Atena 276 Big Bore

[ks973]

Anyone have any information on this new kit from Athena? I have been trying to find their website , but am unable to find it. This is what I have so far:

Athena 4-stroke cylinder kits are a bolt-on

high performance replacement kit specifically

designed for each application.

Kits Included: Aluminum cylinder with

nickle-carbide coating designed with wider

water jackets.Forged piston with

molybdenum coating.Special top end

gasket kit.

HONDA CRF250 R/X 04-06

Displacement: 275.7cc (82mm Piston)

Compression Ratio: 13.1:1

Wheel HP: 38 @ 8,500 RPMs

Tested with cylinder kit, Akrapovic

exhaust, racing CDI unit &

Athena air filter.

I found the information at VRP-MX.COM

http://www.vrp-mx.com/index.html

The price is $640 for the hole kit.

This would be a huge increase over the 24.29 stock hp, but not so much over the stock 06 250r 36hp

http://photos.motorcycle-usa.com/CRF250XDyno.jpg

Would this be a good investment in my x, or should I buy a r?

Any information would be great.

[TriPower]

This kit sounds good on paper, but the big issue is that you (most likely) have to split the cases and mill them to fit the 82mm cylinder. The posts we've seen so far say you do. If so, the TR kit is both cheaper and easier to install, and should make similar power.

If you're gonna split the cases, might as well get a stroker crank while you're at it!

[ks973]

Thanks for the feed back. I had no idea you would have to split the cases. It's interesting they advertise this as a bolt on kit, when in fact if you are splitting the cases it is without question NOT a bolt on kit.

Do you have a website address or phone number for them? I would like to call them and really find out more about this.

[TriPower]

Thanks for the feed back. I had no idea you would have to split the cases. It's interesting they advertise this as a bolt on kit, when in fact if you are splitting the cases it is without question NOT a bolt on kit.

Do you have a website address or phone number for them? I would like to call them and really find out more about this.

No contact info. It may be a bolt on kit, nobody really seems to know for sure yet. It's just that between the current size of the hole in the cases, and the 82mm piston, there's not much room for strong aluminum cylinder skirts. TR uses iron instead of plated aluminum for their sleeve so they can make it thinner without losing strength. All the current bolt-on big bore kits are smaller than 82mm for this reason. If 82mm would fit in the stock cases, those guys would have done it already. Building the cylinder isn't difficult, but fitting it in the case while maintaining strength is.

[TriPower]

The Athena Kit is a bolt-on kit, the cost is a little higher because you get a complete new cylinder so your stock cylionder and piston is still usable.

Have you installed one yet? Is it a modified stock cylinder, or a new design?

[Wiseone]

Don't forget Vertex has 80mm bolt on and a new 84mm=bore the cases.

I beleive they are on the shelf and ready to ship. Complete with new plated cylinder.

Dbbl check with Vertex USA on Moday.

Or the TR kit is also tough to beat.

[ks973]

The information I have states it is a completely new cylinder designed with wider water jacket for better cooling.

It's hard to get any information when you cannot find a website or phone number.

[Tuner]

How about supporting American products and using the already proven, and very reliable, 270 from Thumper Racing. Their kits use pistons, liners, and gaskets that are made in the USA, by American workers. They are knowledgeable, and their customer service is the best. I don't have anything against Athena (or Italy for that matter) but I'd like to see more support for American products, especially when the quality is proven, and the price is resonable ($500). Sooner or later, it might be your job at stake.

[CRFThumper]

No iron liners for me,thank you!While I have used thumper in the past the last bore job on one of there kits looked like heck! NO.I didn't even call them back

I ran it and sure enough it started blowing and smoking within 3 Mo's!SOOOOOO BACK apart and in with the stock stuff.I didn't want to hear Gary saying "well we cant control how you use the kit"YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!!

[levy1]

CRF thumper, what big bore do you suggest?

[Tuner]

No iron liners for me,thank you!While I have used thumper in the past the last bore job on one of there kits looked like heck! NO.I didn't even call them back

I ran it and sure enough it started blowing and smoking within 3 Mo's!SOOOOOO BACK apart and in with the stock stuff.I didn't want to hear Gary saying "well we cant control how you use the kit"YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!!

Why didn't you send it back when you noticed "the last bore job on one of there kits looked like heck!" instead of running it for 3 months? What kind of Yamaha (Avatar) was it? "I didn't want to hear Gary saying "well we cant control how you use the kit" Did he actually say that? Or did you just not want to hear it. There are an awful lot happy customers on this forum who use the 270 kit with absolutely no problems. By the way, one of my riding buddies has a 2003 WR 250F with over 4000 mi on his TR 280 kit..........still runs great!

[Wiseone]

How about supporting American products and using the already proven, and very reliable, 270 from Thumper Racing. Their kits use pistons, liners, and gaskets that are made in the USA, by American workers. They are knowledgeable, and their customer service is the best. I don't have anything against Athena (or Italy for that matter) but I'd like to see more support for American products, especially when the quality is proven, and the price is resonable ($500). Sooner or later, it might be your job at stake.

Hmm I like this. Thumpers custom pistons are manufactured by Wiseco. In the USA

If you just cannot do the TR iron liner. Vertex USA is the next best thing.

Yes they are in Italy also BUT ownership comes back to the good ole USA.

Vertex was aquired by Wiseco parent company Dover a few years ago and added the the PMI group of. Wiseco,JE,PRO-X,Carrillo,Chambon,Perfect Bore,

Scott at Vertex USA is as American is they get 440/497-3176 Has 80mm and 84mm kits in stock. Heck I'm American and did a little research on this project for them.

