2 Stroke vs 4 Stroke: What's The Deal Anyway?

4 Strokes Are Worth More To The Factory 
I don't know how many of you's have thought about this side of it but with 4 strokes needing to be rebuilt all the time - making more money for the company ...

Blue Smoke And Two Strokes 
Honestly, I think that a two stroke wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the oil-gas mix for the motor. You cannot say that on a two stroke going down ...

Imagine This.. 
Consider the fact that what rolls off the production line and ends up in my and your garage is a result of what is winning on the indoor and outdoor tracks ...

Two Stroke to Four Stroke - Back to Two Stroke 
I grew up riding two strokes in the 80's and 90's. After a period of no riding I got back into the sport riding 4 strokes. Although there were some advantages,...

Modern 4 Strokes Can Be Reliable 
The most common themes seem to be rebuild costs. Modern 4 strokes can be very reliable if oil and air filters are regularly changed and you don't spend ...

Two Strokes Are a Superior Racing Engine 
The combination of fewer moving parts, and maximum horsepower at a lower RPM makes two strokes superior in racing conditions. I do believe that four strokes ...

What About The Average Man? 
My Boss's son races 4 strokes at the local level. It seems like the bike is constantly needing the head removed and a grand worth of work done to the crappy ...

The Fight is Already Over 
If you look around you'll see that all the dealerships are only keeping a handful of 2 strokes. Most of which are little 50cc jobs to get the little ones ...

Go The Fours 
I think 4 strokes are better because for 2 strokes you have to mix gas and oil together. If you go too slow you will foul your plug. I think the only reason ...

450 or a 300EXC? 
I recently bought a new bike, I had been in the market for some time and looked at many different possibilities. The dilemma I was facing was that I have ...

2 Strokes Can Compete 
My 2000 RM 250 will compete with any 450 out there! As long as you gear them right the 2 stroke will have just as much torque but with a power band that ...

I Prefer Two-Strokes 
You get more power to weight ratio and more power period per cc with a 2-stroke compared to 4-strokes.

They are a simpler engine which makes for easier ...

Nothing Like A Two-Stroke 
I love 2 strokes, and always will. I realize how much more efficient these modern 4-strokes are.

What for me would be the perfect 2-stroke dirt bike?...

Two Stroke Four Stroke... You Are Missing The Point! 
It is just a matter of time both will be gone. Just look at the automotive industry. Only highly efficient computer controlled, low emission models remain....

Electric Starters Make All The Difference 
I started on a 1990 KDX 200, a great 2 stroke bike. Top end was rebuilt once, before I got it and is still running great to this day. Sure it takes some ...

4 Strokes Are Far From Superior 
2 strokes have the following advantages over 4 strokes...

- More power (Obviously, that's why 2 strokes specialize in a thing called powerband)

- Starts ...

Not Happy 
I love 2 strokes, they are sooo much easier to maintain, more fun to ride and just all round great to have.

Im only 15 and I can do all the work on ...

Light Weight and ON the Pipe! 
As far as Enduros and Hare Scambles go, the top guys are winning on 2-strokes. I myself race a 200 xcw and pass a lot of the 450's. I think they get lazy ...

Banning of 2 Strokes - Bollicks 
I think it is absolutely ridiculous about the banning of 2 strokes over environmental issues, as it is so minimal compared to the pollution in even just ...

Two Stroke Pre-mix And Cow Shit  
The burning smell of premix is the single most defining essence of motocross. Without the smell and ting ting screaming noise, you might as well have ...

My First Race Bike - 1981 YZ465H 2-Stroke 5-Speed 
The 4-strokes achieve their maximum power rating at a much higher rpm. My 465 put out 52 hp under 7'000 RPM, and only weighed in at 229lbs. In deep, soft ...

I Hate The Way Two Strokes Are Compared To Four Strokes 
Is it just me, or is it that every time people compare the 2 strokes and the 4 strokes that they always compare it to the wrong bike. Take the CR500 for ...

4 Strokes Are For The Street 
I ride a Kawaski KX 500. The power is unmatched by any 4stroke out there. I have kicked the shit out of many 450s, and 250s are no match for my 500. Don'...

2 Is Better Than 4 
Valves, shims, springs, timing chains, two throttle cables, remove the gas tank to change a spark plug, 400.00 dollars for after market slip on pipes...

The ...

2 Stroke Reality  
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....

Two Strokes Are Better Here's Why 
First off there is the simple power to weight issue. The above statement is incorrect, "not only is their power to weight ratio on par with the 2 strokes"...

