A dark secret!!

[njhardy]

Well, I had a few problems with the old girl last week- only giving 1/2 power again, not revving out fully, now making a new rattle from the gearbox- so she is up on the ramp again awaiting a damned good tinkering. Bugger.

My mate (madly) lent me his 2011 YZF250 for 2 days to 'try it out'- (he owns a bike shop by the way). Then (once he prized it out of my grip) lent me his 'old' 2006 CRF450 for the rest of the week.

The YZF (for anyone who hasn't ridden one) is just adorable -I'm sorry CRM, but I'm in love and it's not with you- its with a 4 stroke!! Now to be fair, the CRM doesn't pretend to be a full mx, but by God a modern 4 stroke like the YZF or CRF does everything that the CRM should do, but just different (may I say better?)...

The YZF was awsome- simple, smooth and lightning steering and balance but just lacked a bit of power at times- just so reassuringly fast. CRF was a bit too heavy for me (weight and steering) and she was a pig to start without fuel injection, but the power was just perfect for me.

I always adored my 2005 YZ250 and considered her a pinnacle of 2 stroke off-road bikes, even though she was a full-on lunatic machine that was hard to keep under control at times and tiring to ride for more than 2 hours. Maybe I'm getting older, but just loved the 4 strokes this week. -Am I banned from the forum?? :-(

So now I know why I have to work so bloody hard to keep up with the 'other guys' on their 4 strokes- they are just brilliant machines and I am suprised I can keep up with them at all!!

-Yes a dark secret indeed!!

[briangoo]

sorry but its just the smell of the 2 stroke being burnt & the sound of a 2 stroke. BANG consider yourself shot

[back off road]

wait till the 4 stroke drops a valve .its gonna cost as much as a crm

[njhardy]

Sooo cynical you lot.

Yes, I LOVE my 2 strokes- always will (hell, I owned a YZ250, X7 and an RD350 in my time!). However, until they re-incarnate the wonderful and bonkers bikes like the CR500 - which they won't, then we are at the mercy of the manufacturers with their silly aluminium-framed, pollution dodging machines.

But saying that, modern 4 strokes are outstandingly brilliant. Yes- 150 quid for a titanium valve is a bit strong and when it fails, because you havn't serviced it properly and it falls into the piston then you have a very expensive lump of junk and a hospital bill!! The YZF I just rode needed a full rebuild every 50 hours- and you can't do it on your kitchen table like I did with the CRM.

Stop talking me out of it!! - go for a ride on a good 4 stroke and try to tell me you don't like it!!

[fishtail]

i ride a 4 stroke every day,,,

hard to compare an IL4 with a single pot 2 smoker.,.,,

my missus's tw 200 is comparable(ish)

it feels a bit tame, and lacking some accelaration,,,

altho I do like being able to really get both feet on the floor with knees bent,,, handy that!!!

I would like a Vtwin as well,,, I just want "one of each" to ride!!!!!

[Eddie Evans]

Sooo cynical you lot.

Yes, I LOVE my 2 strokes- always will (hell, I owned a YZ250, X7 and an RD350 in my time!). However, until they re-incarnate the wonderful and bonkers bikes like the CR500 - which they won't, then we are at the mercy of the manufacturers with their silly aluminium-framed, pollution dodging machines.

But saying that, modern 4 strokes are outstandingly brilliant. Yes- 150 quid for a titanium valve is a bit strong and when it fails, because you havn't serviced it properly and it falls into the piston then you have a very expensive lump of junk and a hospital bill!! The YZF I just rode needed a full rebuild every 50 hours- and you can't do it on your kitchen table like I did with the CRM.

Stop talking me out of it!! - go for a ride on a good 4 stroke and try to tell me you don't like it!!

No surprise that a 2011 competition bike feels sharper than a clapped out 20 year old trail bike is there.
Then again get the CRM running right and check again. Running right, in the powerband they fly.
The suspension on a newer bike should be far better but a CRM should still put a smile on your face especially as you sail passed a newer bike when you are in the groove.

[fishtail]

i went for a run out with the boyz on sat -

my 96 crm smoked an ex6 of the line - and managed to hang onto the tails of a street triple thru some twisties,,,

loving 2 stroke

and the smell - love the scent of oil

[briangoo]

oh the smell keep talking
then the sound
any 1 got a tissue

[fishtail]

i put some of the recordings I made of the CRM here,,,,


http://www.freesound.org/people/martian/sounds/148855/#

[njhardy]

Here's the point- my 95 CRM is still running well(ish) after 17 years of abuse and still looks good for an old girl. In her day she was the best ride around in her class. She has put on a few pounds and wrinkles and is feeling decidedly tired alongside the younger generation (so am I). I wonder how many YZF's or CRF's will manage to see 17 years??

[njhardy]

Like the sound of your bike Fishy- she sounds really quick on the pick-up. Mine sounds far louder and more 'tinny'/'pinky' with my Prociruit exhaust. I'm sure the pick-up on mine should be more like yours, so I am going to replace the reeds, bearings and piston again in the summer with a new TRX job.

[fishtail]

quick on the pick up?

its all in the wrist...

( ps like your cunning ninja plan - I feel sure I will play with jets/ heads and cylinder head etc at some point eh?!

altho I got told off on a recent ride out by my sports bikes mates for pulling toooooooo many wheelies






think they were jealous?!!!

[knackeredMk1]

Fishtail - You need your baffles repacking. Will improve the sound (make it a bit deeper) and take the edge off that crackle but it will also improve the power. Though you're not likely to notice it much, engines run better with correctly packed silencers.

[john7780]

hang on hang on, ive got a 1998 tm 250 2 stroke, it has the same sort of torque as a 4 stroke, it destroys crf450's off the start gate and the low end power is 2nd to none

[back off road]

the 300 gas gas is very much like the TM ,AWESOME