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[QUOTE="Okiewan, post: 1467321, member: 16119"] Correct. And a 250 2T is in the same class as the 450 4T. added: The 4-stroke is inherently less efficient as the 2-stroke, thus the need for overhead / twin cams, etc... these 4 stroke engines are similar in design to formula 1 … high-tech and high revving! On the other hand, a modern 250 2-stroke is as complicated as a weed-whacker and much smaller in overall size and weight. The governing bodies had to allow the new (around '97-99 if I recall) 4-strokes to go all the way-up to 450cc to race in the 250 class, (soon after the 250f in the 125 class) to be "competitive". The debate was heated to say the least. What many found was while the 4's had wide powerbands with a lot on the bottom which allowed less accurate gear selection and less clutch use, they had / have a tendency to stand-up in the corners, meaning, it's harder to keep one in a rut/berm and leaned over; when you get on the gas coming out, you had to fight it more to keep it leaned over. Easy enough to understand: higher center of gravity and more mass. 4-strokes are generally heavier overall, any carry some of that additional weight higher up in the frame. Another difference is felt in jumping ... some felt it was easier in that when you chop the throttle after leaving the jump face (due to engine breaking) the need for rear brake-stabs was reduced. 2-strokes free wheel much easier (less engine braking). Early on, before everyone adapted to the 4t's, there were lots of stories of engines dying mid air... you can brake-stab a 2t without the clutch, do it with a 4t and you kill it. Finally, the biggest impact 4-strokes have had, imho is NOISE. This was and is a huge issue in the sport. The problem is that 1) they are louder and 2) the frequency of the noise much lower .... think sub woofer. The sound travels much farther. This lead to mass track / riding area closings. As urban sprawl continues, it just gets worse. Finding a good close-to-home place to ride continues to be a thing for most of us. In my case, we had a great track, just north of Dallas, that was a 30 minute drive. Great dirt, and a good owner who prep'd it well and often. We could take-off early on a Saturday, get a ton of laps in and be home by noon. When life keeps you busy, you don't necessarily have a full weekend day to spend each week, so it was perfect. [B]Closed due to noise.[/B] The owner told me straight-up, 4-strokes were to blame. So here we are. Fewer places to ride and new 450's cost $10,000. Dealerships will tell you sales are down and have been for a few years. That's why I tell anyone that asks about getting into the sport, to test the waters before going all in. Find a used bike that's easy and inexpensive to maintain. Buy used gear if you can, although a new helmet is a must (never buy a used one). Limit the $$ you spend until you know you are in it for the long haul. You can always upgrade. [/QUOTE]
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MX, SX & Off-Road Discussions
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