125-200cc 09' wr144 take 2

[gestion01]

Got the wr144 back from rebuild after seizing it last month.

Re-jetted to 35 idle, stock needle middle clip and a 490 main. Weather was 27c on Sat. and 16-17c On Sunday. 32:1- 50/50 VP c12 and regular gas.

Terrain was endurocross section, mx and tight single track. Lots of mud.
Handling on these bikes is amazing. You can take all kinds of lines.

Plenty of low end, hills are much easier than stock. No bog. Middle is ''soft'' or feels a little slow but the top pulls nicely.

Overall its not a bad setup. Only things I now want to do is go back to my suspension guy and have it lifted back up to stock height. I bottom a lot, front tire hits the fender, frame scrapes the ground too much. And then test wally's springs.

Just cleaned 20lbs of clay off of it

 

[rockdancer]

Thanks - Its good to hear more about 144 s as a few of us would be considering conversion.
How would you rate the 144 conversion - out of 10?
You say the midle was soft - do you think the jetting was right ? Why did you go richer? ( when 250s seem to run leaner jetting )
How did you seize the last motor?
Cheers

 

[wallybean]

Rockdancer,

If his middle is soft it is a power valve problem. I would just go ahead and raise the linkage all the way up if you are running it partially adjusted and you have a soft spot. My 144 runs really good everywhere. It will pull some very impressive hills on the bottom end and mid-range before the pv's open. The 144 really rocks. I am 200 lbs nakidddd and it just motors up anything.

Walt

 

[gestion01]

Thanks - Its good to hear more about 144 s as a few of us would be considering conversion.
How would you rate the 144 conversion - out of 10?
You say the midle was soft - do you think the jetting was right ? Why did you go richer? ( when 250s seem to run leaner jetting )
How did you seize the last motor?
Cheers

It seized because my main jet was too small, I was pined in 6th gear. Cold morning at 2c. My fault.

I think my jetting is close. There's no bog, it clean very little spooge.

I will go with the spring that opens the valve at the lowest rpm. That should wake it up a bit. As it is it's very smooth. A little too much for lets say jumping a ditch...

 

[rockdancer]

I ll have to have a play with that adjustment too
Let us know how it goes

 

[gestion01]

Ok, update, I went with the red spring with the small blue inside. Linkage set in the middle... The extremes in the linkage setting I assume tax the little spring and it then breaks.

Just one ride around the house and down the street and wow!, it really seems to give this bike some punch. Middle no longer is ''soft''... I will have to test it further on the trail but now it truly feels more like a 200.

BTW changing springs is easier than I imagined. Instructions are spot on. Next test will be with just the red. I'm looking for this bike to hit. It was way too smooth for my tastes.

Thanks Wally

 

[wallybean]

Thanks,

IF you go with just the orange spring it will definitely hit. Dumps those pesky little pv's pretty fast. If you decide to adjust the linkage farther up you will need to increase spring size accordingly. I would say if you like the orange and decide to raise the linkage to about 3/4 of the way then go to the yellow or the yellow and blue. Preloading the springs takes away the progressive opening help of the blue and just adds its resistive force to that of the yellow spring and that would be about right.

Glad it runs great. When I was near sea level and running the orange spring with the linkage adjusted half way I also didn't have a bog but there was still a soft spot. I think a lot of that soft spot was the damn TMX and the transition from 1/4-1/2 throttle and wide open.

Walt

 

[MartinP518]

I pick up my bike in 2 days, sorry I don't have any Husky knowledge, but where are those 'coloured' springs from? Come with the bike or what?? I also got the factory 144 kit straight from Husky.

 

[john01]

The srpings are availible thanks to Walt (wallybean). It took lots of his time and R&D to put together a spring kit for us. I think they are for sale through Hall's. Hey let us know how the factory 144 kit feels and welcome to CH. BTW congrats on your new bike!

 

[gestion01]

Orange with the blue spring...real trail test, not bad. Better than stock. But the bike is still slow to rev from bottom to a super strong hold on hit

I just want to ride on the ''hit'' nearly all the time and not go through the slow rev bottom. On the bottom this bike now lugs like crazy. Crazy good if your in slow, wet and technical 1 gear survival mode. But too slow for single track that flows. Atv style trails it would work, because your speed is high enough to keep from falling back to near idle and having to rev-up again and again out of corners. Keeping the bike pined works but its a chore.

Next weekend it's the orange by itself test. I want to get the hit on as soon as possible in the revs.

At least now I know this bike has power, and plenty of it. Amazing how slow the stock spring is to fully open the powervalve. I bet a stock wr125 with just the orange spring rips and does not bog...

 

[john01]

Good update keep them comming, thanks.

 

[wallybean]

Gestion,

I don't know if you checked or not, but EG doesn't raise the bottom of the pv's after he re-grinds for the 144. This leaves the bottom about 2mm below where it is for the stock 125. Take them out and grind them to about 2mm from the top of the pv. Bottom angle is about 60 degrees. You will be stunned how much better it pulls from idle to mid-range. Then raise the linkage to 3/4 of the way to the top and change the spring to the yellow by itself to give you that hit. JMHO.

Walt

 

[gestion01]

That scares me wally :bonk:

I'm not much a motor tech. I do have an extra set of updated power valves. Maybe I can play with the grinder

So you think my next test should be just the yellow? Initial opening and full on is further up the revs, I don't see it going where I want it.
My riding style is very motocross. I'm also thinking there is too much flywheel weight...any way to reduce or change out the flywheel?


It's unfortunate that's its a tad too much of a hassle to do spring change in the field dirty bike and all. Every test is a weekend or so away. Plus I need to dial in the TC250.

 

[wallybean]

No problem Gestion. I just found if you have adjusted the linkage up then you need to increase the spring tension about one color to get the same opening as before. If you haven't adjusted the linkage above 1/2 way then go with just the orange spring.

Walt

 

[glangston]

I think George said he made a 160. We need a volunteer...

 

[wallybean]

I have a cylinder at George's right now getting the 167 treatment.

You have to use a pre-08 125 cylinder. The new cylinders have a few modifications that won't allow that large a bore unless you sleeve it. The earlier cylinders also had another bridge in the side tranfers which will make the ring last a little longer when boring the cylinder out 8.5mm.

Walt

 

[Joe Chod]

Once for the heck of it i took out he plastic PV arm and wired the PV full open. 9 SUPER RASIED EXHAUST PORT....TOP END!) Thing was gutless below 5000......zero hesitation though in the RPM's. hit like a bull at about 7500 to the stratosphere though. If you can ride a 125 in the woods then this was cool too. no problem keeping it singing because it just made noise below 5000. takes a bit of 125 know how and would not recomend for beginner 12 folks but there was zero stumble as the bike forced you to pin it

 

[wallybean]

Joe,

If you wanted to be competetive on an mx track in the 70's and early 80's on a 125 that was what you rode. No power valves and a light switch for a power band. I loved it when I was in my teens and weighed maybe 100 lbs. and 130 dripping wet when I quit at 18.

Walt

 

[Norman Foley]

I got to ride a Yamaha RZV500 with the powervalves wired open.... Saw God and soiled myself!

 

[wallybean]

NORMAN,




Walt