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Testimonies

The following testimonies regarding my work were kindly provided by some of my clients and associates.

You can contact me @ 1-877-7Hodaka or 435-438-5237(Office), 702-858-9177 (cell) or <racerclam@msn.com>, for all your porting and high-performance engine modification needs.

I have mentored Rich Gagnon on porting methods over the last several years, and ideas pertaining to types of horsepower in 2-cycle engines. I have personally seen his work on engines and know that he does first class work. Rich strives to find “better” and more performance from the 2-cycle engine and discuss these topics often. I should mention that he was already a 4-cycle Guru, when we met.

Harry Taylor

Hello,

My name Bill Cook and I have two shops that cater to high performance two stroke racing. The first is Hodaka Parts Inc (HPI) (www.Hodaka-Parts.com) and the second is Vintage Racing Products (www.VintageRacingProducts.com). My shops sponsors riders in trials, cross country, enduro and motocross. Our engine needs range from low end gut pulling grunt to high RPM horsepower. Rich is highly skilled to reach our specific engine needs without sacrificing either horsepower or torque. His trials engines are now in service as cross country bikes because of their race ability to race from tree to tree here in the Midwest. In the four years that Rich has been porting for us he has always exceeded our needs. He completes all work on time and on budget. Nothing is added on to the cost after the project is scoped out and he always delivers quick delivery. HPI uses Rich’s services exclusively and will be running a total of 6 bikes in competition next year that Rich has engineered. I highly recommend Rich’s Porting Services for anyone who wants to bring the best out of their engine.

I have to recommend Rich Gagnon' work. I have been riding a trials bike with Rich's porting for over a year now and the bike pulls like a John Deer Tractor. Honestly you can be just above idle and roll on the throttle, the front wheel will come up to clear a log or rock or just put a smile on your face.

The Wombat based motor is dependable and stronger than a stock Hodaka Wombat in all areas. I used a stock cylinder at one trials event just to see how they compared, the power from Rich's cylinder was far superior in all situations. I couldn't wait to get my trick cylinder back on the motor.

So if you are ready for more power and a smoother, stronger motor, call Rich, he is the real deal.

This bike won 2 Nationals Championships in 2009....1. AHRMA National Trial Series. Classic Novice National Champion

2. International Twin Shock Association
Pre-Historic Novice National Champion

    This bike won 2 Regional Championships in 2009....1. AHRMA South Eastern Regional
                                                                                           Classic Novice  Champion
                                                                                       2. ITSA South East Regional
                                                                                          Pre-Historic Novice

So yes, I respect Rich and I recommend his work to anyone looking for the best in porting, give him a call.

Sincerely,

Leo Stinnett

Here is a picture of the Hodaka that I won on, at the Two-day event last year. After the Porting Work that Rich did to the motor, it has a great spread of power. With the ported motor from Rich, I was able to win every Race I have entered.

Rich, I have to say you gave me the power I was looking for!

Sincerely,

Johnny Friedli 98D

I started the 2009 trials season with a fresh top end compliments of my sponsor, Charlie Robinson of Sooner Hodaka. The bike performed great and I achieved 1st place finishes in the first 3 events of the 2009 season. The next 2 events of the ITSA series were to take place in Sequatchie, TN down in the Smokey Mountains.

For these events, my sponsor, Bill Cook, called and told me that he had a Rich Gagnon ported cylinder and that he wanted me to test it on my bike. Never say no to a good sponsor. Hodaka Dave and I installed the cylinder 1 week before the trials in TN. WOW. The bike pulls like a tractor on the bottom end and the response is like a reeded engine. The timing could not have been better. I have been riding trials for 15 years and I have never ridden harder sections in my life. I finished with 1st place wins on both days. There were sections there that I was able to clean, that I truly believe I would not have been able to if not for Rich's ported cylinder. I highly recommend his work to anyone who is looking for that extra edge.

Sincerely,

Robert Lord

I cannot say enough about Rich's porting and engine building knowledge. I was VERY particular in my engine power desires. Even though we are talking a vintage, air cooled, 125cc Hodaka (Super Combat) engine, I know that years of MX racing and riding larger displacement, modern 4-strokes have left me knowing that I didn't want a High-Horsepower (on paper) motor, with a High-RPM, "Light Switch" power-band. I wanted, no (more like) "Needed" an engine that could rev freely but be willing to pull strong in lower RPM's when it gets late in the Moto and I "need" the help as I get tired and OK, lazy..

Rich really listened to my concerns and not only ported my cylinder and cases to match my needs, He recommended a Harry Taylor Designed HT3 Pipe, His own proprietary, Machined alloy, intake which allows the use of a modern VForce3 reed kit, a larger carburetor (which was hard for me to believe that I wouldn't lose low-end torque), with his own "power now" style venturi splitters and a larger air filter, that would all work together to make tremendous "Real World" power that not only revs freely while keeping the throttle pinned and slapping the clutch, it's Power that gets hole-shots! Furthermore, Rich's porting work and engine tuning can make a Super Combat motor pull like a tractor when needed, which helps me get up hills and over jumps even when I start to get tired.

