Topic: cruzinimage pistons for racing applications

[livefast_dieold]

Hi everyone,

I was looking for a set of kawasaki kz650 pistons in 63 mm diameter to adapt to my racing sohc (63mm is the maximum I can go in the 750 class here in Italy), and I discover this crazy cheap pistons supplier from Japan.

I did a bit of research and its customers seem quite happy with the pistons. Some people here installed them too (@hondaman for example) and no one seems to had problems so far. I was wondering if they can stand at least one or two seasons of racing, at that price one can afford to change them almost every year...

Ciao!
Riccardo

[slikwilli420]

They will never match the performance you got from the Dynoman pistons which will never match the performance of the new Wiseco pistons coming from Cycle X. Inexpensive pistons are just that and nothing more. Buy the 62mm slugs and be competitive. That extra millimeter won't make or break anything.

[MRieck]

They will never match the performance you got from the Dynoman pistons which will never match the performance of the new Wiseco pistons coming from Cycle X. Inexpensive pistons are just that and nothing more. Buy the 62mm slugs and be competitive. That extra millimeter won't make or break anything.

Correct info slik. You need compression and strength if you are racing.

[calj737]

You should also know that many people have had issues with obtaining replacement rings broken during install. Once they attempt to reach the Seller, they get blocked by them. Some very fishy Customer Service behavior.

And, their 350 kits are widely being admonished for their failure rate. Just an FYI.

[slikwilli420]

One of those cheapie pistons comes apart during a power shift and it would be catastrophic. Billet pistons will be far stronger.

[754]

 I think you meant forged piston, not billet..

[slikwilli420]

I think you meant forged piston, not billet..

Well forged as well but I meant billet. The ones I'll use are 3D machined from billet slugs.

[livefast_dieold]

Ok, got it :-)

Looking forward to see the new wiseco pistons from cycle x then!

[slikwilli420]

Ok, got it :-)

Looking forward to see the new wiseco pistons from cycle x then!

Fingers crossed its the next week or two.

[Cb750 Racer]

Ok, got it :-)

Looking forward to see the new wiseco pistons from cycle x then!

I got a set of 890 Wiseco pistons from Cycle X and they we're perfect. You won't be disappointed 

[Terry in Australia]

I don't know of any issues with the Cruzinimage pistons. I installed a set of their 836cc pistons in my K1 4 or 5 years ago without any problems, I thought the quality was good, and I hammered that bike right up to when I swapped it for my RC51 last year, and I've stayed in contact with the the new owner, and he's loving it too. 

I bought some pistons from CycleX last month, and while they look OK, I wasn't happy with the way they packed them, throwing everything into a plastic bag, then throwing that into a box and sending it off is about as bad as a Customer Service can get. It might have been a one off, but I thought it was pretty pathetic.

CycleX piss poor packing by terry prendergast, on Flickr

[turboguzzi]

hear you all guys but i for one, have had excellent experience with cheapo Akunar "made in malaysia" pistons in my 500/4 racer, they still hold way better than a known  "made in japan" brand.
Rene raced his fast 500/4 on 35$ no-name monkey bike pistons too. 

I would understand comments if they were coming from direct hands-on negative experience with them.  But as terry shows too,  it's not like they will melt after one run.
if today honda, bmw, triumph, etc. make complete engines in taiwan, india, philippines, it means that all the network of component suppliers is up to good standards.

Ric, with these being street pistons with surely low crowns, my concern would be if you will be able to get the desired compression ratio and squish area with them.... not so sure

[madmtnmotors]

I am starting my third season with the C. I. 65mm pistons with no issues. Won two rounds today, headed for round three! 1.88 sixty foot, 12.99 on 12.91 dial at 101 mph in the 1/4 mile shifting around 9-9.5K.

😎

[kmb69]

.....
I bought some pistons from CycleX last month, and while they look OK, I wasn't happy with the way they packed them, throwing everything into a plastic bag, then throwing that into a box and sending it off is about as bad as a Customer Service can get. It might have been a one off, but I thought it was pretty pathetic.
.....

I buy stuff from Cycle-X fair frequently and have never received anything poorly packaged.
That would be quite out of character for those guys based on my experience.
Their Customer Service is pretty damn good IMHO. Did you address this with anybody at Cycle-X?
Possible that Customs opened for inspection and just threw it back in the box?

