125cc Two Stroke Enduro on Top MX-GP level in FranceTwo Stroke Motocross

During the annual International Season Openings Motocross in Valence France, French Enduro- and former MX1 works-Kawasaki rider Antoine Meo showed the world again what’s still possible with two strokes.

Antoine was already aware of what is possible because he already was the last rider to score WorldChampionship points when he stole the last points of the year aboard a 125cc Husqvarna in the Italian GP. That wass until again in the final and Italian GP last year top star Ken Roczen gave a superb demonstration of a two-stroke, riding his works SXS 125cc KTM into top5 positions among the 250cc works 4strokes.

Too bad that Antonio Cairoli’s mothers sad passing exactly that weekend kept him from competing in the final 450cc GP on a works SXS 250cc. But KTM is the most important factory with solid believe in two-strokes and there are some riders there with the same conviction. Antoine choosed last weekend just to pick his EXC-125 KTM (with the headlight and license plates still on it) and to go compete against the double-sized 4strokes in a motocross.

Because of that difference in contense clearly a disadvantage at the start, but simply a top level of riding his laptimes from mid-pack starts to a 6^th and 9^th in the heats, to finish 7^th overall in a field that in 2months will form the top riders in the 2012 GP’s. Just look at Antoine’s movie, enjoy and experience that it’s just a matter of time that we will be back.

-Arie Crooijmans, TSM Guest Editor

9 thoughts on “125cc Two Stroke Enduro on Top MX-GP level in France”

That is awesome, I love that the license plate is still mounted!!! No need for a truck, just ride home after the race.

Great video and greater story. How cool is the fact that it’s an enduro, he did well on it and, while he didn’t get the holeshot ( I would guess the average class amount was 35 to 40 bikes ) he did pull about 3/4 of them off the line.

Also, did anyone else notice the clapping and cheering he got as he went to the line, passing the small crowd? This cheering could have been family members or they cheered for everyone, but I’d like to think it was just for what he was doing with the little smoker.

Again, cool story, love the sounds of the little screamer, and yes, we are “coming back!”

BTW, Suter is just about ready to do 7-8 races in Europe with their 500cc street/race V4 2 stroke. I read the speeds are near the 205 mph mark and this was not from their all-out racer, which has less weight and more horse’s. The street/racer weighed in at 286 lbs. Wouldn’t it be a great thing to see, after the MotoGP year is over, to do an elimination ( just for fun, as brand “h” wouldn’t allow it to be sanctioned ) between the top 2-3 1,000cc 4 strokes and the top 2-3 500cc 2 strokes on a GP course? Maybe someday…..

I can only imagine how good a factory KTM exc 125 is. I would love to ride on one, even once!

This is very impressive. So cool that it was on an EXC, license plate and all. A SX would probably be a good 10lbs lighter, and more powerful.
As for Ken Roczen, he did great on that 125 last season, but it was FAR from a works bike. It was only a lightly modified production 125. Doubt it had much engine enhancement or the factory forks/shock.

Ren, keep us updated on that Suter series. I am excited for that, loved the bike since its release. Hopefully we get some good videos, and lap times on MotoGP tracks for comparison.

@2 strokerevolution, I will do that. I will post something on my site, here and a few other places.

You know guys, another thing I noticed? Even with the camera mounted on our heroes helmet, you can still hear the loud, obnoxious drone of the 4 strokes around him.

Lastly, this is not really related to the topic but it’s worth noting. I had to pick up some OEM parts today for 3 of my 4 250f’s in my shop for work and as I was leaving the dealer, I saw a guy loading up a 2007 used Kawasaki KX 250 he had just purchased. I told him I was glad he was riding a 2 stroke and he smiled and said “I love em, and even if I didn’t, I couldn’t afford to ride a 4 stroke.” Quite a testament to the 4 jokes and their subsequent followers, wouldn’t you say?

