There is an amazing amount of interest in the proposed rule change to allow 250cc motocross bikes of either 2 or 4 stroke to race in this summers AMA Nationals. Fortunately a great deal of it is positive on the side of the two stroke.
In the newest issue of Racer X there is news about two strokes all over the magazine. Many times the magazine mentioned the flood of positive e-mails that they received. Maybe they were shocked?
The mail section talks about the proposed change followed by some great letters for two stroke fans that are behind the change, including the lead off letter by Tim Brezo a Two Stroke Militia member.
Then in the Racerhead section is an article entitled “Two Stroke Hope?” they discuss the experiment in restructuring the classes at Loretta Lynns which allowed 250s of any stroke to compete.
“We believe a 250 is a 250, period. There should be no penalty. There are still manufacturers making the model and people who enjoy riding that motorcycle, and the cost is much lower to maintain one, so why no give them a fair place to compete?”
Tim Cotter MX Sports
To compete the bikes must be homologated by the AMA and meet the weight requirements (212 pounds) for 2009.
According to Racer X the feedback from the manufacturers has been as expected, Yamaha and KTM are behind it and Honda is cool to the idea. One team manager (that did not wish to be quoted) expressed concern that a rider like Tommy Searle would choose a 250 two stroke and out-gun the 250 four strokes.
MXA posted the following on their web site yesterday.
Dear MXA,
I read somewhere that 250cc two-strokes were going to be allowed to race the AMA 250 Nationals this year (against the 250 four-strokes). Is this true? I also heard that Tommy Searle was going to race a KTM 250SX two-stroke in the 250 class. What about that?This is a compllcated subject, because it is in flux. It should be noted that the National organizers, the track promoters and most fans would like to see 250cc two-strokes in the 250 class. It has been discussed and could happen.
But, and this is the big but, for some reason the final decision has been left in the hands of the team managers from the Big Four (KTM is in favor of it). Why would self-serving, guardians of the status quo be given absolute power on something like this? No one knows, but if 250 two-strokes are not allowed in the 250 class, you will know exactly who shot them down (Kehoe, McCarty, Fisher and DeCoster).
As for Team KTM’s Tommy Searle riding a 250 two-stroke in the Nationals, KTM racing manager Kurt Nicoll told the sanctioning body, in person, that he would sign a guarantee that Searle would not race a 250cc two-stroke in the 2009 AMA 250 National Championships.
The Searle question had Team Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki concerned. They were afraid that he would show up on a 250 two-stroke and leave their four-strokes in his dust. To facilitate the legalization of 250 two-strokes in the 250 class, KTM was willing to agree not to have their top-flight riders race the 250 two-strokes.
After dancing around the subject, we expect a final decision to be handed down some time after Anaheim 3.
All of this sounds very promising to us two stroke supporters.
Awesome job to everyone that wrote to Racer X and MXA positively about the proposed rule change. Thank you.
http://www.motocrossactionmag.com/ME2/Default.asp
Some encouraging news from these articles in the implementation of the new 250cc class for pro racing.
End this engine type nonsense please….It’s about time mx organizers/rulemakers wake up and get with it!
If an mx team (or individual)wants to make a racing bike to race let them choose the TYPE of engine best suited to them….Do we really need the Japanese Manufacturers or Team Managers (with orders from big bosses of course),dictating the rules so they can dominate the market or race venue? What are they actually afraid of anyway? A fast private team of 2-stroke riders that kicks butt?
Make it 250cc and 450cc engine size!… More interesting and exciting for the racers and the spectators..(Too bad the 125′s will never make it back to the
Nationals or SX… that was one cooool class to watch)!
The 250cc 2-stroke motocross machine is the REAL cutting edge of motocross machinery and if developed today would be the easy choice……
Yes..A new 2010 212 lb. 50+ horsepower MX Missle that is quiet,reliable,starts, and handles! Imagine that……
The manufacturers should not have a say in this decision.
