Two-stroke or 4?

[Volcanix]

So im looking at geeting my bike licence and a bike, but i have no idea of the differences between 2s and 4s.

so could someone please list the pros and con of each, an other information you may know. eg: what is cheeper to maintain?


i will be greatfull for any help.

[hitch]

2 strokes are noisy smoky things and you have to mix the oil with petrol. 4 stroke is the way to go much cheaper to run and you don't have to mix anything.

[Grub]

Also 2-strokes have a very high maintenance cost. The engines just don't last whereas by comparrison a 4-stoke will go 'forever'.

Also, it may be that with the new testing station emission tests, that 2-stokes may all fail. I've not read here that anyone is entirely sure about that yet.

[Ixion]

Also 2-strokes have a very high maintenance cost. The engines just don't last whereas by comparrison a 4-stoke will go 'forever'.

Also, it may be that with the new testing station emission tests, that 2-stokes may all fail. I've not read here that anyone is entirely sure about that yet.

No, two strokes are exempt. We got a special dispensation. Table 1-1.Cos we're special.

True, the engines don't last forever. Petal needed a rebore at 90000 km ! There's only two more rebores, so year 2067 I'm going to be in trouble. And she'll only have done 300000km then

Advice ? Depends what you expect.

If you're sensible and don't have much money to throw around, you'll buy a GN250 or Yamaha Scorpio. Four stroke single

If you've got a tiny penis and need to compensate , you can buy an old 4 cylinder 4 stroke. They go faster.

If you're a nutcase and don't have much money , you can buy a new(ish) 150cc two stroke. They go faster too, and cost much less. And they're fun. If you buy one and you're not nuts, you soon will be.

If you want to die you can buy an old 250cc two stroke.

[Grub]

If you've got a tiny penis and need to compensate , you can buy an old 4 cylinder 4 stroke. They go faster.

Hey I resemble that remark!! And anyway, anyone who has a bike called "Petal" must have a pussy, not a penis (or both)

[Racey Rider]

If you're a nutcase and don't have much money , you can buy a new(ish) 150cc two stroke.

Hey! I heard that!!
<_<

and Someome pass the Nuts :wait:

[240]

Hey mate good luck with going for your license.
A two stroke v 4 stroke depends on what you want.
I am an ex mechanic and have a handle on both.
A 2 stroke is faster....simple as that....there is no comparison.
Modern water cooled 2 strokes ARE reliable.
You need to understand that they are made to be worked and they produce their power at the top end of the rev range.so if you like to wind things out 2 strokes are awesome.
4 strokes generally produce their power down in the rev range (excepting for a 4 cylinder screamer) which sounds like it is doing 400kmph when it is doing 50 :shit:
A great bike to learn on would be a vt250 honda (4 stroke)or an rg150 suzuki (2stroke).
Both these are excellent and reliable and will go forever.
A 250 2 stroke is probably a bit fierce---- these things fly!!!! and you will have plenty of time to enjoy one once you have more experience.

[rogson]

Like I've said before, 4 strokes are like your wife, 2 strokes are like your mistress - you choose......

[crazybigal]

2 strokes are great fun! but your better off with a 4 stroke in the long run

[Jono]

Yep i started on a 2 stroke 150cc bike. Its a great bike and is reasonably new (2001), didnt break the bank too much which was good as i had some money for some gear (highly rec).

Its got some power if ya wanna have some fun and is fine for around town commuting. But if your gonna be doing long distance high speed trips then of course a bigger bike is the better way to go.

It all depends what your wanting out of a bike.

I brought my RGV150 mainly to commute 25 mins each way to uni and for the odd ride with mates (and of coarse to save time and gas $$).

And its suited my needs fine.

I think its been a great bike to learn on and a suitable stepping stone (hope to get a bigger bike in the near future). Im glad i got her rather than an old GN250! :yes:

Maybe if you tell us what sort of riding your gonna be doing we might be able to help you a bit more.

Cheers

[Theatre]

I was tossing this same question up about a year ago. What swayed me towards the 2 stroke was soley the bang for the buck factor. 2 stroke 150s go for about the same price as fxr150s yet go almost as quickly as the 4 stroke 4 cyl 250s. The 2 stroke powerband is a wonderful thing, its as if the bike is always egging you to twist your wrist and rev the crap out of it. Like ixion said, if you're not crazy (like a fox!), you will be after getting one.

You've gotta add 2 stroke oil, but its really not difficult. Pretty much every modern 2 stroker will have a separate tank for the oil so don't worry about having to mix it every time. Just top up the oil tank every 500 or so kms to be on the safe side and you're away. They need more mechanical work than 4 strokes ie top end rebuilds, but pretty much all work is both easier and cheaper on a 2 stroke than a 4 stroke. My bike isnt very comfortable on long motorway rides either, though that could be because im quite tall.

