Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but Premium users receive great benefits. Premium benefits include:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
What?
Can anyone decipher this for me?
In the month of July, boobs are not amazing.
*Sips bud light while watching cnn
I was a 500 guy in the late 80s/90s when the class was dying, never dyno’ d any of my bikes but 60hp is very realistic. I rode a buddy’s 84 CR500, that thing was a rocket, not very rideable though. I was a KX guy, 86, 88, 2x 92s over 10 years, they held up pretty good for a me, I’d usually do a top end and clutch every 12-18 months. Chains, sprockets and tires were constantly changed, the power and wheelspin just destroyed them. My current KTM 500 (EXC motor in a linkage chassis) with a Vortex and a pipe is close but still not as fast as those old 500s. Much easier to ride though!
It’s no surprise that guys who grew up on 250 4t don’t like 2 strokes. Totally different rides, not nearly as forgiving and able to mask mistakes. Same thing happened way back in the day when 2 strokes got reed valve intakes, the piston port bikes would bog instantly if you let the revs drop.
Is the shitshow here yet?
My KX500 is quite amazing, actually.
As is my ‘07 RM125 that carves better than any of the latest offerings from the OEMs.
Oh, and, my ‘79 CR250 makes a lot of these new bikes seem like very HEAVY boat anchors.
In fact, smokers are sooooo good that I’m thinking I need a 300 for off-roading instead of my 450.
I’m jus’ sayin’…
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Free shipping: VITALMX
Loved my YZ250 for the 2.5 years I had it, my first and only two stroke, and it lived up to the hype for me. So light and free-feeling with the lack of engine braking, but I never felt entirely comfortable coming out of corners, like it wasn’t as “planted” as how a four stroke feels. Guess that’s half the fun though!
Only got rid of it because we had our first kid last year, so I went for a new CRF250R with some more predictable power to help make sure I came home in one piece to help with dad duty, lol. Might make the switch back somewhere down the line.
Thats not very team green of you
Happy to say this is not the shit show I was expecting. I have actually learned a few things
You need to move up a class.
I've owned plenty of four strokes, but I always love riding my 2003 CR250. It has always been reliable, costs very little to run, and because people pull cock stands for two strokes it will always be worth more than I paid for it. An early CRF is worth far less and will likely never really climb in value.
I'll happily admit that if two strokes were superior then Yamaha and KTM would be selling 20x more YZs and SXs, and that four strokes are a lot more user friendly.
yeah cause youre just ripping in your profile pic lmao
I switched to 4-strokes when I got old. That tells you something...when your reflexes and balance and stamina aren't as good, 4-strokes are a happier life. Not a more rewarding life, just happier. I still have a 250 2-stroke that I bust out now and then when I'm in the mood, and on days when I "have it", it's so much fun I feel like a kid again. On bad days, I feel like I might never ride again. A 2-stroke will humble a guy. It's hard to explain and if you weren't brought up on 2-strokes, I understand how they could seem hard to ride and nothing but work.
I have a'19 300xc and a '24 tx300. They are magical.
Competitive racing rules favor the 4 stroke in MX. So the manufacturers spend money on updating 4 stroke bikes.
In the Snocross world 600cc,2 strokes are raced although Yamaha was allowed to race a 1000 triple 4 stroke years back but it was not very competitive.
Yamaha tried pushing only 4 stroke sleds since 2004 and failed. They just announced they will get out of the snowmobile business.They were always last in sales compared to the other manufacturers. The other manufacturers offer both 2 and 4 stroke sleds. As far as sales go the 4 stroke reached a peak of 20% and has been there for years.
The 2 stroke technology is so far advanced in the snowmobiling world. We have direct injected sleds that produce 165HP from an 850 twin with a single pipe and the 600 twins with a single pipe are close 130 HP. These are trail, not race sleds that will go 10,000 miles without engine failures.
Thats not an SXR. It is a Gen 2 Kawasaki X2 which I believe came with an 800cc twin 2T,
If CC's didn't matter they wouldn't have to handicap the 2 strokes to make them uncompetitive.
Obviously engine size matters when discussing power output. I realize you've never heard "There is no replacement for displacement. " Then some tool will bring up boost is the replacement. This is a terrible argument though because if you boost a small engine to reach bigger engines power levels, what happens when you boost big engines? Displacement wins again.
Yep. GrapeApe already placed my foot in my mouth over that lol
😂 I only race for fun nowadays, lucky if i get to ride motos once a month as im busy traveling riding fmx shows.
im racing A class still at any local races i turn up too though on the 2smoker 🤷♂️
Two totally different applications. The capacity line that's trotted out is a strawman arguement as 500 two strokes existed and there is a reason why they died out. Racing class capacity limits didn't kill two strokes in MX. The buying public killed two strokes by buying four strokes. If the market still really wanted two strokes Honda would have a FI CR300 on sale today, the same as KTM offer, or Yamaha would sell 10x more YZ250s than YZF450s.
The simple fact is a 450 is far more civilised to ride than a 250 or 500 two stroke, less finicky and easier to care for, and that's why they eviscerated two stroke sales. Two strokes are cheaper to buy and run, but how often do you see new ones at a track? For comparison I have a YZ465 and there are times it has threatened to turn me upside down if I've dropped my guard. All the big four strokes I've ridden there are moments when I can drop my guard and not pay for it.
Pit Row
might be the best response.
At least I'm not riding backwards.....
Well, the KX500 I started the post with is, indeed, an actual Team Green Built Vegas to Reno winning bike…so…I’d say it’s VERY Team Green!
💪🏻🇺🇸🤓
I once again stand corrected lol thats badass
two stroke wasnt enough of a challenge so I ride it backwards
There were exponentially more bikes sold in the 90's/early 2000's than now. In 1999 Mosier Valley 125 novice class had 3 gates. You might see 12-15 and that'd be considered a good turnout these days.
The 125 class was killed by the 250 fart can. The sport also probably saw the biggest decline in participants from 2004-2007. Also, it's well known that Yamaha and KTM sellout on their new two strokes annually. They're not going to bring more in, as that would cut in to that precious $11k 4-fatty sales.
Would be interested where you got these stats from considering every brand reported record sales in 2020/2021
Silly argument.
Two strokes fire twice as often. A YZ250 compared on that basis is a 500, so 11% larger than a 450F.
The smokers are lighter (or should be) and have a lot less moving parts as well.
Bench pressing 150 pounds twice doesn't mean it's equal to benching 300 pounds once. Talk about a silly argument.
Yep! They're bad ass. I have a 92 X2 with a 750 in it. Wasn't trying to sound like an ass just pointing out a cool 2T ski lol.
No worries at all man. I am happy to admit when I am wrong. Dont like to admit how often tho.. lol
But in all seriousness I like being educated by those that know more. I appreciate it
Post a reply to: 2 strokes arent amazing