What are the Japanese MFG’s afraid of?… They are afraid that since they’ve dumped so much into the R&D of thumpers, that a smoker with yesterday’s technology will….. “smoke” their thumpers. (Pun intended) Please do away with the class limits, let the classes be based on CC’s not 2 vs. 4 stroke. Since Honda and Kawi have both dumped development of the smokers, only Yamaha, and Suzuki (outside of the US), still mfg smokers. KTM, GASGAS and a few others are still improving on the smoker. I’m guessing that if they allow 250 two strokes to play with the thumpers, they will be penalized as they are too light, and will have to carry extra weight to compete.
In today’s jump fest SX tracks let the rider choose what he wants to ride. I can see in SX that depending on the track, a “professional” racer switching between a 2 and a 4 stroke. Example Anaheim… Pretty open track, a smoker would have done well. Houston, really tight, a thumper may have been the stead of choice. Now in MX, that’s a different animal. I see more smokers than thumpers at the starting line.
Its just a sad state of affairs that the MFG’s are the one who decide the fate of the 2 stroke machines, especially since they know an out dated 2 stroke 250 will thump a modern thumper.
This is great news we’re even talking about it, and I agree it is not a manufacturers job to tell us what to ride/race, and the mouth peices behind them should remember the buying public not just their mega $$ teams, good on TM, YAMAHA, KTM, GAS GAS, SHERCO, HUSKY and SUZUKI I say for continuing to produce bikes we want.
This rule should open the door for the 125 class as well, and bring back the tried and trusted formula of 125, 250 and open. How simple is that.
As promising as this looks, the slap in the face is that it is being left up to team managers. This is not the job of the participants, it is the job of the organization to make the rules. The teams have to follow the rules or not play.
I find it sad that KTM would choose to send their rider out on an inferior machine just to appease the Big 4 from Japan.
As I have written before, the manufacturers shape the rules to suit themselves. It is sadder that the AMA and FIM allow them so much influence.
As everyone can see from a glance in the rear view mirror, this way of creating rules has backfired.
Track and riding area closures due to noise and less racing participation by the working man due to cost constraints. (the true supporters of all motocross racing) (And this was before the economy nose dived)
The current rules need to be amended and allow participation of a very important segment of motocross. The guys that race weekly or monthly and buy new bikes every few years.
Could you imagine how cool it would be to see two strokes out on the track at a National?? I think there would be lot’s of people cheering them on, even if they were way back in the pack. It will create a new interest in racing.
When racer/fans see that the two stroke can be competitive when raced against bikes of similar displacement on the Pro level, they will be encouraged to buy and race them.
From my perspective, Yamaha and KTM will probably vote for it. Most likely Honda will vote against it.That leaves Suzuki and Kawasaki… do you think that one of them would approve it?
How much does that suck that they get a vote at all?
yeah thats right. too bad we dont get to vote. it would definatly win. Ymaha & Ktm willl vote for it, suzuki maybe, kawasaki posibly, honda mostlikely will not vote for it. i cant wait to hear a pinger win at a national. hopfull the 125 will come back, and ama will make a class for it. It would be awsome to see a servise honda cr500af (if ama would allow it) compete in the mx class and kill the 450′s. the 2 stroke will return soon, dont worry!!!
We “DO” have a vote! Don’t buy 4 strokes! I won’t buy one, I’ll race vintage and venues that offer 2 stroke races! I’ll buy older stuff and make it new again even if I still give my money to the manufacturers for parts for older stuff. The new bike I don’t buy is sitting on the showroom floor. I’ll buy from those who support 2 strokes. KTM, Gas Gas, TM. Make it know by writing letters to the manufacturers that you don’t buy the 4 stroke products they sell!
irace2tmotos has the right idea. Don’t buy 4 strokes!
Although this seems to be happening already. There are many racers that want to race two strokes but do not have a great deal to choose from that is new.
From the rumblings that are going around, it seems that both Yamaha and KTM will be releasing either all new or updated two stroke machines for 2010.
The FIM has changed the rules for 2010 which will allow 250 two strokes to compete with 250 four strokes. This is great news because this will force the AMA to consider the same rules.
In order to regain a foothold in racing we must support those that make two strokes or promote two stroke racing. This is the only way that the two stroke will return to professional racing.