WR290R Big Bore installed update with Dyno info

ZED wrote:

You put yours on last year didn't you Richard? What kind of run time do you have on it now?

You remembered. So I went and got the numbers. The big bore went on at 2,500 miles. The stock rear tire lasted 4,400 miles. Now I'm at 7,000 miles and the replacement BT-090 is all but showing the threads. So the big bore blows through a rear in 2,600 absolutely fun filled miles. Standard procedure is to blast through the gears at every start. And I take at least one or two opportunities to loft the front wheel on every ride. Plus I use considerable engine braking. I don't think my brake light is ever on except for the last bit of coming to a stop.

I have three WRs, each in a different state of tune.

Daughter's WR250R: AIS gone, airbox gutted, K&N Filter, stock pipe
Wife's WR250R: AIS gone, airbox gutted, K&N Filter, stock pipe with a couple of holes drilled in it, FMF programmer
My WR250X: AIS gone, airbox gutted, K&N Filter, powerbomb/Q4, FMF programmer, thumper racing big bore

I rode them back-to-back this weekend. From Daughter's to Wife's is a noticeable step up. It's hard to quantify, but it is significant. Let's call that amount of improvement X. The step up from the Wife's to My bike is about 2X. Extremely noticeable. Some of that may be that the tires on the X are smaller, but they are also wider, so I don't know if their weight is that much different.

I'll be glad to answer questions.

RichardU wrote:

mtntrails wrote:

I just pulled the trigger on an Athena 290 Kit (w/o Module) for my 2008 WRR.

I would think the Athena kit documentation would provide the proper settings. I have a Thumper Racing big bore installed with Q4/Powerbomb, no AIS and gutted airbox and I am using: 5 6 8 1 5 4.5

RichardU - Thanks for the post - much appreciated. Sounds like you have quite a few miles on yours since installing the TR kit. The Athena kit normally comes with a preset module, but they give you an option for "w/o module". Are you running a K&N or OEM air filter?

mtntrails wrote:

Are you running a K&N or OEM air filter?

K&N on all of them. I updated my post.

I have 4,500 miles on the big bore. If anything, it seems stronger than it did when new.

RichardU wrote:

I'll be glad to answer questions.

Richard: Do you have pics and details of the mod to the stock pipe on your wife's WRR? I'd be happy to take this offline or to PM if it feels like a hijack.

malibu_dan wrote:

Do you have pics and details of the mod to the stock pipe on your wife's WRR? I'd be happy to take this offline or to PM if it feels like a hijack.

It's pretty simple. Pull off the spark arrester. Look down the pipe and you see a baffle about a foot down. Took a long 3/8" or 1/2" drill bit and punch about 2-3 holes in the baffle. The increase in sound is minimal. Spark arrester back on and it's done.

I wish I could say that was scientifically determined to be exactly the right procedure, but I'm not sure. It hasn't hurt, and seems to help. Sounds better anyway.

I would like to see some dyno results with the athena big bore kit.

The Athena 290 Kit is installed and complete. I'm flying out on Monday 8/30 (bike stored and ridden out of Las Vegas) for an 8 day ride - probably heading up to Idaho.

About 3 weeks ago the technician installing the 290 Kit had some questions for FMF about the Power Programmer. FMF referred him to Matt at Dobeck Performance - they manufacture the Power Programmer. Matt told the tech that the Power Programmer does not have the "bandwidth" for a big bore kit, but they had a WR250R with the Athena Kit in their shop for R&D to develop a "re-flash" to expand the parameters of the Power Programmer for a big bore kit. My Power programmer was sent to Dobeck performance for the "re-flash" and Matt also set the programmer settings and sent the unit back to the shop. Both the technician and the service manager have taken my bike out for a test ride and both were very happy with the bike's performance.

I'll post another update after the ride.

Do you have contact info you can share for sending the FMF programmer in to get reset for the big bore kit? thanks

have a great trip.

To get your FMF re-flashed for the Athena Big Bore kit. Call 1-877-764-3337. Ask for Matt, He will email you an RMA and directions on where to send it. The FMF Programer is built by Dobeck Performance.

RT3856 wrote:

I just got my Wr a few months ago and can live with it the way it is for now but!
I would like to know how the long term reliability is.
There are a lot of tight woods with big hills and some long mountain passes on the road that I think the added power would make a big difference on.
Thanks for all the posts keep us updated.

I installed an Athena BB kit on my DRZ400. Put 10,000kms on it with about 40 track days where the bike was truly flogged
continusously for about 4hrs each day. Sold it to a friend who uses it for trails riding and he has put on another 5K with no
problems. I think the kit is well made, at least as good as the original parts, and if installed correctly should be just as reliable.

Now considering the BB for the WR1250x I purchased or the turbo from MPFAB.

Ooooh! man I would love to ride a turbo WR
I am into turbo sleds and the cool thing is double the power and still reliable
The big bore is just slightly improved, 30 hp with big bore, 55 with turbo
There's nothing like turbo power, it's addicting

thing that bugs me with turbo is that I like to ride trails too...

[quote="0007onWR"There's nothing like turbo power, it's addicting
[/quote]

You need to ride an XR650R--nothing like cc's......

XR650R is great for desert riding, but a pig in tight terrain. Also, try kick starting it on a 30 degree incline..............
Had one owner who wanted to leave his as he was so tired of trying to manhandle it on the tight trails.

Here is Japan, there is no registration check on bikes under 250cc, just paperwork.

NihonWRX wrote:

XR650R is great for desert riding, but a pig in tight terrain. Also, try kick starting it on a 30 degree incline..............

