Local Port work. Turning out to be a Joke.

[MercMenace]

I have been thinking about sending my Jug to Ken to have port work done. I know Ken has the best rep i have ever heard of. However I really want to try some of the local guys give em a shot maybe get good/bad reviews on here for the off chance that someone actually accidentally decides to move out here.

The shops in Cheyenne charge by the hour and the best price so far was at the yamaha dealer they quoted me 2 hours @ $90/hr. That price gets comparable to Ken's but the dealer also stated that they don't have a flow bench. Now I have no idea what a flow bench is but i am guessing it helps with a quality job. The other side of me says maybe the Tech is older than dirt and more experienced than Typhoid Mary and can do a better job than a robot.

Hopefully someone can chime in on this one.

The 2nd shop I called was Peak Performance. They are as busy as a blind lesbian in a fish market and said they couldn't take on more work, til i mentioned it was a blaster, then the tech sounded excited and said he could fit me in.

They quoted me 4 hours @ $85/hr.

4 hours seems excessive to me but i know slightly more than a rock at stripper convention so I am looking for some feed back here.

Not to mention with shipping Ken is definitely cheaper and there is no guess work about quality.

Hopefully you will see this Ken and chime in, I would really value your input.


Couple more shops to look into I will post when I make contact.

 

[OConnor Racing]

Nice post. It’s like I tell my daughter, don’t be afraid to try new foods….You can always spit it out if you don’t like it. That’s not going to be the case with a ported cylinder. I’m going to be very honest here. I couldn’t port a Blaster cylinder in 4 hours and do a good job if said daughters life depended on it. I’m happy if I get done in 6 hours, have nice results and make $30 an hour.

 

[MercMenace]

I did find a place that runs about 200 dollars. up in Denver. i am going to go up and tour their facility and take a look at their work. If you have the time Ken. What should I be asking? What I want is a pretty aggressive trail port, not sure if i need my head done. I still want to run pump gas. If these guys are any good I will have them do the work, give a review on here after posting pics and seeing what you guys all think.

 

[98blaster]

I use flotek, not that i wouldn't use ken but flotek is local to me an does good sh*t, he said it usually takes him 8-9 hrs to fully do a blaster cylinder, thats for an aggressive trail port, full drag porting is even more time

 

[Herpderplol]

I did find a place that runs about 200 dollars. up in Denver. i am going to go up and tour their facility and take a look at their work. If you have the time Ken. What should I be asking? What I want is a pretty aggressive trail port, not sure if i need my head done. I still want to run pump gas. If these guys are any good I will have them do the work, give a review on here after posting pics and seeing what you guys all think.

any port he does is aggressive.

now, you will want the head done to match up with the porting, but you also want to keep in mind some other things.

first, i suggest running at least 91 octane (93 if sold near you) this will keep you in the 130-150 psi range i think.

another thing, will you get a +3 +4 or +6 rod anytime in the future? if you do, get it the same time as the port work, and have the ports raised once and not send it back later. this will just keep one trip out of the way for you, and a little less time for ken

i also suggest you get a new piston and rings, possibly bore if not hone. this will prevent you from needing to send it back later if an old piston drops the bomb

and as always, but even more so now LEAKTEST BEFORE YOU RIDE

the worst thing that can happen is get the work done, and have a leak so you blow the top end again... a leaktest is fairly simple and takes about 15 min
and can save you up to $200 if you just got a new top end

new gaskets are a must, and while your bike is down for 2-4 weeks, throw in some new crank seals. they are $20 i think, and will save a headache if you have a leak there after its all together

 

[MercMenace]

Thanks Herp. When port work gets done. it is intake, exhaust, Head? what else is involved? I really want to go in there knowing what I am looking for. I hate doing anything without research. If i was sending to ken I would tell him trail port, pump gas and include a blank check.

However I am looking for someone close. and if these guys pan out i'll use them and maybe have a local resource for us Mountain Guys. If they suck I eat a couple hundred bucks, learn a lesson and send a blank check to Ken

No plans for a crank of any kind. My bottom end is solid. Was planning on at least a hone, new rings, Piston and bore if needed.

