I would not have guessed that the first 2-stroke fuel injection system would be born in the aftermarket, but that’s exactly what has happened. High Gain Tuning out of Parker, Colorado, is set to release its initial run of kits and the news has caught on like a prairie wildfire.
I have always been a huge proponent of 2-stroke fuel injection & have to give major props to HGT for developing this product. The excitement generated by Charles Owens’s article was to be expected — we all knew that. However, some of the prices being bandied about for this kit leave major cause for concern regarding the HGT Business/Marketing plan.
Let me backtrack a little; I ride a 2010 300XC. Much of my riding is close to sea level — my bike runs great with the default JD Jet Kit recommended settings.
When I decide to head into the mountains (5000 – 8500ft range), I simply swap in a different main jet & needle per the JD Jet Kit suggested settings — my bike runs great.
When I return home I undo the mountain settings.
Of course all of you have done the same thing at some point or another.
My concern is simple; how much money would the riding masses pay to avoid the above scenario? I’m not hating here, because I’m a big fan of what HGT has done. But seriously now, I could easily pay the projected $1300 – $1500 it would cost to switch my 300XC over to FI but frankly I haven’t given it much thought because it’s not even on my “must have” purchases radar.
Over the last week or so I have spoken to as many riders as possible regarding the Two Stroke Motocross article and the HGT FI units. I have yet to hear a single person show genuine interest to purchase after I tell them of the projected cost.
All I hear is:
“…why would I do that when I can easily re-jet for free?”
or
“A grand?! Are you joking?!”
How many riders are going to fork over that kind of cash to “refresh” their aging 2-stroke? Hell, at $1,500 the kit is more expensive than many bikes I see on the trails.
And there’s the rub.
Notice that I said “more expensive” and not “worth more”? I’m not saying the price is out of line from a cost/margin perspective because I truly believe the intentions of HGT are genuine — making a sought after product and bringing it to market at a fair profit. However, after all the hoopla has settled I think many of you will plain agree that the proposed HGT kit for dirtbikes is a rather expensive, unproven, and likely complicated “solution” to a problem many don’t believe even exists.
The simple fact of the matter is this; ~$1,500 to convert a 2-stroke dirt bike to FI reeks of a great product burdened with an ill-planned marketing plan.
I hope I’m wrong.