Who/Where is the head done for KX450SR?

racinstation 10/7/2022 12:47pm
10/7/2022 12:47pm Edited Date/Time 10/20/2022 6:51pm
Wondering if anyone knows who ports the head for the KX450SR? They are getting some solid numbers. We have a couple regular KX450s and would like to upgrade to that head. If anyone has this information it would be appreciated!
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caviar&cigarettes338 10/7/2022 1:31pm
10/7/2022 1:31pm
racinstation wrote:
Wondering if anyone knows who ports the head for the KX450SR? They are getting some solid numbers. We have a couple regular KX450s and would like...
Wondering if anyone knows who ports the head for the KX450SR? They are getting some solid numbers. We have a couple regular KX450s and would like to upgrade to that head. If anyone has this information it would be appreciated!
I’m pretty sure it’s done by khi Japan In house
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Richy
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Richy 10/7/2022 1:46pm
10/7/2022 1:46pm
It's still the same initial casting and valve sizes isn't it, just had a tickle? You'd expect it would be relatively easily repeatable, if you could order one or acquire one for comparison and measurements?

If I'm way off base, please educate me, no offence taken.
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racinstation 10/7/2022 2:35pm
10/7/2022 2:35pm
Richy wrote:
It's still the same initial casting and valve sizes isn't it, just had a tickle? You'd expect it would be relatively easily repeatable, if you could...
It's still the same initial casting and valve sizes isn't it, just had a tickle? You'd expect it would be relatively easily repeatable, if you could order one or acquire one for comparison and measurements?

If I'm way off base, please educate me, no offence taken.
The "tickle" is the secret on head work. Yes same valves. It isn't easy or ethical to copy someone's head work. Flow patterns, angles, etc are critical. The SR head just flat works and they have a good formula.
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Richy
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Richy 10/7/2022 2:43pm
10/7/2022 2:43pm Edited Date/Time 10/7/2022 2:46pm
I'm sure you have your share of experience, this isn't a poor attempt at an asshole 'pull rank' comment as I'm a nobody, but I work with good engine builders daily, it will be fairly easy to see almost exactly what is done, you could even scan the majority of it.

Plus, ethics shouldn't come into it when you're talking about a factory built, purchasable part and you're doing it for yourself, not to sell for profit or try and pass it off as your own idea.

Copying a bespoke TMR job to replicate and sell yourself, as an example, would be unethical I agree.
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caviar&cigarettes338 10/7/2022 4:50pm
10/7/2022 4:50pm
Richy wrote:
I'm sure you have your share of experience, this isn't a poor attempt at an asshole 'pull rank' comment as I'm a nobody, but I work...
I'm sure you have your share of experience, this isn't a poor attempt at an asshole 'pull rank' comment as I'm a nobody, but I work with good engine builders daily, it will be fairly easy to see almost exactly what is done, you could even scan the majority of it.

Plus, ethics shouldn't come into it when you're talking about a factory built, purchasable part and you're doing it for yourself, not to sell for profit or try and pass it off as your own idea.

Copying a bespoke TMR job to replicate and sell yourself, as an example, would be unethical I agree.
Can you even order a sr 450 cylinder from a Kawasaki dealer ? Or is it like the factory edition ktms if you wanted new redbull graphics, you had to show ownership of the bike and give the old ones back when you got the new replacements. I’m pretty sure they won’t just let you go in and buy a sr cylinder and probably didn’t make many spares if any at all
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lumpy790
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lumpy790 10/7/2022 4:57pm
10/7/2022 4:57pm
Probably CNC ported
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 10/7/2022 5:16pm
10/7/2022 5:16pm
Hmmm...

I'm pretty sure the SR's have there own ECU curves/programs...