Two Strokes Are WAY More Cost Effective!!!! 
Two-stroke dirt bikes are much simpler, faster, and easier to maintain, and most of all cheaper for up & coming future MX / SX racers!

I think the ...

Read This - Then You May All Understand 
What a pathetic thread, funny to read but so sad...

Why has there got to be a divide between 2 and 4?
We are all out there to ride and have fun, all ...

Limited Options 
Man, without 125 two strokes that leaves nothing in between an 85cc and a 250cc. I know Honda makes the CRF150r, but it's little, like a pit bike. I ...

Save The 2-Strokes Please. It's Like Talking to a Brick Wall!  
My friend always says that 2 strokes suck. Well my opinion is very different.

I don't know why but I have always gone with 2-strokes for some reason....

Un-biased 
Now, the great two stroke versus 4 stroke battle...

Since I like 4 strokes and 2 strokes, I'm not going to prefer or endorse one or the other.

My ...

It's Senseless To Argue - You're Missing The Point 
Yea, it's a heated debate and always has been. I've ridden/raced 2-strokes for 20 years and now ride a thumper. Most young guys love to hate on em, (read ...

My Personal Preference and Why 
I've had my fair share/goes on different motocross bikes, a following to name a few...

Suzuki DRZ 400, Honda's CR-F, Honda CR 500, Kawasaki KX 85 (when ...

4 Strokes Are Better 
4 strokes are ten times better than 2 strokers, these days more than ever. 4 strokes well exceed the 2 stroke power, especially in torque and overall ...

2 Strokes and 4 Strokes Are Good For Their Own Reasons 
I feel the phasing out is simple (sorry little conspiracy theory here) PARTS ! The head has approx 1000% more parts, machining and specialized labour ...

Displacement 
I am always amused by the younger generation, myself being 41 yo, that they always compare a 250 cc two stroke against a 450 cc four stroke. If a comparison ...

Big Business Does It Again 
I really believe that the rise of the four stroke is due to two things.

1. All the manufacturers know that 4 strokes need more expensive maintenance ...

Two Strokes Are Affordable And Reliable 
Two points to make. To re-build the top-end on a 2 stroke, with machining is going to cost you around 200 bucks and you can install it yourself. Additionally ...

Two Strokers... RULE 
I am an avid outdoors person and care about our environment. However, when it comes down to governmental regulation on our 2 strokes and phasing them ...

4 Strokes Are The Future - Like It or Not. 
For the average rider maintenance is not an issue for 4 strokers. I've owned them now for a while and have really done nothing to my 4 stroke. This maintenance ...

4 Strokes Are As Good As 2-Strokes  
They are perfect for the newer dirt bike riders. They have higher torque than 2 strokes and they have twice the fuel economy and yet still have a smoother ...

4 Strokes Win Hands Down 
Four strokes are definitely better! I'm not putting the 2's down but 4 strokes are powerhouses. Not only do they have speed but they have power. 2 strokes ...

The Best Bang For Buck  Not rated yet
They are finding out that the hardcore rider will ride what they want to ride and not what they tell us to ride.

I will never buy a 4-stroke and if ...

4 Strokes Are For Lawnmowers  Not rated yet
I've raced since age 5. I'm now 25, and during those days if you showed up with a 4-stroke at the motocross track you were not doing something right - and ...

4 Stroke Lover - It Just Keeps Going..  Not rated yet
My 4 has yet to let me down. Todays 4 strokes have it all, power everywhere!

I love two strokes.  Not rated yet
Once you've grown up on a two stroke and then ride a four, you are disappointed. I don't like four strokes for a couple reasons...

You can't feel the ...

2 Strokes All The Way!  Not rated yet
I have definitely noticed how great company's are slowly stopping 2-cycles. This makes me very angry because I feel that 2 strokes are way faster and more ...

From 2 to 4 With Age  Not rated yet
I started riding a cr 125 in high school. Back then, like most high schoolers, I had very little fear and I could crash and laugh it off. The power band ...

I Prefer Four Strokes  Not rated yet
I'm really a fan of both bikes for different reasons. 4 strokes, I find ride better and can go over different terrain which is good for the way I ride....

Go The Two Smokes  Not rated yet
I think that 2 strokes are better because when you buy a 4 stroke as a beginner (for a lot of money) after a couple off weeks you will be bored of the ...

Rode a 2 stroke For The First Time  Not rated yet
Well I've been riding for about 10 years. My first bike was a 1999 Yamaha pw50 and that is too small to have a noticeable power band. Ever since I got ...