Or, just try getting it started anytime it refuses to start and is feeling a bit stubborn, typically if you dump it when good and hot.
When I go trail riding with my buddy who has one, there are times he's huffin' and puffin' and peeling the riding gear off as he starts sweating.

He hasn't gotten to the point of walking away from it in the middle of the woods, but, he sure brushes-up on his colorful language. ;)

NihonWRX wrote:

XR650R is great for desert riding, but a pig in tight terrain. Also, try kick starting it on a 30 degree incline..............
Had one owner who wanted to leave his as he was so tired of trying to manhandle it on the tight trails.

Here is Japan, there is no registration check on bikes under 250cc, just paperwork.

no more of a pig than the WRR--I've got both and ride both in all types of riding. they are closely equal in weight and handling you get more watts with the WRR and the button but you get a lot more power with the XRR--it has never failed to pull a hill on me, can't say the same for the WRR it wimps out where the XRR just flat pulls the hill.

YZEtc wrote:

NihonWRX wrote:

XR650R is great for desert riding, but a pig in tight terrain. Also, try kick starting it on a 30 degree incline..............

Or, just try getting it started anytime it refuses to start and is feeling a bit stubborn, typically if you dump it when good and hot.
When I go trail riding with my buddy who has one, there are times he's huffin' and puffin' and peeling the riding gear off as he starts sweating.

He hasn't gotten to the point of walking away from it in the middle of the woods, but, he sure brushes-up on his colorful language. ;)

Properly jetted and with an understanding of kick starting it poses no issues. Usually starts on second kick when cold--even down in the 30's, hot and dropped--I'vbe done that a lot--3 clearing kicks and one for go--no real issues even on single track in 90+ degrees at over 7000 feet.

Akasy wrote:

YZEtc wrote:

NihonWRX wrote:

XR650R is great for desert riding, but a pig in tight terrain. Also, try kick starting it on a 30 degree incline..............

Or, just try getting it started anytime it refuses to start and is feeling a bit stubborn, typically if you dump it when good and hot.
When I go trail riding with my buddy who has one, there are times he's huffin' and puffin' and peeling the riding gear off as he starts sweating.

He hasn't gotten to the point of walking away from it in the middle of the woods, but, he sure brushes-up on his colorful language. ;)

Properly jetted and with an understanding of kick starting it poses no issues. Usually starts on second kick when cold--even down in the 30's, hot and dropped--I'vbe done that a lot--3 clearing kicks and one for go--no real issues even on single track in 90+ degrees at over 7000 feet.

Good to hear you can start yours at will.
No such luck for my buddy.

Give your buddy this link maybe it will help. To me the key is always finding true TDC on compression and a full kick. Of course that assumes the jetting is correct. Good luck to your bud.

http://www.dirtrodders.com/xr650r/starttips.html

YZEtc wrote:

Akasy wrote:

YZEtc wrote:

NihonWRX wrote:

XR650R is great for desert riding, but a pig in tight terrain. Also, try kick starting it on a 30 degree incline..............

Or, just try getting it started anytime it refuses to start and is feeling a bit stubborn, typically if you dump it when good and hot.
When I go trail riding with my buddy who has one, there are times he's huffin' and puffin' and peeling the riding gear off as he starts sweating.

He hasn't gotten to the point of walking away from it in the middle of the woods, but, he sure brushes-up on his colorful language. ;)

Properly jetted and with an understanding of kick starting it poses no issues. Usually starts on second kick when cold--even down in the 30's, hot and dropped--I'vbe done that a lot--3 clearing kicks and one for go--no real issues even on single track in 90+ degrees at over 7000 feet.

Good to hear you can start yours at will.
No such luck for my buddy.

I'll let him know...and then duck. :)
He's a supposed thumper fan from waaaaay back in the XR-500R daze.

Akasy wrote:

Give your buddy this link maybe it will help. To me the key is always finding true TDC on compression and a full kick. Of course that assumes the jetting is correct. Good luck to your bud.

http://www.dirtrodders.com/xr650r/starttips.html

I bear no bike ill will - whatever floats your boat, it's all good to me.

But it does strike me as a WR250R rider, that if you have a bike with a web page dedicated to "starting tips", you're already behind the curve. Especially when accompanied by wishes of "good luck"...

I had a CZ-Jawa MX bike back in the early 70's that required witchcraft to get started. I still have painful memories of that, although I unloaded it as fast as possible. It will be a cold and frosty day in hell before I ever own another bike that is obstinate about starting.

ah the memories of my 1974 CZ 250. When warm, would start easily, cold, I learned to use starting fluid.

I was a service tech from early 80's to mid 90's 10 years of that was at a high volume Honda dealer when those big singles were out, there was absolutely nobody who could make them start properly including the engineer's who made them, there were books full of bulletins, home remedies and secret tip's
I still don't like big singles just because of them
They we just one of the atrocities that big H inflicted on the poor unsuspecting public :)

As for hard starting, an XL-600R straight off the showroom was typically a good one.
Whenever one was sold new off the showroom (or even brought in for service), there was chattering about who was going to have to get it started. :)

As big singles go. I was so glad when Hondas GB500 was released with a electric starter. If it had been kick only.....I would have had to pass it by. I still have nightmares about some of the big bore thumpers I've had. Once warm the GB would start with one kick. Cold.....Ya better follow the routine to the letter. Of course it's kicker was rarely used except when out riding and ya wanted to impress someone.........And it was warmed up.

I do wish the WR had a kicker for backup.