1987 Honda 250X vs. 1991 Yamaha Warrior

When the phrase old-school comes to ear I envision an era of badass muscle cars such as the '69 Z-28 or '72 Chevrolet Chevelle covered with hand-painted flames ripping from stoplight to stoplight. If your idea is more like your grandma's wood panel grocery wagon or green screen computers, Mickey Dunlap's ground-pounding thumper projects probably aren't your cup of tea. During this era of American muscle I imagine Mickey would have been routinely leading a plume of white smoke through town as the smell of burning rubber filled the air with flashing blue lights in hot pursuit. (Don't hold me to this assumption.) As the '80s rolled around gas-guzzling V-8s were replaced with rice-burning four-cylinders, and motorcycles mutated by gaining an awkward third wheel. Mickey witnessed this transformation firsthand and soon unleashed a wrath of three-wheeled terror on the ATC racing circuit.

I've tested quite a few of FST's machines over the years, and this experience has taught me to expect the unexpected. At the unveiling of the latest FST creations at Durhamtown Plantation in Union Point, Georgia, the ATV Rider staff was quite surprised, to say the least. Two glowing machines rolled off the truck outfitted in Maier zesty orange plastics (FST's battle colors) as always, but it was the choice of machines that caught us completely off guard. At the heart of the brilliant orange radiance we found a 1987 Honda 250X paired with a 1991 Yamaha Warrior. These are two old-school machines that have been around from the beginning, and just so happen to be the only two that are still available today with minimal changes since the late '80s. You could possibly be riding one of these machines and not even know it. Today they are better known as the Yamaha Raptor 350 and the Honda TRX300EX. There have been cosmetic changes to the Yamaha, and the Honda has gained electric start along with a few cc, but the really good news is that the FST modifications are available for all models of these machines and will yield the exact same results.

First up for review was Honda's 250X, which in stock form is a bit low on power when compared to today's standards. So I got the lowdown on what mods FST had incorporated to bring this 250 up to par. To begin with the 250X is no longer a measly 250cc thanks to a 65.5mm stroked crankshaft to match that of its descendant, the 300EX, and to further increase the wow factor an 87mm Wiseco piston was mated bringing the 250X up to an impressive 390cc. FST's stroker crank isn't just a stock 300EX drop-in crank. Its connecting rod utilizes a 19mm wristpin, which greatly increases strength over the stock 17mm pin to withstand extreme forces when this beast roars. Once the optimum bore and stroke have been reached, FST addressed the stock 250X head to maximize the engine's performance. The head took a trip to the flow bench to spend some much needed time with a dremel in the hands of a craftsman, and it also received oversize valves, FST valve springs and an FST cam, but before being fitted an oil cooler had to be installed to keep the engine temperature in check. A DG 39mm carburetor then replaced the inadequate 32mm Keihin to better fuel this little demon. With the massive increase in torque FST replaced the inadequate stock clutch springs with heavy-duty units allowing the rider to hammer down on this big-bore thumper without any unwanted clutch slippage. Last but certainly not least, a Muzzys exhaust completed the engine performance package with a high-flow step header, oversize headpipe and performance muffler to rapidly expel the exhaust gases and provide the deep rumble that you'd expect of an FST creation.

It's obvious that this new 390X will easily outperform a stock chassis that just so happens to be 24 years old, so FST installed a plethora of new components that riders of 1987 couldn't possibly have imagined in their wildest dreams. To gain much needed stability to the 250's compact design, a set of Janssen +1-inch forward, +2-inch width A-arms designed for a 400EX paired with Elka fully adjustable Stage 4 shocks were mounted to the front while DuraBlue's bulletproof Eliminator 2+2 axle achieved the desired width in the rear. Of course, Elka provided the rear shock as well, completing the suspension package. To better accommodate the daring rider, a custom Janssen steering stem with custom powdercoated Renthal Fat Bars replaced the short, subpar stock stem. This setup not only looks trick, it also greatly increases the overall strength and comfort of the steering system.