I love my bike, wouldnt get rid of it for any learner legal bike short of the newer 250 smokers.

[Jorja]

Well I just got my very first bike. A little 2 stroke. Reason for getting this one came down to price. All up it will cost about $500 once i have completed restoring it. For a first bike I can learn to ride on, it is perfect.

[Rosie]

I've got a 2-stroke 150 :love:
As Ixion said, you end up going nuts, but you need to learn to get the most out of the bike, you don't just blip the throttle in some random gear and accidentally find yourself travelling at warp factor 9.
I was pretty slow and timid when I first started riding, and the KR never 'got away on me', it was just a nice sensible little bike.
Now I'm getting better I'm using the gears more, revving higher and coaxing more performance out of the bike. And having a lot of fun doing it. And probably going slightly nuts. :wacko:

[vamr]

2 strokes are noisy smoky things and you have to mix the oil with petrol. 4 stroke is the way to go much cheaper to run and you don't have to mix anything.

The mixing is done internally, unless you are talking about archaic vespers...

[Ixion]

2 strokes are noisy smoky things and you have to mix the oil with petrol.

Yes, they are. Noisy, smoky, antisocial, environmentally unfriendly . Absolutely disgusting. The riders are just as bad. Hooning all over the place , flat tit, all noise and smoke and speed. Only an antisocial nutcase would ride a two stroke.

Thaz why we luvs them so :love::love::love:

[Babelfish]

Go the strokers! I cut my teeth on a '75 RD250, then went onto a FZR400...which, um, disagreed with a car placed in front of it, then onto a NSR250 stroker and then KR1S 250 stroker. The RD was probably similar to modern 125/150 strokers (wouldnt know, cos I havent tried em) and was a really good bike to learn on and a good intro to a mild power band.

Getting a "modern" 250 stroker as a first bike is a no-no unless your a complete nutter or hold extremely good will power (the "will" part is a double entendre).

I had no probs with maintanence of any of the strokers in comparison to the 4 strokes I've had. I did have the dreaded piston issue with the KR1S (known issue) but it was a piece of piss to fix and pretty cheap, if you are that way inclined. I have had to do just as much work on my 4 strokes though so mechanicals wouldn't put me off buying another stroker.

The best part of a stroker is the hairy nuts appeal of them...they're the little terriers running around rooting great danes and chesting their way through a bunch of bigger dogs. And you cant beat the smell of two stroke in the morning!

[Roj]

So im looking at geeting my bike licence and a bike, but i have no idea of the differences between 2s and 4s.

so could someone please list the pros and con of each, an other information you may know. eg: what is cheeper to maintain?


i will be greatfull for any help.


Digging back in dim distant memory, I rode 2 strokes as a learner, they will teach you to use gears, I had a few different 2 stroke bikes and they had 1 thing in common, need to really work up and down the gears, my 250 could get me places really quick but I was worn out by the time I got there, ( the best I had done was 64 ks in 30 minutes including city, town,open road and 1 km of gravel at the end) moved to a 550 4 cylinder 4 stroke, got there in the same amount of time but not as much work involved

As for maintenance, 2 strokes are easy to maintain but may need an engine rebuild sooner than a 4 stroke, just depends on how hard you ride them:scooter:

[Volcanix]

Maybe if you tell us what sort of riding your gonna be doing we might be able to help you a bit more.

Cheers

Well at the moment it will just be for going to work, going for the odd ticky tour, going around town.

But as i get better i may start useing it for longer rides on the week end and travling to mates places who live bout an hour away. hopefully ill even get to the od track day.

tho it is hard to say what riding i will be doing as i have to ride for a bit to suss out how much i enjoy it etc.


I have however grown up on a farm, so i have been riding farm bikes sor a few years, i know farm bikes in no way compare to a road bike but its a start and im not a complete begginner.

[Quartermile]

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[Quartermile]

Dam it didn't work.....(I made a giant 4 out of all the little ones:D

[gijoe1313]

I luv my little Daisy I does, nice little two stroker smoker with that "whoooa" hanging on factor when you revs it hard!

I'm just a little bit gutted that the last lot of oil I put in was too good. It took away the smoke! :weep: Have now got a service manual for it and will be looking forward to giving her heaps around a track one day!