[CRFThumper]

Why didn't you send it back when you noticed "the last bore job on one of there kits looked like heck!" instead of running it for 3 months? What kind of Yamaha (Avatar) was it? "I didn't want to hear Gary saying "well we cant control how you use the kit" Did he actually say that? Or did you just not want to hear it. There are an awful lot happy customers on this forum who use the 270 kit with absolutely no problems. By the way, one of my riding buddies has a 2003 WR 250F with over 4000 mi on his TR 280 kit..........still runs great!

OK I'm not gonna get into a pissing match here but,as I stated we have used thumper in the past quite a bit!This was back before Gary bought it.The bore in question was on a buddy's xr 250 we went with the 280 kit on THIS job(we have used other newer style kits as well)I in this case as well as all others trying to make a informed decision talked to Gary at length!He has told me that while they do warranty there stuff it gets dicey!YES he told me they cant control what happens after it leaves there shop(nobody can)I am in no way putting thumper down I simply said for me I will use some buddy else! If you have good luck with thumper then by all means stay with them.Let me ask you a question,why do they not use some sort of nickel coating on there kits?

Seems to me that most others as well as factory guys do.I think we both know the advantages to a plated cylinder!I guess they both have there up's and downs but again FOR ME no iron liners thank you!As far as my bikes we use rinaldi kits! That is what we have had the best luck!While not made in the USA they are great products!Ask Stefan Everett's(sp) any way I was NOT putting YOUR kit down I was simply saying not for me!

[levy1]

How do you choose the difference between the TR 270 and the Vertex?

I am a woods rider never visiting the rev limiter and ocantional Senior C hare scramble. There is no doubt of the success for the TR kits. A lot of people on this web site have installed with no problems. Cost is my adjective not speed. I am trying to pump up the power a little for hill climbs because I am 200 lbs. So, how do I choose the best way to go? Thanks

[Wiseone]

How do you choose the difference between the TR 270 and the Vertex?

I am a woods rider never visiting the rev limiter and ocantional Senior C hare scramble. There is no doubt of the success for the TR kits. A lot of people on this web site have installed with no problems. Cost is my adjective not speed. I am trying to pump up the power a little for hill climbs because I am 200 lbs. So, how do I choose the best way to go? Thanks

Let's compare one of the largest technical difference between the TR kit and the Vertex kit is the IRON VS Plated Bore.

First off in most cases I am the Biggest Proponent of Plating over Iron Bores of Higher Level riders in Race bikes of Four and more importantly Two Stroke engines. In this case the best thing for Iron is Cooking for it's heat retention qualities. Iron holds heat longer and will have more expansion issues over plating over aluminum. Also consider the weight of a thick Iron sleeve (especially in multi cyl applications).

That being said in the case of a Four stroke engine,a lower level rider,older play bike repair,I have no worrie's using Iron myself.

btw TR won the latest Dirt Rider 24 hour tortue test using Iron.

I think the Vertex kit has a Forged Aluminium plated sleeve. I know the cylinder is cast Aluminium. check with Vertex on this to make sure.

[TriPower]

Let's not forget that this is the X forum, so all of these bikes are being ridden offroad, and the vast majority of riders are not pros. Knowing that, the iron liner vs. plated aluminum argument is a pretty big waste of time, and none of these supposed advantages will work out in the real world. Heck, you'll wear out 10 sets of valves before either cylinder, and who keeps their bike that long? Either one will work great in this application. There are enough first hand experiences around here with the iron liner kit to know that it doesn't have any thermal expansion issues or wear problems. Cooling is a non-issue with these cylinders (both iron and plated) as well as with the bored/stroked combos. If you have a cooling issue, look at your radiators, not your cylinder. Justifying a big bore decision on this would be a mistake.

The biggest question here is whether or not you want to split and machine the cases. If not, the TR kit, because of its iron liner, is the way to go (IMO). Because the liner is iron, they can make the skirts thinner while retaining sufficient strength. Because it's thinner, it leaves more room for a bigger piston while still fitting in the stock cases. A bigger piston is the whole point of this exercise, so go as big as you can within reason. All the plated aluminum bolt-on kits are limited to 262cc for this reason.

If somebody does want to spend the cash to split and machine the cases, why go with a 83-84mm cylinder? Put a crank in there at the same time and REALLY make a difference. You'll have a faster and more durable engine. A super big and heavy 84mm piston on the small stock rod with expensive milled cases and a stock sized head is the recipe for a slow and unreliable bike.

Just my $.02, and just one person's opinion.

[ks973]

I was able to find a number for Motoman Distributing and I spoke with Chris over there. He is a great guy and had some good information for me.

He said that there are only a few kits in right now but are expecting more very soon which is why information is so scarce now. As soon as more kits are available some of the magazine's will be doing a test on one for all of us to read, but right now the testing information looks very good on these kits.

The test bike was a 05 r with stock 33hp. After the kit ,pipe and air filter, hp was increased to a little over 38. 5hp gain.

Now for the major kicker. He said you DO NOT HAVE TO SPLIT OR GRIND THE CASES. IT IS A COMPLETE BOLT ON KIT. I guess we will have to wait and see about this , but that was what I was told.

I would love to see this same test on a 06 250r that has stock 36 hp, but if I could do all the ccc on my 04x, hopefully get the hp close to a stock 04,05 r and then add the kit and end up with 36 to 38hp, my 250(276) would no longer have me wanting a 450x.

We just need something in the middle for Honda

250x good weight not enough power

450x to heavy to much power.

The big bore kit's may just be our solution (no matter the manufacture)

I just want to look at all the option's and make a educated decision.