Posts
22
Joined
2/15/2021
Location
Cedar City, UT
US
Edited Date/Time
3/1/2021 6:37pm
Had Tom build me up a yz265 set up for mx. If I had one word to describe doing work through Tom it would be professionalism. He was great with communication and got the cylinder and head done well before my requested deadline. He packed everything nicely and gave detailed instructions on jetting. Great stuff.
The bike runs amazing. Super smooth tractable power without losing any overrev. Bike is great coming out of corners, pulls very hard but manages to stay smooth. It is definitely faster than a stock yz250 but also more smooth. He did a great job, and I’ve used multiple builders in the past but tom will take more of my money in the future. Super happy with the results and overall experience.
Jetting was straightforward and similar to stock. Really easy to get the bike dialed in. Not a very finicky set up at all compared to some cylinders I’ve had in the past from other builders. If I were to describe the power it would be a massively enhanced stock yz powerband. It still retains the revvy feel the yamahas are known for while giving more down low to work with when exiting corners. Great motor, great experience, Tom is a stand up guy and has a strong reputation for a reason!
The bike runs amazing. Super smooth tractable power without losing any overrev. Bike is great coming out of corners, pulls very hard but manages to stay smooth. It is definitely faster than a stock yz250 but also more smooth. He did a great job, and I’ve used multiple builders in the past but tom will take more of my money in the future. Super happy with the results and overall experience.
Jetting was straightforward and similar to stock. Really easy to get the bike dialed in. Not a very finicky set up at all compared to some cylinders I’ve had in the past from other builders. If I were to describe the power it would be a massively enhanced stock yz powerband. It still retains the revvy feel the yamahas are known for while giving more down low to work with when exiting corners. Great motor, great experience, Tom is a stand up guy and has a strong reputation for a reason!
The Shop
I immediately was impressed with his communication and timely responses to my phone calls or emails. Service was quick and thorough, our newly worked top end came with a nice packet of information put together by Tom with recommendations of not only jetting but recommended gearing, pipe & silencer, reed style, fuel & oil suggestions etc...
I put the bike together and with the new provided Wiseco piston (Tom now uses Vertex), the bike just had too much piston slap upon start up and warm up (factory bore with less than 25 hrs). I called Tom with my concerns. Tom didn’t know me and, I could have been the biggest top end assembling goon in the USA for all he knows and I sent him back the top end for him to inspect. He quickly sent me back a freshly plated cylinder and all related parts at no charge, no drama, and told me to put it on and let me know if I like the sound of that combo 😬. The bike sounded great and I told him so. We loaded up the bike along with our new 2016 YZ250F and headed over 1000 miles south to Alabama to do some winter training. Broke in the 125 and my son and I were just blown away by the power and over rev of Tom’s work. He hammered that bike all week and barely wanted to ride his new 250F.
I have since used Tom on multiple builds, countless moto buds that I recommended had the same experience I had over the years working with Tom. Look Tom up on the Racer X podcast as Steve Matthes interviewed Tom about his career at Factory Kawasaki and being Wards mechanic, Multiple AMA Factory Mechanic of the year awards, Motocross des Nations etc...
One last thing... I rode that 125 Tom did the work on back in 2016
Work was amazing and the bike (02 CR250) ripped.
Ironically, one of the smallest details stuck with me the most. He accidentally charged me for a tiny, <2.00 part...upon catching it himself, he insisted on refunding the money, despite me insisting that he had provided me far more than 2.00 of advice and support. I wouldn’t have cared about the charge and yet he insisted on making it right.
Pit Row
In fact he did 2 identical vintage Husky 250 engines (74 Mag ) one was for the woods racer and other was for a pure moto bike, and those 2 engines that started out identical ,ended up being done beautifully for their intended purpose and felt like completely different animals. I honestly was quite shocked that he could modify 2 of the exact same engines and have completely different power characteristics.
Also, the build sheet he includes is a great plus. Carb/jetting suggestions, ring gap specs, timing suggestions, he even convinced me to switch to Redline which was a tremendous call. (although I still love the Klotz smell,lol)
I will never send any cylinder/head of mine to another engine builder.
As far as the proprietary issue, the moment you get paid and that engine or barrel goes out the door, you no longer own it unless it’s some development work and there’s an agreement in place. Competitors do and will get hold of your work and copy if they like, that’s just how it goes.
And as anyone who has professionally done porting will know, the big power gains/ changes will be in modifications to port timing. Unless the photo shows the port windows in the cylinder with a degree wheel on the crank and depth gauge down the cylinder, than no photo is going to reveal port timing.
For those of you with his big bore 265, 295 & 315 packages I would highly recommend having him balance the crank specifically for that heavier piston when it is time to do the bottom end. You will thank me 😎 Even if you are building a max effort stock displacement 250 you can still feel a difference once he is done.
Oh & if you want the fastest smoker out there have him build you a long rod 265, 280 or 310!
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