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I think you have to segregate Yamaha from the rest. Clearly, everyone not named Yamaha scrambled to stay in business for the future as you put it......because the rules changed and nobody else had bikes that could compete with Yamaha. If you are suggesting Yamaha thought everyone was doomed if they kept peddling 2-strokes...well, I had never considered that. I figured their motivation was simply to see if anyone could build a fire-breathing thumper that was light enough to win. And when they achieved it, they sure seemed to have the industry blindsided because the AMA scrambled to pull the cc limit down, Honda didn't respond for 4 years.....and even as late as 6 year after the YZ400F, Suzuki and Kawi were pooling resources to come up with SOMETHING to race.
The only reason GM loses $240,000 on every Chevy Volt that they manufacture is because they feel they have to. Dodge resisted the coming fuel changes and went out of business. d. (I better add this before some tard comes in and says Dodge is still in business: Obama gave Dodge, Chrysler Jeep to Fiat along with a $50 billion dollar free check and easy access to the American market, so yeah, they went out of business. Also I'm just using them to demonstrate that in business, if you snooze you lose)
The AMA, Pro Racing and the Manufacturers have nothing to do with 4 strokes killing 2 strokes. The 2 strokes were killed on the street years ago. The dirt is getting killed as we speak and the Lawn and Garden business is fast losing 2 strokes for 4 strokes and Propane.
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Let's blame them for the rule that allows double displacement for 4 strokes. Sounds like some shit they'd come up with.
Every one of us knows several people who have chosen to take a 10-15 year old used bike and restore and pimp it out to race with for under $5k, usually under $3k. The priced out of the sport thing doesn't hold water for locals.
Given their choice, I'm sure many Pro's would opt for an older steel frame too.
I think your point on the affordability target is well taken, but not the entirety of the issue. I have raced saiboats as longer than dirt bikes, and at a professional level, and cost control at best has been able to reduce the bleeding, but not necessarily grow the sport. It is shrinking just like most outdoor sports due to all sorts of cultural factors. The cost control is key, because what you see in open rules is an explosion of cost, and a rapid death as people get tired of spending so much, so out of control costs are one issue that must be harnessed, but only a piece of the puzzle.
Pit Row
Unless you live under a rock you can clearly see the development of new two strokes is growing. Pour yourself a nice tall glass of Fooper-Aide and enjoy.
Motocross is cheap, it is likely one of the cheapest forms of motorized racing around. Even pro bikes are "cheap" in comparison to other forms of motorsports. Its racing..... It requires a job or financial backer. McDonalds pays enough to be able to afford even a brand new 450 and weekend entry, I just think families are into it anymore and society is raising a bunch of p*ssy little tw*ts that need dogs to help them get over there hurt feelings.
I can do all my own work and I have shops that help my son and it will still cost me 2k to fix this.
The good news, this will be my son's first 4 stroke rebuild learning experience.
Makes me a little nervous...I just bought a brand new 17 yz 450 f
I keep reading a lot of comments here from people who believe that two strokes are irrelevant, that four strokes make more power, that people prefer four strokes cause you don't have to put as many parts in them, just change the oil. That pros could race two strokes if they wanted to, but don't because they are uncompetitive . That manufacturers don't make two strokes anymore because they don't sell...
Assuming all this is true.... then why doesn't mx sports and Feld drop the discrimination against two strokes?
Surely it wouldn't matter at all if they were allowed to compete on an equal displacement basis?
Surely the AMA should have the right to grant a promoters group the right to conduct an " AMA 125 national motocross championship " without fear of hiderence or interference from mx sports or Honda or anyone else?
If two strokes are so insignificant, if nobody gives a shit about small bore two strokes , then where's the harm?
Fact is , and someone else already said it..... Four strokes were new, and new sells , combine that with some idiotic rule changes that allowed bikes with 250 cc engines to run in the 125 class, the beginner class for young adults...we saw the end of the 125 and grass roots level racing has diminished massively ,....everywhere.
For those of you who wish to continue arguing that nobody wants two strokes, that technology has moved on , that we are all better off on four strokes...
Go to your favourite place for looking at second hand mx bikes for sale....have a look at asking prices for 2006 or newer yz 250 two strokes, then compare the prices to the same year model yz250 f's.
Should be pretty apparent to you that people aren't that keen on buying a used 250 f , but will pay big bucks for an extremely old two stroke.
Motocross action wrote something along the lines of ( Hey ! Do you want a bike that makes up to 30% more power for the same size motor? Weighs considerably less ? That you can rebuild yourself at home for a couple hundred bucks? "
Do you know what bike they are talking about?
I don't hate four strokes, I just bought a brand new yz 450, but the loss of the 125 class and the abandonment of two strokes by Kawasaki, Suzuki and Honda , came as a result of a few circumstances combined, not the least of which was the AMA standing by and allowing 250cc bikes to run in the 125 class.
In keeping with the original poster's intent with this thread " should we fire the AMA ? "
Then really we should!
They can point the finger of blame at whoever they like, but ultimately it still says "AMA championship "
They literally sanction the use of cheater bikes!
Not only that, other sanctioning bodies globally followed their lead.
Everyone realised that they could be more competitive in the 125 class on a 250 four stroke....that was that...the 125 gets dropped.
The novelty has worn off and the stark reality has shown itself ,that if you blow a four stroke, five valve , titanium valves cylinder head..
You may as well just scrap the bike! The photo above is a good example, even though it's not the cylinder head, this poor guy is up for big $$$$ in parts alone
Thanks AMA....brilliant foresight there and congratulations on shepherding our sport into the dumpster!
The AMA has the power and the responsibility to turn this around, it's simple. Reinstate the 125 national championship and put an end to cheater bikes by insisting displacement parity for any AMA sanctioned championship,it's only the money grabbers that are going to complain.
There's enough manufacturers still making 125's so that's no issue. Who doubts that KTM, Husquvarna, Yamaha and TM , wouldn't support some riders in an attempt to win an AMA national championship?
Who's to say that wouldn't spark a revival of interest in grass roots level racing on affordable to race bikes? Even if it didn't, where's the harm to the sport or the riders?
It's the money grabbers preventing it and the AMA bows to their will and in doing so reneges on its responsibility to protect and encouraging motorcycle sport in America and by proxy...globally
I bought th yz primarily based on the great deal I got and just as important, its reputation for reliability.
I haven't had a chance to pick it up yet... Another couple of weeks before I can..
Post a reply to: Make Motocross Great Again! Is it time to fire the AMA?