2 stroke vs 4 stroke

[Steve Butters]

i might be picking up another dirt bike sometime soon.....2 strokes are way easier to find in my budget, but i have never ridden one (aside from my shitty old 84 yz125)...i had a little seat time on my old 4 stroke, and my riding level i would call "moderate"...my worry is that if i get a 2 stroke, i wont be able to ride it well enough to not mess parts up...ive always been under the impression that a 2 stroke means WOT all the time, or else you foul plugs and mess them up etc...

what are the main riding differences between a 2 stroke and 4 stroke? i would like to do some trail riding, so chances are i wont be WOT constantly

also, i keep reading that 2 stroke maintenance is cheaper....but i also see that they need top end rebuilds a LOT....i just rebuilt the top end on my grizzly and i would not call it cheap by any means...if i had to do it every year i would quickly have more in the bike than if i had just bought a 4 stroke

Edited February 8, 2011 by Steve Butters

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

2 Smokers smell so much better. I like them both, for a woods bike I would say 4stroke just because they will chug along all through the RPM range. I think if the 2 stroke is set up right they dont have a problem fouling plugs, at least mine didnt when I was younger.

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

Also SUMO ftw

[crf69]

both rock....my crf450's (2) and my cr500 rock....a big 500 will never foul a plug.....my buddy has a yz490 and when my old 97 cr125 would foul a plug we would stick it in the 490 and he would run it up and down a few times.....take it back out put it in mine and away we go....for another hour or so lol......the 125 could never get jetted right

[Carwhore]

get a drz sumo and get a set of dirt wheels and tires. you can get those bikes pretty cheap

[Beegreenstrings]

You can definately use 2 strokes for trails, a balancing of the flywheel is a great upgrade for that use. But, not necessary.

[Zach]

A properly setup 2 stroke won't continually foul plugs. You do have to ride them correctly, though- the revs have to be kept up.

the top-end rebuild issue also has to do with how hard you ride the thing. If you flog the piss out of it, you could be doing a top-end every season. Keep in mind a top end on a 2 stroke is waaaaay simpler than the 4 in your quad.

[John]

2 stroke!

[Ron505]

A newer 2 stroke 250 can lug you around the trails just fine without fouling plugs.

If you do not get an enduro version of the 4 stroke, you can easily overheat the stroker if you trail ride. If you buy a used 4 stroke (especially a 250), just be careful, most say they are ticking time bombs. And if you blow that motor up, you will have more in rebuilding than the bike is worth (in some cases).

If you're not tapping out your 2 stroke all the time, you will not need to redo top end every year. I used to ride mine quite a bit, and only did the top end about every 2 years.

2 stroke all the way. And they are a lot more mellow than they used to be. You can go as slow as you want, and keep the RPM's as low as you want.

I may possibly sell my YZ250 if the price was right.

Edited February 10, 2011 by Ron505

[SPDLR]

My first bike was a DR 350 96...blew it up and added a 440 big bore kit...i rode that around for 2 years and considered myself a med rider until i bought a 98 cr 250...my riding changed 100%. And that piped Cr was as fast as the 440 lead sled, and

so much easier to throw around the trails. I know 4 strokes have come a long way since then but ill always be a fan of the 2.

Hd 2 cr 250s and loved them..Never fouled a plug in 4 years of riding wellsville, Hillsville, Wayne, ect. 2 strokes are light and SUPER fast and I never felt i didnt have enough power to climb the sickest hills at those places. And yes they can be riden mellow as well. If its jetted correctly, no problems.

2 stroke or die!

Edited March 29, 2011 by SPDLR

[fox_racing_guy]

If you can find 1 a KTM 300EXC would be ideal, it's a 2 stoke but doesn't have the "hit" of a MX'r. Its much cheaper/easier to rebuild a 2 stroke over a 4 stroke.

[RFM]

I've only managed two strokes so far, but I'll work my way up to four strokes. If my girlfriend will let me, that is.

[ohiomike]

I cut my teeth on the old Yamaha 2 strokers, 360 breed. I liked my 72 360 MX best, tons of torque, nice snap and great powerband. My vote is and always will be a 2 stroker for dirt and hill climbing.

[Gump]

Maybe newer 2strokes r diff but my kx125 has no torque for trails even with the diff sprocket. It's balls out or no torque for hills. You have to ride it completely diff than a 4 stroke. There's no creeping around up a hill u have to use the clutch like the throttle. Throttle kinda cranked , clutch open and close .

