Two Stroke News Updates – Photo Gallery
So much news on the two-stroke front. This listing contains news from around the world featuring two-strokes.
The biggest news of the week is the announcement from Great Britain, for the 2010 race season there will be 3 separate two-stroke championships available for racers and fans!
Of course there is the British 2 Stroke Championships that have been running since 2003 and has grown into a true National caliber event. Then the news from the Cumbria Twinshock Club is that they will be holding a Two Stroke Championship in conjunction with there vintage events.
Then the biggest news is that the ACU (same as the USA’s AMA) has revealed that they will be running a National Two Stroke series as well.
We will follow up with additional information about the three Two Stroke series in the UK, as it becomes available.
Some spy news from a friend;
“The 2st is alive and kicking in the UK and in Europe. The amount of 150’s and 250’s out there is staggering, its a fair 50-50 split at tracks.
We got wind of KTM’s factory effort as wonder kid Jeff Herlings was said to be testing full factory sx125’s the day before we got there, reports were he was hauling and there were 3 bikes to test, with a full squad of mechanics. The track owners also said that Rinaldi has booked the venue to test new 2st stuff, no date was given obviously.
Hot news also was Ken Roczen was screaming the head off a trick Suzuki 125, testing in France a week ago, ali frame and new plastics ?”
Some news about the US Women’s Nationals.
“MX Sports has announced that 250cc two-stroke motorcycles will be eligible for competition in the WMX Class for the 2010 season. The class engine displacement will be 122-250cc.”
While this was not what many two-stroke racing fans were hoping for, it is certainly a step in the right direction. Two thumbs up to MX Sports for all the work they put in on behalf of Motocross racers and fans.
A reader from the Netherlands sent the following information. Unfortunately, I can not read nor confirm what is said on the web sites listed. Can you read it and let us all know?
“The officially motorsport bond KNMV (The Netherlands) has reglement changes for 2011. It says: Only two strokes allowed in 50,65,85,125 schoolboy motocross. Here is the link: http://www.knmv.nl/sport/nieuws/knmv-motocross-nieuws-2010-2011 Read the last part of the story and the reason is KNMV is following the FIM rules which already start in 2010 with only 2T in schoolboy class.
And in Germany the ADAC youngster cup is changed to only 2 stroke in 2010, This means no more CRF150 allowed http://www.mx-report.de/motocross-news/news-20070307130522-20091008102618.htm.
More and more countries in Europe see the need of 2 strokes.
At the Kawasaki Race of Champions held in October at Raceway Park in New Jersey, local Pro Robby Marshall raced a Suzuki RM250 two-stroke in the 250 Pro class and won.
Robby Marshall at KROC. Photo by Scott Lukaitis
Found some cool two stroke racing photos all from October.
Luke Renzland at AK Farms. Photo by Vintage 54
All crossed up, Brian Shuckhart. Photo by www.mxfreakspix.com
Unknown Racer. Photo by www.mxfreakspix.com
Russell Bobbitt working on his KTM at the ISDE.
Kurt Caselli finished 6th overall at the ISDE.
The 2010 Gas Gas MC300 two stroke.
The only thing known about this machine is it's an RM50!
Suzuki RM50 left side.
Check out the hand made exhaust pipe on the RM50.
The next pile of photos was found on an Italian web site for the magazine called X Off Road. The photos are of two machines, a Kawasaki KX144AF and a KX500AF. These are nicely built machines.
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Comments
By westyz on November 4th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Dont get what you mean by this bit?
“MX Sports has announced that 250cc two-stroke motorcycles will be eligible for competition in the WMX Class for the 2010 season. The class engine displacement will be 122-250cc.”
Does that mean non-equal displacement for 2 and 4 strokes?
By JohnNicholas on November 4th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Hey Westyz,
This means that you can ride a 250 two stroke, a 250 four stroke, a 125 two-stroke, a 144 two stroke, a 150 two stroke… just about anything basically. That is as long as it’s between 122 and 250cc in displacement.
No more having to race a 125cc two -stroke against the 250F in the Women’s class. Now you can race 250 vs. 250.
Hopefully this answers your question.
By westyz on November 4th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
yes thats what I thought you meant – in that case was wondering why you said
“While this was not what many two-stroke racing fans were hoping for, it is certainly a step in the right direction”
Is it cos they havent done the same in mens nationals?
By SCOOTER042 on November 4th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
All this Euro 2 stroke action means the likes of KTM, TM, Husky and others will be selling even more smokers and more likely to do more R&D. With TM leading the way adding FI this year and the turning tides in the USA, the 2 stroke future is looking better than ever. KTM has good distribution in the US already. If they add FI or any major upgrade sales will continue upward.
Looks like 3 of the big 4 have really dropped the ball by turning their backs and leaving a major segment(2 stroke)of the market in the USA hanging. This will mean default sales for those still paying attention.
Westyz, This means the womens 250 pro class allows 122 through 250cc 2 and 4 stroke.
By JohnNicholas on November 4th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Hey Westyz,
Wow… sorry that it was so difficult to understand!
Yes you are correct. While it’s great that MX Sports got equal size two-strokes in the Womens Pro Class, it’s a shame that they were thwarted in passing the rule for the “men’s” Pro Class.
Scooter042 – I agree, with all this news coming out of Europe, it sure points towards more R&D money going into the two-stroke, through the manufacturers that you mentioned.
From the news on the street, Suzuki and Kawasaki are having serious money problems. This is a shame. Hopefully it’s not because they have a warehouse full of four-stroke motocross machines. Or because they attempted to keep the prices of the four-strokes artificially low, in order to keep the pricing similar to the two-strokes.
This may be a very tough year for the Big 4 in terms of motocross.
By GPRRacing52 on November 4th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
That engine of the Suzuki RM50 is from a, Derbi Senda.
By eprovenzano on November 5th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
For the big 4 that do not offer a smoker, (Honda & Kawasaki) Suzuki are still selling them in the UK and “Yamaha still produces an 5 year old design, one would think it would not be that difficult to restart production. They should be able to copy the frame geometry from the 4 stroke pigs, and make appropriate changes to accommodate the exhaust. The suspension would pretty much be the same between the smoker and stroker. And I’m sure tucked away in the back rooms are their blue prints of their previous engine designs. I’m sure there are plenty of engine parts available to them that they could cobble together a few factory bikes.
That’s what I miss the most… true factory bikes. Bike loaded with all the advance one off trick items. Some parts so advanced they never make it into production. MX was used as a proving ground for true mechanical ingenuity…
By done on November 7th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
“We got wind of KTM’s factory effort as wonder kid Jeff Herlings was said to be testing full factory sx125’s the day before we got there, reports were he was hauling and there were 3 bikes to test, with a full squad of mechanics.”
That’s weird… KTM doesn’t make 125’s anymore!
Which track? When?
By Dylan155 on November 7th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
KTM still makes the 125sx and 150sx and imports them to the U.S.
By 125mx.com on November 8th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
The KTM125 is probably the most popular 125 over here, they pump out thousands every year !
Great news also about the MX Sports rule change.
By GPRRacing52 on November 10th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Check this bike out, Ossa TR 280i is not a MX butt is a 2 stroke with fuel injection!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwMv3VKAqnA
By chrismcr123 on November 10th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Modern KX 500 = The ultimate dirtbike.
By motox336 on November 11th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Back in April Robby Marshall also won the Can-Am race at MX-207 in Lyman, Maine on his RM 250 2st. He also set the fastest lap ever recorded at MX-207 during that race on the 2st.