Why should a motorcyclist invest money into porting their bike’s cylinder head?
Mass produced stock motorcycles have cylinder heads with generic port shapes. The rough angles left behind by the casting process hinder the performance of the engine, leaving horsepower on the table. If porting increases horsepower, does it reduce drivability? The right combination of porting and valve work will increase horsepower while maintaining drivability and reliability. The bike remains streetable, while overall performance of the motorcycle is increased. What are the benefits of porting a cylinder head compared to turbo charging a motor or adding nitrous? Porting the cylinder head, if performed correctly, will have no adverse effects on the engine. The same cannot be said for turbo charging or nitrous, which puts strenuous loads on the engine, mainly on the lower rotating assembly. While all three will increase the horsepower of the engine, porting the cylinder head can be combined with both turbo charging or nitrous to further enhance their effect. The exhaust side of the cy
