honda dirtbikes 4-stroke, 2 stroke comparisons

I'm going to buy a new bike and am tossing up between the cr250 and the
crf450. I recently sold my 98 cr250, and have always been a fan of the
simplicity of the 2-stroke engine, I realize the technology that has been
put into the new high revving 4-stroke bikes but also think the motors must
be on the edge, sacrificing reliability for power. I am aware of the
teething problems that came with the first model of the yzf426 and am
worried about any problems with the Honda. I trust Honda doesn't have so
many problems, being such a reliable maker of bikes in the past, but I need
the perspective of unbiased opinions. any opinions are appreciated, also
about the differences in power delivery and handling. thanks

 

well first of all you need to decide where you are going to ride this will play a part on
which bike you would buy

the Honda is a first run
the Yamaha has been through 400,426,now 450 , this would prob be a consideration

the 4 strokes are reliable now with good power delivery , good oil often and minor other maintenance and all good

 

You cant go wrong with the CRF450, its in its second year now, but even
the first years didnt have any trouble. Well the one that was raced
here didnt anyway (lots of pony express races and enduros). I
personally wouldnt go for the YZ426F as I read reports (never ridden
one) that the power delivery is somewhat two stroke like in order for
Yamaha to tempt two stroke riders over to the dark side. The YZ450F
glows in the reviews I've read, 4 speed box = mega torque. Chad Reed
went for a blast on it and was only using 2nd and 4th gears!

Dont discount the YZ250F though, I personally saw one beat the guy on
the CRF450 last year (both very, very good riders though). I have
ridden one of these (YZ250F) and found the power delivery to be great,
you can just open the throttle in the turn without worrying about
wheelspin and it just hooks up and drives out. Whereas on a two stroke
(especially my old IT250) throttle control is critical. The YZ250F is
deceptive, it feels quite slow because its not hanging the back out like
a stroker, but instead its putting the power down and driving you out of
a turn. And it bloody revs till only dogs can hear it! Also, the
CRF250 will be here soon.

Cheers,
Ash

 

(buries head in hands)

You know, Ash, when BT had the rally in his paddock, had I come, I would've
quite likely left the 6R at home and come in the van, YZ-F in the back, so
as to provide some slapstick... would've been funny to watch a succession of
people pipe up, "Oh, give_us_a go", stumble over to the bike, try to kick it
while still holding their stubby of VB or bottle of poofta drink in one
hand, lose their balance and get pinned to the ground when the bike falls on
top of them... bonus points if the kick which sends them toppling actually
gets the bike to fire and they end up having the header pipe singe the hair
off their right calf.

I regret my not doing that even more now that I realise that, had I done it,
you'd've had a go, and you'd've had this preconception you have about a
YZ426's vicious power delivery exorcised from your skull forever.

As it stands, you'll now have to wait until I fix the clutch cover... @#$%&!
Yamaha, stick a flimsy-arse bit of cast magnesium right where the rear brake
pedal can smack it... @#$%&!

For the record, the one time I rode a CR-F, I found it considerably harder
to ride than my thing. The YZ-F growls off the bottom end, then builds. The
CR-F just comes on in a surge, like a two-stroke, except it does it right
off a closed throttle, instead of a third of the way around.

 

Fairy 'nuff, like I said, I've never ridden one, thats just what I've
heard. Mind you, I should have known better really, its obviously like
the "two strokes are unreliable" stories. At least I had the disclaimer
that I've never ridden a YZ426F Actually maybe it was the YZ400F
the stories are about. Hmmmm, bottom line, **** the stories, ride as
many of em as you can, base the decision on that.

As for a ride on your YZ-F, tempting, but I dunno about that
decompression lever and all that hot start button malarky, I'm a fan of
the electric leg myself. Though having said that, I havent seen many
people struggle to start their YZ-Fs'. The XT doesnt have enough
compression to warrant replacing the broken automatic decompression cable!

One point about the CRF is that the decompression lever is on the
handlebar next to the clutch lever, which, I was told by one chappie,
made it nigh on impossible to start in gear as he had trouble holding
the clutch and decomp in together. 'Course the solution there is not to
crash, but he was a fellow C grader and much faster than me, so I wont
cast any stones...

Cheers,
Ash

 

Chad Reed went for a blast on it and was only using 2nd and 4th gears!
Fairly hard not to use 1st to get going and 3rd between..

 

****, this is Chad Reed we're talking about... if he'd_really_wanted to show
off, he'd've done the whole course in neutral...

 

For the record, the one time I rode a CR-F, I found it considerably harder to ride than my thing.
Ride any bike less than your own is usually harder.. The CR-F owner
would say the same about yours.

 

Good point, but I meant once he was rolling as you damn well knew
You can skip 3rd if you just click up twice without letting the clutch
out, either way, gobs of torque. Besides, I probably got the story
completely wrong, I think I read it while browsing the mags in a
newsagents, didnt buy the mag.

Cheers,
Half-a-story-Ash

 

it's hardly difficult not to use first...

Charlie

 

NO HANDED

 

True, now I think about it, I've done a few starts in second to reduce
wheelspin.

Cheers,
Ash

 

Different story on a 4 speed bike. Specially if you have your gearing
right for the track