[gschuld]

I modified(deepened) the valve pockets on a set of 836 Cruzin Image pistons for use with higher lift cams a while back.  I haven’t run them personally so no feedback.

FWIW, I was suprised to learn that Yoshimura specifically preferred using stock type cast pistons for road racing applications for cb750s.  He could have used any piston type he wanted, yet chose cast.

Without a doubt, high quality forged pistons are far stronger than stock type cast pistons.  It’s perhaps more a matter of how strong does it NEED to be for a particular application?  And the quality of the design and manufacture of said pistons.

Given the option of high expansion low silicone forged pistons and low expansion cast, perhaps the tighter initial tolerances had something to do with it.  Perhaps piston weight was a factor.

Many road racers have run on dead stock engines internally, and often adding a ported head, bigger cam, bigger carbs, stronger springs, etc (Voxonda abd others) and I don’t recall the stock pistons ever being the weak link.

If you can get enough power out of it, the factory rod bolts might be a concern first.

George

[MRieck]

Nice work on those piston crowns George. I have handled 4 or 5 sets of cruzinimage 836 kits. The skirts OD were pretty close...each piston was specific to a cylinder after boring (pretty normal) but nothing crazy at all.

[madmtnmotors]

Just won round three on a .007 holeshot with c.i. 836 pistons, headed to round four! 😎

[Sam Green Racing]

Well done, keep it going Wilbur, I'm off to the pub. hahaha.

[MRieck]

.....
I bought some pistons from CycleX last month, and while they look OK, I wasn't happy with the way they packed them, throwing everything into a plastic bag, then throwing that into a box and sending it off is about as bad as a Customer Service can get. It might have been a one off, but I thought it was pretty pathetic.
.....

I buy stuff from Cycle-X fair frequently and have never received anything poorly packaged.
That would be quite out of character for those guys based on my experience.
Their Customer Service is pretty damn good IMHO. Did you address this with anybody at Cycle-X?
Possible that Customs opened for inspection and just threw it back in the box?

Yeah....I have hundreds of transactions as I buy a lot of my valve-train parts from Kenny. I have always experienced well packaged boxes. If anything they are a bit overboard on the wrapping of parts. I'd say Customs as they don't give a $hit.

[gschuld]

Nice work on those piston crowns George.

Thanks😉

[livefast_dieold]

Ric, with these being street pistons with surely low crowns, my concern would be if you will be able to get the desired compression ratio and squish area with them.... not so sure

I will be using the kawa kz650 pistons kit, they are not flat but have a nice dome, so CR should be 11:1.
I have already installed them in the past, and I've known another couple of guys that did this modification, one here and one in the vintage racing community in Italy.
They match the standard cb750 pistons in the 2 dimensions that matter the most: pin diameter and height (compared to pin position): you just need some minor work on the valve pockets and they are good to go :-)

[PeWe]

CycleX 849 pistons should be packed in a box
I bought this packed in the CycleX box visible on the photo plus packed in another box shipped to me.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-CB750-SOHC-Big-Bore-Piston-Kit-849cc/202227831592?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[Terry in Australia]

.....
I bought some pistons from CycleX last month, and while they look OK, I wasn't happy with the way they packed them, throwing everything into a plastic bag, then throwing that into a box and sending it off is about as bad as a Customer Service can get. It might have been a one off, but I thought it was pretty pathetic.
.....

I buy stuff from Cycle-X fair frequently and have never received anything poorly packaged.
That would be quite out of character for those guys based on my experience.
Their Customer Service is pretty damn good IMHO. Did you address this with anybody at Cycle-X?
Possible that Customs opened for inspection and just threw it back in the box?

Yeah....I have hundreds of transactions as I buy a lot of my valve-train parts from Kenny. I have always experienced well packaged boxes. If anything they are a bit overboard on the wrapping of parts. I'd say Customs as they don't give a $hit.

Nope, the box hadn't been opened, anything I receive that gets opened has a customs label attached that says it's been opened, and is re-sealed with special tape. I left them neutral feedback, as the pistons are still usable, just poorly packed. They've never attempted to contact me, so obviously they don't give a sh1t.   

[PeWe]

Terry, the pistons should have been packed in the specific box, made for pistons.

[PeWe]

Nice work on those piston crowns George.

Thanks😉

They look really good! How do you crank up the compression? Decking the head and cylinder block?  Or use CB900 DOHC rods, 1.5mm longer?