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Build a piston port full reed CR, or a New RM and I'd be all over it.
I've been looking for a good semi fresh 06-08 RM250 within 400 miles of me for 6 months. Nothing nice stays available on CL for more than a few days.
Yes, there were other driving forces...rules...OEM's seeing a potential to sell bikes that the other guys didn't have (Remember Yamaha's lead for...what...4 models years?)
When Honda came out with w/ the 450R...2002? It went NUTS!
Then Zook.
Then Kawasaki.
During all this, KTM goes and buys Husaberg: Instant 4T Hot-Rod. Just add Orange (Kinda throws water all over the Husky is a KTM thing!)
Remember?
It really is and was market driven.
No Boogeyman.
We did this.
You notice that I've got No Bitch with any one person in particular?
It's US.
We can change this.
Will we?
I got back to MX 4 months ago(had a 3 1/2 year break because of multiple serious knee injuries) and i bought an RM 250 -08. Before a took the break i ha been riding 4 strokes for about 4 years and geting on a 2 stroke was weird. To sum up a long story to a short one i am buying a KTM 450 2014 tomorrow, why? Because a 450 is economical, easy to ride fast, safer than a 2 stroke.
I will keep the RM but i don't think i will ride it this summer, maybe once or twice.
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My Husky is the only 4-stroke in the garage because it is street legal and I have no choice there
Good post team green and ML512 is on point above and 100% correct.
Maybe we just don't want the current Yamaha or KTM.. I'm not spending $6500 on a 10 year old design, and the last KTMs I had were the most unreliable bikes I ever had. I hate the WP suspension too.
Build a piston port full reed CR, or a New RM and I'd be all over it.
I've been looking for a good semi fresh 06-08 RM250 within 400 miles of me for 6 months. Nothing nice stays available on CL for more than a few days.
I worked for Suzuki when we didn't have a 4 stroke and we couldn't give RM250's away. Now that bike is sought after but nobody was buying them back when they were made. OEM's don't use a crystal ball to decide what to make, it's based on demand.
and KTM do sell more 4 t exc's in any country's sales stats i have ever seen
most places in the world you can race them against any 250F, i am not sure why not having them in pro racing effects anything, does having a restrictor plate on big tracks in nascar effect what truck you will by?
Also, I get the feeling that the After-Market companies are selling the vast majority of YZ replacement parts.
I joined the 4T "revolution" because I didn't think there was going to be a future choice. When Honda stopped their 2T production that further prompted my move to the 4T's.
If that was the case then the 2T is set to make a massive come back once DFI is in production. Asfaras4T'sbeing more tractable and easier to ride etc. Ridden a KTM300 lately?
As far as 4T's being safer to ride. Total contradiction! They can't be faster whilst being safer to ride
IMO, the 4T is slowly killing MX here. Hence why the 250 2T's are allowed in the 250F class here.
Every 16 yr old Jnr rider's father I know is buying their son a 250 2T for Snr's next yr. Most also did it this yr.
Pit Row
It's simple really - companies put their R&D money into the highest selling commodities. If I'm selling 20 pens to every 1 pencil I sell, why in the world would I sink money into further R&D for the pencils? Few people are buying them, therefore there's not way to recoup my R&D costs. I understand people saying that an 06 YZ250 is just as good as any new 2 stroke, and I don't disagree, but Yamaha doesn't make a single penny when you buy a used YZ250, therefore there aren't any additional funds to put into R&D.
It's not rocket science - it's basic business.
I agree, I'm still waiting on my perfect bike to come out...
My CR250 is as bad ass as any 2 stroke in the world and my buddies, novice, extremely fast intermediate, and pro card holders that have long switched to 4 strokes are reluctant to touch it. No joke.
As far as the 4t exc's go, those are street legal. the 2t varient isn't in most places so comparing sales figures isn't apples to apples. 2 strokes suck for highway type driving anyways so even if they were legal it really wouldn't matter.
I do however agree with everyone here regarding the demand=development argument. But you need to consider that development also leads to demand... The reason that 4t took off like they did was people felt they needed one to be competitive. And if you were talking the 125 class they were absolutely right. Let's be honest, with the 125/250 250/450 class structure they do have a huge advantage. Even in an equal displacement environment they still have a few advantages. Finally remember that the equal displacement in the amateur ranks didn't happen until '09 or '10. By then it was too late and minds were already swayed.
*not trying to state any conspiracy. The companies have followed what was best for business and it has led us to this point. I just don't like the current situation...
the only 2 stroke that makes the top 10 in the mx market, is the KTM50, and the only one in offroad overall is the PW50
http://www.fcai.com.au/news/news/all/all/380/road-motorcycle-sales-fini…
I'm on a 06 yz250 that i've been riding for 5 years. It's been a great bike, it's just worn out past the point of recovery. I'd love for my next bike to be another. But not EFI, no R and D, and I can get a 2 year old 450 for cheaper? I'm going with the 450.
To me, I'm in the category that believe the 250F would still be the preferred bike if they made the displacement equal. And to me, that is an argument to actually allow equal displacement rather than not allow it. But this only applies if you believe that winning Sunday sells bikes Mondays.
I'm not one of the guys crying about 2t vs. 4t. I've ridden and loved riding both. But I have the same mentality about a 4 stroke or 2 stroke. Not buying new either way so development and budget guy wouldn't consider my buying power in their decision.
Unless you race MX, no one here wants the 4T's anymore. They're Uncool lol. Not that we have any say or Influence in the market.
IMO. 2T's will come back to mainstream if we aren't all riding electric bikes before then. Especially if environmental reasons have any Influence. I.e. DFI. Watch the R&D Investment Increase once we see that in production.
Next time you guys go into a dealership, make sure and go out of your way to tell (in person, not online) a salesman or manager that you would buy a two-stroke Kawi, Suzuki, or Honda today if they made one. A lot of times all it takes is information travelling through a salesman to a manager to a rep to a district manager to an exec, etc. My reps have all told me to always let them know what people are asking for because it does carry some weight when the execs all hear that people are actually AT a dealership READY TO BUY something that THEY DON'T MAKE. Yes, buying one will sway the sales statistics towards companies sinking money in their R&D, but there is more than one way to show demand for a product.
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