What Is the Point of 2-Stokes?

Hello everyone,

I'm relatively new to motorcycles and am just getting into tracking my street bike this year.

As I've been doing my research about getting my 600 ready, I've seen a bit of 2-stroke information while scanning the various forums. Since seeing them here and there, they've caught my attention and I'm interested in understanding why these machines exist? Do they cost less to run? Do they behave differently than a modern sport bike? Is it for nostalgia reasons? I really don't know what to ask about them (2-strokes) or where to look for more information about 2-stroke bikes. Any direction you could give me would be great!

Thanks!

 

Beg, borrow, or steal a 2T machine, take it out for a ride and you will see why we still ride these dirty stink-bikes. Its just plain addicting.

Pete

 

yup. i miss my old YZ250 i had. i still have a 500 2Stroker street bike. i love the smell of burning oil LoL

 

Rode a 125cc last christmas (a freaking dirtbike, no less). I completely 112% want a 2-stroke. The powerband and agility is, just as ^ said, absolutely addicting.

As for your other questions, a 2-stroke is roughly equivalent to twice it's capacity. For example, a 250gp bike is said to be similar to a 600. A 500cc motogp bike is roughly equivalent to a 1000cc 4-stroke. Obviously this isn't quite true, as witnessed from history; The 4-strokes can make more power and torque, but in exchange for more weight. This directly translates to higher top speeds, which is why you now see only 125 as the only true 2-stroke race series left.

Top speed on 2-stroke 500cc motoGP bike: 197-199mph
Top speed on the 800cc 4-stroke bike: 200-215+ mph

Still, 2-strokes are freaking fun and will turn better than anything you've ever ridden on a track.

 

Nothing's more magical than a 125 or 250cc gp race machine. These bikes, like the '95 Honda RS 125 i used to have for a while, are designed by the factory for racing, nothing else. That means there is no compromise in the design, just pure unadulterated race engineering.

Nothing is more exciting than push starting a 2 stroke in the pits in the morning, it just makes you smile.

That being said, I sold the 125, got a 600, and didn't regret it. Just better grids in the wera series, BUT, the first thing i will do if i ever get out of school and get a job is pick up a Honda rs 250.

 

If you have to ask you probably can't afford one...

jk - they are the bomb! A 2T power band is like crack!

 

An average GP250 weights 235 lbs. Pulls out about 75-80 ponies.

Great fun.

 

Inherent simplicity. I tore my RZ350 down, for the first time ever, in about 20 minutes. No manual, just started removing bolts. A top end can be performed in about an hour or less, depending on the bike or mechanic.

Light, quick, loud, and fun. The ease of maintenance provides a fix for those that like to mess with their bikes.

 

Wow, thanks for all that great information!

So as a first timer, if I was to look to buy a 2-stroke bike in the future, what should I look for? Do miles mean what they do for a 4-stroke? Are there good years and bad years (or generations)? Where do you get parts or servicing information (I'm up in Canada)?

I'm not a mechanic, would I be able to figure out the maintenance if there aren't shops in my area that can help with this sort of thing?

Andreb implied that they are pricey? Are they overall much more expensive than a 4-stroke 600 or the like? Where does the majority of the cost come from (maintenance, repairs, consumables, etc)?

 

do they still sell street legal two strokes in canada?

 

gp bikes don't have odometers.

 

Short response is "it depends." If you are looking at GP race bikes, then maintenance is an issue. The operating fundamentals are a bit different compared to four strokes as there is no oil bath to lubricate the crank, rods, and pistons. That is why oil is suspended in fuel on a two stroke. Check out a two stroke wiki for those things. RZ350's and the RD 350 or 400 bikes are still on the market as far as street bikes. Two stroke dirt bikes are everywhere and reasonably priced. Lots of 2 stroke scooters on the road as well.

We need to know what you are looking for (street duty, race, or trail/MX bike) before any definitive answers can be given. Such a wide spectrum of bikes that final use will determine what suggestions you will get.

 

Service life is much shorter than a 4 stroke. Over all they are easy to rebuild.
The difficult part is tuning. You will be making lots of notes and recording lots of variables to get yourself a decent tune.

I value ride time over wrench time. YMMV

 

Wrong. The real answer is always 750cc

:up:

 

No valves and power every second stroke not fourth.

 

I would be looking for a track/race bike, probably. I can't imagine that they would be street legal in Canada anymore.

Do you get the same "2-stroke trill" on an MX? I've never ridden a dirt bike, whether 2 or 4 stroke. There just aren't many places around Ontario to dirt ride.

 

There are quite a few rz/rd 350s in CA. Take one for a "test ride". You'll sell that 600 lump and never look back.

Pete

 

If you have to ask why.....

Power wheelies.

That's the only reason they exist.

 

No one here has mention the actual differnce of a 2stroke engine vs a 4 stroke?

2 stroke : combines intake/compression into 1 stroke and combustion/exhaust into another

4 stroke : 1 stroke for intake, 1 stroke for compression, 1 stroke for combustion, 1 stroke for exhaust scavenging

there are var less parts in a 2T engine as there are no valves, cams, springs to actuate like a 4T. Saving lots of weight.

Twice as many "power strokes" per revolution

 

2 strokes make you smile and get your dick hard. Had a bunch of dirt bikes that were 2 stroke, my 1st street was a Yam RD 350, still one on my all time favorite bikes. Had a Kawi HP 750 for a very short time. It was a suicide machine, that crazy power in a horrible handling and stopping bike. But the power was sick.