What about designing a new top end from scratch. Head, cyclinder, etc? Do you have to be a physicist to create it? I'm no super mechanic, and I don't know that much about engine dynamics.  However some of the things these builders say on here, make me think they probably could.  That's my 

The molds and core boxes for manufacturing are very expensive. Loren Duncan said that it cost him almost 100Kby the time his 250 Honda cylinders were ready for market.  First iteration molds are typically around $30.000.  Testing for reliability and power should be a priority of a company that produces after market products.  Many design refinements and modifications and or new molds are usually required before you have something you want to sell the public.  I think that most of the aftermarket companies do not do sufficient testing before releasing their cylinders and cases for sale to the public.   Ask Eddie Sanders about the problems that are surfacing with their new Honda cases and cylinder kits.  Look at the new prices of the ESR engine cases, they have almost doubled.   Look at the new prices of the new ESR cylinder kits.  I think that he is having to pass on the cost of more testing and refinement that should have been done before putting these items up for sale and or the market is not as large as he anticipated. 


The tooling cost has to be factored into the cost of each retail item.  If there is market for only 100 cylinders and tooling cost is 100K, then 1000.00 has to be added to the manufacturing cost of each cylinder.  If there is market for 1000 cylinders and tooling cost is 100K, then 100.00 has to be added to the manufacturing cost of each cylinder.

Let have a show of hands from the guys that would be willing to pay 1000.00 to 1500.00 for a cylinder and head kit for a LT 250 or a LT500.