I'm jus' sayin'
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Broseph
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Broseph 10/7/2022 5:18pm
10/7/2022 5:18pm Edited Date/Time 10/7/2022 5:19pm
Honda’s “ported” WE head basically meant an assembly worker buzzed the valve seat area with a die grinder for about 2 seconds. Is Kawasaki’s genuinely ported? Anyone have pics?
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caviar&cigarettes338 10/7/2022 5:19pm
10/7/2022 5:19pm
Sorry meant the head not cylinder . But same deal can you even order a sr head from a kawi dealer or is it special order part for sr owners only ?
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caviar&cigarettes338 10/7/2022 5:27pm
10/7/2022 5:27pm
I just looked up for the SR and the stock 450 it’s the same part number the stock head as the SR so I guess if you tried to order it you will just get a stock head you can’t just order sr head . Be cool to call kawasaki USA and ask if you can order the SR head some how



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Rider 5280
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Rider 5280 10/7/2022 5:41pm
10/7/2022 5:41pm
Calling Team Green reps ... any info here?
caviar&cigarettes338 10/7/2022 6:30pm
10/7/2022 6:30pm
Broseph wrote:
Honda’s “ported” WE head basically meant an assembly worker buzzed the valve seat area with a die grinder for about 2 seconds. Is Kawasaki’s genuinely ported...
Honda’s “ported” WE head basically meant an assembly worker buzzed the valve seat area with a die grinder for about 2 seconds. Is Kawasaki’s genuinely ported? Anyone have pics?
Motocross action had a issue where they tore down both and said wasn’t really any cleaning or polishing done to Honda but the kawi did have a lot of it done
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mshea397
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mshea397 10/7/2022 7:35pm
10/7/2022 7:35pm
I have a 2022 KX450SR and the ports were not even close to as cleaned up as the picture above.
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caviar&cigarettes338 10/7/2022 7:42pm
10/7/2022 7:42pm
mshea397 wrote:
I have a 2022 KX450SR and the ports were not even close to as cleaned up as the picture above.
This is a picture from mxa . I know in one issue like I said above they said they pulled the Honda works edition and the kawi sr cylinder head and the Honda wasn’t even close to the kawi for the work done
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DSweeney114
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DSweeney114 10/7/2022 8:02pm
10/7/2022 8:02pm
Terry Varner is doing them that’s why he’s backed up on everyone else’s motors.
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MotoCosmo
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MotoCosmo 10/7/2022 9:57pm
10/7/2022 9:57pm
caviar&cigarettes338 wrote:
I just looked up for the SR and the stock 450 it’s the same part number the stock head as the SR so I guess if...
I just looked up for the SR and the stock 450 it’s the same part number the stock head as the SR so I guess if you tried to order it you will just get a stock head you can’t just order sr head . Be cool to call kawasaki USA and ask if you can order the SR head some how



Not the same part number. 11008 signifies the cylinder head but the second part of the number signifies the specific model.



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Thisusernameis… 10/7/2022 10:01pm
10/7/2022 10:01pm
Richy wrote:
I'm sure you have your share of experience, this isn't a poor attempt at an asshole 'pull rank' comment as I'm a nobody, but I work...
I'm sure you have your share of experience, this isn't a poor attempt at an asshole 'pull rank' comment as I'm a nobody, but I work with good engine builders daily, it will be fairly easy to see almost exactly what is done, you could even scan the majority of it.

Plus, ethics shouldn't come into it when you're talking about a factory built, purchasable part and you're doing it for yourself, not to sell for profit or try and pass it off as your own idea.

Copying a bespoke TMR job to replicate and sell yourself, as an example, would be unethical I agree.
I’ll introduce to you..
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caviar&cigarettes338 10/7/2022 10:17pm
10/7/2022 10:17pm
Good eye I missed that . So for $80s more you’re getting the ported polished cylinder. Just checked the ecu is different part #s also so if you wanted you could buy the cylinder head and ecu from dealer and put on your stock 450 . I wonder how many extra cylinder heads have been made and are they made/ported as needed or they have some sitting in a parts warehouse ready go for a dealer to order