Hold On To Your 2's  Not rated yet
I've been riding for 25yrs. I have owned both 2 strokes and 4 strokes. I believe they both have their place on the track and on the trail.

I currently ...

Why 2-strokes Rule  Not rated yet
IMHO 2-strokes will always be the best. They are easy and you don't have any cams to seize or valves to drop (unless you have powervalves). Also if you ...

It's a Toss Up  Not rated yet
I've always ridden two strokes and loved them - the explosive hit, the sound, everything. But a couple of years ago I threw my leg over a RMZ 450.. I was ...

The Best Dirt Bike For You And Me  Not rated yet
If you are wondering what bike is best for you, read this. I went out and did the research in the real life not the rich life. This story for me first ...

The Pancacked (shortened.. i.e. no skirt) Piston  Not rated yet
I'm commenting not on why 4 strokes are better (I have both 2 and 4 strokes), but I'm commenting on why the 4 stokes became much faster with the '97 Yamaha ...

Misslead About 2 stroke vs 4 stroke  Not rated yet
Dear Sir or Ma'am,

Did you re-read your comment? You stated that the 4 stroke made the same power as the 2 stroke, and so on. This thought process is ...

Mixing Gas  Not rated yet
I have a 1998 Kawasaki KX250 2-stroke. This bike is a beast and I love it.

But the thing is... can somebody make a 2-stroke motor to where you do ...

Lower Maintanance and Much More Fun  Not rated yet
I have just recently changed bikes from a Honda CRF 250r to a Yamaha yz250. I can't believe that I have not made the change back to the two stroke before ...

Two Stroke Where Have You Gone?  Not rated yet
Yea I think the two stroke should be raced by the lights class and the 450s in the pros. The AMA has most to blame for this, when they put only four strokes ...

4 Strokes Started Off as a Joke And Will Finish The Same Way  Not rated yet
Yes overall 4 strokes are easier to ride with their more controlled and smoother power delivery which is very forgiving around the track except at high ...

Four Strokes Are Driving The Blue-collar Guy Out of The Sport  Not rated yet
I really don't hate four strokes, in fact I might even be faster on one than my YZ250 - but I will never own one.

There is a long term test on the ...

Two's Make You A Better Rider  Not rated yet
You will have to take my 2 stroke from my cold dead hands. I respect the quality of the 4's but the 2's make a person a better rider plus they are cheaper ...

I Swing Both Ways  Not rated yet
I had a 2004 yz250f for a year and loved it. It did great on the track. Great in the hills. But it was kinda slower in corners.

Now I ride a 2003 kx250 ...

Long Live 2 Strokes  Not rated yet
Two strokes may pollute more and may be noisier than 4 strokes, but nothing compares to the hit of the powerband and the sound these motors make when they ...

Mix Your Gas Right  Not rated yet
Two strokes are better because they are lighter and faster on the track. If you know how to control a 2-stroke and its powerband, you could go just about ...

Moo Goes The Four Stroke  Not rated yet
Riding a four stroke bike is like riding a dying cow. But riding a two stroke bike is just like much more fun :P

I love two strokes.

Half and Half  Not rated yet
Between the two bikes it is a huge tossup - the noisy zing zing of a two stroke is something that I just love to hear at a motocross race but yet I prefer ...

As Much As I Love Two Strokes  Not rated yet
Today, everything is changing at one time. It used to be that a two stroke would haul past a four stroke, but with everything changing I don't know where ...

Learners Perspective  Not rated yet
Ive only been riding 5 months and know that's not much experience. I ride a KTM SX 125 and love its sudden jolt. But on trails I get left behind. On the ...

Sexy Pipes And Fine Smells  Not rated yet
Two strokes are better because first of all you got that amazing smell, sick looks, sexy pipe, great sound and all that so called uncontrollable power ...

Fear And Four Strokes  Not rated yet
FEAR is the reason for the appearance of the 4 stroke in motocross. Fear of impending "green laws". I've been racing for 35 years and I've seen it all ...

Four Strokes = Two Strokes  Not rated yet
I ride a Husaberg 550 and a KTM 300. I'm really torn between the two. The pros and cons to each seem to balance out. Now I realize that I'm riding quite ...

Buy a 2-Smoker  Not rated yet
I've got a 05 yz450f and a 91 cr250 and I love the way my cr rides. It's an animal! It would dust the 450 around a tight track. So my advice is if you'...

I Prefer 4 Strokes  Not rated yet
Well I'm still kind of new on this motorcycle thing. I only have a 2 stroke enduro 125cc. I also have some 4 stroke experience too (some rides on heavier ...

