Rethink the four stroke, the future?

Prepare for headache/rant.

I'm one of those two-stroke Taliban supporters, so you know my bias, but I'm kind of open to logic if it doesn't butthurt my emotions too much. I read the ads in my neck of the wood regularly (Sweden), and what goes here doesn't necessarily translates anywhere else, we prefer cheaper smaller calls in Sweden, the more MPG the better, you hardly see those Heavy Dute pick-ups here, the few excising carry an embarrassment over them. Dunno if that has anything to do with it, but just bare that in mind.

Anyhow, looking at used bikes, like the YZ250 from 2005+ they are crazy expensive, while you can buy any four stroke Yamaha from the same year for way less, sometimes even half the money. So if you were to buy blue, if resale has any point it's madness to buy one with valves, but at the same time a KTM from the same years (smokers) are way cheaper. But a 2011 YZ and a 2011 KTM is kind of equal. Something happens with KTM when they grow older. Like the Yamaha, It's the same thing with an CR250, any 2007 left will kill any KTM from the same year in value. It's not a huge difference, but people dig old CRs still. Old CRFs are spitted at, you can buy a good running (it appears so) for less than 2k, and they cost 10 k new.

So the first BS though I have, is YZ benefitting by not changing design? I wouldn't touch a 2006 KTM SX250 with a ten feet pole, while I drool over a 2006 YZ250, but I kind of drool equally about the 2011 KTM and a newer YZ? If Yamaha had made a new version of the YZ, the 2006 might have been like the KTM? Since I see an steel frame 2004 YZ with the same KTM SX250 yawn.

Then the second though that I can't get out of my mind, I see you can buy 2010 250Fs for less than an RM250/YZ250 from 2005, and I can't fathom those buying a new 250F 2013 that cost about 10k here, only to know, he/she will loose about 6k in about 3-4 years, while being in the saddle for about 100 hours maximum (if you are a regular rider here with the winter etc).

I'm damn temped to buy one 250Fs from from 2010 or something that has evolved amazingly compared for an CR250 from 2004, or even an more expensive YZ250, but then I have that solid rooted fear that 250F that is an amazing bike on the track (that's a fact) could grenade any moment, which they rarely do, but "everybody" has the notion they will, because we all know of someone that was affected.

I figure it's stupid, we can buy amazing machines for pocket money, even two, maybe we can overcome the fear, but still the re-sale market is telling another story. People see used four strokes that has more than 60 hours like some hooker with HIV (Peelout will argue the hooker angle).

Also I don't get the market either, none of the smokers seems to go to the wreck yard, at least not the 2002+ u see totally restored 2002 smokers, so the new sales on smokers can't be that dandy either? I bough a clapped out 2006, made it "new" with pocket money, so I have no urge to buy a 2014 YZ125 and add 5k when that buys me a life time of pistons, bearings and spare parts. We don't have new smokers for 5k here...

I don't know if things are like they used to be, but the resale of bangers are mad, and people seems to be keen in reviving old smokers, while the few people taking racing seriously seems to be the only people feeding the market with newer used bikes?

I don't know bike sales in Sweden, maybe people are buying more bikes than ever, I doubt that, none has suggest that, but my way of thinking, how resale value decreased linear previously with smokers are now totally tilted with bangers? Again, my analyze, might not translate everywhere, but smokers are totally over prized. I will sell my YZ for more than I bought it, and I didn't put much cash into it. Any CRF I buy, if it's new it will cut me back 2 k every year, and if it's used about 1k sans valve job.

The sum of the above crap is that I think the OEM has missed an essential point. I'm not only as a rider I buy, I'm hobby mechanic as well. The whole point with motors and racing is also to wrench, the entry of four strokes killed that part. The previous glory in buying a bike, restore it, or buy a new, and restore it, show the creation and then race it was for many the essence. Not all agree, but how many people here rides, hasn't felt at least some appeal to do a top end job. Now, the fear of the complexity kills that. Some are ven hocked up with an PC on the track to change the engine maps, and sending the head away has no guarantee to be a success. If we get another season with the valves in spec, we are lucky. At least thats the feeling, our faith are in the hands of some guy (sorry, but most likely with ADHD) that we don't know, the only certainly is that it will cost us tons of money

I can buy any smoker in the world, without any knowledge, just using a Hanes manual I can restore it in a few weeks, with the four stroke I will only be able to do part of the job, and the major cost will added elsewhere, I have no clue if the bearings in valve train is crap, if the valve train is ok or the rest of the moving bits there work properly. Timing chain ok? When do timing chain sprockets go? That plastic thing pushing on chain, and the spring, they working? This leads to me not wanting to start a project despite the outcome with restoring a 2010 KX250F will be fun on the track. Screw that, I don't get them, I will newer feel the satisfaction of a restore other than forks, wheel bearings. Others just go for graphics and a new exhaust. Put in new bearing in the hubs? Whatever, I don't even know if the engine is ok.

So to bring back that, I would like to see a four stroke engine that would open up for mini dads and hobby mechanics to wrench on, and by that I mean do it all!!!

I don't know if this has anything to do with decline in sales, I don't know if there's decline in sales, but when I watch an ad of a bike I would love to ride, I stop looking if it's an four stroke with more than 20 hours, or if it's an two stroke with old design.

Yesterday ads:
CRF450 2002-2005 1-2k
CR250 2002-2004 3-4k

Flame on!