Epic Motorsports stage III

Just as it says above, has anyone purchased a kit? Impressions?

http://www.epicmotosports.com/YAMAHA-WR250XR-STAGE-III-ENGINE-PACKAGE-detail.htm?productId=-398993&catalogId=-3195&fpg=1

For reference.

Interesting.....how long has this kit been out?

I believe since last winter. There us another member on SMJ that had the kit, but melted his piston due to a lean condition. It does use the stroker crank and Athena BB.

Pretty sure the guy on SMJ didn't get his stuff from epic.
He had the stroker crank and thumper racing 280 if memory serves.
The epic kit has the athena 290 as well as a custom cam grind.

I heard Eddie Sisneros left epic though, if I was going to get the kit I would contact him.
http://www.sisnerosspeedworks.com/

I was unsure as to what the member had, only that he melted his piston. Now that you said that it reminds me that he was waiting on rings and a piston from thumper racing.

In any case, I'm going to contact Eddie and see what he has to say.

I had a Hotrods stroker, Athena big bore, RHC coated ferrea valves, RHC port and flow tuned, Dynojet dyno'd 58hp/39ft-lbs, 475cc DRZ and a FCR 41 engine from Eddie Sisneros. I can tell you that while I had it, it gave me zero problems for 8xxx miles, it was powerful and reliable. I'm planning to have him build my wr250x.

Here are some pictures or it didn't happen:

I shot Eddie an email and he responded in less than 3. He is going to give me a quote on both him building it or me just using the kit.

That's if I don't sell her. Still debating.

Eddie is the man...
Let us know how it goes, I am about to buy the pc5 and auto tune so I won't worry when I go BB +

I spoke with Eddie yesterday. He no longer has any ties with Epic, and he is going to quote me both the cost of the kit sent to me, and it installed on my bike. I'm a mechanic, but if its worth it, it would be nice to say that I ride a bike built by Eddie.

I'll update the thread when I hear back from him.

I might be interested in the cam. I've got everything else.

Just received his email and he said it was the same price as on the Epic Motorsports website.

If I remember correctly the cams were $500.

Now to think if I want to keep my bike or not. If so, this is the route I'll be going.

I'm curious as to his thoughts on thumper racing big bore vs athena.
Did they develope the kit for the athena since it doesn't require modifiying your stock cylinder, or is there more to it.

Mr. Sisneros on the drz 470 thumper racing kit:
http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/99461-thumper-racing-big-bore-kit/
and on iron liners:
http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/362873-replate-cylinder-or-go-new/[/url]

I assume he still feels the same way.

Enough to convince me...
Just bought the Athena 290 :)

IMO its a wash between the tr kit and the athena kit...

The tr kit uses a cast iron liner which doesnt last quite as long as a plated cylinder but has a much lighter better 3 ring piston.
Theres lots of high mileage cast iron bores around in other bikes ( my klr for example ), I wouldnt worry about blowing head gaskets like the drz in the above link, thats only a issue on drzs. TR does alot of iron sleved big bore kits without issue for ktms and other mx bikes.

The athena kit uses a plated cylinder which last a long time but a heavy crappy 2 ring piston that doesnt last as long as a 3 ring piston. Even mx bikes went to 3 ring pistons because the 2 ring ones wore out too fast.

Your going to have a hard time getting eddie to reccomend any TR kit, thats his compitition I doubt he likes his costomers buying parts from them  

A thumper racing 280cc piston in a plated cylinder would be ideal!

How is TR competition? Eddie isn't Athena...
I agree about 3 ring pistons and that was the only reason I had a choice to make.

f3joel wrote:

How is TR competition? Eddie isn't Athena...
I agree about 3 ring pistons and that was the only reason I had a choice to make.

Both companys build and sell slightly different big bore and stroker kits for dirt bikes, TR gets their stuff made costom and eddie uses athena and hot rod kits. You could send your motor to TR and get a similar kit to eddies hows that not competitiion ?

Biglake wrote:

A thumper racing 280cc piston in a plated cylinder would be ideal!

Nothing says you can't plate an iron cylinder. Well, maybe your wallet............... 

I haven't heard anything on the 310/320 in how long?
Anyone heard of one?

I don't consider TR to be in the same league with Eddie so I don't see them as competition.
Anyway this thread isn't about TR, I'm sure people would rather read about what they came in for...

Well in all honesty since they are the only two options, they have to be compared. I'm still thinking about it, but the more I look at the the more it looks like a waste of money for the amount of information you get. Honestly getting the turbo kit might be better with the autotune.

Biglake wrote:

IMO its a wash between the tr kit and the athena kit...

The tr kit uses a cast iron liner which doesnt last quite as long as a plated cylinder but has a much lighter better 3 ring piston.
Theres lots of high mileage cast iron bores around in other bikes ( my klr for example ), I wouldnt worry about blowing head gaskets like the drz in the above link, thats only a issue on drzs. TR does alot of iron sleved big bore kits without issue for ktms and other mx bikes.

The athena kit uses a plated cylinder which last a long time but a heavy crappy 2 ring piston that doesnt last as long as a 3 ring piston. Even mx bikes went to 3 ring pistons because the 2 ring ones wore out too fast.

Your going to have a hard time getting eddie to reccomend any TR kit, thats his compitition I doubt he likes his costomers buying parts from them  

A thumper racing 280cc piston in a plated cylinder would be ideal!

I don't know much about this stuff but from reading those links on iron vs plated cylinders, could you have the TR plated? The TR kit is half the cost of the Athena, is the Athena really worth double the money?

Athena isn't double the money, I just bought one for less than 700 shipped.
You still have your stock cylinder which you could sell if needed or put you bike back to stock.
Going to cost 100-150 to get your sleeve installed on top of the other kit.

f3joel wrote:

Athena isn't double the money, I just bought one for less than 700 shipped.

And the normal price on the TR is $395, I've seen it for less. Might as well be double.

http://thumperracing.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=37_43_106&product_id=97

658 and your stock parts are kept, 550 and your stock parts are worthless.
Hardly half price.

f3joel wrote:

658 and your stock parts are kept, 550 and your stock parts are worthless.
Hardly half price.

Give me something useful? Besides all these caveats on price, I'm not following. I think the point was really "What makes the athena worth more money?" Besides the slightly larger displacement. As far as I can tell there's pros and cons to both that make it a wash.