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Richy
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Richy 10/8/2022 4:27am
10/8/2022 4:27am
Has nobody got a work around for mapping the OE ECU's yet? Just curious, as I see these comments suggesting not and people buying aftermarket etc.
caviar&cigarettes338 10/8/2022 7:33am
10/8/2022 7:33am Edited Date/Time 10/8/2022 7:36am
Chris99Flannery wrote:
How much is the ecu?
$678, different part#s for the stock 450 and SR450 so if you did buy cylinder head for the sr for your stock 450 you would need buy the sr ecu also
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soggy
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soggy 10/8/2022 12:33pm
10/8/2022 12:33pm
Chris99Flannery wrote:
How much is the ecu?
caviar&cigarettes338 wrote:
$678, different part#s for the stock 450 and SR450 so if you did buy cylinder head for the sr for your stock 450 you would need...
$678, different part#s for the stock 450 and SR450 so if you did buy cylinder head for the sr for your stock 450 you would need buy the sr ecu also
Wouldn’t necessarily have too but it would help get the most out of your engine.

But also I bet the ecu makes a bigger difference then the head.
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GTM
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GTM 10/20/2022 10:17am
10/20/2022 10:17am
caviar&cigarettes338 wrote:
Photo from mxa of the kawi SR cylinder head, you can see how polished and cleaned up intake is [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2022/10/07/572334/s1200_221B8B60_C69C_4E6B_A852_65DA4C9BCE56.jpg[/img]
Photo from mxa of the kawi SR cylinder head, you can see how polished and cleaned up intake is

That appears to be a fairly mild clean-up, valve guide boss are not knife edged and the divider rib
looks pretty mild compared to a full port job you typically see.
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cwtoyota
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cwtoyota 10/20/2022 6:35pm
10/20/2022 6:35pm
Richy wrote:
It's still the same initial casting and valve sizes isn't it, just had a tickle? You'd expect it would be relatively easily repeatable, if you could...
It's still the same initial casting and valve sizes isn't it, just had a tickle? You'd expect it would be relatively easily repeatable, if you could order one or acquire one for comparison and measurements?

If I'm way off base, please educate me, no offence taken.
racinstation wrote:
The "tickle" is the secret on head work. Yes same valves. It isn't easy or ethical to copy someone's head work. Flow patterns, angles, etc are...
The "tickle" is the secret on head work. Yes same valves. It isn't easy or ethical to copy someone's head work. Flow patterns, angles, etc are critical. The SR head just flat works and they have a good formula.
Often it's little details like seat and valve grind angles and how the bowl blends into them.
It's crazy how a few degrees on the edge of a seat or a valve can change flow numbers in some engines.

If you can get your hands on an SR head and valves (perhaps through Kawi OEM parts) you could have a porting shop duplicate it using 5-axis CNC machining process. I know RaceTech advertises CNC porting service (under NDA). Lots of automotive shops do too, but there must be a few others around the dirt-bike world that can 3D scan or probe a port and set up a CNC to duplicate it.

I don't do this kind of work in my shop, but I run CNC all day every day and can confirm that it's well within the realm of possibility with current machining centers.
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bite_the_curb 10/20/2022 6:49pm
10/20/2022 6:49pm
do any of you really need a faster kx450? bet the stock one is more than enough
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user760a
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user760a 10/20/2022 6:51pm
10/20/2022 6:51pm
Richy wrote:
It's still the same initial casting and valve sizes isn't it, just had a tickle? You'd expect it would be relatively easily repeatable, if you could...
It's still the same initial casting and valve sizes isn't it, just had a tickle? You'd expect it would be relatively easily repeatable, if you could order one or acquire one for comparison and measurements?

If I'm way off base, please educate me, no offence taken.
racinstation wrote:
The "tickle" is the secret on head work. Yes same valves. It isn't easy or ethical to copy someone's head work. Flow patterns, angles, etc are...
The "tickle" is the secret on head work. Yes same valves. It isn't easy or ethical to copy someone's head work. Flow patterns, angles, etc are critical. The SR head just flat works and they have a good formula.
It isn't ethical?

If someone else has hit the sweet spot, which obviously works, should everyone else try something different simply because they themselves did not find the sweet spot first? I am pretty sure we are not talking about patented/copyrighted intellectual property here....just a little head flow job.

Maybe the use of round wheels is also a bit of an ethical gray area for some.

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