Death of the 125 - what will be the last 125 year?

When do you think the big 4 (CR, YZ, KX, RM) will produce their last 125cc 2-strokes?

  • 2004

    Votes: 3 0.4%

  • 2005

    Votes: 22 3.3%

  • 2006

    Votes: 125 18.5%

  • 2007

    Votes: 87 12.9%

  • 2008 or later

    Votes: 164 24.3%

  • The 125cc 2-stroke will stick around for at least 10 more years

    Votes: 274 40.6%
  • Total voters
    675
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A

adam728

Member
Aug 16, 2004
1,011
0
Direct injection is coming. Manufacturers are even looking into it for lawn and garden applications.

Whether or not manufacturers will put it on 2 stroke motorcycles, who knows. If racing rules change and make a true 125 class again then I could see direct inject 2 stroke 125's in the future, and sticking around quite a while. If it's going to always be 125 2 stroke vs 250 4 stroke, then the death of the 125 is getting very near.

Tuesday I went to a track for practice. Out of about 40 big bikes there my 125 was the only 2 stroke. Some people seemed kind of amazed, asking why I would still ride one when 4 strokes are sooooooo much better.
 
K

KX250Dad

Member
Dec 4, 2006
204
0
Nope... the 125 2stk won't die and adam 228... "still ride one when 4 strokes are sooooooo much better" I feel your pain and frankly the so much better thing is getting old. Most who brag on their 4stk's either have money or less riding skill than a 2-stroker. The longer power ban and high torque less snap 4 stroke make riding safer given a rider of less skill, a larger margin of mistake window. In amatuer mx it's rider skill as much if not more so than the bike technology. Us amatuer riders aren't all A/PRO level thus matching technology within a class isn't as big a deal and there's nothing better than watching a 250 blow away a handful of 450F's and a 125 defeat those bragging 4 stroke 250F's. The 4 stroke is manufacturer driven and it's the manufacturer(s) driving the AMA. Seems they all forgot about us dads (and moms) that buy and fix the machines. Will we ever see a 2-stk only class... absolutely, and that's when we educate ourselves that the AMA isn't the only game in town and look at the NMA alternative. Frankly, the 450F will be around long time... it's dependable for the general public and I believe the 250F may very well die in not to distant future. To many of us non-pro's without support mechanics spend to much money and down time on questionable 250 4-stroke performance reliability. Thus the return of the 2 -stroke.
 
K

KX250Dad

Member
Dec 4, 2006
204
0
Okiewan... the post was not my attempt to start/continue a post battle. In keeping with the mx/sx/ax theme admittedly there was a rush to get 250F's, I know I was one of those "had to have one" After the first season, having to pull the 250F three times from various venues and revert to the 125 (which did well in each event) my son and I lost our confidence, sold the 250F, aquired a 250 2stk and had a heck of a season up against the 450F's. Cost to keep a bike running dependably is one thing, loose the confidence... now it's a different game. I, as well as others who do not have staff mechanics and factory technical support see the 250F reliability issues across the manufacturing board. John Q public can't afford both reliability/cost and confidience issues affiliated with the 250F. The recent AMA supplement for mx/sx/ax that didn't pass the board tells a story... 3-5 years when the 250 2-stk is up against the 250F who will complaining in these posts. The public (younger riders) are easily influenced when they see (then hear) the PRO's firing up the 4-stk's thus the increase in sales. What manufacturers and the AMA fail to realize is smoke and mirrors only works for awhile, eventually we catch on.
By the way... death of the 125... '09 unless the AMA and sponsor tracks loose membership and money to the NMA in which case they will have introduced 2stk only classes and the 125 will have lived to fight another day.
 
M

Moparman1539

Member
Sep 9, 2006
804
0
Well.. I dont know, Ive been starting to hear a turn around. Across the street is a dirtbike track, and i listen every time they race. YES! there still are more 4-strokes than 2-strokes, But ive been hearing more and more 2-strokes coming. i hope they dont go. I love the sound of a 2-stroke.
 
M

MacDaddyBlake

Member
Dec 14, 2006
2
0
I just bought a 125, and my next bike is going to be a 250! Damn the 4stroke to hell!

And yes, God knows there will NEVER be a substitute to the sound of a pack of 2-Strokes ripping up some mother earth! Damn the 4 stroke. Ive been fighting it tooth and nail since 1998 and I will NEVER buy one mark my words!
 
R

Rim-K

Member
Dec 12, 2006
10
0
Many riders return on 2 strokes in France (what's more in Belgium the new rule allow you to ride a stock 144), and I hope you do the same in the USA !! Remember how it sounds good ! Don't you prefer watching Stewart on a 125 KX than on a 450 ??
2 strokes will not die soon...
 

kawicam250

I bleed green!
Member
Aug 7, 2006
1,162
0

this is what we're all hoping :bang:
 
D

duke

Member
Oct 9, 1999
484
0
Dirt Rider announced that their March 07 edition will contain an article on the purchasing of used 125's, and then testing and evaluating them as a more economical alternative to the 250F's. It will interesting to see what their stance is
 
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