+1 on the fouling plugs comment. It's got issues if it fouls out.

[ohiomike]

If you're oil mixture is right and the rings are good you shouldn't be fouling plugs

[crf69]

i like and own both

[SPDLR]

Maybe newer 2strokes r diff but my kx125 has no torque for trails even with the diff sprocket. It's balls out or no torque for hills. You have to ride it completely diff than a 4 stroke. There's no creeping around up a hill u have to use the clutch like the throttle. Throttle kinda cranked , clutch open and close .

+1 on the fouling plugs comment. It's got issues if it fouls out.

No disrespect to the 125cc 2 stroke. Ive ridden my fair share and they just dont have the low end for trail riding. They are suited more for high speed, and they do move. Ive run my 250 around a hairscramble short course then jumped on my brothers 125 and absolutely killed the time i was making on the 250. The 125 is lighter and seems to hit the power or sweet spot quicker on the track coming out of corners which helps to maintain higher speed on average. The 250 does that too but you seem to be fighting for traction more maybe because of the low end. Depends what your going to be riding more. 250 for trials with lots of hills or 125 for tracks...Just my opinion.

But having never ridden a newer 250...They are a hand full Bro. It will get away from ya if your not ready. Be safe and take it easy for a while. Wear your gear and when that arm pump sets in take a break before something bad happens.

Edited March 30, 2011 by SPDLR

[Helmutt]

2smokes are sadly a dying breed.......unfortunate, but inevitable. They'll become backwoods relics in the next 10-20 yrs. Buy the newest model you can between a 250-380cc 2stroke woods weapon, even in stock form/jetting they have PLENTY of power for trails, hills, and WFO to hang with about anything 4-cycle - and if you're not racing it, no topend worries but every few seasons unless you're putting 20hrs a week in all summer - WAY cheaper/easier rebuild than valvetrain components/headwork.

Just go easy at first and after a few rides, you'll be roostin' your buddies and having the time of your life!

Edited April 9, 2011 by Hellmutt

[John]

i think two strokes are going to be making a comeback. manuf. have had years to work on emissions, direct injection and a whole bunch of other stuff.

[Zach]

i think two strokes are going to be making a comeback. manuf. have had years to work on emissions, direct injection and a whole bunch of other stuff.

Don't hold your breath. Yes, you're right, there have been some major advances in 2 stroke technology, but the industry at large has moved on. After this season, there won't be any more ring dingers in any major racing series.

[idodishez]

....

[Dusty1]

Nice, never seen so many 2 stroke junkies in one place before , Personally, I learned to ride 4 stroke, so switching to 2 for dirt was an experience I don't like quite as much. Yes, tons of power, but only if you want balls-out, no low end grunt which is what I prefer (at least in the smaller bikes), and I'm not having fun if I have to ring my machine all the time. The more time out on the trail the better. Oh yeah, and I hate having a can of gas I cant use for anything else but my weedwacker!

[YSR_Racer_99]

Don't hold your breath. Yes, you're right, there have been some major advances in 2 stroke technology, but the industry at large has moved on. After this season, there won't be any more ring dingers in any major racing series.

Sadly, I don't think they're coming back, either. No good reason for them to. Better MPG and lower emissions than 4-strokes, and thats going to be the argument.

FWIW, I LOVE two strokes. Wish I could have picked up several in 2006, still in the crate, and just put them away. Coulda woulda shoulda.

[scottie.harris]

Don't hold your breath. Yes, you're right, there have been some major advances in 2 stroke technology, but the industry at large has moved on. After this season, there won't be any more ring dingers in any major racing series.

+1 ive rode both and its sad to see that 2 strokes are a thing of the past. i personally prefer a 4stroke, but 2 strokes are still a blast. I go to haspen acres often and its a very diverse terrain so the smoothness and torque of a 4stroke is nice imo. Maintence wise a 2stroke you have to do a little work all the time, a 4stroke your doing all your work at once every great while. Theres really no "better" bike just prefernce.

i love the sound of a 4stroke

[Zach]

I think what's sealed the fate of 2 strokes is the fact that there's no low-strung smokers left. Everything available is a fire-breathing race motor.

Yeah, you can ride them gently and avoid rebuilding them twice a year, but those motors are really only happy when flogged.

With 4 stroke dirtbikes, you can get the rebuild-happy race bikes that aren't much better than 2 strokes when it comes to maintenance, but you can also get reliable and cheap 4 strokes that will basically run forever with negligible maintenance.