"For you (American) STREET riders out there, two-strokes have been a thing of the past, banned in the U.S. for their unclean emissions since 1985 (100cc and over)."

i think this is correct. the last STREET 2 stroke in AMERICA was the RZ350 from yamaha if im not mistaken (it was still produced in europe for a while). thats one reason yamaha invented the banshee - they over produced the engine for the rz and thought, 'hey lets put it in a quad'. result= instant hit...only wish the powervalved version of the engine would have made it in the atv....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_Rz350

 

that may be right. I didn't read what you are talking about, but I think the Yamaha RZ350 was the last street legal production bike offered in the US, maybe that's what they're referring to. I had 2, but if I remember right they were available in 86 too. PV 2 stroke, that thing went with the Toomey kit!

I hope they don't stop production, DI might keep them going for a while

 

i will keep my eyes open for a uses RZ, no other bike can sound off like that! Would be sweet screeming fun bike

 

dang.that sucks they are going.but some of you guys said they will be back.o well.i have a 2-stroke already but it would be nice to have a new dirt bike.

 

I agree that the E-tec is a very good motor.. But, like anyone who pays for a big infomercial, they are going to use every fact they can to down-play competition. Most people don't even follow the engine maintenance guides for their own cars. In most cases its an oil change evey 3000,5000 miles.. and a new battery when it doesn't start in the middle of winter. It's the direct injection that makes the e-tec so much cleaner, the fact that they used 2 stroke is more or less a design choice they made. Less moving parts, lighter motors.. it all adds up. The Direct injection theory used on the e-tec has been used on 4 strokes before but mostly a few select cars. Direct injection allows a motor to run super lean air to fuel ratios without the risk of detonation, the fuel just isn't in the mix until it has to be. Better injectors, faster/smarter ECUs, more accurate sensors, and so on were all needed to get to this point. All this extra stuff to make a 250cc or 350cc 2-stroke run cleaner just costs too much. The market for a clean burning 2-stroke dirtbikes/quads just isn't there.. thats why they will still offer some as "race only" models. There was always an easy way to make the EPA happy, just switch to a 4 stroke. BRP took the time to fix their 2 strokes instead of throw away the key. Boating does have a market for a clean burning 2-stroke. As costs come down it should be able to spread.

 

2-strokes had a great run but I do believe they will become a thing of the past before too long (unfortunately). Snowmobiles are switching to 4 stroke motors slowly but surely too. What's next? All of us riding solar powered quads....[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

I may be wrong, but from what I have read in the past 2 stroke outboards are banned on all California lakes.

 

You would be wrong.