Eternal Two Stroke: January 2009

[Editor's Note: This began this before rumors surfaced of the true 250 class, as seen on this blog here. But even so, everything stated still applies, though hope is on the horizon!]

Motocross is in trouble. In fact, It's in big trouble.

Our favorite sport has seen a sharp decline in sales, participation, and expansion over the past few years, but especially this year with the current economy.

"An Arm and Leg" was intended to provide some "fact" based opinions towards two strokes, four strokes, and the sport of motocross as a whole. It was, quite frankly, the most popular post bar none, mostly because it attacked the mainstream, made some bold claims, and pitted the die hard proponents against one another.

Many forums debated, struck down, called false, and basically tried to discredit a few statements made.

Today, we answer the critics, and be sure to check back on installment three to see my opinion towards the magazine industry, and their role in the debacle. I first included it in this one, but it was longer than some small novels...so I cut it out.

Starting in late 2005, I made a change. I switched from my 250 four stroke, to a 125 two stroke. It was in part, due to some serious life changes, but mostly because I could not afford to keep my 250f running. Despite riding Yamaha's (and before that Kawi's.....), the most reliable 250f bar none, after a season, my bike was toast, which is certainly on par with any fast amatuer.

Select Valves
Valve Springs (many do not realize the importance of replacing these)
Piston and Rings
Valve seats to be Re cut

And after two seasons, it finally had the crank let go and the cylinder was worn through, requiring everything mentioned above plus a crank and cylinder.

Of course, this bike had no less than 300 hours on, and I had no complaints to its longevity, or reliability. It was, in fact, an excellent bike.

But the cost of keeping it running was astronomical! I quickly found myself in a position to get a 125 dirt cheap, and having ridden two strokes my entire life until the switch to the 250f, I knew the ins and outs to two strokes, the cost of rebuilds, and the expected maintenance schedule.

After a year, I fell in love, and still managed to do extremely well for myself as far as racing goes. The tiddler 125 was no real disadvantage for me, I am certianly not James Stewart, which always leaves room for improvement in my riding, not my bike.

Recently, the idea of the two stroke is making a comeback. The 250 rule, pitting anything of any design up to 250cc's against one another has helped, but the real mustard to the sandwich is the increased costs of four strokes.

In my first Arm and Leg, these "bold" statements were made and criticized as untrue in forums as follows:

"Four stroke exhausts costing upwards of a grand..."

"Motor Mods over a grand..."

"EFI tuners easily 500 bucks..."

"No more power with EFI..."

Of course, there are exhaust to be had a less than a thousand. But case in point:

http://www.yoshimura-rd.com/ps-3224-1238-rs-3d-titaniumcarbon-full-system-dual.aspx

Ouch! beautiful work, beautiful exhaust, painful price!

How about this motor:
http://www.yoshimura-rd.com/p-3168-crf250r-06-08-yoshimura-engine-service-s tage-3.aspx

or this site, piece together a motor, porting, cams, valve springs, valves, and labor:
http://www.mdkspeed.com/motors.html#4stroke

Sounds like a thousand was a pebble in an ocean if you ask me!

For a racer going to Loretta's who wants a good start, 3 grand is like a retainer to the motors available.

Why did prices on motor work jump with the introduction of the four stroke? Many of the same tools were used, the principles may be even simpler, and a dyno is a dyno, two stroke or four stroke....

EFI tuners at 500 dollars? O.K. I missed it, retail on the new Honda tuner, which is quite possibly the WORST tuner and efi system currently on mx bikes, is about 400:
Honda Tuner

The Kawi one is much better in function, and is an all around better system for tuning. It runs around $450 USD if I remember correctly.

Aftermarket tuners? Well, 500 sounds about right after all.

How about re jetting? If you have any knowledge about spark plugs, or at least know you don't and know a friend who does, have the internet, and can google, you can find out exactly what jets you need in your bike.

Cost: 10 bucks in jets.

Cost to send out your ECU for a remap: 125 dollars here

How about two stroke modifications?

I said a full race motor could be had for less than a grand, and it depends largely on who does your work. The biggest expense is certainly case modifications, as most of the cost there is in splitting cases. For this break down, they will be left out, but budget another 400 for that if you feel that necessary for a competitive two stroke.

