i've said it before and I'll say it again: This shit cannot last!!! EG:http://www.dirtbikemagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=31AA04B85C6144EEAF8AB54B15C999EA
Those guys are about as out of touch with the "common rider" as the US government is with Al Qaeda. The CRFs are cheap when engine problems arise apparently... *barf*
But seriously, I got told 3 grand for a bottom end job. My 01 YZ250 cost a little over HALF that, for a whole new bike. I started going out to the track again about 8 months ago now... first time I was there I saw about 3 smokers, a 125 and two 250s I think. At this time I was a four stroke rider, simply because I didn't know any better. the next time was 7 months ago, and there were 5. By the way im counting full size bikes alone. The next was 5 months ago and there were a bit fat 10 smokers all screaming around the track, 4 months ago there were still ten and then 1 month ago it went up to 16 two stroke, pure bred, four stroke eating motocross machines. I was so phsyched cos by this time I was doing a shit ton of reading and realising that the four stroke motocross machine is a joke.
lets assume for a moment that the average motocross riders annual income is $70,000 Australian dollars. They have 2 kids and a wife. Take 10 off straight up for food. Bills, another 20, Super contributions probably another 10, 2-10 thousand for emergencies or fixes around the house, maybe 1 grand for school related stuff, and probably another 10 for house repayments maybe. That brings the total up to $51,000 taken off for ordinary expenses alone in the most simplistic life I can think of. Theres car rego, car repayments, fuel costs, taxes and god knows what else. You're left with DICK ALL to pay for a 4 stroke motocross bike. As a result of this thousands upon thousands of people stop riding.
I am shitting no one when I say high school economics or business studies will teach you that the motocross industry can't sustain this four stroke shit. Thats all there is to it.
2 strokes are more fun, cheap as chips, easier to start, much lighter, much better handling, make more ponies per cc, look nicer, sound nicer, have a beautiful smell. I don't understand how people can say no I want a heavy, expensive, boring, hard to start, weighted handling, slower, deafeningly loud, scentless machine