If a bird craps on my fender I leak test. I don't even breathe near it, Blaaster has me scared of air. and I have 2 full sets of gaskets 1 in the garage and one in the RV.

 

[Herpderplol]

i would just send it to ken.

if you go to your local shop, ask them what they do with transfer ports and how they finish all the ports.

all the ports need to have (cant think of the word) done so that rings wont catch on them

it cost me $27 to ship it there i think, and it was sent priority.

i wasnt impressed with the turn around time, it took over a month, im sure he was busy as can be. but sure worth the wait. once i got it together i didnt even care

 

[MercMenace]

chamfer?

 

[Herpderplol]

yeeeaaahhh that

 

[MercMenace]

i wasn't impressed with the turn around time, it took over a month, I'm sure he was busy as can be. but sure worth the wait. once i got it together i didn't even care

This is one of the reasons I am looking local. These guys guarantee a 2 week turn around or less. If needed, to do mid season work I am off trail for 2 weeks as apposed to shipping + Kens turn around + shipping. Not to mention i get to keep my money local, in my economy.

In this instance trail ready isn't an issue. I took my bike out of the running for the rest of the season. but good time to start looking.

 

[Wifesblaster]

I am always scared to be the guinea pig. Ask the shop for some references so you can talk to their customers.

Ken does all my work because he is one hell of a guy and does great work with proven results. You need to make sure your getting to quality work.

Also consider the fact that most porting mistakes can't be fixed. A little to much out of the exhaust port and you'll be looking on eBay for a used cylinder.

I'm not saying don't use a local shop. I'm saying do your homework. No shop is going to say "Not sure how it will run, but I'll give it a shot". It will be more like "We've ported tons of cylinders and you'll love the outcome".

 

[MercMenace]

Oh yeah i do plan on having a good go at the these guys. Like i said I won't commit til i am fully satisfied.

These are the guys I am looking at.
SledzRacing
http://sledzracing.com/

 

[tfaith08]

I'd be leery about anyone that isn't commonly talked about on forums. I port cylinders and I'd love to meet anyone that can port a 2 stroke symmetrically in 4 hours. 2 hours a side isn't hard at all, but getting the geometries even close as the other side takes a bit of time. Then you have the exhaust port and intake to do. Unless you have reputable forum members that are pulling for the company that you're sending stuff to, I'd re-think my choice.

I mean, I can see someone throwing a bone to an up and coming company, but do you really want to be the one that gets to tell everyone that they didn't do a good job? Unless I saw results FIRST HAND, I'd take my business elsewhere.

 

[MercMenace]

As far as i can see im the only one in my region on the forum. So yeah although I agree with with you and pretty everyone else here. What happens if kor retires? Do we let blasters die cause no one lets someone else have a chance? I think if I could bring one thing with this thread, it would be how do I.. interview... question.. make sure I am finding a good builder?

 

[speedyslyder]

just a fresh new cylinder away gotta pay to play

 

[tfaith08]

As far as i can see im the only one in my region on the forum. So yeah although I agree with with you and pretty everyone else here. What happens if kor retires? Do we let blasters die cause no one lets someone else have a chance? I think if I could bring one thing with this thread, it would be how do I.. interview... question.. make sure I am finding a good builder?

I'm sure I'll be a sponsor by the time KOR retires lol.

I agree with what you're saying but if anyone is good enough with any application, they generally chase the market, not the other way around. If you go to bansheehq and look at their sponsors, they all do good work. Same thing with E2S and here. Those builders came to the market and made it known what kind of work they do. That isn't to say that the absolute best builders sponsor sites, but you can rest assured that every sponsor does great work.

For the time being, I'd send it to a known builder.

 

[harley1-5]

I still say KOR.I have never had his port work[I will]but have heard a lot of good and no bad.Plus any1 that would educate others on how to do it thierself,is a true good bro