I miss the sounds and smells of the Aprilia Cup road racing events at Daytona.

Plus, you could go get a beer and hot dog before they came around again.

This is about the dirt racers.

If it was mentioned in that video, I missed it. What really hurt the two stroke was the AMA allowing four strokes to have TWICE the displacement in a given class. That is, two stroke 125’s raced against 250 four strokes.

Save KTM and TM, two stroke development lagged far behind the four stroke. Yamaha is the only Japanese brand even making full size two strokes, and their YZ250 was essentially unchanged from 2006 to now.

KTM (owner of Husqvarna and Gas Gas) has significantly developed their two strokes, and you most definitely pay for it! I will always be a two stroke guy, as will my wife and two sons. Long live pre-mix!

Two strokes were also quite a bit “in your face” with their tasty blue smoke exhaust. The world is filled with worthless busy bodies hell bent on sucking every bit of awesome out of this world.

Just like the diesels that billow black smoke the two stroke‘s exhaust and glorious sound rubbed miserable people the wrong way.

Nothing gold can stay. Unfortunately it seems all good things eventually come to an end.

Not bikes, but my two backpack blowers, 2 string trimmers and a chain saw are all 2 stroke and belch glorious blue smoke. My 30+ year old 2 stroke mower finally died.


ETA: ...at start up

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Blackmore,

The power curve was fun with a 2 stroke, but that was about it other than some weight. 4 stroke toys are just more reliable and get better gas mileage.

quote:

Originally posted by Blackmore:
Not bikes, but my two backpack blowers, 2 string trimmers and a chain saw are all 2 stroke and belch glorious blue smoke.

None of my two-stroke engines have ever emitted more than a barely perceptible amount of smoke--and then only when cold.

My Kawasaki KE100, Suzuki GT175 & Yamaha DT50 all spew copious amounts of blue smoke. My weed whacker does not produce much smoke at all but all my two stroke motorcycles billow blue smoke.

My 2007 6 cylinder 2.6 liter Yamaha V Max SHO outboard still runs like new, every week from April through November. I love the glorious smell of two stroke in the morning! And there ain't nothing like the sound of 6 screaming 2 stroke cylinders at full throttle!

You should see how much smoke an old 90s Seadoo makes. My garage would be foggy for hours.

I had a Yamaha R5C 350cc 2-smoke. It was awesome. There is something so efficient about the 2-stroke motion pattern.

My first motorcycle was a mid '60s era 2 stroke Suzuki X6 Hustler. 250cc's of great fun especially when changing the drive sprocket to increase acceleration at the expense of top speed.

If you love two strokes do me a favor, watch this video.

This is arguably one of my top 3 favorite videos on all of YouTube. Whenever I’m feeling down or uninspired I’ll watch it and the brilliance that is the two stroke engine narrated by someone who loves them just as much as I do always improves my mood.

Enjoy! I know many of you have probably already seen it but if you love two strokes and haven’t seen it you’re in for a treat!

The short answer to what happened is the same thing that happened to gasoline (damned ethanol), lead shotgun shells, and many other things. The EPA and environmentalists took them out.

Two stroke outboard motors were way faster out of the hole shot than a 4 stroke of the same horsepower rating. My buddy and I both have Ranger boats. His is older and has the 2 stroke Yamaha SHO 175. Mine is the same boat, but 10 years newer with a 4 stroke. Not that much difference in top end speed, but there is a noticeable difference in torque on the low end of the RPM spectrum. My buddy’s boat seems way faster from 0 to planing speed which is around 20 MPH in this boat. The 4 stroke has a great power band from about 30-55 MPH. Most of the time to planing issue is related to the additional weight of the 4 stroke on the transom.

Also - as previously mentioned the 2 strokes sound very cool comparatively. The 4 stroke at high RPM sounds more like a turbine. The 2 stroke like a car motor. The 2 stroke also rumbles at idle. The 4 stroke is inaudible at an idle.

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quote:

Originally posted by Abn556:

Also - as previously mentioned the 2 strokes sound very cool comparatively. The 4 stroke at high RPM sounds more like a turbine. The 2 stroke like a car motor. The 2 stroke also rumbles at idle. The 4 stroke is inaudible at an idle.

I always thought a 2 stroke sounded like several bee or hornet nests emptied with their former occupants expressing extreme anger.

You guys should love this if you like the sound of 2 strokes....

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Oh shit! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I think there is some apples and oranges going on with the sound of 2 stroke vs 4 stroke comment. I’m referring to a 175 HP SHO V-4 outboard motor that is more powerful than a lot of small car motors - not a 125 Enduro. Big difference in those two motors.

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While I LOVE my new WR250f and find 4 stokes a bit more pleasant to trail ride with I do love me some blue smoke screaming.
I had a chance to ride a friends new Husky 300 2 stroke at a hare scramble last summer. That thing was simply amazing and if not for the price tag I'd have one in my garage right now. First off no mixing gas. You top off the 2 stroke oil into the frame next to the traditional gas cap. It's automatically mixed in the throttle body and yes, it's FUEL INJECTED!!!
Add an electric start and it's just a smidge over 220# so feels like flicking a bmx bike around.

The KTM/Husky/GasGas 300 is, imo, the perfect dirt bike. Novices can use the low rpm chug to conquer obstacles and experts can twist it and go stupid fast. My expert (Utah desert racing) son has had several and my 65 year old wife has one.

I’m in the process of having built a KX300, which should tide me over until I can swing an Austrian ride.