Our '87 Kawasaki
Tecate-4 bike is a good unit. It has been ridden and raced by the DW staff and test crew for half a year.
Although the green machine has performed decently, it has not always been out
first choice at riding time. Our 250R FourTrax and 250 Quadracers were
generally better at most applications right out of the "box" and were easily made race-track competitive.
The Tecate had a good motor and decent suspension but needed modification to
keep up with the competition.
We added
wheel spacers, reeds, an Answer Roost
Boost and a Funco bump-steer kit for out "Tecate Trickery" story in
the August issue of DW. The result
was a better-handling longer-revving tip-end screamer. But the Kawasaki still
required more shifting and careful clutch control to keep with its 250cc
cousins.
On trail rides and
fast roads the Tecates did not seem to be at any disadvantage, But on the race
track on in power-robbing sand the
Kawasaki definitely face something away. It was especially disheartening to be
merrily ripping on the green machine only to get roosted by a stock 1986
FourTrax! Something had to be done.
ROLL UP YOUR
SLEEVES
Rather than go with the standard port, pipe and light-switch
powerband hop-up routine, we decided to give our green meanie a healthy does of
low-end grunt with a big-bore kit from L.A. Sleeve
We wanted to
retain the stock mid-range and top-end power and at the same time beef up the
torque. The goal was a broad spread of power from top to bottom. A big-bore
project seemed the logical way to achieve the power we were looking for.
A call to Nick
Metchkoff a L.A. Sleeve confirmed the feasibility of the project. Nick said his
larger-bore sleeve would provide a hot in the arm for the ailing Kawasaki.
L.A. Sleeve has a
reputation for doing quality engine sleeving. The family-owned business was
started in 1947 by Nick's grandfather., who 82 still works in the shop along
with Nick L.A. Sleeve Manufactures cylinder sleeves for the heavy-duty truck
and automotive applications, as well as recreation machines, such as ATVs,
motorcycles and snowmobiles.
Nick can sleeve
just about anything that burns gas, and he does a brick business in big-bore
kits for ATVs. His kits utilize the stock crank case and rod assembly for most
machines, making installation a simple drop in,. bolt-on procedure. Along the
cylinder sleeves, they also supply related moto parts, such as custom pipes and
pistons to match their sleeves.
COMPONENTS
We ask Nick to
retain the stock pipe and carb on out Tecate-4. We won in our bike to be a sleeper,
appearing to be a stocker, but performing like Open class monster. The only
visible power-train modification would be an Answer SA Pro spark -arrested
silencer hanging off the back of the machine. The Roost Boost was left in place
since it had worked well on the stock cylinder. We hoped the combination of a
big-bore cylinder in stock components would yield a quite spark-arrested to
torque motor that was still rev to the moon.
To add a touch of
class to our project we gathered some aluminum wheels from CT World Class
Products and a JP axcalibar rear axle like the ones found on the Team Green
Tecates.
NUMBERS
Dimensions of the
new Big-bore cylinder would be 73mm*70mm. Retaining the stock stoke and increasing
the bore from 67.4mm to 73mm gave us a actual displacement of 295cc. The ports
were matched, accustom head gasket installed, and the cylinder head was hogged
out and polished. A mild compression of 170 lbs was elected in order to be able
to run the motor on low-octane pump gas. L.A. Sleeve can race compression to
nearly 200 lbs, but racing fuel would be required to prevent detonation at
those pressures. We felt the pump gas would suit our needs best. All that was
left to do was ride the machine.
RIDE REPORT
Project big-bore
Tecate-4 is a success. The L.A. Sleeve kit defiantly boosts power though out
the range our tecate is now a regular Honda hunter. No longer to we eat roost
from other middleweight machines. The power comes on just off idle and
continues throughout the rpm range. On top, the motor just keeps pulling, never
seeming to run out of breath. The new personality of the Kawasaki makes it an
easy-to-ride then play bike and perfect for sand or hill climbing excuse. The
extra grunt provided by the increase in displacement was just what was needed
to turn our anemic ATV into a Kracker-jack Kawasaki . The improved motor would
also be perfect as a lightweight. Open class mountain cross country desert
events.
L.A. Sleeve will
do the machining and supply all the necessary parts to turn your Kawasaki into
a big-bore, roost rocket $309.95.
If you have a
green machine that needs a boost in performance then you can contact L.A.
Sleeve at 8311 Chetle Ave., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670; (213) 945-7578
or call
1-800-767-0345
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