Jumping Two Strokes  Not rated yet
Dude I think that two strokes sound and ride better than a 4 stroke. It's just so much easier for me to jump and ride a two stroke and jumping is all I ...

Four Strokes Were Good Bikes Before...  Not rated yet
... but got a bad rap largely because of their riders! Yep, that's right! Like monkeys learn to press buttons, 97% (whatever?) learned to ride these ...

Direct Injection Retrofit Kits  Not rated yet
Envirofit, a non-profit corp at Colorado State University, is installing DI retrofit kits on two-stroke Motorcycle-Taxis (Tricycles) in the Philippines,...

2 Strokes Easier For Me  Not rated yet
I grew up riding on two strokes. I currently ride a yz250 two stroke.

Last summer I borrowed my buddies rmz450. I found that I got tired quite fast....

Two Strokes Have Had Their Day  Not rated yet
I think it is good to have new direction. I like the idea of a fuel injected four, next generation may be turbo aspiration, then maybe a blower in the ...

Two Strokes Win in Every Way - Except on the Race Track  Not rated yet
I have always ridden a 2 stroke and I will continue to ride one. The amount of sheer power mixed with the light weight and low cost are only some of the ...

2-Strokes For Life  Not rated yet
As a motorcycle Technician I get my hands on a lot of bikes. 4 strokes can be great, when they're running well. With the new high end MX bikes, you're ...

Two Smokes For Life  Not rated yet
As long as 2 strokes are around I will be riding one. For more reasons than one. 2 strokes fit my riding style, and my budget. Since I don't have the mechanical ...

Resurrecting 2-Strokes  Not rated yet
I won't pay money to buy a new 4-stroke motorcycle when a 2-stroke will do the job better, even if it means resurrecting older bikes. It is actually cheaper ...

45 Years of Four Stroke & Two Stroke Racing  Not rated yet
I have been racing over 45 years, raced 4 strokes long before anyone else, in the 60's, Ducati's, BSA's, Triumph's, 1978 CCM's. Then Husabergs, then 98 ...

The Big Corporations are Phasing out the 2-strokes Because..  Not rated yet
There is less money to be made in it. The companies with dominating shares of the market (such as Honda or Yamaha) can throw their clout to influence the ...

15 Years of Racing - 2 Strokes Are The Way  Not rated yet
I raced for 15 yrs when I was younger. Motocross, enduro's, desert, even 3 yrs of speedway. Rode a lot of bikes over the yrs and I remember several 2 ...

4-Strokes Should Stay And So Should 2-Strokes   Not rated yet
I think yes keep the 2 strokes alive, that way people won't get sick of the 4 strokes. Come on people use your heads... if they ban 2-strokes and everybody ...

If Four Strokes Are So Much Better Then..  Not rated yet
... Why is it that most, not all, but most of the FMX riders are still on 250cc two strokes? Travis Pastrana still rides a RM for most of his stunts ...

It All Makes No Sense  Not rated yet
I race a 2004 CR85R and it annihilates the class I'm in. There's no point even being in it. It keeps up with 250 4-stroke racing bikes.

I mean if yer ...

Two Strokes Are Way Better Because Of Everything  Not rated yet
Well, I've ridden 2 strokes all my life but now these so called "better 4 strokes" are being produced that aren't worth s%#t. They are way more expensive,...

NiMH - X  Not rated yet
I reckon that before the next fifty years has passed you won't see two or four strokes... you will have high current, high power output, electric powered ...

Financially Unable To Ride  Not rated yet
Hi, I have just read your 2 vs 4 stroke dirt bike article. How great it is to read a comparison test by someone who knows what they r talking about & who ...

2 Stroke Over 4 Stroke Any Day  Not rated yet
Hi I'm Josh.

I'd like to have my 2 cents about this topic. I ride a 99 Suzuki RM (2-stroke obviously) and I love it, it goes so hard I got no complaints....

2 Strokes Are The Best, Because of This..  Not rated yet
2 strokes are easy to maintain.

- Compared to a 4 stroke, the modern 2 strokes have nickel plated cylinders, which wears out the ring instead of the ...

Two Stroke Future  Not rated yet


A 2 stroke produces power every revolution making it vastly more efficient than a four stroke that needs two revolutions to do the same thing. All ...

On The Pipe And Loving It!  Not rated yet
Having ridden a small fleet of two and four stroke dirt bikes over the years I just keep finding myself coming back to the excitement of the two stroke ...

Compare Apples to Apples  Not rated yet
250cc to 250cc two stroke wins hands down, for now. This is the way it is, but most likely will not always be. Can a four stroke be simple, cheap, dependable ...

