Motocross Mania

The motocross industry has evolved over the last five to ten years, more than most people think. Pre 2001 for instance, there wasn’t a competitive four stroke on the market in the 125/250F category, mainly due to the fact that this category hadn’t even been created, the popularity of the two stroke meant there was no room for a 4 stroke as well.

Around 1999, Yamaha were coming on strong with their 400F, which eventually developed into the 426F and then what is now the 450F. Yamaha eventually took the leap and brought out their 250F for 2001, which was fairly reliable seems though it was the first production model, but still needed changes. The development continued and they were eventually followed by Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki, who all brought out 250F’s for 2004.

KTM decided they wanted a piece of the action and were developing some good 4 stroke bikes, but they were not particular well thought of in the motocross industry due to their unreliability and high price. Then, Year 2000, Shane Watts took the GNCC circuit by storm, eventually nailing the title. At a similar time, Grant Langston was showing similar dominance on the AMA motocross circuit proved everyone wrong. Eventually Jamie Dobb, UK, sealed the deal for KTM by winning the 125 World Championship. Of Course, these were all won using two strokes, but they helped raise the profile of KTM to what it is today.

Anyway, enough of the history, lets look at the fundamentals of the two engines, including a few pros and a few cons.

The two stroke engine has been the foundation of motocross for the last few years, but has been pushed aside now for the newly developed four stroke. This has come about mainly due to the fact that it’s probably easier to develop the four strokes, than the two strokes, into something that’s environmentally friendly and sustainable.

The two strokes offer explosive power which is definitely not for the faint hearted. Most suggest that the two stroke power is better suited to the aggressive or more experienced rider, as the smooth, less experienced riders tend to get tired or out of rhythm quite quickly.

Two stroke engines do take a battering, but the good thing is, they are not only easy to fix, but cheap as well, unlike a four stroke, where most instances, you will need a professional mechanic to undertake engine work.

Of course there is a lot of hype surrounding two strokes, several governing bodies are threatening their future by potentially banning them altogether, so some manufacturers have already started ditching 2 stroke developments and concentrated on their four stroke range.

Four strokes on the other hand, offer a much smoother power delivery as they don’t have a power band, which can catch a lot of riders out. As mentioned before, a lot of riders seem to fit in with the smoother power delivery. What I would say from experience on the technical enduro based terrain, is that the 250F compared back to back with a 125 two stroke is so much easier through the rough stuff. A 125 is so much work getting over big obstacles, constantly hammering the engine to get up hills, feathering the clutch until you smell it burning, while a four stroke is quite the opposite!

There are a couple of problems that still remain relating to four strokes. The first of course is that they are so expensive to maintain and repair, between oils, filters, cam chains and top end changes, the expenses really start to add up when running a four stroke.

The second and possibly more important issue is the noise. Four strokes have a much deeper tone which can generally be heard from a greater distance, which could put the sport in danger in the future.

Honestly there is no right or wrong answer. Some riders will swear by two strokes, while other will swear by four strokes, but that’s because the power delivery and overall setup of the machine suits their riding style down to the ground.

Try out both machines and take into account that the four strokes are generally more expensive and that includes both to purchase and repair. Motocross is an expensive sport, so if your spending so much on participating make sure you choose the right bike, you’ll not only have more fun, but will probably be a lot faster as well!