overall take on Athena vs. DR kit discussed here
And this is probably the final word within that thread:
"Beyond that, malossi, polini and DR are all quite similar in performance, but the DR is just a way better value, and it takes a hell of a beating without complaint.
And the athena, without question was the fastest, all around, torque and rpm, unreal. but yea, finicky.
Really wanna try the metrakit derbi setup, expecially for the better cooling, and curious about the malossi H2O, but i'm gonna shut up now and leave with this to say
DR is the best value, easiest, most rewarding and most robust kit for the hobbit. with porting it'll shred with the best of them, but even as recieved it's a really great kit. it may be my favorite kit in all of mopeds."
I've installed two DR kits and then wanted to screw around with the Athena. I read this thread and was like - maybe later but right now I don't feel like I'm missing much. With any of these kits, you've got to have a temp gauge and keep a vigilant eye on it especially up hills. And you've got to be willing to dial it in so that it runs relatively cool for the most part. You'll still get your blips now and again. Maybe your exhaust bolts work loose or your cylinder head bolts need tightened and temps shoot up above 420F or more. whoever is riding the bike has to be willing to keep an eye on things or it will stall at more than just stop lights. (edited)