This is one of the earliest editorials that I wrote about two-strokes for TSM. It's from a while ago but it is still the same today...
Why do four-stroke riders get so mad....
...when you mention anything about two-strokes?
Could it be that they know in their hearts that the two-stroke is better? Or could it be that they never could race a two-stroke well and the easy-to-ride four-stroke makes them feel like real racers? Maybe they need anger management courses?
And it does not matter how many facts are quoted or who says that comparable sized two-strokes are faster than the four-strokes, these guys act as though you killed their dog! It would be funny if they were not so serious and angry.
I posted some tidbits containing facts and not my opinion on some of the message boards and the four-stroke guys freaked out. Some of these small news clips will be repeated here for you to use when talking to your four-stroke brothers.
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The first is a letter written to Motocross Action magazine. A reader wrote in to ask why MXA defended two-strokes so much, here is the letter in it's entirety.
Dear MXA
Why does MXA always defend the two-stroke? It's obvious that four-strokes are better than two-strokes.
The rise of the four-stroke has nothing to do with four-strokes being better than two-strokes. In fact, they aren't better than two-strokes.
The two-stroke is the ultimate racing engine. A two-stroke engine weighs less, has fewer moving parts, has a significantly reduced maintenance cost, revs quicker, is cheaper to manufacture and produces more horsepower per liter than a four-stroke.
So, why are four-strokes dominating now? Politics and displacement.
Under AMA rules, four-strokes are allowed to be almost twice the size of a comparable two-stroke. It is comparable to allowing Lennox Lewis to fight for the Featherweight World Championship.
Without the extra displacement, no one would be racing a four-stroke today.
The italics and bolding are mine but all the words are directly from MXA.
The guys from MXA have been in the motocross industry for over 35 years. They don't mince words and at one time or another each and every manufacturer has stopped advertising with them.
While not everyone agrees with the guys from MXA, they do care about motocross and want to see it grow and thrive.
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The next tidbit is from an interview on Racer X online with Rick Johnson and David Bailey. The talk was centered around the Anaheim throwback race. They were asked a bunch of questions about the 1986 race, the track and how today compares with everything back then.
Here is one question posed by David Pingree for Racer X to both of them, but I have only included David Bailey's answer here.
Tell me about your bike back then. How would it compare to a production bike of today?
WHO IS KILLING THE TWO-STROKE?
*State and Federal government - 346 (33.86%)
*Japanese manufacturers - 178 (17.42%)
*The AMA - 239 (23.39%)
*The motorcycle media - 84 (8.22%)
*Four-strokes are--they're just superior - 131 (12.82%)
*Who cares? Two-strokes are fossils - 44 (4.31%)
Total Replies : 1022
The AMA has pulled a fast one on this. They have bamboozled the manufacturers into believing that the EPA is responsible. But truthfully closed course racing (in this case motocross) is not regulated by the EPA.
Could you imagine emission controls on Formula One, NHRA or NASCAR? The EPA has a very long and difficult road if they want to introduce legislation for closed course racing.
Could you imagine the good old boys from NASCAR dealing with the EPA? The fans would be another story all together. Protesting and letter writing campaigns would spring up everywhere.
The old guard at the AMA love the old four-strokes and for a long time appeared that they hated motocross. They have apparently done everything in their power to destroy it.
In the stadiums and outdoor events far less fans attend the races. At the local level the attendance and participation are way down. Riding areas and tracks are being closed down due to noise issues.
Something must be done to correct this or motocross as we know it will disappear.
What can we do? First write to the AMA, the manufacturers and the motocross media and tell them we NEED quieter bikes. Also, let them know that you will only buy two-stroke motocross bikes. Tell everyone you know that two-strokes are the bike of choice for motocross.
Let's get out there and stand up for what is truthfully the best power plant on the planet for motocross. If you attend Pro Supercross or Motocross races bring signs supporting two strokes. And chant as loudly as you can over the thundering four-bangers "BRING BACK TWO STROKES"!
Together we can change the world!
