The 150R has a power advantage over a 190 Ohvale? I can race 2 classes if I run a 150R or an 85 two stroke, so that's the size I'm looking at vs the 160/190 which can only run one. I like 2 strokes a lot but from what I'm reading the 150 is the better bike for kart tracks. With a 150 and 85 equally well set up, is it consensus that the 150 will clock better times and be a better race bike?
I imagine the 150 has a rideability advantage. Chassis, brakes, wheel/tire are nearly identical and so no real significant advantage would be in one or the other. But the torque of the 4 stroke setup and the width of the powerband woud likely help get out of the tighter stuff easier.
yes... the 150R is a kart track liter bike... with small bore 2Ts you have a whole nuther set of variables like weather conditions, etc to smooth out power delivery. Only downside to the 150Rs is the 35-40hr top end service interval and a few more curb weight lbs...the 85s are double that. The fastest setup seems to be on 12" wheels/tires... other wise with 17s you can burn up all your spare front take offs.
I didn't know the 150R had more power versus an Ohvale. I do know when we ran mini's in 07-10 timeframe, the 150R's started showing up at the track. A 2 stroke is probably better for training you or your rider to carry speed in the corners and select the proper gear to exit the corner, but the 150R is generally better on the track. Definitely better off the start, to make up quick positions for the race. Better to jump out of a corner. Works great if you need to stuff up the inside on entry and then shoot out of the corner to make a pass, etc. Lap time wise, they can be very similar to a properly setup 92cc 2 stroke, and the 2 stroke may even have some steam on top, but in a close battle racing I would take take the 150R. For playing around, you can generally pickup a CR85-92cc bike for less money, at least you could when we were racing. Out here, west coast, they started putting them into RS125 chassis, and they were originally going for $10-12k. First one I saw, was ridden by Benny Solis, then Aquino, and then many others followed. We ran the 2 stroke for a couple years and then I picked up Aquino's RS150R for $5k and sold it for the same $5k a year later. So you probably won't get stung on the purchase price for one. +1 Yeah what he said.
What does 85's are double that mean? You can go more hours on maint? If so, IMO the 4 stroke is much easier to deal with day to day....and I love 2 strokes. On our 150R I did rebuild it to start the season and it ran all year, and I probably wouldn't have done anything but continue to change the oil every round for the next year and check the valves. On the older ones, once the valves started moving, it can mean you need a new head? I don't remember for sure, but that was definitely the case on the 250 version of the same motor that was in the Moriwaki. Also back then in S Cal everyone was running 17" wheels. I know in other areas a lot of people were running 12's. I guess so many of them were in RS chassis that is why even the motard guys still ran 17's? I do know the tires lasted for a very long time with 17's and the last year we just ran the 125 takeoffs from the big track on the mini and they worked fine at the slower speeds and lower pressures.
yes you could get 80ish hours out of an 85 top end. Change the trans oil every 10-15ish hours. But if at elevation or wild temp swings... it becomes a nightmare to to tune. The 2T might be 15lbs lighter?