Straight from procircuit:

Cylinder and Head Mods: $330
Carb Boring: $90
Pipe Silencer: $330

Total: $750 bucks

Add in suspension, your over a thousand, call it 1200-1300 dollars for your Loretta's ready bike. Or even Nationally capable bike if your a pro, back when two strokes ruled.

Sounds good to me!

A two stroke rebuild?

Crank and crank bearings: Less than 300.

Top End: 120 dollars max.

Labor to do the work: 250 Max.

That's a grand total of: 670 dollars for a literally NEW motor. Ruin a cylinder, ok, maybe 250, can be replated and fixed for 200.

Your easily under a grand, not to mention most racers can do the work themselves, no special tools required if you get creative.

Four stroke rebuild?

For a Honda, which happens to be the cheapest, but seemingly most frequent for intake valves:

Four valves: $200
Four valve Springs: $30
Top End Kit: $120
Crank Kit: $250

Total:

600.
On the LOW side, if you go to some dealers....double that.

Labor to do the work...Don't even ask.

What about the EFI '"revolution"?

Well, it's hit or miss. The new Honda is finicky to start, its fuel maps are not even close to perfect, it seems to like stalling at low engine speeds, especially if the idle adjustment is too low, and worst of all, it costs near a fourth of the yearly income for American working men. Factor in the cost of racing, and Happy Joe with his new bike is now Poor Joe with a new bike.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States

The new Kawasaki's EFI? Seems great.

Suzuki? Well, works decently, except at high RPM, where it pops, and makes you wonder if you should be riding the bike.....

But one truth remains across the board, the EFI components weigh more than their carburetor equivalents. Sure Honda lost weight this year, but I promise you the bike would be even lighter with a carb.

They still don't make more power....

SO WHAT you say, all this was touched upon before, tell me something new!

Well, the four stroke atrocity has finally caught up. Across the country, race turn outs have been hurting, SIGNIFICANTLY. It was said Loretta entries were up, and that's great. But Oak Hill, Whitney, Ponca, and all the way down to a local level, tracks have had a hard time getting solid turn outs.

Just recently, a typically huge race called the Team USA Championships was held. In years past, it has been host to an enormous turn out, big pro race, and some neat events to keep families happy over thanksgiving week. I was, intending to cover it and submit it to a more known site....but....

2007 turn out was in the 1200 entries range despite freezing temperatures and icing on the cake in the form of Rain on the weekend...not exactly a great experience, but also not typical to Texas that time of year...

This year, 400 entries despite the best weather imaginable, beautiful track, and decent pro purse.

Many local professionals who should have been on the track were on the sidelines watching, wishing it were them. Why? None of them could keep a bike running for a price that meets their budget. That's not a conjecture, but rather compilation of conversations with the very pro's sitting on the sidelines.

Now days the cost of running a race can not be made back with the pro purse. If you don't win, or don't think you can win, don't race, it will cost too much in merely gas to come race and entry fees.

How about at the national pro level? How many times have you heard a privateer wanting to race a 450, stating his equipment is not on par in the 250 class? Can he not get the equipment? Sure he can, everything has a price. Can he afford the equipment? No way.

One race on a fully tuned 250f and you entire motor is TOAST. Needs absolutely EVERYTHING, and that's with aftermarket parts that cost more to begin with.

Four stroke weekly budget to keep running with a competitive bike: 2000 minimum on a full out motor, I dare you to ask Mitch Payton how much each motor costs him....with his added staff in just mechanics, time spent in R&D, and parts....I bet the four stroke has quadrupled his racing budget from the two stroke days.

Two stroke weekly budget to keep running with a competitive bike: 120 bucks for a top end. Hell, make it a top end between moto's and a clutch. 500 bucks a week.

Why do you think there are less race teams now? Sure the economy is bad, but the cost of racing has climbed to a point that is pushing out the meat to our pro class: The riders outside the top twenty (In the outdoors...and those who run day qualifiers in supercross)

And those riders no longer can afford to race on equal equipment if they do decide to turn out.

Motocross is all rider, but confidence makes or breaks a person, and lining up knowing you will not get a good start surely doesn't help.

How sad. Time to pick up golf.

With more pay, cheaper equipment, better T.V. exposure, less grueling work outs, less injuries (ha, golf injuries!) and rich women, it's the perfect solution.

Golf, here I come!

And the magazines? Well, I have some thoughts.....but you will have to check back (sorry...I already wrote a novel here!)