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Thumper Racing Head Porting

B

Big Berg

Joined Jan 2014
186 Posts | 99+
Central Point, Oregon
Hello,

Since I now have a 08 KTM 505 XC-F to ride I am looking into sending my 08 fe650 head to Thumper Racing to have them do their head mods, most likely Trail Port.

Jesse of Thumper Racing was recommended to me by hillclimb champion (Ret.) Robie Peterson.

Has anyone used them or can they recommend a company in the USA. Thanks!

https://thumperracing.net/index.php?route=product/category&path=73
 
I had Thumper Racing trail port the head on an '05 KTM 450 SX that I used to desert race. They installed the 6 speed tranny at the same time and the results were excellent. The power was just as they say, more broad. The engine seemed smoother as well. It didn't lose power anywhere and just worked better.

Generally speaking, they really know their stuff. After the KTM 450, I decided to race a '08 KTM 250SXF and eventually ended up with a Thumper Racing 320 kit installed. I can't remember if there was any head work included but that was probably the best single track race bike I've ever ridden!

I currently am working on building a 1996 vintage Husaberg FC600 engine into a fire-breathing beast using a 100mm piston from a later Husaberg 550. Thumper Racing has done all of the machine work to fit the big piston in what was originally a 95mm bore cylinder. They sourced the oversized sleeve, bored the cylinder, and pressed the sleeve in. They also clued me in to a custom rebuildable rod for this engine. My finances are a bit tight at the moment, otherwise I'd have the engine at their shop getting the crank set up, balanced and final assembly done. I also plan to have them do a trail port with larger valves as well as boring the carb.

Incidentally, the owner's name is Travis. I don't know if he has a "Jesse" working for him but, usually when you deal with Thumper Racing, you deal with Travis. He goes by TravisD37 on KTMtalk.
 
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thorgan said:
I had Thumper Racing trail port the head on an '05 KTM 450 SX that I used to desert race. They installed the 6 speed tranny at the same time and the results were excellent. The power was just as they say, more broad. The engine seemed smoother as well. It didn't lose power anywhere and just worked better.

Generally speaking, they really know their stuff. After the KTM 450, I decided to race a '08 KTM 250SXF and eventually ended up with a Thumper Racing 320 kit installed. I can't remember if there was any head work included but that was probably the best single track race bike I've ever ridden!

I currently am working on building a 1996 vintage Husaberg FC600 engine into a fire-breathing beast using a 100mm piston from a later Husaberg 550. Thumper Racing has done all of the machine work to fit the big piston in what was originally a 95mm bore cylinder. They sourced the oversized sleeve, bored the cylinder, and pressed the sleeve in. They also clued me in to a custom rebuildable rod for this engine. My finances are a bit tight at the moment, otherwise I'd have the engine at their shop getting the crank set up, balanced and final assembly done. I also plan to have them do a trail port with larger valves as well as boring the carb.

Incidentally, the owner's name is Travis. I don't know if he has a "Jesse" working for him but, usually when you deal with Thumper Racing, you deal with Travis. He goes by TravisD37 on KTMtalk.
Click to expand...

You know what now that I think about it your right. The guy I talked to was named Travis.

Super nice guy and talked to me about Ti valves and KTM cam that they could machine to fit etc.

Glad you had great results!

Thanks for the input!
 
you lot make porting sound so special or secretive. its just mind numbing boring work that is filthy for those of us that have to do it. a day without porting is a good day in the office!

Taffy
 
Just like my boring work I went through to fix my bike because you prefer to spend your days in the office claiming the husaberg specialist story ....a day withouth porting is a day withouth buisness ..

Never use thumper racing ( not yet) as they have some nice stuff for rfs/husaberg ...but if you see their profile, they know what they doing
 
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There's more to porting than just grinding away. Compare a grind and polish with a head ported by a professional who then tests the results on a flow bench as he goes along. No comparison! It's not just what you remove it's knowing what to leave.
 
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canolman said:
There's more to porting than just grinding away. Compare a grind and polish with a head ported by a professional who then tests the results on a flow bench as he goes along. No comparison! It's not just what you remove it's knowing what to leave.
Click to expand...

