Micahdogg
04-17-2009, 04:21 PM
Looking up new two stroke information got me reading this article. Pretty interesting to see how the 2009 YZ250 stacks up...and how detached some riders are with a 2 stroke motor:
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/11/1865/Motorcycle-Article/2009-Yamaha-YZ250-2-Stroke-Bike-Test.aspx
Enter..........LONG rant:
I'm a two stroke guy. I just love the explosive power that an F bike doesn't have. I think 50% of me just loves being able to twist the throttle 1/32 of a turn and have the motor go BLAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and just explode (while hanging on for dear life). And the other 50% of me just loves knowing I know how to control the power while many others would find themselves on their azz.
Anyway, I recall hearing about the - gasp - infamous 2 stroke ban that was coming in 2006. We all thought the EPA would force all 2 strokes to be done after that point. And back then I told myself I was going to buy a brand new 2 stroke so that I could have the best of the best. I personally think bikes can be about 7 years old before really showing their age, and that would have given me a great, brand new, viable, fun machine that I could enjoy for a long long time.
Well, it didn't go that way. 2006 came.....and went, and there was no ban. Actually I think the KX125 was the only bike that you couldn't get and I don't know that they never made a 2006, but if they did...it was just never imported to the US? Either way, I recall not being heart broken over the KX125. I hate 125's....but my hate is only equaled by my love for the 250's. And in 2006 everyone was still making them....and the evil EPA really weren't instituting some ban after all.
So I felt pretty good about things...until later that year. I remember 2007 bikes were coming out and Kawasaki told us what many were fearing. NO more KX250. Ugh, I couldn't believe it. I always wanted a KX ever since I was a little kid. I just loved those green bikes. But when I thought about it....the KX's years of dominance were long gone. In the new millennium, even Suzuki were building better bikes. And Kawasaki really stopped putting any effort into improving their 2 strokes....so you know what, good riddance. Would I really spend $6000 on a bike that hadn't been updated other than "bold new graphics" when I could get a one year older version for several grand less? So I didn't really care that Kawasaki was out of the game. EVERYONE else was still in the game.
Then Honda dropped the bomb. 2007 would be the last year for the CR85, CR125 and the CR250. Ugh. This really broke my heart, because I wanted to pick up a last year CR250. I wasn't prepared at that time to drop the coin on a new CR.....but I really considered it in wake of the news. Having been on a 2001 RM250 the past couple years I had to familiarize myself with Honda again. I knew they had that electronic powervalve which IMO would set the standard for all 2 strokes. So I read up on the 2007 and the models leading up to it. Yeah, turns out it wasn't that great of a bike. Sometime around 2003 I think, Honda went to a case-reed intake and the power did not result in the expected torque house that Honda thought it would be. But Honda stuck with the design until 2007 and never did fully sort it out. Coupled with the "glitchy" electronic power valve and it produced a dyno queen for the magazines that appeared to have some serious real world issues with ridability. At least this was what people seemed to universally say about the bike which didn't set well at all with me. Finally around 2005 Honda just gave up and started restickering the thing with "bold new graphics." Is this the bike I want? I think not. Damn you honda.
So we carry into the end of the year. RM's were rocking the house. YZ's had been sporting a fancy brand new aluminum frame for a couple years. KTM was rocking a revolutionary steel frame which was the lightest in the industry (new for 2007). I still felt pretty good about things. I thought highly of YZ's, I really enjoyed my RM, and I had to give KTM props for really putting R&D into their 2 strokes. Things were still ok with me. As I looked to see what was in store for 2008..............another BOMB dropped by Suzuki. No more RM125. OMG you have got to be kidding me. SO this is how it goes....axe the 125's just to soften people up to the idea that the 250's will be next? As I mentioned previously, I'm not a 125 guy......so no personal love loss, but this isn't a good trend. We remain anxious for a newly redesigned RM250 only to find ***drumroll***.....bold new graphics for 2008. Great.
Considering my 2001 RM looks virtually identical to the 2008, sans seat cover and bold new graphics, I found it really hard to justify $6200 for a bike that I could spend $250 on mine and make look identical to. Especially considering mine is paid off. Yeah, that's a tough one. So the jury was out for 2008. The KTM's were getting better and better, YZ's were getting a little stagnant, but not nearly as bad as the RM. Again, rumors persist about a redesigned aluminum frame RM250 for 2009 so we wait. And then Suzuki drops the BOMB..........................no more RM. Great. Just flipping great. So now a POS, non updated 2008 RM250 is supposed to be a prized possession? Don't get me wrong...I have mad love for Suzuki, but they have NOT gotten better since 2005. They have simply plateaued. And again, it ain't gonna look much different from what I have. And I am spending a lot of money for no support, or at least decreasing support as each year goes by.
So here I am, 2009. I want a two stroke, but the "end of two strokes" hasn't gone how I thought it would. I envisioned all the companies releasing their best 2 strokes ever and drawing a line in the sand....are you a F guy a smoker guy? And me answering that call with a brand new smoker. Rather, I've had to watch manufactures give up on their bikes and try to pass off their restickered, non updated garbage to me. These bikes could be so great if they got the same R&D as the thumpers, but now I feel pressured into a thumper just to get good support (from the dealer and aftermarket).
