I would class as myself as a beginner and currently the biggest jump I have hit is 25' table, (55' including ramps) I am just learning mx on my own track and next year I plan on hitting some real mx tracks.
About 2 months ago I bought a xr400 and absolutely love it but I am already at the point where I would like some more snap. (get to redline faster)

My bike is stock other than some of Gordons mods, the exhaust is stock and will be staying that way for reasons that will take up to much time to explain here.

I have decided to go with a cam now and in the spring I will add a pumper carb and at a later date probably a 440 kit.

Question is: should I go with a stage 1 or stage 2 cam now?
What would be the disadvantage to going to stage 2 now?

Thanks for your input.

I would say start banking your money now and do them all next summer over a period of about 1 week. Most of these mods will not give you the BANG you are looking for seperately. But a few of these mods together will lift the front wheel and make the bike surge forward much faster. As for the cam all by itself, you most likely be disappointed.

If you are really bent on jumping a bike get something else. Like a current MX 4 stroke or 2smoke. The XR can be made into a real Tiger out on the trail or fireroad, but is much too heavy and not designed specifically for jumping.

I think stage 2 is only if you have modifeid the motor??? I have the stage 1 , it made the bike rev forever. but I lost some of the bottom end. I've always heard if you want to go fast, redo the suspension. I'm in the proscess of getting stiffer fork springs for mine. Remember, you can only go as fast as your suspension will allow you to? think about it.

I agree with D1K. I think you're going to spend all that money and time modding the XR and find it's still not any better of a track bike. It was never designed to be. I think you're better off saving all that money on mods and sell the XR for a more MX oriented bike. It's easier to make an MX bike into a combo MX/trail machine than it is to make a pure trail bike into an MX bike. And as you get better on the track, if you want to be competitive at all, you're going to need something other than an XR.

Hmmm..... not really sure what to do know.
I no the xr is not really a mx bike but when I was shopping for something I could only afford $2000-3000 and everything that was mx was really loud and I didn't want that. I live on 5 acres which I built a track on but my neighbours complain if I run loud bikes so buying a pure mx bike and giving up riding on my own acreage wasn't and isn't a option. I would much rather practice and enjoy what I am doing on a bike that may not be specifically designed for mx but will take the beating and keep coming back for more.
If it wasn't a money issue than I would have bought a new crf450r and added a sliencer or something similar.
My other bike which I rode for half a year was a 81 Honda xl250s and beleive it or not I mx'ed it, my xr400 feels like a rock solid kick ass mx bike to me, all I want is for it to get to redline a little quicker... well atleast for now. lol

brace said:

unfortunately to acheive your goal by doing a cam and or hicomp piston, to get them to work for you the will be loud from the exhaust necessary to let those mods breath correctly. if you do a cam and piston with no exhaust mods(not to mention rejetting) the bike will run slower than it does stock.