The Silence Is Deafening!

[Vance]

wow, it sure is quiet around here these days...I guess everyone is out riding in the beautiful weather aye?

[jdubeemer]

Not silent here!

Well it has been quiet but this week Terry's two wheel performed the 350cc upgrade to my KLX250. It really sounds good with that FMF muffler and sounds like a real "THUMPER". I rode it 80 miles yesterday and it really performs great. It always was fun to ride but now it has the torque it lacked for having a lot of fun in the dirt. Gonna find some more dirt Saturday down in Talledaga. Pictures attached.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jdubick/KLX?authkey=Gv1sRgCK7m6vv9r_rDTg#

[Vance]

Sounds like you are ready...and that was a joke about everybody out riding...and you were! It sure sounded good on the lift...now we have to get that thing dirty!!

[BamaBiker]

wow, it sure is quiet around here these days...I guess everyone is out riding in the beautiful weather aye?

Some were -- like the idiot on a sport bike who passed me and the car I was following last night (I was in my car) about 11:00 o'clock on a double yellow line with an on-coming car at the s-curve on Acton Rd by golf course! A tense moment for all three cars and I hope for idiot.

[jdubeemer]

Recon to brecon

Well the weather was beautiful and it warmed up after we met at McDonalds at I-20 and 77 for Terry's planned reconoiter into the Army's abandoned storage facility north of Talledaga. They let this nooby dirt bike rider tag along for the fun. There was Terry Ware, Gary Nesmith, C.J. Morgan and Don Stover all of which can really handle those rocks, ruts and mud holes. I let a couple of those deep ruts outfox me and the bike gets real heavy when the wheels are higher than the gas tank. Thanks to Gary we got it upright. We didn't stop for any photo ops but I took a couple in the parking lot when we got through.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jdubick/2011_01_22?authkey=Gv1sRgCObOjvmglM7BrQE#

[Vance]

I like it! I hope ya'll found us a good riding area!!!

[Ric]

Well it has been quiet but this week Terry's two wheel performed the 350cc upgrade to my KLX250. It really sounds good with that FMF muffler and sounds like a real "THUMPER". I rode it 80 miles yesterday and it really performs great. It always was fun to ride but now it has the torque it lacked for having a lot of fun in the dirt. Gonna find some more dirt Saturday down in Talledaga. Pictures attached.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jdubick/...K7m6vv9r_rDTg#

Hey Jim !

I have an 09 KLX250sf and would love to get the 350 upgrade. Can you tell me more about it ?

Is it just a new cylinder and piston ? Or is there a new head ? Larger carb ? Larger header ?

How much did parts cost ya ?
Did Terry's do all your work ?
Is that the Terry's in Pelham ?

And most importantly - is the extra punch significant - Would you say a 50% increase in lowend torque ?

Did you do any dyno runs ?
How many BMW parts do you have on it ?

Any advise is greatly apprecaited Jim !
Ric

[jdubeemer]

Hi Ric,
The increase in torque is nothing short of phenomenal. It pulls hard even in 6th gear when ordinarily I would have to down shift. I bought the cylinder and piston from Bill Blue in Wichita Kansas bandbcyclerestorations.com. Bill is a retired engineer from Cessna Aircraft Co in Wichita and he and his wife both ride KLX250s. The cost of the kit is $575.00 I think, check the website. I also got the KX250 air snorkel from Bill and a cover to remove the epa tubes that go back to the intake. I had Terry order an FMF Q4 muffler and larger carb jets. When you go to the larger cylinder you have to make it breathe better both intake and exhaust to get the best overall effect. And of course the increase in cylinder size requires the larger jets to prevent too lean a mixture. The stock head and carb are used. I also bought a KLX250 shop manual from Kawasaki so we would have all the correct torque requirements. Also had to replace the valve cover gasket from Kawasaki because the factory put too much silicone sealer on it and I couldn't get it off. The total cost for everything was about $1500.00. I would do it again in a heartbeat as I really liked the bike except for the anemic engine. You are welcome to get together with me sometime and I would be happy to let you ride mine and see for yourself how it totally transforms the bike. I live in Sardis City just south of Boaz. Terry (Terry's two wheel tire and tune) did all the work and is an expert mechanic and is Kawasaki trained as well as BMW and did great work in a short time span, you would be in and out the same day if you have all the parts in hand first. Some folks that have done this mod cut corners by modifying the muffler but I preferred to get rid of that heavy thing. The FMF muffler is a fraction of the weight and sounds much better and not too loud.

[Ric]

Hi Ric,
The increase in torque is nothing short of phenomenal. It pulls hard even in 6th gear when ordinarily I would have to down shift. I bought the cylinder and piston from Bill Blue in Wichita Kansas bandbcyclerestorations.com. Bill is a retired engineer from Cessna Aircraft Co in Wichita and he and his wife both ride KLX250s. The cost of the kit is $575.00 I think, check the website. I also got the KX250 air snorkel from Bill and a cover to remove the epa tubes that go back to the intake. I had Terry order an FMF Q4 muffler and larger carb jets. When you go to the larger cylinder you have to make it breathe better both intake and exhaust to get the best overall effect. And of course the increase in cylinder size requires the larger jets to prevent too lean a mixture. The stock head and carb are used. I also bought a KLX250 shop manual from Kawasaki so we would have all the correct torque requirements. Also had to replace the valve cover gasket from Kawasaki because the factory put too much silicone sealer on it and I couldn't get it off. The total cost for everything was about $1500.00. I would do it again in a heartbeat as I really liked the bike except for the anemic engine. You are welcome to get together with me sometime and I would be happy to let you ride mine and see for yourself how it totally transforms the bike. I live in Sardis City just south of Boaz. Terry (Terry's two wheel tire and tune) did all the work and is an expert mechanic and is Kawasaki trained as well as BMW and did great work in a short time span, you would be in and out the same day if you have all the parts in hand first. Some folks that have done this mod cut corners by modifying the muffler but I preferred to get rid of that heavy thing. The FMF muffler is a fraction of the weight and sounds much better and not too loud.

Wow ! Sounds great. I'll check out the Bill Blue web site and maybe move toward making arrangments with Terry's for a one day turn-around.

You say total cost was 1,500; did that include Terry's labor ?

Also, did anyone at Bill's or Terry's or otherwise mention longevity/reliability of the the 350 conversion ?

Oh and, thX a ton for the concise response. I greatly appreciate it.

[jdubeemer]

Wow ! Sounds great. I'll check out the Bill Blue web site and maybe move toward making arrangments with Terry's for a one day turn-around.

You say total cost was 1,500; did that include Terry's labor ?

Also, did anyone at Bill's or Terry's or otherwise mention longevity/reliability of the the 350 conversion ?

Oh and, thX a ton for the concise response. I greatly appreciate it.

Total cost included labor. There should be no difference in longevity or reliability. Go for it!

[Ric]

Total cost included labor. There should be no difference in longevity or reliability. Go for it!

The FMF Q4....did you get a header also or just a can.
Was wondering if the powerbomb header is worth the money.

[Ric]

Total cost included labor. There should be no difference in longevity or reliability. Go for it!

The FMF Q4....did you get a header also or just a can.
Was wondering if the powerbomb header is worth the money.

[jdubeemer]

I did not get the header as Bill Blue said there was no measureable increase on the dyno in hp with the header. However there is some gas leakage at the connection with the old header but that can be dealt with. The original header has a gasket in there that won't fit with the new muffler pipe. I put some high temp silicone muffler sealer in the joint.