The new Banshee will be a 784cc Twin cylinder two stroke based on the GP800 jet ski engine. No, not really, but here is my point okay we have heard that no two stroke atvs will be offered soon and dirt bikes still have two strokes. Ok if that was the only acception I would understand. But, what about jet ski's and snowmobiles they all have two strokes. Another thing is outboard motors (okay some outboards are 4), chainsaws and weed wackers all have two strokes(could you image how heavy a fourstroke chain saw would be). My point is we can't get rid of two strokes we depend on them tom much just like we can't get rid of the diesel engine (big trucks need them) because they pollute to much. Why are we the ATVer's left to suffer. And, I'm not knocking fourstokes I've owned many but some of us do preffer the two strokes. I wish we could make the manufactures and the EPA see this. The manufactures can make these engine more pollution friendly and they sould do it because its not fair other sport have these engines and we don't for long.
Okay a good dream is a 400 and 800 Banshee that won't happen, but how can Yamaha and others they offer so many jet skis like an GP800 (120HP) or better yet a GP120 (155HP). I'd like to hear everyones thoughts on the death of the two stroke in avt's.

 

I think it has to do a lot with lawsuits the Jamanese manufacturers got slammed with when they were making three wheelers. Kawi and Honda were hit the hardest, especially Honda. That is why Honda and the rest are very reluctant to make new high-po machines. Can't say I blame them, it was just like this back in the mid 80's when the 250 r and the tecate were going head to head. But even though many of us rode safely and had good gear, the majority of the American public didn't. When they got hurt, they sued. There were some huge penealties leavied against the manufacturers. Today, some of us still ride safely and wear gear, but the majority does not. I don't know if that is the main reason, but it definately is one good one. Sorry for the long post.

 

You make a good point but, if the manufactures are woried about lawsuits why is Yamaha making a High performance 660cc quad, could you get hurt just as fast on a 250R. Also if I remeber correctly back in the early 80's most accidents were on less performance minded atvs and many pointed to the fact that they lacked suspension which made then more dangerous when they would bounce out of control. I have most of the old atv mags fro then and I will have to dig them out for articles. What I don't understand is every weekend in the summer months here in MI you hear of a jet skier getting killed or hurt and thats been for years how come atvs took that big of hit. Don't get me wrong I don't want PWC getting the same stuff atv's have went through. But, to the point you can get hurt on a Suzuki Quad 80 as much as a Quad 500. I don't think is a safty issue anymore we pay for their lawsuits in the sticker price.

 

Also it is the stupid parents that buy their kids a 250R and get hurt or killed on it and they sue thae companies. If they are that stupid to buy there kid a quad that is high performance oriented and they get hurt it is the parents fault not the manufacture. Why don't the stupid parents get charged for child abuse/neglect for letting them ride a quad like that. Hey if you let your 12 yr old drive your Corvette and got killed you would be up s&^t creek without a paddle.

 

You are all right, but attornies look at it differently and after those lawsuits it changed thier coporate policies about high performance models.
Another reason is that we are a relatively small market share. Why spend lots of money developing a high performance model when they can churn out the same utility machine and just reap the rewards.
Right know, their is huge competition in snowmobiles,watercraft, and motorcross models. If your product isn't competative, it gets passed over on the sales floor. The competition know is beat the DS650. That is what Yamaha is apparently going to do with their new machine. Hopefully, Kawasaki will produce their prototype racer, but from the rumors, it will be a four stroke, not a two stroke. This is not bad, Yamaha's YZ426 is a real screamer, and Honda is rumored to have a large displacement thumper to replace the cr500. I just read in a motocross mag that they have been working on it for 3 years, so it may be ready as a 2001 model.

 

I have been to some moto cross races and the new 400 4 strokes just do not have it yet to stay with the 2trokes.The CR 500 may be replaced with a 4 stroke but thats a open class bike and would not stay with 125 and 250 track bikes.I can not see 4 stoke thumpers powering snowmachine because the performance would be set back 20 years.

 

I disagree. First, let me make my preference clear, I want a light, nimble motocross oriented 2-stroke. Never power a snowmobile? Right now there is a machine being developed called the Magnum 500. It is not in production yet but it is a snocross machine. Four strike technology is outdated because it has not been developed, not because the four stroke itself is old fashioned. In one year Yamaha changed the way many of us view four strokes with the yz400. No radical new technology there, just an application of existing concepts.