The hole is still angled in the crankshaft (altough to a lesser degree) and it has the slots that send extra fuel mixture in the crankcase lateral canal. So in reality crankcase, crankshaft, piston/liner are all different than the Picco counterparts.

The vertical slits have been removed because of manufacturing limitations.

Do any pros run this engine at the National level? Anyone have some wheel time with this engine. Lastly, what pipe is recommended.

Adrien Bertin and few other top racers run the engine in Europe.

http://www.kyoshoamerica.com/news.php?article_id=112
http://teamorion.com/news/ca40/newsid/258

Joel Johnson also ran it at the 2008 US Nationals and came 4th.

We have our own pipe, the EFRA 2065 which was designed along with the engine.

hi nano!does team orion plan to produce a new 12 engine?i mean the next orion-picco 12 motor.
thanks!

Nuremberg is in a month or so, a lot of exciting products will be shown there.

I have heard a roumor that the next CRF will be produced by Sirio.

With the Neurnberg toyfair ahead it is exciting to see all the changes and if this one is also true.

Picco is the sole manufacturer for CRF engines.

Sirio ?

http://www.teamorion.com/Products/Alpha+Line+Engines

Now the hole in the crank has an even lesser degree...
"Using standard crankshaft technology"
And something new called "CFD", Cost Friendly Design....

To me this means the total CRF concept is gone....

The Alpha engines are a different line from the CRF engines, therefore there is nothing gone. CRF technology is alive and kicking and it is far from having been fully exploited yet.

So before someone flames the fact that I am posting since a 09 post - let me say this..."I know the thread has been dead for almost 6 years"...

Now, as I was about to post about the lack of Orion .21's seen about lately and none at the ENS, Adrien B. goes out and wins a round of the French Nationals. I would have loved to see him mix it up at the ENS with the R8 and the Orion motor.

The Orion motors aren't as interesting as they once were, the CRF Wasp .21 engine with its Nikasil sleeve and really ultra aggressive timing was an awesome engine, if not a little tricky to use though.

I had a .12 version and it was an absolute missile, the new Orion R21 is essentially an XRD F21 engine with a different badge on it,from what I can tell.

The CRF technology was put into the nVision brand which was introduced with a large campain but has died in silent.

+1 they were not around long, so what is the new motor based on, a standard Picco?