Ken Cornwell, the owner of Rocky Ridge Racing (located in Lynchfield, Kentucky), is an expert welder and fabricator who has been performing RX conversions for years. Ken will cut, fabricate and TIG weld into place the necessary engine mounts and frame tubes to install a 250X engine in the R chassis for $250. For another $25 he will do the extra work required install the 300EX engine (which requires fabricating a battery box) or the ATC350X engine (which requires modification of the upper right frame rail to clear the oil line). We highly recommend spending an additional $50 to have Ken cut and spread out the lower frame rails, allowing the engine to sit a little bit lower in the chassis and therefore optimizing the relationship of the swingarm pivot bolt to the front sprocket.
Got to have the best? For $550, Ken will perform what he calls the "Ultimate RX Conversion," which includes all of the above plus gusseting and welding of all areas of the R chassis that are prone to cracking, as well as sandblasting, magnafluxing (a process that highlights cracks and fractures in the frame), welding of all cracks, and re-painting. He even has an exact match for Honda red. As part of the process, Ken installs double-wall frame rails from the
footpeg mount up to the rear plastic attachment point, braces the front shock towers, braces the areas around the front and rear motor mounts, and re-enforces the steering column loop area. In addition, Rocky Ridge will perform the same frame refurbishing, less the engine conversion, (including gusseting, sandblasting, welding and painting) to most any ATV frame for $375. Two years ago, Rocky Ridge gusseted and re-welded the practice bike frame of top pro Joe Byrd, and it has yet to show any signs of cracking! With the cost of aftermarket frames in the $2000 range, spending just a few hundred dollars to fix up your stock frame could be the hot ticket. Ken has even found a way to ship a bare frame via UPS from anywhere in the country for less than $30 one way!
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