Go the two strokes, two wheels of hoon! :rockon:

[Babelfish]

[QUOTE=gijoe1313;991149]I luv my little Daisy I does, nice little two stroker smoker with that "whoooa" hanging on factor when you revs it hard!
QUOTE]

Oooo arrrrr, you luvs yer daisy does yer, arlmost uz much as yooer comboine AAAAAARRRRRRvustarrrrrr :drool:

[gijoe1313]

[QUOTE=gijoe1313;991149]I luv my little Daisy I does, nice little two stroker smoker with that "whoooa" hanging on factor when you revs it hard!
QUOTE]

Oooo arrrrr, you luvs yer daisy does yer, arlmost uz much as yooer comboine AAAAAARRRRRRvustarrrrrr :drool:

Ayyy, t'weren't there yesterday ee'by gum! It warms the cockles of your hearts it does guv'nor. Nuffink a little drop o'th'good oil nay cure! Yep, I shure be luvvin' me little ride, quick trip around the back and a roll in the hay eh?

Nup, they ain't ta be buildin' 'em the same these days!

[quallman1234]

My 2 stroke acts like a 4 stroke has power throughout the rev range.
I think its something to do with the exhaust timing
Almost no power band tho :(

[Ixion]

That's because its designed that way. A two stroke doesn't HAVE to ahve a vicious (or even noticeable) power band. Just that the more highly tune it is the peaky the torque curve will be.

And on a smaller motor , it's not so noticeable - so you would be hard put to detect it on a 50cc (well, maybe an RS50)

The 150 cc two strokes (RG, KRR) are pretty linear , nothing vicious. The 250s are another matter.

And big two strokes are either REALLY vicious and try to kill you (H3 Kawasaki, IT465) or have no power band at all, just liner torque all the wya up (GT750)

[The Pastor]

And big two strokes are either REALLY vicious and try to kill you (H3 Kawasaki, IT465) or have no power band at all, just liner torque all the wya up (GT750)

what was the Yamaha RD 350 LC like powerband wise?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=92626585&key=811705

[Ixion]

"Bloody hell " but not "Argggh OH MY GOD"

The RD350 (I never had an LC though) was not a bike for fools. But neither was it a homicidal killer , like the H3 that plotted and schemed in the gargre all night how it might kill me the next day . (It did manage to kill a subsequent owner. There wouldn't be many H3s around that didn't have at least one death chalked up to them)

[quallman1234]

That's because its designed that way. A two stroke doesn't HAVE to ahve a vicious (or even noticeable) power band. Just that the more highly tune it is the peaky the torque curve will be.

And on a smaller motor , it's not so noticeable - so you would be hard put to detect it on a 50cc (well, maybe an RS50)

The 150 cc two strokes (RG, KRR) are pretty linear , nothing vicious. The 250s are another matter.

And big two strokes are either REALLY vicious and try to kill you (H3 Kawasaki, IT465) or have no power band at all, just liner torque all the wya up (GT750)
Exactly :sunny:

If you wanna see what a powerband is jump on a MotoX machine :P.

[T-Thunder13]

get your license.
go to a shop.
and try them both out, then youl know at least which one tickles in ya loins

[Mr. Peanut]

Getting a "modern" 250 stroker as a first bike is a no-no unless your a complete nutter or hold extremely good will power (the "will" part is a double entendre).

:innocent:

[mark247]

A great bike to learn on would be a vt250 honda (4 stroke)or an rg150 suzuki (2stroke).
Both these are excellent and reliable and will go forever.

Are you sure a VT250 will go forever? I have been told by one wrecker, and two mechanics ( one which was a honda dealer ) that there cranks are made of chocolate. They all said that VT250's are known to bend/break cranks at low k's at a very unreasonable rate. I read one guy who was selling one that had done 70000km ( one of the lucky ones ) on trademe saying they are reliable but other than that all i have heard is bad news about them. Have you heard that there cranks are made of chocolate also or have i just encounter 3 guys who have had bad experiences with VT's?

[Chickadee]

Personally I love my two smoker, I only ride in weekends or when I can grab time so it suits me. If I was commuting on it I think the poor Crazyfrog wouldn't be happy.

If you're using it all the time and it will be your main mode of transportation, I reckon 4 stroke. But if you're looking for a smelly wee bundle of fun that's cheap - get an RG150 or KR150.

Ringa ding ding.

250cc for a learner (2-smoker) = whee how fast, ... holy shit - oh fuck ouch that really hurts falling off...

[Mr. Peanut]

250cc for a learner (2-smoker) = whee how fast, ... holy shit - oh fuck ouch that really hurts falling off... More like, "hey lets pass this car, 3rd gear...... 4th... 5th... OH SHIT IM DOING 170!!! CORNER!!!! LOCKING UP EXTREMELY POWERFUL BRAKES!!!! FUCK BARRIER *smack* Whheeeeeeee..... *thud*.

Not that I would know :innocent: