Messages

226

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Pro rider on a two stroke for opening round of ama mx?

« on: April 21, 2010, 10:13:17 AM »

Best of luck to Mike & Mike - too bad no one will be able to hear how good their bikes are going to sound over the wet-fart 450's!!!!

227

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Trade my 450f for your 250

« on: April 17, 2010, 05:54:29 PM »

I am a regular on www.mainedirtbikes.com, and I see quite a few people looking to trade 4 strokes for 250 2 strokes. 

228

General Two Stroke Talk / Service Honda 500AF vs. CRF450

« on: April 14, 2010, 12:51:54 PM »

I was poking around today and found this article - still decent even with my Honda Hater mentality lately...  I just wish they let the testers have a few days to learn how to ride a 2-stroke again before comparing lap times!!  That 500AF sure does look sweet....

http://easterndirt.com/stories/500af/pages/service_1.html

229

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: ban the 4 stroke face book

« on: April 13, 2010, 10:20:47 AM »

My buddy has a private track on his own land out of town, and we rode their all the time on our 2-strokes, some times 4-5 bikes at a time.  Then he invited a couple guys with piped CRF450's, the neighbors called the cops, and that started a huge mess.  There is no noise ordinance in the town, so the cops could not shut him down.  3 or 4 of the neighbors got together and sued him.  It got settled out of court, but now we can only ride 2 hours at a time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:00 to 7:00, no weekends at all.  4 strokes should be limited to 90 dB at wide open throttle!!

230

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Honda is contributing to environmental groups.

« on: April 13, 2010, 10:15:35 AM »

I read that the other day, can't wait to see the full article.  Rick and Matt are doing a great job with those articles and the new website!!  I've been a huge fan of Super Hunky/Rondo Talbott for 30 years!!  Finding his articles about 5 years ago got me back into dirtbikes after too many years away from the sport.

231

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Count another 2-Stroke Convert, Maybe, need your help.

« on: April 07, 2010, 01:02:40 PM »

I ride a '98 YZ250, and the only thing I have trouble with are aftermarket graphics.  I can still get just about everything else either through dealers or on-line, so you shouldn't have a problem.  I even replaced most of the gears and bearings in my transmission a couple years back, and had to wait a few weeks for some of the parts, but they were still available.  ~Russ

232

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Great YZ250 history article in MXA

« on: April 07, 2010, 12:02:26 PM »

I agree and hope you're right John.  I think the best plan would be equal displacement for each class, and bring back the 125 Nationals.  125 two-strokes, 250 2 and 4 strokes, and Open 2-strokes and 4 strokes.  Simple to understand for the non-racer, no having to explain why 125's race against 250's etc.  Can you imagine what the turnout would be to see Justin Barcia, Austin Stroupe, Christophe Pourcel and the rest tearing up the track on 125's?  They wouldn't even have to make it a "stepping stone" to the big bikes like it has been.  Back in the 70's & 80's the 125 class had top talent in it and was as prestigious as the 250 and Open classes.  Remember Broc Glover, Johnny O, and Mark Barnett???  And don't even get me started about bringing back Open Class 2 strokes - I know it will never happen from the big 4, but get Maico in there!!!   ~Russ

233

General Two Stroke Talk / Great YZ250 history article in MXA

« on: April 07, 2010, 05:37:46 AM »

In today's MXA on-line there is a great write-up on the history of the YZ250 under the Mid-Week Report, you have to scroll down a ways to get to it.

http://motocrossactionmag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=E7A745697F57419BA75AB5992312560F

"Despite there not being any revolutionary, new technology found with the 2010 YZ250, the real celebration was over the fact that Yamaha was having a YZ250 press intro at all.  It seems ironic that at a time when all the factories are suffering a downturn in new bike sales, that some of them at least may have helped foment the problem by doing away with their more affordable two-stroke models."

234

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Count another 2-Stroke Convert, Maybe, need your help.

« on: April 07, 2010, 05:00:57 AM »

Definitely a flywheel weight and FMF Gnarly pipe.  I have also had good luck with V-Force3 reeds on my YZ250, they bump up the low-end quite a bit.  You can also retard your timing a little, this will take away a bit of the snap, extend the over-rev, and lessen any tendency to ping on pump gas.  As far as bike choice, I love the YZ - excellent suspension, predictable handing, great straight-line stability.  The RM is great as well - best turning 250 ever, but a little less stable at high speed.  For tight track riding I would pick the RM, for more wide open tracks I would go with the YZ.  You should be able to find an '05 or newer of either in great shape for around $3000.

235

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: RIP AMA National Series???

« on: April 01, 2010, 10:13:43 AM »

It certainly is cool!!  I love the national at Unadilla, but the 250 USGP was awesome back in the day.  I loved seeing the exotic European hand-build works bikes!!  Those twin-cylinder 250 2 strokes sounded like nothing else I have ever heard!!

236

General Two Stroke Talk / RIP AMA National Series???

« on: March 24, 2010, 05:26:36 AM »

Just saw this on the MXA site, scroll down to the "Post Dallas Rumor Mongering" paragraph.

http://motocrossactionmag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=3E4A63515945494884
3B924D7D308DC3

Sad........

237

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Spring Ride of 2009

« on: March 23, 2010, 05:52:30 AM »

Nice read Jetz, reminds me a lot of the old days of trail riding in southern Maine.  Back in the late '70's to early '80's we had trails everywhere, a dozen sand pits, and 4-5 small MX tracks to ride.  If we wanted to, we could ride all day and would need to leave trucks with gas cans at spots where the trails crossed roads.  I had my first real bike, a '78 RM 125, my friends had bikes like KDX175's, YZ80's, RM100's and the like.  My friend Todd's dad and his friends were all B enduro riders and had Husky's, KTM's, and Can-Ams.  They seemed like old men back then, but when I look back, they were all probably 15 years younger than I am now!!  Those days are gone, sadly enough.  The trails are all closed or developed now, riding the steep, rocky trails up Mt. Agamenticus we used to love now will get you arrested and your bike impounded.  The sand pits are closed, and the tracks all gone.  I have one left to ride, and the neighbors still call the cops on us now and then, but they can't do much since it is on my friend's private property.  I miss those days every year when spring comes around, enjoy it while you still can!!  ~Russ

238

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Motomike 894 injured on Saturday...

« on: March 22, 2010, 10:49:43 AM »

Ouch - bad luck!!!  I've done both, but not at the same time!!!  Take it easy and get healed Mike, sorry to hear about the crash.  ~Russ

239

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: another reason why the ama is bass akwards

« on: March 19, 2010, 05:00:12 AM »

I agree also, the noise those things make is unbearable.  130 dB wide open down a straight, not the cheating 96 they claim with no load and at 1/2 max rpm.  It was the biggest change in racing when I started back up in '06 after 19 years off.  Back when it was only 2 strokes, you could tell how far the rider behind you was just by the sound.  Now even when they are a whole straight behind you, it still sounds like they are right on your rear wheel!!  I can't even hear my bike on the starting line.  It's kind of like the time I ran my street-legal Chevy Z-28 against a full-race Chevelle with open pipes at the dragstrip....

240

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Lost another track...

« on: March 18, 2010, 04:50:08 AM »

He was a great guy, let us ride there for free all summer long during the week when I was a teenager in the early '80's.  From what I understand, he took some fill/junk from someone in Massachussets who assured him it was clean and it ended up being hazardous material, and the EPA closed him down and I think they might have even seized the property.  Not sure on all the details, but that is what I heard 20 years ago or so.