Rich Kid Sport

[+30]

Breezing through the catalog I came across an ad for a "Stage 3 Modified cyl head" from pro circuit for 04-05 crf250 or kxf250. this modified head bolt on kit retails for $4099.95 Im a 35 yr old vet rider on a two stroke. I remember mowing lawns for an entire summer to buy a pair of $130 three piece cranks for my bmx bike.(and walking uphill in the snow both ways to and from school blah blah blah...) How many lawns do the kids of the working poor these days have to mow to be competitive in the 125 class? If this continues how much will bolt ons cost in 10 years? $15000???The expense of the four strokes seem to be getting out of hand.Do your local tracks or amateur events you attend even have a stock class? What do you guys think? What if you had several kids into this stuff? Maybe Im missing something...four stroke riders do save alot of money on premix.

 

[mx547]

The expense of the four strokes seem to be getting out of hand.

have you seen the pro circuit replacement pipe for the dual silencer hondas? $999.95

 

[Masterphil]

The bottom line is, a better rider on a older/unmodded bike will still whoop up on a lesser rider on a new/modded bike.

 

[Sandjunky]

The bottom line is, a better rider on a older/unmodded bike will still whoop up on a lesser rider on a new/modded bike.

BAM! What he said.

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

Do your local tracks or amateur events you attend even have a stock class?

Yes, thank God! And I've seen a bunch of races and even experienced myself where a better rider on an stock bike blows by somebody who's got more money than talent. Still it's crazy how many ppl I see in the 85 class with $5000+ trailers, back-up bikes etc..

 

[mtk]

Racing always has, and always will be, a rich man's game.

 

[+30]

mtk

couldnt help but notice the maico on your bike list! Those were the fastest strongest motors, they would tear a hill down before they would get stuck on it....If local mx tracks gave holeshot money like supercross, the gate would be full of vintage maico 490's.(which would promptly pull off the track after the first turn.) Am I onto something? a dirt 1/8th drag strip or something. HA....

 

[High Lord Gomer]

MTK...what part of Georgia?

 

[MXFastGuy]

There is definitely more money in the sport now than 20 years ago when I was starting. But the good news is that (as many have pointed out) it's still a rider's sport. The rich kids definitely have some advantages, like being able to travel more etc, but if you have it, you have it, and if you don't, you don't.

You only have to look as far as circle track racing for something where results are truly driven by money.

As expensive as MX has become, I feel it's still pretty affordable and the best man wins.

I like these types of threads, by the way. Keep talkin guys!

Keepin' it real,
MXFastGuy

 

[mtk]

MTK...what part of Georgia?

I live in Pennsylvania; "+30" is from Georgia.

As for the Maico, yeah, the 490s have some motor to them. Alas, I haven't really had a chance to properly sample mine as the jetting still needs to be sorted out on it. I bought it at sea level and here at 1100' it is a little too fat on top to really pull as hard as it should.

One thing for certain; the clutch pull on the Maico will put hair on your chest. ;)

 

[motometal]

$4099? stop the madness! you can buy a brand new holdover 125 for under $3000 all day long! The whole bike, including the head! Of course, that would be an inferior, loser two stroke... :)

You couldn't spend 1/4 that much on a two stroke port and head job if you tried! (well, they might take your money if you insisted on paying that much).

It's come down to this: it's not even the bikes, the epa, or the factories anymore. It's the AMA/FIM's screwed up racing classes. They pooped in our bed, and now we have to sleep in it.

 

[Okiewan]

Of course, that would be an inferior, loser two stroke...

Well if there were any left racing, they'd have a chance to win and then disprove your inferior(ity) theory (complex). :p Last to win was who? JS... baggeed-on just about as much as thumpers, lol.

Are all the thumper haters just going to explode when the last 2-stroke rolls off the assembly line? Please take pictures.

Yeah, I'm making light of it, but the writing is on the wall. Might as well get over it, it's coming.

As far as cost of the sport? They are simply giving us what we ask for... faster, lighter, better every year, bikes that we are willing to pay for. They can't sell 'em if we aren't willing to buy them.

And there is the vintage class...

 

[motometal]

We'll see how it shakes out. I'm seeing the tide turning back the other way with outboard motors and snowmobiles. Ski-Doo's latest offering meets all the latest, strictest emission requirements, is 40 lbs lighter than the competitor's four stroke (Yamaha), and of course has equal or greater power.

Ironically, with bikes Yamaha is one of the leaders with keeping the 2 strokes going with their aluminum framed bikes.

But otherwise, I don't see the situation really "turning around" unless the racing rules change.

Okie-regarding your comments-keep in mind that most of us aren't pro racers, and factories obviously have some say in what the racers ride. They need every edge possible, but when it comes to average Andy amatuer or Paul playrider, that's another thing.

What many folks "really want" is for them to keep improving and producing the two strokes, we'll see what happens...

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

I'm confused, I was told that there was some law in place that was putting a hault to 2-stoke MX bike production next year? Are you guys saying that if they get it under certain emission rules they can keep making them?

 

[Okiewan]

Okie-regarding your comments-keep in mind that most of us aren't pro racers, and factories obviously have some say in what the racers ride

If that's the case, then it's pretty obvious they are pushing the 4-T. Why would they want to continue making two different bikes per class? And spend R&D on two? They don't, no company would want to double costs but still sell the same amount. If they believe people will stop riding/buying bikes because they stopped making a 2-stroke, they'd probably continue. I doubt they believe it however.

 

[XRpredator]

What many folks "really want" is for them to keep improving and producing the two strokes, we'll see what happens...

