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If the entire MX scene was four stroke, and someone had "invented" the two stroke in 1997, the entire gate would have changed overnight. You would have to be braindead to not realize the advantage. Instead, it took a slow 6+ year progression -AND- lopsided rules -AND- the manufactures basically refusing to sell or race 2 strokes in order for the field to change.]
That's probably why you see the chip on peoples shoulders about the subject. The 2 stroke just makes more sense. Valves never needed to be adjusted, total rebuilds cost way less, you could buy an entire pipe/silencer combo for $300. Its not like people had problems getting around the track on a two stroke and thus we needed a tractor of a thumper to show up.
I'm fishing.
Pro fisher.
I paid full MSRP ($6600) for a 2011 KTM250SX when Yamaha was giving away brand new 2008 YZ450F's for $4100 out the door. I'll go to TM, Beta, Gas Gas, anyone. I'll rebuild a dinosaur before being told to get with the times.
Speaking of rebuilding a dinosaur..
Have you seen Dogger's CR500 ?
By a KTM, enough said.
Compare it to football, there's a sport that is pretty popular here in the US. Maybe we will just replace the ball with a soccer ball. That way, the sport known here as football, and the sport known around the rest of the world as football will have something in common. Should be fine, and I have no problem with that....
Baseball? Kind of dangerous. In the name of safety we need to replace the ball with a wiffle ball. If it just saves one life then it will be worth it! Think about the children.
So forgive me and all those like me for thinking that the sport lost something good with the switch to four strokes. It's kind of funny, because just a few short years ago I got hounded pretty hard for being "the only one" who gave a shit about it. But in life as in business I've found out that I'm never the only one. It was all supposed to die down and the sheep were all supposed to line up. But the tide has been changing, only held back by the few who run the sport at the upper levels and some OEM's. Going to the local tracks around Houston and seeing the number of two strokes out on the track is a good sign. Seems many others from all around the country are seeing the same trend. All this EPA and CARB bullshit? Seems a decade and a half later that you can still buy and ride a 2 stroke in The Peoples Republic of California. Hmmmmm.
Flame on.
The EMX300 series was a good idea and i think we will see more riders, and more better riders, and thats only going to encourage guys to run them.
The Masters series over here will run a 2 stroke class again, i think they are up to 30 or so registered riders, so that will be cool too.
A lot of Vet guys are running Twinshock and Evo now , they have good series that runs full grids , guys would rather drop 3k on an evo that will always be worth 3k , than 7k on a 4 banger that will be worth 4k in no time
Simply put, 4 strokes are better at controlling internal combustion. Their downside is added complexity and cost. How those factors balance out is different for everyone.
That's a better comparison than the football to the soccer ball seeing how a 4 stroke and a 2 stroke are still MX bikes.
You're not the only old person here by the way and not everyone who still likes racing is a "Johnny come lately."
Racing is just fine without two strokes and it wasn't banned at the local level, the place most here ride, so it shouldn't be as big a deal as people like you make it out to be.
Have a good one.
Pit Row
They were the ones going out and buying the four stroke in droves.
If they stuck with the 2T, there wouldnt be a problem.
More bikes are sold to people who DON'T race then to those that do.
So the consumer, outside of the racers, have been just as big a part of the downfall of the two stroke as the manufactures.
But they want to keep up with their buddies and thus have chose to purchase a bike that is easier to ride.
Thats because an 07 RMZ450 needs $$ motor work to keep it going, and the squid whos buying an 07 is NOT going to do that work.
That 07 rmz450 will be prematurely scrapped compared to 2strokes of the past.
We can debate all day if it was the consumer or the manufacturer that lead the charge to 4 strokes.
(very similar to the debate about the bad quality of mainstream media nowdays - the media companies claim they are giving the consumer what they want, the consumer claims the media are leading the charge for their own benefit).
Anyway back on topic.
One thing is for sure: the manufacturers will sell more parts for the fart boxes, and more bikes overall as their second hand lifespan is shorter than the 2t.
Allowing 250T to race against 250Fs would have had a nominal impact on sales. 4 strokes' smooth power delivery made two-stokes nearly barbaric, and nearly every magazine praised the 4 stroke as the second coming of MX.
The OEMs spend millions assessing the market for untapped potential sales. If two stokes were a viable product, the manufacturers would respond to that demand. And while KTM and other European companies may still find revenues and profits from two stroke technology, those number pale against their Japanese counterparts.
Bottom line: the consumer had his chance to save two strokes. And he didn't.
Ktm is killing the japs in sales and over 25% of everything the sold last year was a two stroke. Yeah they are finding some revenue alright. Something the japs are not doing.
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