the mixture. It comes with a special tool that makes the adjustment very easy. The carb was rich when I installed it, but leaned it out 4 "clicks" on the needle and it seems to be pretty good now. Throttle response and starting are really great.
I guess most of the raw power increase came from the Thunder Alley pipe. I really believe Thunder Alley has the best performance designed pipe currently on the market. I ordered the complete exhaust system with header and ceramic coating. I did have some problems though that I will outline here. When I called Bob (Thunder Alley owner) and ordered my pipe, he gave me an estimate of 4 weeks. I told him that would be fine since I was not in a hurry. I received the pipe 7 weeks later. Again, this was not a problem since I was not in a hurry. My bike was in storage at the time. However, when I went to install the pipe in late April, I was dismayed to discover that the header pipe would not seat up to the exhaust manifold because the header pipe interfered with the downtube on the frame. I spent about an hour with a vice, hammer, and punch putting dents in the header tubes so that it would seat up to the manifolds. Once I got the header pipe installed, I went to install the muffler portion and found out that it wouldn't mount up either since the mounting points on the muffler were "off". I was very unhappy at this point and called Bob. He instructed me to send the pipe back to him and told me that he would pay for the shipping and that he would make up another one for me "right away". After waiting a month, I called Bob and he told me that the pipe had been sent out a couple days before (which would have been June 2nd.) I received the pipe on June 25th with a postmark of June 18th! I don't know why I was given misinformation. Bob is a nice guy to talk to, but I don't know how he runs his business. The 2nd pipe that I received bolted up just fine. Both the header and the muffler that I received the 2nd time were new. He used a different mounting attachment on the 2nd muffler compared to the first one I received.
What I'm happy with: Much much more power, outstanding pipe design, Edelbrock carb throttle response, and easier starting.
What I'm unhappy with: First pipe did not fit, slow to get the second pipe back to me, given misinformation on date of shipment, did not respond to my e-mail inquiries, still have not been reimbursed for return shipping on the first pipe.
