Wiseco Pro-Lite Piston Kit
WISECO PRO-LITE PISTON KIT
Dirtbike durable
CW EVALUATION
SWAPPING YOUR TWO-STROKE DIRTbike’s worn-out piston for anything other than a factory slug might be an expensive mistake, right? Maybe not. Wiseco’s latest Pro-Lite pistons are claimed to be more durable-and lighter-than their OEM counterparts.
Despite winning acclaim in the four-stroke community, Wiseco’s twocycle reputation has always been a little shaky. So, in an effort to dispel charges of questionable reliability, the company sourced superior raw materials and improved its heat-treatment process. It also enlisted the aid of several top motocross teams for testing.
Upon learning that Yamaha was back-ordered on YZ125 pistons, we procured a Pro-Lite kit from Wiseco (7201 Industrial Park Blvd., Mentor, OH 44060; 800/321 -1364) for our project desert racer. The kit consists of a forged piston, a ring, a wrist pin and
circlips. Weighing-in 14 grams lighter than the cast stocker, the Pro-Lite looks nearly identical to its factory counterpart, and fit perfectly.
After a brief break-in period, we found engine performance on par with stock. We did, however, detect a slight improvement in throttle response.
Durability was also better. Whereas the OEM
piston was typically good for four, 80mile events with a ring swap after two races, the Wiseco piston looked nearly new after twice that distance; only the ring ($13) needed replacing. Further inspection revealed that the original machining marks were still intact, while the worn-out Stocker’s skirt was appreciably scuffed. Another plus is price. The Pro-Lite kit costs $63, just four bucks more than the Yamaha parts. Great, but what if you’re double-jumping something other than a Yamaha? No worries. Wiseco offers applications for most late-model two-strokes. That’s good, because based on our experience, they’ll likely sell a lot.
