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Thinner head gasket and 'Busa pistons, higher compression questions.

3.6K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  rico8s  
#1 ·
So, I just recently heard about some people replacing the stock pistons with the 'Busa equivalents and getting thinner head gaskets to raise compression. Just wondering, but what do you guys think of this mod? Does it net any performance gains? And would this require higher octane gas? 89? 91?

-SVElectricRider
 
#3 ·
My understanding is the 'Busa pistons are lighter than the SV pistons, but do not increase the compression ratio. Theoretically, the bike can rev faster; on the street, I doubt you'd see any advantage. Taking apart perfectly good cylinder heads to shave a mm of gasket material also strikes me as a poor idea.

Higher compression comes from machining the heads and using thinner gaskets. You also have to hone the cylinders. It's an expensive and not an easy mod. IMO, it's a mod for people who have done every other mod, and are still not done fiddling.

EDIT: My comments are based on my assumption that you're looking into this as a street mod. If you intend to race in a class that allows this modification, that's a different matter.
 
#6 ·
Well, there you have it...go big or go home... :)

Seriously though, as Nudist suggested, head on over to the TWF Racing forum and talk to Z...
or, looks like you're in the midwest, Ben Probst is another guy here on the forum who knows is way around an SV so you could connect with him too. He's on the board here....

So is Z, but he hides out in the darkness and only comes out to play if the situation warrants it... ;)