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| What's a 2-stroke? |
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 23rd August 2010 20:19
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| In the "good old days" of motorcycling, there was roughly a 50/50 split between 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines. 2-strokes (in them days) were simple, light and cheap to make, so many learner and commuter bikes had them. 4-strokes were more complex, heavier and more expensive, so "serious" big bikes and tourers tended to have a 4-stroke lump. Then there were the exceptions - Kawasaki's mental 500 and 750 triples, Suzuki's 750 kettle and Honda's 50/70/90cc step-thoughs come to mind. The great thing about a 2-stroke is that it delivers twice as many power strokes as a 4-stroke per revolution, although in a less efficient way. This meant that, cc for cc, a 2-stroke could give about 150-170% of the power of the equivalent 4-stroke. For racing bikes, there was only one choice, and racing was dominated in the Grands Prix of the 70s by monster 500cc strokers. The low-down grunt of a 2-stroke single made them popular choices for trials as well. Highly-tuned (with wild porting and tuned exhaust), a 2-stroke made power like no other: nothing for the first half of the rev counter, then a sharp power band leading to a mad rush for the horizon, accompanied by a banshee howl and another 3 points on the licence. I know that emissions legislation has killed almost all of them off, but I loved 'em. As far as I can see, only Aprilia still make them, and then only for learners. Damn shame. If I'm passed by a 2-stroke, I have been known to follow it for miles, just sniffing the blue haze they leave in their wake. That's all.
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2003 ST1300 Pan Euro
1995 Yam XT600E
http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5th July 2008 20:20
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I quite like the 2 stroke, as they are, as you said, faster. They started to pull the 2 stroke bikes in around 3 years ago, the time when i was enquiring about buying the Honda NSR 125. This was a 2 stroke, and as we said we'd buy one, they said sorry, no can do, Honda have stopped making them  . I'd have a nice big bike by now if it wasn't for whoever banned 2 strokes!! Besides that though, i don't think i could be bothered now to mix the oil!!
The car in front, is now behind!
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 23rd August 2010 20:19
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| Now come on, you haven't had to premix oil for decades! Even my GT250 of 1976-ish had automatic oil mixing. The only bike I've had where you had to mix the oil yourself was my <makes sign of cross> Jawa, and that was a messy horrible process. Funny how Honda had a 2-stroke on the market so recently. They were the first manufacturer to make most of their small bikes with 4-strokes. Like the CG125 when the other Big Three were still making stroker 125s.
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2003 ST1300 Pan Euro
1995 Yam XT600E
http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5th July 2008 20:20
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Oooooh!! Well i was under the impression you had to!! 
The car in front, is now behind!
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 23rd August 2010 20:19
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Nah, modern 2-strokes are simplicity itself. Keep an eye on the oil tank level, and tip a litre of 2T in when it gets a bit low. The only hassle is on a long journey, where it pays to keep a spare litre about the bike somewhere, in case you get low on oil and nowhere nearby sells 2T. Running out is not an option. Problem is that most strokers are small and light, and lacking the kind of stash space needed for a bottle of oil.
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2003 ST1300 Pan Euro
1995 Yam XT600E
http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/
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Forum Guru
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 30th December 2008 07:04
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Spawn, Have you seen how much oil them things chuck out of the exhausts when the kids don't look after them!
Blenk
http://web.mac.com/blenk2/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html
Blenk
Riding with the rich folk
http://web.mac.com/blenk2/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html
New photos every week and a good tune to ride to.
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Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 15th July 2009 14:41
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| do kids look after anything these days? Local Jersey bike shop? Nice site
Sideways through time
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 16th May 2010 15:09
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| 2-strokes, lovely: an elegant combination of simplicity and purpose. Mechanically speaking, that is: not sure anyone could describe an MZ as aesthetically elegant. Particularly evocative in a field of race bikes, screaming off the line out of a blue, sweet-smelling fog - shame you only get to see that with the 125/250s these days, and that may not be for much longer. I'm sure I read somewhere recently that Honda were considering revisiting clean-burn direct injection 2-strokes, presumably planning to do a better job than Bimota managed with the V-Due.
>> ex silens nox noctis <<
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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 23rd August 2010 20:19
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Heh, another 2-stroke fan! Yesterday morning I was waiting to pull out onto the main road for my commute (fast A-road) when a small racy looking bike howled past. I followed him, gratefully inhaling the sweet and evocative whiff of 2T that he was putting out. I had to push the Mondeo pretty hard to keep up, but it was worth it. If they could find a way to bottle that smell, I'd buy a gallon.
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2003 ST1300 Pan Euro
1995 Yam XT600E
http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/
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Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 15th July 2009 14:41
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| Putoline produced a while back some two stroke oil that smelt of strawberries or something similar. God knows why, some evil genius marketing plan no doubt.
Sideways through time
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