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2 Stroke Reality

by Eric
(Montreal)

I think that the main reason 2 strokes didn't last long on the market is because the OEMS saw that there was way more $$$ in the maintenance of 4- strokes. A 2 stroke bike like a CR 500 can be easily maintained by the owner with very few parts and cost to rebuild the engine, vs a four stroke bike which in 95% cases must be brought back to the dealer for proper repairs. You just cannot compare slapping a new piston & rings vs valves, timing chains, oil pump, and fine adjustments in a four stroke.

Look at what the MX champions like Robbie Maddison & Trigger Gumm, world (record for jump 2008) drive... Two Stroke. Two Stroke.

There is a big gap between what is a really great, reliable, durable, and easily maintained MX two stroke vs a great, reliable, and maintenance dealer-dependent MX 4 stroke. And let's face it, when buying a motocrosser maintenance, time & cost are way up there in the important factors!

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2 Stroke Reality

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Jun 13, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstar 		2-Strokes Have Dominated For 30+yrs.
by: jeff flick

Eric,I whole heartedly agree with the comments you wrote in "2 STROKE REALITY". Except when you say 2-strokes didn't last long on the market. I think that about 40 years of 2-stroke domination is pretty darn good!

I am an old fart of 38yrs and have seen Bob Hannah, Kent Howerton & Jeff Ward tear it up through the mid 70's till the late 80's on their two-strokes! Not to mention most of the 90's when the G.O.A.T. & Jeremy McGrath, also Rick Johnson in the early 90's ruled on 2-bangers!

I'm also glad you mentioned Robbie Maddison & Trigger Gumm. I'd also like to bring up Robbie Kneivel & Mike "The Godfather" Metzger! Could you see Robbie Maddison do his jump on anything less than a CR-500? Or Metzger do that back-flip over Ceasars Palace on a KX250f instead of his KX250 two stroke?!

I think some of the 2-strokes will last for a while. Remember KTM is still dedicated & hopefully the YZ-250 will hang around!
Dec 27, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		2 Stroke Dirt Bikes Or Nothing
by: Anonymous

I'm with Flick on this stuff. Two strokes will last forever if we don't let the silly EPA and ones like 'money-monger factories' do the deciding for us.

I'm not interested in what the dealers say or do,
it's the factories that need to change. I know they could do an injection 2 stroke if they wanted to. I mean, it wouldn't be a big deal either, and with modern autolube to boot too.

Sooo... where's the hitch? There isn't any when it comes down to it. There's the tech to do it, and it'd be a lot simpler in the long run anyway. But someone has to stand up and say something to the ones at Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha.

Right now I wouldn't pay money to see a MX race with four strokes in it. I mean it's a waste and it's not supposed to be that way anyway. 2 strokes rule and always will.

If I had my way, I'd have a YZ 490, YZ 250, MX 360, MX 250, Elsinore 250M, Husky 400 WR, Penton KTM - the older ones... throw in a Hodaka Combat for good measure, Maico 250, Maico 400, Cross Maico 501, CZ 400 73 model, RM 250, and a 400 78 S... and not a single 4 stroke in the bunch!
Feb 03, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		What?
by: Anonymous

How in the hell haven't 2 strokes made it in the market very long???? You act like they were only around for a year or so?
Dec 12, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Cost
by: Chris

The cost of keeping them going is a big part of it. That's what I think outa all this switching over to 4 stroke. Honda, Kawi, whoever, knows if they make them harder to work on, dealers are going to have a lot more to work on and make money. That and the AMA is making the younger (pre 2 stroke) riders think 4 stroke is the way to go.

I had a 2002 crf 250r and it isn't half as fast as the 1998 cr250 I have now. With a little help from Wiseco :-P

For me long live the 2 stroke!

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