it's not the crank rubbing, it's starts very easy and doesn't make any unusual sounds. when it's in neutral it revs out great and sounds good, when you go to dump the clutch it slowly launches and around maybe 3-4000 rpms it hits very hard to where it feels like it as a shot if nitrous, it instantly comes to life. so I highly doubt that anything is rubbing. I know two strokes don't have much bottom end but this is ridiculous, it should shoot a roost when launched at WOT!