Canolman is on point with what he said. Flow testing is key!

I just installed the DJH manual cam chain adjuster on my 505 with oil PSI boosting mod to the top end. He too appears to know his stuff.

I actually may send my 505, 501 and 650 head all at once to get re-worked.

Anyone ever made a custom 2 into 1 header for their Berg/KTM? I want to make an equal length one that will compliment the porting.
 
canolman said:
There's more to porting than just grinding away. Compare a grind and polish with a head ported by a professional who then tests the results on a flow bench as he goes along. No comparison! It's not just what you remove it's knowing what to leave.
Click to expand...

of course there is, don't you think I know that? Not every job is flow tested because you can only compare an A head to a B head as the final finish is too much effort. I've had many heads flow tested here in the UK.

it's a messy horrible job. if you don't believe me - have a go yourself.

taffy
 
Taffy said:
it's a messy horrible job. if you don't believe me - have a go yourself.

taffy
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No thanks, wasn't doubting it's a messy job.
The professional I used flow tests EVERY head he works on. So you port one head then copy every other you do? Interesting.
 
I have done three styles of porting and had them checked. I don't do it proffesionally. has the man you go to done 4 heads (one more than me) then? has he done one Husaberg head more than me and flowed the valves?

if he is a generic porter he will know what he wants and doesn't have 4 previous Husaberg jobs. bang goes your theory.

Taffy
 
Sorry didn't really understand most of that?
The tuner I use has probably done hundreds of porting jobs! Last time I was there the bench was covered with everthing from BSA, Jawa and Japanese heads including a works Suzuki team's.
A good tuner such as Thumper Racing will ask what the customer wants and not do a generic job as you suggest.
It's irrelevant how many Husaberg heads a given tuner has worked on, it only matters that the tuner flow tests each one to the customer's requirements.
I have a couple of home ported heads here I bought from sidecar racers, they may be yours, and they do not flow as well as the head I had tuned by a professional, FACT.
My advice to the OP is go to a professional such as Thumper Racing.
 
Dave at DJH said "Porting runs $250, I would warn you on that 505 gains will be very small as they are a beautiful piece to start with"

Looks like the 650 and 501 will head to Thumper Racing sometime soon.
 
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canolman said:
No thanks, wasn't doubting it's a messy job.
The professional I used flow tests EVERY head he works on. So you port one head then copy every other you do? Interesting.
Click to expand...

each head was an improvement on the other. how does your BSA head help here?

you have no right to presume I did a ScX head?

look why don't you just **** off, I've never done sidecar crossers heads, well one and i have it back here and it's mine. I have a Husaberg engine producing over 100bhp in Norway and talk from pricks like you is cheap.

if you're just going to throw insults out all the time go talk to yourself, I don't like you because your a smartarse when you haven't done anything yet you know it all.

your a big mouth
 
Here we go again!
Taffy's MASSIVE ego ruins another thread!
When exactly did I insult you? If you cannot except any other opinion other than your own I would suggest it is you who needs to look at yourself.
Would you tell me to f##k off to my face troll? We have met by the way.

Apologies to the OP and the forum in general it shouldn't come to this.
 
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holy **** canolman you took the words outta my mouth The HPI CDI thread..... doesn't look like the OP got much help either, just the narcissistic ramblings of a deluded mentally unstable sociopath. The reason I took such a long break from this forum.
 
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berglsmerg said:
holy **** canolman you took the words outta my mouth The HPI CDI thread..... doesn't look like the OP got much help either, just the narcissistic ramblings of a deluded mentally unstable sociopath. The reason I took such a long break from this forum.
Click to expand...

It's water off a ducks back.
Most forums have a troll like Lord Taffy it's just a shame he's allowed to get away with the foul abuse he spouts on here.
I dread to think how many members take a break from the forum such as yourself but never come back! This is one of the best forums I'm a member of, the advice and technical knowledge here is fantastic, all given for free with no agenda.
Lord Taffy can type what he likes in his garden shed, I don't need his 'products' or 'services'. He's still more than welcome to tell me to f##k off to my face though!:p:p
 

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