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just bought an 05 250x not running. intake valves were sunk. anyways i just ordered the complete 07 r head off here and am wondering if i can use (what i think is the original) cam? and down the road which cam i should use? im thinking the 05 r cam or stage 1 hot cam. ill be mostly trail riding and on the street after i get it plated. thoughts?

If you can use an R cam in an X head then I would say it's safe to assume the opposite is true. Was that your question?

I would like to know how the 05 r cam stacks up against the stage 1 cam. Thanks for you reply also.

I like any year R cam in a 250 X better than any stage 1 or 2. The '05 is a great strong choice for a cam.

Leardriver wrote:I like any year R cam in a 250 X better than any stage 1 or 2. The '05 is a great strong choice for a cam.

thanks for the input. ill keep that in mind.

Stage 1 cam is ALL low and Mid range , the top falls off fast and lower RPM than any R cam would , it is made for low end grunt and thats about it , no overall performance gain , just bottom mid

The Stage 2 has slightly less bottom than the 1 , but much more top end , but still is not a OVERALL power increase like a R cam would be , the HotCams , were designed to be for "specific needs" rather than for overall power gains , that is why they have a Stage 1 , 2 and 3 , each are specific need oriented , all the Honda cams (R Cams) were designed to be more versatile , for all around use , not so much for just bottom , not so much for just mid and not so much for just top end gains , and each year R cam has its own distinct characteristics

Hope that helped !

JimDirt wrote:Stage 1 cam is ALL low and Mid range , the top falls off fast and lower RPM than any R cam would , it is made for low end grunt and thats about it , no overall performance gain , just bottom mid

The Stage 2 has slightly less bottom than the 1 , but much more top end , but still is not a OVERALL power increase like a R cam would be , the HotCams , were designed to be for "specific needs" rather than for overall power gains , that is why they have a Stage 1 , 2 and 3 , each are specific need oriented , all the Honda cams (R Cams) were designed to be more versatile , for all around use , not so much for just bottom , not so much for just mid and not so much for just top end gains , and each year R cam has its own distinct characteristics

Hope that helped !

thank you. thats about exactly what i weanted to know. i think ill go with th 05 r cam then. do you happen to know the difference in the 05, 06, and 07 grinds?

For the 250's i do not , but PM Ken (crfsonly) and he can give you the run down on which cam has what

, I believe there have been others that have asked this same question , so i am sure if you search "CRF250R cams" in the 250R and 250X forums here , you could maybe find the exact info your looking for , as i have not researched this myself , so i can't give you any more details on that subject

Otherwise , just PM Ken

thank jim. appreciate it.

Let us know which way you go and how you get on.

A year ago I did the same thing, Ken (crfsonly) recommended 07 R Head, and 08 R cam to go on my X
I could not be happier

When time to do your top end, look into a High Comp Piston, again on Kens recommendation I went with the JE 13.5:1

The 3 items work very well togeather.

You got me thinking about getting an R cam for my '07 X. Will it really make that much difference in my bottom and mid power? Would I need to rejet? I've already done the CCC mods and installed a JD kit.

Out of the 3, Head, Piston and Cam.
I feel it's the best mod.
I almost dont call the Piston a "mod" as I had to change that anyhow, so I was already up for that cost..

It's more how the cam builds power/speed over the whole rev range over the stock is what I like.
More so than saying it's good at one part.

Very bottom, sure, maybe a little better, I don't feel much of a change, mid up though, you will.

One of my main riding mates has a 2011 250X, aftermarket pipe etc, but stock head, piston and cam.

If the track opens a little, or there is a hill climb, I just build power/speed faster, and pull longer and harder in each gear, it's almost unfair how easy it is to pass him

Also,


I drink way more gas now... (over full stock)

I ride almost all the time in the 6K ~ 11K rev range.

The Cam is done by 12K rpm, pink wire mod over rev does nothing on that part. (stock cam is over way before then)

As for the timing change with the pink wire mod, if it helps, it's small, or I lack the skills to feel it.

As you would know, but for others that read this, top speed for us is gearing....and time (a joke about the stock motor)
I just get there much...MUCH faster now.

Jetting, if you have jetted for all the CCC mods, you "should" be fine.

I changed my Jetting for all my mods and where I live/ride.

It's more how the cam builds power/speed over the whole rev range over the stock is what I like. More so than saying it's good at one part.

I ride mostly single track at lower RPMs so I suppose a stage 1 cam would probably work better for me. Would I need to rejet?[/quote]

Yea, if you are always in the low RPM, maybe a stage 1 would be better.
As I have never tried one, hard for me to say.

I do know in the 200+ hours I've put on my X, from stock to modded out, mine has never really liked the low RPM for anything but easy going riding, even for single track, I rev mid to high and clutch as needed for tracktion, even at lower speeds.
In our riding group, I have tried all their 450's and 300 2T's, which lug really well, so I know it's not me.