I just bought my first 2-stroke bike a few months ago. Its a 2005 KTM 250 EXC. I’ve always preferred 4-strokes because they lack the “hit” and I always thought they had more low-end. I was ready to buy a 450 4-stroke but started looking into 2-strokes. The more I researched, the more I learned that 2-strokes can be as good, if not better than 4-strokes in the woods.
The 250 has been great. Its much lighter than a 450, and to my surprise runs well at extremely low rpm. The stall resistance is amazing and the engine lugs as well as any 4-stroke I’ve ridden. It seems that a 4-stroke will flame out before the 2-stroke. I thought I’d miss the engine braking of a 4-stroke, but I’ve never even thought about it on my 250. I think it makes me a better rider.
I started looking at 2 strokes to save weight. That was the biggest factor. The guys at Woodsracer.com and KTMtalk (2-stroke forum) got me thinking about the easy maintenance (no oil or filter changes) and simple rebuilds. I briefly looked for a used 250cc 4-stroke (Honda and Yamaha), but almost all of them were rebuilt! The life of those early motors was questionable, and the cost to rebuild is high. The latest versions might be better (and the KTM has a good reliability and durability reputation), but they still don’t have the performance of my 250cc 2-stroke.
My friend bought a Ski-Doo 2-stroke for the same reason… less weight. The newer E-tecs look impressive. Its now used in outboards and sleds.
There’s usually some good discussions at KTMtalk about the merits of 2-strokes in the “2-stroke” forum and “Which bike to buy”. Like I mentioned, I was ready to buy a 450 until I started reading over there and at Woodsracer.
For trail riding I think a KTM 2-stroke is better than any 4-stroke for the vast majority of riders. Plus they have easy maintenance and are easy to rebuild. But, people have been brainwashed into buying 4-strokes. I know, I was one of those that had a negative view of 2-strokes. Now I know that they are much better than the general public thinks. With direct injection I think we’ll be in the golden age of dirt bikes. I hope it happens soon.
Another example is the time I bought a small outboard for my row boat. I was convinced that the new 4-stroke outboards were the way to go for noise, smoke, etc so I bought a 4-stroke 6hp Merc. I knew they were heavier, but what I didn’t realize was that fact that the little pigs have no power at all. Plus they are louder than a 2-stroke, vibrate like crazxy, and stink just as bad, maybe worse. I’ve read several forums where sailboat users have had similar experiences. The little 2-strokes can get a boat on a plane quickly, but 4-strokes have a hard time. Some of those guys even think the 4-stroke hp ratings are misleading. I got rid of the Merc and would rather get an old twin cylinder 2-stroke, which would probably weigh the same as the 6hp 4-stroke but with twice the power and no vibration.
Those same sailboat guys also said that the Honda 4-strokes that they bought would crap out at the worst time. These guys sail the world and were counting on the Honda reliability, but based on what I read it seems like they got stranded. 4-stroke outboards seems to be a scam, at least in the smaller displacements.
That’s my story and I’ve been trying to tell my friends and co-workers that the 2-stroke isn’t dead, its actually the future of combustion engines.
Jason, Portland, OR
I like this guy. get him to the forum!
Jason, welcome to the wonderful world of the two stroke! I am glad that you checked out the two stroke and were convinced, not took somebody’s word for it. I think people should ride both bikes and make up their own minds, but there needs to be the choice. The manufacturers and the AMA are just cramming the four strokes down our throats. I guess the AMA doesn’t care because we are a small minority…they seem to cater more to the road riders. I would still love to take my IT465 motor and shoe-horn it into a modern, well suspended frame to really show what a good, old fashioned two stroke can do! I encourage more riders to try the 2 stroke and see what they think, whether it be 2 or 4. If anybody wants to try out an old IT, there are more than welcome to “feel the rush!”
Two-strokes will be kept alive by people such as the members of this forum, but they will prosper and regain lost ground by people like Jason. That is, someone without nostalgic memories, bias, whatever, someone who buys a two-stroke simply because he discovered that a two-stroke was a better buy.
Enjoy your bike Jason.
This reminds me of a story a little while back of KTM’s 150SX beating Kawasaki’s KX250F. If the 150 is faster why wouldn’t KTM run a factory 150 in AMA?
Another convert sees the light.As more and more direct injection two cycles enter the market place I think we will see more than a few enthusiasts “jump the fence”.
2STROKEREVOLUTION – The reason that NO ONE can run a 150 in Pro AMA Racing is because the rules state that a 125cc two-stroke must compete against a 250cc four-stroke. Obviously everyone knows that in the bigger class the limits are 250cc two-stroke vs. 450 four-stroke.
These kind of storues are happening more often. That is great news!
I thought there was a rule change to allow 150cc. Is this just at amateur and local races?
2STROKEREVOLUTION – That’s just the point, the rules keep changing. It’s very difficult to hit a moving target!!
At the beginning of 2009 the AMA and MX Sports changed the rules to allow 250cc two-strokes to compete head to head with 250 four-strokes in the amateur classes.
In the Pro Class it is 125cc two-stroke vs. 250F and then in the bigger class 250cc two stroke vs. 450F.
I don’t recall the years that the rules were changed, but in the Amateur class it has gone from 125cc to 144cc to 150cc and finally 250cc two-strokes vs. 250 four-strokes.
The simple question is, if they have these rules for Amateur Racing, why not in Pro Racing??
if mx is to stay the same size at the grassroots level, 2 strokes need to stay for cost reasons.
so make the formula between them compatable powers that be!.
for me i just want a cheaper bike to maintain
When can we expect part 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
Thank