to reed or not reed!

[2stroketoker]

gonna change the reeds and im wondering if getting a vforce 3 cage is gonna make a noticeable performance gain, OR if I should just get pro series reeds that go into my stock cage...

 

ALSO I saw something about a RAD valve that boyesen makes but I couldn't find it on rockymountainatv?

 

anyone have ideas on what the difference is between the RAD and vforce 3 cages and maybe even opinions on which is better?

[cdc351jeferson]

if you want more power get your motor ported and keeps reeds fresh 

[KJ790]

Personally I have been disappointed with the results that V-Force systems have given me. I have tried them on 4 different bikes and it didn't make a huge difference on any of them. I have been really impressed with the gains that Boyesen's RAD valve has given on every bike I have tried one on. If you don't want to spend that much money, I have found that you can still get a little better performance for very little money by running some of Boyesen's dual stage reeds on the stock cage.

[Chuck.]

+1 on Boyesen.

 

Also a regular check of the reeds for edge fraying and/or not laying flat against the cage is a good idea.  If the reeds don't lay flat you can turn them over for a few more hours of life.

[saly702]

Boyesen is the way to go 

[JRS7192]

Like everyone else tells you, get Boyesen... They have been around forever, and seem like a MUCH more quality product than VForce 3. The reason I purchased the RAD valve from Boyesen was that my plastic VForce 3 reed cage "broke", and wouldn't hold the reeds snug.

[ac717]

I have the vf3. I live right down from boyesen. Very smart company and they support this site. Wish I had a rad valve. The boyesen replacement reeds are great too. Affordable replacement and you choose what tension you want for different power characteristic. A stiff fiberglass reed will give more top. A fiberglass and carbon combo gives a good compromise. The carbon reeds will flex more and give more bottom and throttle response. Reeds are a minimal change. Moving the cage in,out or angled makes a bigger difference. Also you can modify the reed stop to change power.

[Dirt Addict]

what year rm? 04 and beyond are dialed in with the oem reeds. I bought a set of v-force III , ran it for a short time and really didn't feel any noticeable difference. I ended up selling the v-force and running the oem cage. Like stated above, keep the reeds fresh. Boyeson sells a pro series set (carbon fiber)that is very similar to oem.

For that matter, the oem pipe is pretty good too...

[2stroketoker]

what does moving the cage in or out do? has any tried this on 02 rm 125s?

[Any ST will do]

How do you know when to change your reeds? What should I look for?

[mlatour]

19 minutes ago, Any ST will do said:

How do you know when to change your reeds? What should I look for?

Even if not showing any physical damage (cracks, chips etc.), reed material can wear thin from constantly flexing at the same spots.

Remove from the cage and held up to a light, you might see areas in them that appear much thinner.

Worn reeds costs you power as they 'flutter' or 'flap", usually killing top end/overrev.

they are a wear item just like a piston and ring(s) and should be replaced at regular intervals,

otherwise they slowly degrade and leave potential power behind.

 

On a recreationally ridden small bore MX bike, for motocross track usage

you can usually figure less getting than 70 hours of life out of a set of reeds before they begin showing signs of wear.

For optimal performance or racing, that can be as little as 20-40 hours or every second top end.

Since small bores (65-150cc) rev higher, reeds will have a shorter lifespan in them versus 250cc or larger/lower revving engines.

 

From my experiences, carbon fiber reeds (or dual-stage ones including carbon fiber smaller petals) offer better performance than 100% fiberglass ones.

While the VForce concept seems interesting, their quality control/fitment issues have always turned me off to trying them. It's Boyesen only for me.

Edited February 14, 2021 by mlatour

[Motox367]

Pro series carbon fiber reeds in stock cage?? 

[BillDirt1]

2 hours ago, Any ST will do said:

How do you know when to change your reeds? What should I look for?

If they're gapped out usually you can flip them. If any doubt get new ones.

Edited February 14, 2021 by Diverdown