Porting: worth the effort?

Blusmbl · Post by **Blusmbl** » June 1st, 2008, 6:28 pm

Figure I'd ask here, since a search turned up a couple different threads, most regarding who to use (Glen being the clear winner).

I pulled the reed cage on my 01 today, partly because I noticed the bike being a bit noiser when I rode in Pittsburgh over Memorial Day, and also due to my buddy who just scattered his fresh rebuild 500. Sure enough, my original piston has a couple small cracks, one on each side of the intake skirt. I'm obviously going to take care of it prior to riding it again (I'm stuck deciding between a cast and forged piston, but I don't want to get into that debate as it's covered in detail in many, many topics here...), but I'm on the fence as to have the jug ported or not while it's apart.

My bike is about 90% stock, save for a PC pipe and sparky silencer. I've ridden it in everything from tight singletrack, to really nasty hillclimbs, and the dunes here in Michigan. I only really use WOT at the dunes, and the power was adequate, although I could've used more. I'd like a little more top end, but I don't want to give up the tractability of a 500. Impossible task? Just leave it stock, or would I still benifit from a port job? Anybody done jug work and either not noticed a difference, or disliked it afterward?

-Nick

Slow old Fart · Post by **Slow old Fart** » June 1st, 2008, 6:45 pm

The best cylinders I have ridden are ones that are only slightly ported by someone who knows what they are doing. Somebody who knows how to slightky adjust the air flow scavaging to where the fuel loop is more efficient with out changing the port timing hardly at all will make the bike easier to ride. Much broader midrange and just raise the compression a touch to fill the hole in the bottom of the motor.

If you do it correctly it will do that thing to where you can ride a wheelie a mile. way better than stock. all the radical changes just make the bike harder to ride,yes it is fun for blasting but that is all.

Go try some GTA fuel enhancer in combo.

dannygraves · Post by **dannygraves** » June 1st, 2008, 7:19 pm

its easy to go too far with porting. Glens "trail" porting would be a good choice, ask Lewisclan how he likes it.
if you get a dunes porting job it will be unrideable in the ST a difficult to control on the trails. this is why I have 2 bikes...

Post by **MojoScojo** » June 1st, 2008, 8:21 pm

If you are OK with fiddling with your jetting, porting for your particular application is worthwhile. If not, keep her stock.

Ported&Polished · Post by **Ported&Polished** » June 1st, 2008, 8:30 pm

Pfft! Don't listen to these pussies, port the shit out of it! There is no such thing as mild porting in my experience, it's either ported and hauls the mail, or it's not. As for ease of riding in the woods or single track, just gear it low and your fine. Lets face it, if you ride a cr500 and have ridden bikes for years, you will find a way to handle whatever power you have on tap. A heavily modified cr500 is the shit and if you thought you needed more power at any time, then porting is for you!

Post by **AlisoBob** » June 1st, 2008, 8:34 pm

Slow old Fart wrote:The best cylinders I have ridden are ones that are only slightly ported by someone who knows what they are doing. Somebody who knows how to slightky adjust the air flow scavaging to where the fuel loop is more efficient with out changing the port timing hardly at all will make the bike easier to ride. Much broader midrange and just raise the compression a touch to fill the hole in the bottom of the motor.

If you do it correctly it will do that thing to where you can ride a wheelie a mile. way better than stock. all the radical changes just make the bike harder to ride,yes it is fun for blasting but that is all.

Yup......

dannygraves · Post by **dannygraves** » June 1st, 2008, 9:47 pm

port for your application is all I am saying. My gen-1 is rideable in the trails, but one slip of the wrist at the wrong time and its hospital time! On my gen-4 it is going to be a stock motor with an fmf gnarly, pwk 39.5 and a port clean up with no timing modification.

100hp honda · Post by **100hp honda** » June 2nd, 2008, 1:09 pm

a good running stock motor is PLENTY for trail riding

dannygraves · Post by **dannygraves** » June 2nd, 2008, 1:11 pm

Post by **AlisoBob** » June 2nd, 2008, 1:12 pm

100hp honda wrote:a good running stock motor is PLENTY for trail riding

ou812 · Post by **ou812** » June 2nd, 2008, 2:06 pm

Here's my

on the subject. I had Glen do my barrel this last winter. It was his Trail port version with a Wiesco piston. First off I've never been a big fan of Wiesco pistons do to may failures in the past, but this one seems to be fine and after a half hours run time a peak in the exhaust port and intake show no problems or marks. Matter of fact the pictures posted of Glen work on the polished barrel is my barrel ( it should be noted that 100HP forced me to polish it!)

.

The work done was first rate, and this is the first time I've be happy with a Wiesco pistoned motor, a toruqe plate must be the program. So as far as how is it for trail riding? well the bikes is now a little harder to ride in the very tight stuff but not should still be OK for most people. What it did do was give it a much harder pull right in the mid range and it will bring a grin to your face, Wheelies in fourth and fifth are much more fun as you don't have to search for the hit to bring it up, it just right there. The only down side is it really drop on fual milage, with the same carb as the before jetting I've had to go up 3 sizes on the main and 10 on the pilot.

glen howell · Post by **glen howell** » June 2nd, 2008, 3:25 pm

Sorry about the milliage

but we do have to sacrafice somewhere

but it most likley is only about 3-4 miles

.Again I'm sorry

I hope you enjoy it as much ,as I did when I had it on the flow bench doing a little knick here

and a little knick there

.to get the most flow out of the port work

.Glen (TEAM GSS) NAHA #42

britincali · Post by **britincali** » June 2nd, 2008, 3:28 pm

I definatly notice the difference in mileage on my GSS motor, it DRINKS gas compared to my AF.

Worth every bit of it tho

fastkart · Post by **fastkart** » June 2nd, 2008, 3:56 pm

I figure I get 3 1/3 miles per gallon out of my GSS running it WFO. Damnit Glen...

britincali · Post by **britincali** » June 2nd, 2008, 4:01 pm

At dumont yesterday I went from camp to comp ran the hill 3-4 times then off to the north pole and back to camp. Hit banshee 3 times then back to comp another 4-5 times and I was out of gas.

glen howell · Post by **glen howell** » June 2nd, 2008, 4:21 pm

I hope you guy's don't think I'm working for the gas and oil people too.Glen (TEAM GSS) NAHA #42

britincali · Post by **britincali** » June 2nd, 2008, 4:26 pm

Apollo · Post by **Apollo** » June 2nd, 2008, 4:52 pm

Ou812, are you using race gas?

ou812 · Post by **ou812** » June 2nd, 2008, 6:03 pm

No, I am on 92 pump gas and it is 100% OK but I did try advancing the timing and I did not like that, that brought on a ping, so with the stock timing I would say I am close to the edge with 92. The bike does rip it will leave a stock one no problem.

With the cost of race fual I made sure by talking to Glen that I would not need it and he did deliver on that and said I could gain some more with race gas and a little timing bump which again seems true. Who knows I may in time send him another head set up for race fual.

Blusmbl · Post by **Blusmbl** » June 2nd, 2008, 6:12 pm

Thanks for all the responses, everybody. I've thought about it a bit, and for now I'm leaving it stock and throwing an oem cast piston back in it (waiting for tomatos to be thrown in my direction at any minute now).

It's already significantly faster than my ability everywhere besides the dunes, so I should probably not mess with it until it's next rebuild. You guys are right, a stock motor is more than enough for trails...

-Nick

Apollo · Post by **Apollo** » June 2nd, 2008, 6:21 pm

I asked for an Eric Gore cylinder with all around porting to run on pump gas when I got my SH 500AF, but Randy said it might need race gas. It does ping on pump gas at 1/4 throttle only when the revs build. I now use a 50/50 mix with great results. I am wondering if Gore went all out on it or tried to keep the compression at a reasonable level to keep me from the race gas. Since I am used to running race gas now, I have been wanting to call Glenn and get him to do me up a trail port cylinder on race gas. I am interested what differences in power I would have compared to Gore's all around porting. Glenn's work looks absolutly senational. I ride cross country and want a cylinder that has a good bottom and mid but revs out. My Gore cylinder does that, but like I said earlier, I am interested in Glenn's work with full on race gas.

Apollo · Post by **Apollo** » June 2nd, 2008, 6:27 pm

Blusmbl, no tomatoes here, but some types of porting can make your bike easier and faster to ride on the trails, like my Gore port work as stated above. I just do not know if you can get it with pump gas.

fastkart · Post by **fastkart** » June 2nd, 2008, 6:33 pm

glen howell wrote:I hope you guy's don't think I'm working for the gas and oil people too.Glen (TEAM GSS) NAHA #42

Opec? Nah... Just VP and Blendzall.

Post by **MojoScojo** » June 2nd, 2008, 6:39 pm

Apollo wrote:Blusmbl, no tomatoes here, but some types of porting can make your bike easier and faster to ride on the trails, like my Gore port work as stated above. I just do not know if you can get it with pump gas.

Yes you can. I have it.

iggys-amsoil · Post by **iggys-amsoil** » June 2nd, 2008, 10:39 pm

AlisoBob wrote:
Slow old Fart wrote:The best cylinders I have ridden are ones that are only slightly ported by someone who knows what they are doing. Somebody who knows how to slightky adjust the air flow scavaging to where the fuel loop is more efficient with out changing the port timing hardly at all will make the bike easier to ride. Much broader midrange and just raise the compression a touch to fill the hole in the bottom of the motor.

If you do it correctly it will do that thing to where you can ride a wheelie a mile. way better than stock. all the radical changes just make the bike harder to ride,yes it is fun for blasting but that is all.
Yup......

and yup...

At the time when mine was off and had the $. Do it cause its sort of like a one time deal, until the last bore size. I went for dune porting cause I wasn't racing yet and that has come in handy too. AKA Glen Helen starts.

BannedCR500Riders.com

Porting: worth the effort?

Porting: worth the effort?