My only real options are the 2009 YZ250 or the 2009 KTM 250SX, which is how I stumbled on the review posted above. I think Yamaha is delaying the inevitable. And I think they only keep the YZ125 due to some guilt they may be harboring over launching the YZ400F :) I really do give props to KTM for carrying no less than about 10 different 2 stroke models though....and I think I may be finding myself on orange in the near future just to show them that there are some of us out here who want a new two stroke.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/11/1865/Motorcycle-Article/2009-Yamaha-YZ250-2-Stroke-Bike-Test.aspx
Enter..........LONG rant:
I'm a two stroke guy. I just love the explosive power that an F bike doesn't have. I think 50% of me just loves being able to twist the throttle 1/32 of a turn and have the motor go BLAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and just explode (while hanging on for dear life). And the other 50% of me just loves knowing I know how to control the power while many others would find themselves on their azz.
Anyway, I recall hearing about the - gasp - infamous 2 stroke ban that was coming in 2006. We all thought the EPA would force all 2 strokes to be done after that point. And back then I told myself I was going to buy a brand new 2 stroke so that I could have the best of the best. I personally think bikes can be about 7 years old before really showing their age, and that would have given me a great, brand new, viable, fun machine that I could enjoy for a long long time.
Well, it didn't go that way. 2006 came.....and went, and there was no ban. Actually I think the KX125 was the only bike that you couldn't get and I don't know that they never made a 2006, but if they did...it was just never imported to the US? Either way, I recall not being heart broken over the KX125. I hate 125's....but my hate is only equaled by my love for the 250's. And in 2006 everyone was still making them....and the evil EPA really weren't instituting some ban after all.
So I felt pretty good about things...until later that year. I remember 2007 bikes were coming out and Kawasaki told us what many were fearing. NO more KX250. Ugh, I couldn't believe it. I always wanted a KX ever since I was a little kid. I just loved those green bikes. But when I thought about it....the KX's years of dominance were long gone. In the new millennium, even Suzuki were building better bikes. And Kawasaki really stopped putting any effort into improving their 2 strokes....so you know what, good riddance. Would I really spend $6000 on a bike that hadn't been updated other than "bold new graphics" when I could get a one year older version for several grand less? So I didn't really care that Kawasaki was out of the game. EVERYONE else was still in the game.
Then Honda dropped the bomb. 2007 would be the last year for the CR85, CR125 and the CR250. Ugh. This really broke my heart, because I wanted to pick up a last year CR250. I wasn't prepared at that time to drop the coin on a new CR.....but I really considered it in wake of the news. Having been on a 2001 RM250 the past couple years I had to familiarize myself with Honda again. I knew they had that electronic powervalve which IMO would set the standard for all 2 strokes. So I read up on the 2007 and the models leading up to it. Yeah, turns out it wasn't that great of a bike. Sometime around 2003 I think, Honda went to a case-reed intake and the power did not result in the expected torque house that Honda thought it would be. But Honda stuck with the design until 2007 and never did fully sort it out. Coupled with the "glitchy" electronic power valve and it produced a dyno queen for the magazines that appeared to have some serious real world issues with ridability. At least this was what people seemed to universally say about the bike which didn't set well at all with me. Finally around 2005 Honda just gave up and started restickering the thing with "bold new graphics." Is this the bike I want? I think not. Damn you honda.
So we carry into the end of the year. RM's were rocking the house. YZ's had been sporting a fancy brand new aluminum frame for a couple years. KTM was rocking a revolutionary steel frame which was the lightest in the industry (new for 2007). I still felt pretty good about things. I thought highly of YZ's, I really enjoyed my RM, and I had to give KTM props for really putting R&D into their 2 strokes. Things were still ok with me. As I looked to see what was in store for 2008..............another BOMB dropped by Suzuki. No more RM125. OMG you have got to be kidding me. SO this is how it goes....axe the 125's just to soften people up to the idea that the 250's will be next? As I mentioned previously, I'm not a 125 guy......so no personal love loss, but this isn't a good trend. We remain anxious for a newly redesigned RM250 only to find ***drumroll***.....bold new graphics for 2008. Great.
Considering my 2001 RM looks virtually identical to the 2008, sans seat cover and bold new graphics, I found it really hard to justify $6200 for a bike that I could spend $250 on mine and make look identical to. Especially considering mine is paid off. Yeah, that's a tough one. So the jury was out for 2008. The KTM's were getting better and better, YZ's were getting a little stagnant, but not nearly as bad as the RM. Again, rumors persist about a redesigned aluminum frame RM250 for 2009 so we wait. And then Suzuki drops the BOMB..........................no more RM. Great. Just flipping great. So now a POS, non updated 2008 RM250 is supposed to be a prized possession? Don't get me wrong...I have mad love for Suzuki, but they have NOT gotten better since 2005. They have simply plateaued. And again, it ain't gonna look much different from what I have. And I am spending a lot of money for no support, or at least decreasing support as each year goes by.
So here I am, 2009. I want a two stroke, but the "end of two strokes" hasn't gone how I thought it would. I envisioned all the companies releasing their best 2 strokes ever and drawing a line in the sand....are you a F guy a smoker guy? And me answering that call with a brand new smoker. Rather, I've had to watch manufactures give up on their bikes and try to pass off their restickered, non updated garbage to me. These bikes could be so great if they got the same R&D as the thumpers, but now I feel pressured into a thumper just to get good support (from the dealer and aftermarket).
My only real options are the 2009 YZ250 or the 2009 KTM 250SX, which is how I stumbled on the review posted above. I think Yamaha is delaying the inevitable. And I think they only keep the YZ125 due to some guilt they may be harboring over launching the YZ400F :) I really do give props to KTM for carrying no less than about 10 different 2 stroke models though....and I think I may be finding myself on orange in the near future just to show them that there are some of us out here who want a new two stroke.