2 stroke fan or 4 stroke fan?

[greenfoam]

I grew up in the days where we used to laugh at 4 stroke bikes and then launch boulders at them as we roosted past on 500cc two strokes so you know what gets my vote. We even used to track down 4 strokes based of the pov tracks they used to leave ont he the fireroads.
Ill teach you how to track a bike based on its top speed tyre marks down a fireroad.
- - - - - - - -
250 4 stroke ^

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -
500 4 stroke ^

----------------------------------
125 two stroke ^


==============================
250 2 stroke ^^


@#$@#$@#$@#$!$@%!$!#$!@#@$@#$@$@#$@#$@#$@#
==============================================
#$@#%$@#%$#%@^%@#$^#$^!@#$^@%!@#$%@!^@%
500 two stroke ^^


People say the new big bore 4 strokes are fast, but the passing of time makes you forget just how evil the big bore two strokes were. I've watched heaps of the new 4 strokes racing and they just don't have that same arm ripping power of the old days. RIN TIN TIN TIN RIN TIN TIN RIN TIN RIN forever I say

 

[Pretender]

There are very good reasons why so many have turned to fourstrokes in the 400cc and above classes, they have proven to be quicker over all, more reliable and use only half the fuel.
Before you all flame me have a look at the specs, or better still have a ride of a new fourstroke dirtbike. Two stroke performance per capacity has been very close to the maximum possible for twenty years or more. The most recent gains in performance all come from shedding weight not increasing power output. Fourstroke development in dirtbikes has taken off in the last ten years with gains made in huge leaps.
Not surprising when all that fourstroke dirtbikes used to consist of was a heavy frame with a basic single bolted in and and an exhaust that made it to the back of the bike.
These days between the 500cc bikes there is little difference in total output but obviously it is delivered in different ways.
To me it makes sense that power all the time in any gear at just about any speed is better than power only in a certain rev range and in the correct gear which can become hard to maintain when others fall or stop suddenly in front of you. In the half a second it takes to hit the right gear the fourstroke has already accelerated away, before changing down if needed.
The proof is in more fourstrokes currently racing and winning in this class.
Fourstrokes also behave much like twostrokes at the topend with power to the redline but have the added bonus of power down low as well.
When I was kid we also laughed at fourstrokes and twostrokes ruled but it is just not the same any more.
Go for a test ride on both two and fourstrokes bikes and see how much it has all changed.

 

[VLWagon]

4 strokes arn't like they used to be........

There are very good reasons why so many have turned to fourstrokes in the 400cc and above classes, they have proven to be quicker over all, more reliable and use only half the fuel.
Before you all flame me have a look at the specs, or better still have a ride of a new fourstroke dirtbike. Two stroke performance per capacity has been very close to the maximum possible for twenty years or more. The most recent gains in performance all come from shedding weight not increasing power output. Fourstroke development in dirtbikes has taken off in the last ten years with gains made in huge leaps.
Not surprising when all that fourstroke dirtbikes used to consist of was a heavy frame with a basic single bolted in and and an exhaust that made it to the back of the bike.
These days between the 500cc bikes there is little difference in total output but obviously it is delivered in different ways.
To me it makes sense that power all the time in any gear at just about any speed is better than power only in a certain rev range and in the correct gear which can become hard to maintain when others fall or stop suddenly in front of you. In the half a second it takes to hit the right gear the fourstroke has already accelerated away, before changing down if needed.
The proof is in more fourstrokes currently racing and winning in this class.
Fourstrokes also behave much like twostrokes at the topend with power to the redline but have the added bonus of power down low as well.
When I was kid we also laughed at fourstrokes and twostrokes ruled but it is just not the same any more.
Go for a test ride on both two and fourstrokes bikes and see how much it has all changed.

I ride a DRZ 400 (rego reasons) and have a RMX250 in the shed as well, love them both and can ride them about the same pace although the 2 stroke is more fun, lighter and can throw it around more, I agree about the new 4 stoke technology as I rode a CRF450 the other day and it reminded me of the cr500 I used to own, snappy power that demands respect or you'll end up on your arse :yeah: , If you get a chance to ride one of the new race built 4 strokes you will be really amazed how far they have come.

 

[greenfoam]

Yeah they are winning the races, but I remember watching some American Motorcross about 2 years ago and there was only two 2-stroke bikes in the race, one of which was Ricky Carmichael and he won and won by a long margin. So I have the theory that 2 strokes are still superior if you are good enough to ride them, but it seems there is only one man that good in the whole world, still! racing is one thing having a beast of a scary bike to hoon around on is another. When you have one cylinder firing twice as often it doesn't really matter that it's only making 80% of the power of the 4 stroke each time it fires it's still going to end up with almost twice the torque just because it's firing twice for each time the 4 stroke fires so they allways will make more torque per cube, but wheelspin is allways going to make them slower for the average man on a race track. I still think with a good rider a 1990-- CR500 could beat any modern 4 stroke in the open class if they wern't banned and you had a good rider on it

 

[redcedar]

2 strokes are fun . 4 strokes are for PUSSIES !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Fox rider7774]

2 strokes are fun but they cause to much atention and people call the cops. but i like them anyway

 

[kuzman89]

I voted 4stroke, try riding from Omeo to Benambra to Glen Valley then to falls creeks and back to glen valley on one tank in a 2 stroke.

4 strokes these days are on par with two strokes in power, but don't require mixing, better on fuel and don't sound like a tintintintincan. Change the exhaust on a 4stroke and you can get it sounding like a mini V8 lol

The twos are still good bikes and I love riding them, but for enduro look elsewhere. For freestyle the 2 strokes are good, they are abit lighter as well.

 

[leigh 7005]

the only reason people are riding 4 strokes is because of the pollution issue with 2 strokes i vote 2 stroke 250 2s = 450 4s what a pice of poo lol and also the four stroke is more user friendly as the power band is every where were as the 2 stroke its up there in the rpm ooooooohhhhhhhhh yyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeaaaaaa

 

[Tom_1569]

I voted 4stroke, try riding from Omeo to Benambra to Glen Valley then to falls creeks and back to glen valley on one tank in a 2 stroke.

4 strokes these days are on par with two strokes in power, but don't require mixing, better on fuel and don't sound like a tintintintincan. Change the exhaust on a 4stroke and you can get it sounding like a mini V8 lol

The twos are still good bikes and I love riding them, but for enduro look elsewhere. For freestyle the 2 strokes are good, they are abit lighter as well.

I use a 2-stroke, and my mate has a 4-stroke, and we always use nearly identical amounts of fuel, his bike is 7 years newer (1998 and 2005 models). He is a more conservative rider and his kick start works everytime so if we are having a break he turns his off, where I leave mine running till Im done for the day or refuelling.

My two-stroke is a KTM EXT so it doesnt have a big power band, but its there, and I love it for enduro tracks. The 4-stroke is good but just to casual for my liking.

Mixing fuel sucks, but you cant beat the smell or the sound of a 2-stroke engine.

 

[Smallies]

I've got an 06 ktm 300 exc. Love the 2 strokes. They tear your arms out or their sockets lol.