It is just amazing how a “stock” EXC was able to hang with the works bikes.. The part that stood out to me was his ability to select different lines. When he masde a pass, he was able to take a different lines then the 4 stroke follow the leader

Ren, Keep us updated on the SuterRacing 500V4

could hardly hear the 2 stroke with all those 4 strokes around! anyone who says 4 stroke noise doesn’t harm the sport is living in cloud cuckoo land!! i sat next to a kxf450 at a local meeting once,was (kristian whatley british champs rider) and even with my helmet on,the noise of his bike actually hurt my ears.

MXLord327 on March 1, 2012 at 3:03 am said:

That is awesome, I love that the license plate is still mounted!!! No need for a truck, just ride home after the race.
Ren Schmidt on March 1, 2012 at 4:17 am said:

Great video and greater story. How cool is the fact that it’s an enduro, he did well on it and, while he didn’t get the holeshot ( I would guess the average class amount was 35 to 40 bikes ) he did pull about 3/4 of them off the line.

Also, did anyone else notice the clapping and cheering he got as he went to the line, passing the small crowd? This cheering could have been family members or they cheered for everyone, but I’d like to think it was just for what he was doing with the little smoker.

Again, cool story, love the sounds of the little screamer, and yes, we are “coming back!”

BTW, Suter is just about ready to do 7-8 races in Europe with their 500cc street/race V4 2 stroke. I read the speeds are near the 205 mph mark and this was not from their all-out racer, which has less weight and more horse’s. The street/racer weighed in at 286 lbs. Wouldn’t it be a great thing to see, after the MotoGP year is over, to do an elimination ( just for fun, as brand “h” wouldn’t allow it to be sanctioned ) between the top 2-3 1,000cc 4 strokes and the top 2-3 500cc 2 strokes on a GP course? Maybe someday…..
Yeah on March 1, 2012 at 11:12 pm said:

I can only imagine how good a factory KTM exc 125 is. I would love to ride on one, even once!
2STROKEREVOLUTION on March 2, 2012 at 7:05 am said:

This is very impressive. So cool that it was on an EXC, license plate and all. A SX would probably be a good 10lbs lighter, and more powerful.
As for Ken Roczen, he did great on that 125 last season, but it was FAR from a works bike. It was only a lightly modified production 125. Doubt it had much engine enhancement or the factory forks/shock.
2STROKEREVOLUTION on March 2, 2012 at 7:06 am said:

Ren, keep us updated on that Suter series. I am excited for that, loved the bike since its release. Hopefully we get some good videos, and lap times on MotoGP tracks for comparison.
Ren Schmidt on March 2, 2012 at 1:20 pm said:

@2 strokerevolution, I will do that. I will post something on my site, here and a few other places.

You know guys, another thing I noticed? Even with the camera mounted on our heroes helmet, you can still hear the loud, obnoxious drone of the 4 strokes around him.

Lastly, this is not really related to the topic but it’s worth noting. I had to pick up some OEM parts today for 3 of my 4 250f’s in my shop for work and as I was leaving the dealer, I saw a guy loading up a 2007 used Kawasaki KX 250 he had just purchased. I told him I was glad he was riding a 2 stroke and he smiled and said “I love em, and even if I didn’t, I couldn’t afford to ride a 4 stroke.” Quite a testament to the 4 jokes and their subsequent followers, wouldn’t you say?
eprovenzano on March 3, 2012 at 4:25 am said:

It is just amazing how a “stock” EXC was able to hang with the works bikes.. The part that stood out to me was his ability to select different lines. When he masde a pass, he was able to take a different lines then the 4 stroke follow the leader
Christian Hibberd on March 4, 2012 at 8:49 am said:

Ren, Keep us updated on the SuterRacing 500V4
wayne on March 30, 2012 at 3:35 am said:

could hardly hear the 2 stroke with all those 4 strokes around! anyone who says 4 stroke noise doesn’t harm the sport is living in cloud cuckoo land!! i sat next to a kxf450 at a local meeting once,was (kristian whatley british champs rider) and even with my helmet on,the noise of his bike actually hurt my ears.