2 Strokes All The Way  Not rated yet
Think about it... 4 strokes are a pain to rebuild because of all the valve timing. A 2 stroke you just pull off the jug and everything is uncomplicated ...

They Are Both Good.  Not rated yet
I like them both, Hey I ride them both!! Dirt bikes are just awesome period. 4 stroke or 2 stroke doesn't matter. Just get a dirt bike.

- Ha! I love ...

2 Stroke All The Way  Not rated yet
After growing up from a young kid to an adult riding a 2 stroke, I always thought they were the only true motocross bike to have. Then came the 400f, the ...

Is Ignorance Bliss?  Not rated yet
Four strokes seem to be dominating all "small" gas power sources that used to be 2 stroke by default. This isn't only true for bikes, of course; there ...

Two Stroke Rules!  Not rated yet
Being an old git (over 40) I've been plugging round on a KXf 250, following my 13 year old no brain, no fear son on his KX125. This has resulted in me ...

Two Stroke vs Four Stroke, Differences and Similarities  Not rated yet
Four strokes don't have a power band like a two stroke so you don't have to worry about the power band kicking in and slinging an inexperienced rider on ...

A Thrill to Ride and Own.  Not rated yet
I love the way a two stroke feels when you hit the powerband. It's just an all around adrenaline rush. They sound way better and more pipey than the fours ...

The Two Stroke will Never Die Completely  Not rated yet
Even if Zeus were to descend from the clouds tomorrow and declare that all two-stroke engines must cease production for the remainder of time, lest the ...

Four Stroke Maintenance Costs Make It Too Expensive To Ride  Not rated yet
My son started motox on an 85cc 2 stroke. He then followed the natural progression, 125cc - 250cc 2t's. I used to do all the maintenance myself. It ...

Good News For 2-stroke fans!  Not rated yet
I was surfing the web just the other day, researching the new Maico dirt bikes that are now being built back in Germany in limited numbers. Supposedly ...

Two Strokes Are Better... Way Better  Not rated yet
I'll get right to the point.

1. The environment problem is a load of crap. I mean seriously, how much pollution does any dirt bike engine put out?

2....

No Comparison  Not rated yet
Let me preface this by saying that I am not a dirt bike kind of guy. When I was younger, I learned to ride on a 4 stroke Honda 90cc road bike. As I got ...

You Can't Blame The Manufacturers...  Not rated yet
To be honest I considered a 450 over my 250 2-stroke. But I'm a part-time casual track rider and enjoy hitting the local sand dunes.

People are jumping ...

Two Strokes vs 4 Strokes  Not rated yet
Well I'm 29 years young turning 30 in May. I've been riding two stroke 125's my whole life until a few years ago when I sold my 125 at age 26. I returned ...

Two Strokes Sound Good And Go Hard  Not rated yet
I've only owned two 4 stroke motorbikes in my life. One was a 1980 Honda XL125 and the other was a 1983 Suzuki DR125

The 2 strokes I've owned have ...

Two Strokes Rule  Not rated yet
The whole environmentalist rationale for eliminating 2-strokes is total BS. There are already clean-burning 2-strokes, and even if they weren't, the amount ...

2 Strokes Are More Popular  Not rated yet
I have a 4 stroke dirt bike and I go to dirt tracks a lot. There's no one with 4 strokes. Everyone has got 2 strokes and the noise is crazy! But I seem ...

Two Strokes - More Power & Simpler To Work On  Not rated yet
I like 2 strokes a heck of a lot more than the sordid old 4 strokes. I mean the 4's are OK if you're not dead in the ol' bike nut. But for all of us ...

WIMPS   Not rated yet
What I hate is all of these wimps. I think the big four need to start making big bore 2 strokes again.

The first bike I ever rode was a KX500 and ...

Personal Choice  Not rated yet
I started riding 2 strokes all the way up to a Suzuki RM 250. They are without a doubt, serious horse power on any track. For a beginner it will spit ...

2 Strokes Are The Bomb!   Not rated yet
Nothing else compares to the sound and performance that comes out of a two stroke dirt bike. They're super-tough, light, easy to work on, and a lot cheaper ...

2 Strokes Dominate  Not rated yet
I really find it hard to believe how the big four can steer away from 2 strokes. I mean, it's like they don't even relate to us. Have they never ridden ...

Two Strokes All The Way.   Not rated yet
I hate the way they're dying out. Ive tried riding four strokes, but for me they just don't have anything on the feel, smell, sound and sense of raw power ...