Death of road going 2 strokes?

[Pierre]

http://tinyurl.com/yvz55g

 

250 and 125 classes to be replaced with GP 2 and GP 3 - 400 cc 4 stroke (2) and 200 cc single 4 stroke (3). Whadaya' think - especially you Europeans who've enjoyed the 2 strokes for so long? We've been without them for years here in good ole' USA - and I miss 'em.

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

I miss the 2 strokes as well but I sense that reality has relegated them to vintage status and as such will probably only be enjoyed at vintage races.

 

On that note do you miss the old TD 1's and the like and their unmuffled stingers shreiking like banshee's?

 

[Guest Nogbad]

Freakin' eco-chondria......

[Pierre]

I miss the 2 strokes as well but I sense that reality has relegated them to vintage status and as such will probably only be enjoyed at vintage races.

 

On that note do you miss the old TD 1's and the like and their unmuffled stingers shreiking like banshee's?

 

Funny you should mention that, Jim. I race a Cagiva Alazzurra 650 in Vintage light weight at Willow Springs. There's four of us racing the Cagiva's. There's also a smattering of other 4 stroke bikes - but the bike of choice in that class is the RZ 350. You can buy a "race prepped" version for about $2500. It'll put out 70 HP and with frame stiffened, handle pretty well. I figure the Alazzurras cost about 3 to one to race prep - and keep running. And we don't get 70 HP, more like 65.

 

The light weight, simplicity and power of the two strokes make them pretty addictive. Cheap, strong, light and simple. Hard combination to beat. Too bad they didn't get to work cleaning those engines up sooner. I think today's technology could have kept them alive, but the nay sayers who refused then to face reality delayed the effort (a preview to the current global warming situation?) until it was too late. We all lose.

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

There's four of us racing the Cagiva's. There's also a smattering of other 4 stroke bikes - but the bike of choice in that class is the RZ 350.

 

So most anyone could race an RZ but there is an exclusive few who race Cagiva's.

 

Sounds like why we ride Moto guzzi's.

 

Again another point to consider. I will enjoy the new 4 stroke classes of MotoGP 2&3. Racing is racing and the bike is secondary especially in image. I don't imagine that many people watch MotoGP to see a Yamaha race but there are many who go to see Rossi race. There are however many who go, if partially, to see Ducati race. The article you referenced stated that Ducati and Aprilia are in favour so might this imply small displacement bikes from these manufacturers?

[Pierre]

So most anyone could race an RZ but there is an exclusive few who race Cagiva's.

 

Sounds like why we ride Moto guzzi's.

Uh ... now you mention it .... there's a 100% crossover ... same gaggle of idiots, I suppose. 3 of the 4 actually RACE moto guzzi's occasionally. I'm not one of those ... not THAT weird.

 

The article you referenced stated that Ducati and Aprilia are in favour so might this imply small displacement bikes from these manufacturers?

Aprilia has long been rumored (speculated, hoped for, beseeched) to have the new 450 twin as a road going successor to the old RS 250. It would be a sweet ride. Some have literally done that (shoe horned a 450 into a 250 chassis) on their own - around a $12K proposition.

[jihem]

Some have literally done that (shoe horned a 450 into a 250 chassis) on their own - around a $12K proposition.

 

yummy. any pictures or website dedicated to that cool idea ?

a 70 HP twin motor in a 130 kgs bike is all we need

[Guest ratchethack]

An era has passed. [.....sigh.....]

 

http://www.seitz.us/metralla/racers/index.html

[Pierre]

yummy. any pictures or website dedicated to that cool idea ?

a 70 HP twin motor in a 130 kgs bike is all we need

 

Here's one - London:

http://tinyurl.com/372ce6

 

Video of that one at the end of the article:

http://tinyurl.com/2jbmj3

 

There's another one being done in US - Texas I think - but can't find the info any more.

 

MCN reported Aprilia was doing it for sure ... back in spring of '05 ... ...

 

that rumor is pretty well debunked now. Maybe change in GP rules will resurrect the project.

[Orson]

I wonder if any manufacturers will step up and provide 200cc four-strokes...or will the class become an amalgamation of ratty home-built specials?

[Daniel Kalal]

so, how many Guzzi owners used to ride one of these?

 

 

(before there was Aerostich, there was TourMaster--this was 32 years ago)

 

[Skeeve]

I wonder if any manufacturers will step up and provide 200cc four-strokes...or will the class become an amalgamation of ratty home-built specials?

 

Scooter racin', baby! Shweet! We'll start seeing MotoGP technology in our cheap plastic fantastic runabouts from Chin Alpha *real* soon now!

 

[Chin Alpha as opposed to Chin Beta (Taiwan) ]

[Richard Z]

so, how many Guzzi owners used to ride one of these?

 

 

(before there was Aerostich, there was TourMaster--this was 32 years ago)

 

 

I still do... Its a GT750. Its aparts awaiting reassembly.... The 1972 with the leading shoe drum brakes. It sounds great.

 

 

Richard Z.

[jihem]

An era has passed. [.....sigh.....]

 

let's look at the positive side, shall we ?

The end of two strokes in 500cc (now MotoGP) has been the rebirth of that class and altho some will get lost in the deal, sure, good things may come out of these new categories too.

[JoeV11]

Two of my favorite street bikes were two strokes. First was a 73 RD350 that I rode from NY to Chicago for a summer job. That was a sweet handling bike and went pretty good too. The other was a 76 KH500 triple that I loved/hated on a regular basis. I had so much trouble getting all three cylinders to fire consistently, but when they did, it was nirvana! But since we now have 4-stroke dirt bikes and outboard motors, I don't see much future in full-sized 2-stroke motorcycles. Joe