Making up the second half of the Four-Stroke Tech old-school duo is the '91 Yamaha Warrior, which happens to be a couple of years newer than the '89 model in which I spent my destructive youth, but as I've already mentioned, very little has changed over this particular machine's two decades of existence. The Warrior was no slouch when compared to the quads of yesteryear but has fallen in rank as the four-stroke engine has been subjected to great technological advancement. With a little support from FST this Warrior is no longer intimidated by its fuel-injected successors. Whopping 446cc of old-school muscle was achieved by once again adding a stroked 10.5mm crank with a 87mm big-bore piston. This can be purchased as a kit from FST and includes a cam, valve springs, heavy-duty clutch springs and port and flow work to the head. The Warrior also received a DG 39mm carburetor on the intake side and a Muzzys step header, with oversize headpipe flowing into a performance muffler that makes up the exhaust. The installation of an oil cooler is also a necessity when performing this type of extensive modification to a Warrior. Both the 390X and Warrior 446 kit will require the cylinder to be resleeved and undergo case boring for proper clearance, but the effort is well worth the reward when you roll into the throttle and discover you can run with the big boys.

Now that we've discovered what's tucked into the frame of this Warrior let's unveil what else is in store beneath the blazing orange plastic. FST does realize that the typical Warrior owner is a trail rider and won't have the same budget as a hard-core racer riding a new Yamaha YFZ450R so the necessities were addressed without overspending on elaborate components. Suspension is the key to a great-handling quad, and while factory suspension has been improved over the years, dialed-in performance won't be found on the showroom floor and definitely not bolted to a 1991 Warrior. FST once again utilized Elka's fully adjustable Stage 4 shocks to bring this Warrior's performance into the 21st century. A high-quality tire is another need, and the extremely gnarly Maxxis Razr2 meats mounted on Douglas aluminum wheels undoubtedly possess the ability to handle anything that 446cc of oomph can throw their way. The six-ply design will resist punctures and sidewall damage caused by sharp rocks or other debris that may be encountered in the treacherous forests of the East Coast or any terrain for that matter.

The belly of the beast is another vulnerable area in need of protection, and DG Performance is Four-Stroke Tech's preferred aluminum manufacturer. Both machines are outfitted with DG's eye-catching bumpers, fat grab bars, frame guards, full chassis skid plates, swingarm skids and billet gas caps. The Warrior also has a unique DG rear bumper secured to the rear of the swingarm. Streamline braided stainless steel brake lines are also used on the Warrior and 390X to eliminate the likely swelling of stock rubber lines under pressure. They are also highly resistant to abrasion that could result in catastrophic brake failure.

Of course, I didn't squander the entire day reminiscing over the golden years of ATVs without throwing a leg over some old-school muscle, and I soon discovered that, like dynamite, big things do come in a small package. This cliché certainly holds true for the lightning-fast FST 390X. It's apparent that this is no average 250X from the initial moment you lay a foot into the kickstarter bringing life to this monster. It awakens with a growl, and with a blip of the throttle Dr. Mickenstein's creation is ready to rip! I was absolutely thrilled by the performance of the 390X, and its small stature combined with unruly torque could be compared to the thrill you'd likely experience if a saddle were to be mounted to a laser-guided missile.

The Warrior had undergone extensive engine modification as well, but would this old dog be all bark and no bite? I think not! As the name suggests this Warrior remains on active duty and is fully prepared to engage in battle. Its aggressive powerplant pulls from the bottom to the top of the rpm range demanding respect from its rider. We spent hours traversing the tight and winding trails of Durhamtown Plantation and had a blast doing so. A stab of the throttle instantly launches you out of a turn, and the Warrior quickly reaches speeds that could possibly overwhelm the average trail rider. This machine is fast and handles a great deal better than any Warrior or Raptor 350 that I've ever encountered. Was I impressed? Absolutely! Like I said before, I've learned to expect the unexpected, and once again FST left me standing with my mouth open in awe.