I value his judgment in all aspects of engine tuning, not just his porting skills. For instance, he can pretty much tell you what type of premix and/or oil you have been running buy just looking at the piston and/or valves of your motor. He has made a believer out of me in using Redline products. Rich uses Redline in all of his engines...bikes, cars, tractor you name it. If he uses Redline exclusively, so should you!

Respectfully,

David Matthew

dmatthew196

Dear Rich:

I wanted to thank you for all your help in the building and fine tuning of the “Bonneville Bike” (1971 Ace 100 Hodaka w/1974 Super Rat Engine). We are closing in on the Bonneville AMA land speed record for its class. This would not have been possible without your expert porting services and otherwise invaluable advice. I would not hesitate to recommend you and your services to anyone in this industry. I look forward to working with you in the future.

Sincerely,

Reggie Chapman

Hi Rich,

I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for the amazing cylinder porting and carburetor modification job you did on my 1980 Honda 125 elsinore. The bike absolutely rips. Like you said it "has more power throughout the whole powerband". I can't thank you enough for helping me get the jetting dialed in perfectly. I am really psyched to race it this year.

All the best.

Tom Wexler

Hi there Rich,

Well finally I got the bikes together and got to ride them for the first time. Man I am very happy with the great work you have done.

The 125 motor with the reed set-up, porting and new carb worked just as I had hoped. I played with one size either way on the main jet

And settled on a 410. I also ran the needle one clip richer to run the motor in but may try putting it back next ride.

It had more power everywhere, especially picking up out of the corners where I had to abuse the clutch so much before. It even pulled

A second gear start for the first time ever. Here is a picture of the bike and I in action.

The V-force reed and carb mods on the YZ 360 has also made the bike more ridable with the power now coming on a bit earlier and generally running much cleaner. I will still try some further tuning but I reckon its pretty close. I had put a Jemco pipe on this bike and it seems to be more of a top end pipe.

Rich, I also have a second CR125 with a piston port motor that I will have you put a new carb on with the UFO and dividers you have done on these last 2.This would probably be a 32mm VM.

Rich thanks again! I’m very impressed with what you’ve done.

All the best

Rod

Out here on the East Coast our tracks have alot of hills. When it came time to build up my new race bikes for 2011 I knew I was going to need motors with great low end torque. I did some research and the name that kept coming up was Rich Gagnon, of Rich's Taylor'd Porting. Altough I had not met Harry Taylor personally I knew if Harry Taylor himself endorsed Rich that he had to be the best.

After several conversations with Rich, he and I agreed on how I wanted my motors built and for exactly what type terrain. I then sent out my cases, cylinders and carburators for Rich to wok his magic. Well in the end Rich hit it perfect and our Team Hodaka's are all running strong. We are currently leading 7 out of 9 classes and things are looking pretty good so far in 2011.

If you have any specific motor needs Rich is the guy! He is easy to talk to and he knows all about the word HORSEPOWER and just how to get it!

See you at the races,
Billy Burns
Team Hodaka #22

1974 Hodaka 125 Wolverine II
1976 Hodaka 250 Timberwolf
1976 Hodaka 175 Badger

I am very happy with the porting work Rich has done for me. His work speaks for it's self, proven on the racetrack to do the job! I would recommend his services to anyone who wants to get the most out of their racing machines. Turnaround time has been quick and his attention to detail is unsurpassed.

The first time I raced my Hodaka Wolverine 125 after he ported it, I was amazed to find it could pass every other 125 on the track with sheer horsepower and yet retained reasonable bottom end torque, and quick response. I'm sold on Rich's Taylor'd porting!

Jay Lael

Note: In this very race, Jay kept Damon Bradshaw behind him using the power found with Rich's Ported engine.

On the spur of the moment we bought a Hodaka Combat Wombat 125 wreck with the idea of restoring it and going vintage motocross racing. Some people said we had picked the wrong bike and maybe we did, but very early on in the restoration we got lucky. We came into contact with Rich Gagnon, a veritable guru on 2 stroke tuning. Rich recommended and co-ordinated a tuning package consisting of stage one porting, RG Milled reed block and a modified Mikuni. The work has turned a mild trail bike into a competitive VMX bike capable of mixing it with more fancied bikes of the day.

Rich is not just a talented tuner, more importantly he is also a great guy. The answers to the many questions I asked have been spot on and saved us many hours and dollars.

Don’t let distance put you off, we built this bike in Perth the most isolated city in the world. Rich is quick to respond and true to his word and if our experience is to be repeated you will have a killer engine.

Thanks Rich we will be back for stage two for sure.

Regards

Kev and Darren

Rich Ported the engin of this "Bathtub Boat" and it really "flys" now! Best in class at a recent race!

For all your porting and high-performance engine modification needs, contact Rich @ 1-877-7Hodaka or 435-438-5237 (office),

702-858-9177 (cell) or <racerclam@msn.com>