The two strokes hit a wall pretty quickly. They are very rev-happy
People think that, but in reality they only SOUND like they are rev happy.
I raced motocross for years (still ride dirtbikes, though mostly endurocross style riding now) and only recently did these bikes switch over to two strokes. It previously wasn't possible because four strokes didn't provide the needed power to weight ratio.
A 125-150cc two stroke competes against a 250cc four stroke in most clubs. When listening to the bikes go by, the 125cc two strokes sound like they are screaming, when in reality the 250 four strokes rev to 14000 RPM and the two strokes only hit 12000.
The two strokes just sound like they are revving 24000 because they fire every stroke, not every second stroke.
Two strokes are really fun, and I still ride one quite a bit (2008 GasGas EC200) but the four stroke power-to-weight ratio is getting so high I can't see them lasting. That and emissions.. they burn oil by design like you said, which is quite dirty.
The definition of rev-happy may have different meanings in different locales. In my locale, rev-happy means that they are very fast to rev, not that they have an RPM of X.
Not to the point at all, but I collect and restore old Elsinores. Lovely old hardware.
Fair point, but the two strokes still aren't more rev-happy using this definition either. Direct injected four strokes have nearly instantaneous throttle response, whereas because the air-fuel mixture in a two stroke has to flow through the reed valves, the crank case, and then up to the combustion chamber, they have a delay.
This is made worse by the un-clean burn inherent in the gas/oil mixture a two stroke burns.
A 125 might rev slightly faster from 6000-12000 than a 250 four stroke, but it definitely doesn't right from idle. And also note that the four stroke I'm comparing it to is TWICE the displacement. A high performance 125cc four stroke (like European cafe racers use) would certainly rev quicker.
Still.. I ride a two stroke all the time like I said. I grew up on them, so the sound, the vibration, and the powerband just feels like home. I'm sure you feel similarly which would explain why you restore old bikes (I love the Elsinores too, even though they are before my time). But it's impossible to say they are "better" than a four stroke in any quantifiable way other than raw power-to-weight ratio.
Comments
People think that, but in reality they only SOUND like they are rev happy.
I raced motocross for years (still ride dirtbikes, though mostly endurocross style riding now) and only recently did these bikes switch over to two strokes. It previously wasn't possible because four strokes didn't provide the needed power to weight ratio.
A 125-150cc two stroke competes against a 250cc four stroke in most clubs. When listening to the bikes go by, the 125cc two strokes sound like they are screaming, when in reality the 250 four strokes rev to 14000 RPM and the two strokes only hit 12000.
The two strokes just sound like they are revving 24000 because they fire every stroke, not every second stroke.
Two strokes are really fun, and I still ride one quite a bit (2008 GasGas EC200) but the four stroke power-to-weight ratio is getting so high I can't see them lasting. That and emissions.. they burn oil by design like you said, which is quite dirty.
The definition of rev-happy may have different meanings in different locales. In my locale, rev-happy means that they are very fast to rev, not that they have an RPM of X.
Not to the point at all, but I collect and restore old Elsinores. Lovely old hardware.
Fair point, but the two strokes still aren't more rev-happy using this definition either. Direct injected four strokes have nearly instantaneous throttle response, whereas because the air-fuel mixture in a two stroke has to flow through the reed valves, the crank case, and then up to the combustion chamber, they have a delay.
This is made worse by the un-clean burn inherent in the gas/oil mixture a two stroke burns.
A 125 might rev slightly faster from 6000-12000 than a 250 four stroke, but it definitely doesn't right from idle. And also note that the four stroke I'm comparing it to is TWICE the displacement. A high performance 125cc four stroke (like European cafe racers use) would certainly rev quicker.
Still.. I ride a two stroke all the time like I said. I grew up on them, so the sound, the vibration, and the powerband just feels like home. I'm sure you feel similarly which would explain why you restore old bikes (I love the Elsinores too, even though they are before my time). But it's impossible to say they are "better" than a four stroke in any quantifiable way other than raw power-to-weight ratio.