"many folks"?

In my neck o' the woods, I and most of my riding buddies went thumper long before it was cool.

You wonder why I'm so vehement? Because I'm demonstrating the absurdity of 2 stroke guys by being absurdly 4-stroke-ist . . .

 

[TemeculaTim]

In my neck o' the woods, I and most of my riding buddies went thumper long before it was cool.

Same here, We all decided that it was more fun to mix drinks, not gas. :laugh:

 

[brit yz125]

when it comes to average Andy amatuer or Paul playrider

Im sure I've read about those guys in a Jody Weisel story... but he forgot to mention they kicked his ass! :ride:

 

[MXFastGuy]

Okay, we can debate 2 stroke versus 4 all day long, but to each his own.

I'll tell you what I think is REALLY ridiculous: All the golf carts at the races. My mercy, does 8 year old Johnny really need a $10,000 golf cart to get around the pits? And would it really hurt ole dad to walk to the starting line and maybe get a bit of exercise? Not to mention all the dust these things generate zooming all over the pits all day. The tracks have a hard enough time keeping the track watered, now they have the pits to deal with. Sorry but I just have to laugh at these people.

Sorry for the rant. I'm only 32 but in many ways I feel like I'm turning into an old codger.

 

[Wraith]

I don't have any kids in MX, yet (have a 2 year old that twist's his wrist and says "vroom vroom" every time he get's a glimps of a bike). So there might be a rider in the making there? But for myself, I started riding about 6 years ago, bought two roached bikes before I bought the one I'm currently on now. When I bought this CR in 02, I had some choices in thumpers to choose from (not as many as today), but decided to go with a 2 stroke. Mainly for these reasons, one of them was easier to do topends and cheaper to boot (I've never done work on a thumper so it might be easy? and never bought parts, so it might be cheap?), The other reason was that since I was a new rider and thumpers were "coming back in", every one was saying how much easier they were to ride, and how they made you better, you could relax more on them, this and that etc...... I'm about the biggest spode you've ever seen, even more so when I bought the bike, and I bought a two stroke to learn how to ride on the pipe, back end kicked out, swapped, slammin gears and all that hoo haa. I'm sure you could do that on a Thumper, but being new to the sport, I didn't want to miss out on my chance to own a two stroke, and my chance to try to be able to ride it out there on the edge.
If I had a son old enough, ready to make the jump to 125/250f. I'd put him on a 125 two stroke just to help him learn throttle management/clutch control, and corner speed.

I haven't ever thought about buying a thumper until recently, and that is just because I've been wanting to try some S.M (supermoto) and it wouldn't be to hard to switch a bike back and forth. But, there is just something about coming up on a thumper rider and having him look back at you :aj: Yes, that's what a two stroke sounds like, or mabey I need to tighten my RC cables AGAIN. :coocoo:

 

[motometal]

"many folks"?

In my neck o' the woods, I and most of my riding buddies went thumper long before it was cool.

You wonder why I'm so vehement? Because I'm demonstrating the absurdity of 2 stroke guys by being absurdly 4-stroke-ist . . .

so, you guys would probably be blazingly fast riders on a 250 2 stroke, now that you have "trained" on a bike with an extra 70 lbs of un-needed weight.

I've got one of those older four strokes in the garage, and I love it (XR650). However, when I "get serious", that's not the bike i'm on. Just my personal choice, others may vary.

 

[motometal]

If that's the case, then it's pretty obvious they are pushing the 4-T. Why would they want to continue making two different bikes per class? And spend R&D on two? They don't, no company would want to double costs but still sell the same amount. If they believe people will stop riding/buying bikes because they stopped making a 2-stroke, they'd probably continue. I doubt they believe it however.

I don't think they will throw away the molds for the 2 strokes, though.

Regarding the snowmobiles, once they made it an overall emissions rule and not prejudiced against 2 strokes, the trend has gone back towards the 2 strokes, lighter, faster and just as fuel efficient. Outboards are going the same direction. That's what happens when you don't have some bs rules handicapping an engine design. Look at HD with the flat track bikes.

 

[Wraith]

so, you guys would probably be blazingly fast riders on a 250 2 stroke, now that you have "trained" on a bike with an extra 70 lbs of un-needed weight.



I've got one of those older four strokes in the garage, and I love it (XR650). However, when I "get serious", that's not the bike i'm on. Just my personal choice, others may vary.

:rotfl:
I know when the mud starts packing up, and the laps start building up, I'm sure glad there is no more weight than what is already there.
I'm still wanting to get some kind of DualSport, especially after watching Dust to Glory.

 

[Akira]

Like my dad always said this is an exspencive hobby/addiction, but I will agree that the price of after market parts are getting out of hand, espcily with four strokes. Unfourtuntaly the way things are going that will be the only thing that we will be able to buy before to long. LONG LIVE THE 2-STROKE!!!!!!!!!!! :aj: :aj:

 

[metal457]

I ride a 03 crf 450 that's pretty much stock, except jd jet kit, an fmf header and muffler that cost me just under 300 bucks. I only bought it cause the stock header got smashed. It's hard to understand that when I roll up to the gate with the other junior rider's, and even seeing some of the beginner's with 800 dollar carbon fiber, and titanium garb, makes me laugh a little. When 800 dollars would go a long way in some very good suspension work. I rode my buddies MB-1 250f and it felt like a caddy to compared to my bike. But what good is suspension, it doesn't show how much money you wasted on like a pipe, or wheels, or 4 new set's of gear.
Just waitin for the day I get my suspension done.