MUGEN Banzai kit for CRF250 – first UK test.
The first prototype MUGEN Banzai kit for the CRF250 was tested recently over two days by four of the top British Championship riders. The tests were carried out on two very different track surfaces; one being hard-pan and the other loose sand.
The kit, which is similar in specification to the already-available CRF450 Banzai kit, consists of a full Titanium MUGEN exhaust system designed to extract the maximum power whilst reducing the overall noise levels, complemented by a modified OEM barrel and cylinder head. As a package they combine to increase the all-important low to upper-medium torque by up to 20% over the standard bike.
The low end power hike was immediately obvious on the harder track surface, and by the end of the day, DB Racing’s Elliot Banks-Browne declared he was impressed with the power available and that he was just as comfortable with either pulling a higher gear out of most corners, or the more traditional MX2 style of lower gear/higher rpm.
On the softer surface of the Mepal track in Cambridgeshire the PAR Homes MX2 riders of Martin Barr and Luke Hawkins, and the MUGEN-powered MX1 rider Scott Elderfield were all on hand to give their impressions. 3 riders, 3 different (but equally effective) styles, and all were looking for smooth delivery of low-down grunt to get them out of the power-sapping loose corners.
Using the OEM engine control unit and nothing more than the readily available Honda Fi setting tool the MUGEN kit was able to be tuned to give smooth consistent performance for all riders, and proved to suit all conditions while responding well to changes throughout the day(s).
All four riders carried out practice starts and declared that this all-important aspect showed the MUGEN kit to be strong and powerful with no bogging of the engine.
The CRF250 kit will continue in development and as yet there is no information available regarding price and availability; however, for CRF450 the MUGEN Banzai kit is now immediately available ex-stock @ £1,696.00 + VAT.
