250cc 2-stroke OR 400cc?

[Biltong]

Two stroke all the way... Not that im biased or anything!

You are allowed to speak your mind! Thanks for the advise.

[Biltong]

South African chap like you should know. 2 strokes are great, but hard on maintenance and you need to know what you are dojng to own one IMHO.

The 400 wont let you down

That makes sense, and the thing is I have more experience with 4-stroke bikes(I had a XT500 back in SA). Thanks for the advise.

[Str8 Jacket]

Cheers Biltong, I dont hear that very often! lol

Everyone is correct in saying that they are hard maintenance-wise though. Two strokes come with their own little brain and if they dont wanna go they wont. But when they are good, they're awesome!

[FzerozeroT]

I've had both a VFR400 and an RGV250, the RGV felt more like a racebike (IMHO) in that it was flickable etc. and you could get it sliding and still feel sweet. the VFR is definitely a better roadbike when you want to just cruise but when it starts to go pear shaped it gives you a hell of a fright. admittedly the VFR is the heaviest of all the 400's and TS didn't seem to have much of a problem turning his ZXR faster than an RGV round a track.

[Biltong]

Cheers Biltong, I dont hear that very often! lol

Everyone is correct in saying that they are hard maintenance-wise though. Two strokes come with their own little brain and if they dont wanna go they wont. But when they are good, they're awesome!

You are most welcome! Two stroke are really great if the setup is great. Thanks for speaking your mind.

[Biltong]

I've had both a VFR400 and an RGV250, the RGV felt more like a racebike (IMHO) in that it was flickable etc. and you could get it sliding and still feel sweet. the VFR is definitely a better roadbike when you want to just cruise but when it starts to go pear shaped it gives you a hell of a fright. admittedly the VFR is the heaviest of all the 400's and TS didn't seem to have much of a problem turning his ZXR faster than an RGV round a track.

Thanks man! I think it would be a good choice to go with the 400cc!

[Biohazard]

tiz easier to rebuild a two stroke in a back of a van than rebuilding a 4 stroke engine...

but the choice is yours m8 - no matter which way you decide you will always be left wondering "what if". Dont rush into it....

However if its was me...2 stroke for the track and a good 'ol 4 stroke for the road.....

[Biltong]

tiz easier to rebuild a two stroke in a back of a van than rebuilding a 4 stroke engine...

but the choice is yours m8 - no matter which way you decide you will always be left wondering "what if". Dont rush into it....

However if its was me...2 stroke for the track and a good 'ol 4 stroke for the road.....

That is also true. At the moment I am not looking for a bike to take on the road, I want a bike just for the track. I cant rush into it even it I wanted to, I dont have the funds right now to buy a bike, so it will not be happening very soon.

Thanks for your opinion.

[Hoon]

I've raced both the RGV250 and 400cc and I recommend going for a 400cc if you are a beginner.
400cc are more reliable, easier to maintain, better starts, more parts and easier to get power out of. The 250cc has better cornering and brakes though.
2-strokes wear out faster so a 1991 2-stroke will need more work than an equivalent 4-stroke.

Just look at any F3 grid to see how 2-strokes fare - you'd be lucky to see a couple of them. Paul Buckley is the only person I've seen recently to place well with a 2-stroke.

[Biltong]

Thanks a lot Hoon! It really helps to hear from someone who has been on both the bikes. Yes when it comes to riding on the track I am a beginner, I think in total I have done 8 laps on Kyalami in South Africa, so I think I still have a lot to learn.

Thanks a lot Hoon!

[Two Smoker]

400 are far more reliable, and in the long run you can get more hp out of them than a 250 twostroke in F3 rules... whithout too many mods you can have a 400 up around the 60-65hp mark... two stokes take alot of maintainence and are quite peaky in their power...

Personally best race bike choice is a ZXR400...

[Two Smoker]

I've raced both the RGV250 and 400cc and I recommend going for a 400cc if you are a beginner.
400cc are more reliable, easier to maintain, better starts, more parts and easier to get power out of. The 250cc has better cornering and brakes though.
2-strokes wear out faster so a 1991 2-stroke will need more work than an equivalent 4-stroke.

Just look at any F3 grid to see how 2-strokes fare - you'd be lucky to see a couple of them. Paul Buckley is the only person I've seen recently to place well with a 2-stroke.

Hoon ya bastard you beat me to it... How was the ZXR at puke?? noticibly different to yours???

[HDTboy]

How much are you looking to spend? I could sell you my 400

[Motu]

2 strokes are race bikes - take any racing class anywhere - the only reason 4 strokes can beat them is because the rules make it that way.MotoGP would still be 2 stroke if they didn't kick them out by force - can you imagine what a 990cc 2 stroke would do out there?

As someone who works on engines for my daily bread - give me a 2 stroke anyday,there is just so much ''stuff' on a 4 cyl 4 stroke....more things to go wrong.

You don't want anything to go wrong when you're racing now do you?

[Mr. Peanut]

NSR 250 SE - Same power after basic modifcations as the 400.
Much less weight and far easier to fix. Two carbs to set up not four, two valves, not 16, dry clutch...

It was actually built as a race bike first and a road bike second.

Get an NSR for racing and you wont regret it.