Cannondaleriders

anybody make or used to make a slip in big bore kit for the dales?im looking to up the performance a bit(arent we all)but im not looking to get in too deep with outrageous stroker cranks and the like.I may tear it down this winter and have a bit of port work done on my head and maybe lap the valves while im in there.I know its hard to knock the price of a stock asso piston and sleeve but i would pay a bit more for something with a bit higher compression,lookingfor a bit of a performance increase on a moderate budget i guess.It rips now but you guys know how it is,if only i could have a bit more.But it has been holding together since i put a crank in it this winter and replaced the smallish stator side crank bearing(with a new smallish bearing..hehe)so maybe i shouldnt push it

Timbo has high quality big bores in stock. I am not sure if Dave does, maybe he will post if he does. Definately have Tim port that thing before the big bore. Such a power difference.

high quality?is that pig latin for expensive..lol

You get what you pay for.

Porting goes a long way on these machines.

go with the porting...ive got some decent head porting, exhaust, and ripped the air box; and a remapped cpu thanks to caniboomer and she really moves, and that's with stock timing and asso piston; you wont be disappointed! im told i can squeeze some more with timing, but i really like the power band as is.....

kevin

thats what im thinking,as far as getting what you pay for,not really.I seen a "relialibilty update" kit on another web site for the dales which consisted of a falicon crank and piston for $2600!hardly worth it for that kind of coin even if they were made of gold.So apro design billet shifter is worth $125?didnt think so...so one doesnt always get what they pay for,especially these days

The reason the kits are so much is cause of the sleeve. The piston isn't really any more money then any other bike. But your really not a hole lot more into with the dale because when you add in resleeving other bikes I'd be your with in 50$. As a side note anything to do with Tim you do get what you pay for and then some. As far as I know he keeps pistons in stock and head porting turn around isn't that bad, it the crank would that will get you.
Also I say do both,piston and porting. It's only money

Actually when it comes to Cannondales its pretty much the opposite. The lower cost stuff almost always turned out to be far superior than the high dollar items. Stock piston kits ,cranks ,valves,valve springs ,cams,suspension parts ect. Especially exhaust systems were all tried by many and yet could never meet or exceed the performance and quality of many stock parts. Its sad but I have yet to meet anyone with a $3500 engine who could even come close to the reliabilty and performance of a well put together updated performance ported engine which we could build for less than half to a third the price. Much of the overpriced garbage is long gone but there is still some out there being peddled. Your best bet is to ask questions, do research and check dyno charts of EVERYTHING ,EVERYTHING ,EVERYTHING you buy for your quad. Dont just listen to the salesman.

Its a proven FACT that performance porting (not cleanup jobs) is the cheapest and first thing you should ever do to get the first big chunk of power(10hp or more) .You do that first before even thinking about stroker cranks or piston kits which only add a horse or 2 to the engine.

i will agree with wistech, he has my bike right now from last weekend. i put a "ported head" from some local shop on my 448 stroker, bike made 18 hp less then johns ported 450 on pump gas mind you, oh yeah down 1-15 ft. lbs of torque too! from now on i'm sticking to the basics and with the right builders.

personally, i would stay stock stroke and stoke bore and send your head to wistech for some of his port work. his prices are fair and he really does his homework when it comes to dales. i personally think that he does more r&d on making reliable fair priced hp then any one else.