If Honda is dropping the 2-strokes after this year, aren't they going to have to come out with a flurry of new high revving 4-strokes to go in the CR MX bikes? Looks like the CRF450R is for real, but aren't they going to at least need a 250 and a 125? Maybe some of this technology will filter down to the quad market??

 

God! I thought they we're being axed in 02', now its 03', next year it'll be 04'.Yes, hopefully the CR450F will trickle its way into a quad,but the 2strokes aint' goin' nowhere.

 

YZguy,

We covered this topic a few times over the last few months. It seems Honda has no intention of dropping the 2 strokes in their CR lineup since those are classified as closed course competition only. It is sort of a marketing-gimmic loophole when they say they are no longer producing 2-strokes.

The CR lineup will be here for a LONG time to come. In fact, the 2002 CR250 has a completely new engine. This is the first time the engine has been completely redesigned since the early 90's (new cases and everything). I don't think they would dump the millions of $$$ required to completely redesign the entire motor unless they intended for it to be around for a while.

 

As a quad rider (not an MX dirtbiker) I actually regarded the demise of the 2-stroke CR's as GOOD NEWS, because this would make them develop some new 4-stroke technology!

 

YZguy,

I agree that the end of the two stroke would spur on some seriously competitive thumpers. But.. the thing is, I think Yamaha has already made Honda respond with their YZF's. I race +30 B (old MXer) and every race I see more and more YZF400/426's as well as KTM's.

The CR450F will be out this year and I would bet that Honda is working on a 250 right now to answer to the YZ250F. Whether any of that tech makes it to quads is anybody's guess, though.

If Yamaha had made the new Raptor with a YZ426 motor I might have considered buying one.

 

Me too 87R, I'm 2stroke to the bone, but a 426 full on high performance quad would be hard to resist.

 

Hey 87R, drop me an Email, I'm from IL too.Maybe we could meet up and tear up some terra firma sometime,Later.

 

DP

 

Gary, check your email.

 

I read somewhere in one of the magazines, a prediction Yamaha would be dropping the 426 in favor of a 450 to counter Hondas 450????