[Frog]

I spotted a camshaft for the 411 engine on Aliex for around £70.
Looks similar to the Tec camshaft and suggests a 20% increase in power....

Anyone brave enough???

[ddavidv]

After being ripped off on AliExpress for a skidplate that never came, no way.

[him a layin]

i do occasional e-commerce, but only if they have a brick-and-mortar presence here in the USA. i'm certain i miss out on some good deals, but SO FAR, (crossing fingers) i've never been burned.

[Bill Waters]

 Delivery issues aside, I'm just not sure that something like a camshaft is an item I'd want to cheap out on.

[Frog]

I've never had a problem with Aliex - on the couple of occasions I've had duff goods (faulty rifle scope and the wrong motorcycle levers being send) I got a full refund with no problem. Some stuff I have bought has been really excellent.

A camshaft CNC'd / ground from the right billet material should be fine and if you got one CNC'd elsewhere it's very likely to be on a Chinese machine anyway.

The Chinese make some very good engines and decent bikes these days (for the likes of KTM and Suzuki etc as well as home brands like CFMoto). The key issue here is 'the right billet material' I guess - that would be my only concern. If I hadn't fitted a Tec cam I'd give it a go!

[TSTM]

This:

...and if you got one CNC'd elsewhere it's very likely to be on a Chinese machine anyway.
...

Most stuff we buy is made in PRC, no matter who is the middle man.

[Andy C]

Delivery issues aside, I'm just not sure that something like a camshaft is an item I'd want to cheap out on.

Think I would agree with you there Bill, imagine the damage it could do if made of inferior metal that ends up as metail flakes in the lubrication system - could well write the engine off.

Think I would stick with Hitchcocks or Tech.

Was thinking on an upgrade for mine, but the more I ride it the more I think that it does all I expect of it, so why try and fix something that is not broken.

Some of the reviews I have read about camshaft upgrades also dont sound that brilliant / worth the cost and effort.

Each to his own.

[Crabsapper]

Couldn't disagree more with the last bit. I've had the TEC cam in for 10,000 miles. Completely transformative. Without that, I probably wouldn't still have the bike.
Like you said though, to each their own.

[Andy C]

Was not tyrying to be dismissive about camshaft upgrades, it's good to know that you are very happy with the results.

What sort of improvement does it give - quicker off the mark, pull another tooth on the gearbox sprocket ?

I would be interested to know because despite what I say about my bike not being broken / no need to fix it, if I were convinced about how much a cam could improve the bike, I might just do it.

[Crabsapper]

Yes, its quicker off the mark, and pulls harder. It will sustain 60+ cruising speeds against headwinds and hills, will overtake from 70mph easily, and pulls hard to the limiter in top.
I did have another tooth on the gearbox sprocket, but although it pulled it fine, it did rob the bike of some of the additional urgency that fitting the cam provided.
I decided the benefit of higher cruising speeds wasn't what I wanted, so went back to standard gearing.

[Andy C]

Thanks for that - sounds like it is worth doing, based on what you say might consider it over the winter.

More often than not I am content with the way it performs, but sometimes I think a little more grunt would be nice.

Did you DIY by the way, if so was it fairly easy - I do all my own spannering so happy to DIY.

[Frog]

I
have had a tech camshaft. For me not transformative but a definite improvement. I do have a fuelx as well.
It now tops out at indicated 85 ish (standard gearing) a speed it feels rather vague at so I'll not venture there again! It pulls better than it did with a little more urgency. I am going to try a 16 tooth sprocket as I think it will make 4th gear more useable, generally make good use of the flexibility of the engine and relax cruising on those rare occasions I use a dual carriage ways / motorways. Sprocket is waiting for a bit more slack in the chain - chain is lasting well but the bike will have eaten it rear tyre by the time 3k miles comes up.

Not hard to fit yourself but with me double and triple checking things took somewhat more than the advertised 2 hours! Nearer 4 in fact...

Worth doing but doesn't turn the bike in to a fast 500!

[Andy C]

After a few recent rides on the Him I have decided to leave the camshaft as it is.

The bike does pretty much everything I ask of it so why fix something that it not broken?

I did go one tooth larger on the gearbox sprocket a long time ago, and it does not really seem to have impacted performance much, but a stong headwind will mean dropping down a gear.

The only mods my bike has that may affect performance are: Air delete kit, DNA filter and modified air filter cover, Booster plug and Lextec exhaust.

Each to hiw own as they say.

[Frog]

After a few recent rides on the Him I have decided to leave the camshaft as it is.

The bike does pretty much everything I ask of it so why fix something that it not broken?

I did go one tooth larger on the gearbox sprocket a long time ago, and it does not really seem to have impacted performance much, but a stong headwind will mean dropping down a gear.

The only mods my bike has that may affect performance are: Air delete kit, DNA filter and modified air filter cover, Booster plug and Lextec exhaust.

Each to hiw own as they say.

Given you've sorted intake and exhaust flow the cam would be a good idea in my opinion - it's probably the bottle neck now.