Hmmm... thumpers...

[Crazyzilla]

This weekend i went out riding and got to ride a buddys of mines 450.... Wow. Sorry guys but i got the 4 stroke bug man. I love the ride, and the power is awsome. But, more or less, the bike just kinda fit me better. Ive always felt a little big on my yz, but his bike was bigger and heaviyer and i liked it. It wasnt so super-responsive. I may be putting my 03 yz285 up for bargain for a 450.

I know... i must be crazy right? after all i just got this bike... but... The bike i rode was awsome. It was just soo easy to ride, and it had sooo much torque reminded me of my old quadzilla but on 2 wheels.

Anyone near AZ might be interested in trading a YZ285 for your 450? Its kinda up in the air right now... but i guess this really just goes to show... its really just rider preference.

Any opions on this guys? Go ahead letm rip... i honestly cant see a reason not to do this... rebuilds on 4 strokes really arnt that bad anymore.

[mick34]

i made the four stroke swap not long ago and dont know why i didnt do it sooner i liked riding the yz but it is just to tiring and i didnt see the point in making things harder and your right there pretty easy to rebuild now and are good on maintence

[Just_a_trail_rider]

No need to be sorry. the 4 strokes are great bikes. I still have my wr450 and will never let it go. Its a different kind of ride. So easy, so stable. Its still a lot of fun, but different than a smoker.

Now.. I have a WR which is pretty darn heavy, but mainly when you drop it or are muscling it through some really tight spots. But if you can keep your speed up to about 15mph or so, then its not bad at all. The YZ 450 is a LOT lighter than my wr450.

Ride whatever you like.

[Crazyzilla]

yea i think im going to go for it. It just is an easier bike. Just takes more skill to ride a 2 stroke, and i aint got it.

[AV8R]

yea i think im going to go for it. It just is an easier bike. Just takes more skill to ride a 2 stroke, and i aint got it.

You should add "yet" Developing the skill to ride a two stroke well takes time. I also have riden many a 450 and yes they were easier to ride and I was faster on them, but I refuse to move to the four stroke until forced to do so. Two stroke skillful riders seem to be a dying breed, although there seems to a bit of a push lately to get two strokes competative again and I fully support it.

I'm old school in thinking anything worth doing is worth doing well and is going to take some effort and on my part. Riding the 450 just because it is easier does not suit my way of thinking and I will shy away from it just because it is easy. I want and enjoy being challenged. When the 250 2t is no longer a challenge or I get too old, I will move on, but not before.

I say keep the 285 for now, buy a thumper if you must and see what you think in six moths to a year.

[shrubitup]

Ride what you like of course. For me, my reason for the smoker is the sound, smell, and instant power. Another reason is the lightness and flickability. I run almost exclusively single track at less than 15 mph so these things are absolutely required. The insta-snap power is needed to climbs rocks, root step ups, and to wheelie over logs. Nevertheless, many can do the same on a thumper but it'd be like me trading in skis for a snowboard just cause it's "easier" or that everyone else is doing it. ?

[mxjosh]

I'm not sure I get the easier to ride point? If a bike is "easier" to ride that leaves you more time to focus on riding not trying to work harder to get the bike to work for you. If I'm not focused on my bike, I got more attention devoted to my speed and technique, I can't see a negative in this. Why would anyone voluntarily ride a bike more difficult to ride? This doesn't have anything to do with 4stroke or 2stroke preference. If someone can ride a 2stroke easier than a 4stroke, why stay on the 4stroke and vice versa?

[bills442]

I'm not sure I get the easier to ride point? If a bike is "easier" to ride that leaves you more time to focus on riding not trying to work harder to get the bike to work for you. If I'm not focused on my bike, I got more attention devoted to my speed and technique, I can't see a negative in this. Why would anyone voluntarily ride a bike more difficult to ride? This doesn't have anything to do with 4stroke or 2stroke preference. If someone can ride a 2stroke easier than a 4stroke, why stay on the 4stroke and vice versa?

I dunno. It depends why you ride. I ride because the entire thing, in all its aspects, is a challenge, it's hard to me, it's hard to do well, it's subtle, and there is always something to learn.

I purposely purchased the smallest bike I could ( a 200 ) because It's so much more fun riding a small underpowered bike fast than riding a big powerful bike slow ( because you lack the skills to ride at a pro level ). I get more kicks personally from trying to get the most out of my 200 than I do riding my 450. Yes, I love the 450 and it is fun ... but my 200 is "more" fun, because it's NOT easy.

[WAMXP1MP]

I can't be the only one who thinks ridding the 4 stroke was harder I hated it's lazy power and it's lack of flick and decomp braking I knew it was the wrong bike when I can take an old semi clapped '96 RM 125 and be instantly faster on it in 5 mins then 8 months on a 250F. I now have 1 4 stroke (pitbike) but I got 4 2 strokes 2 offroad 2 street to off set that 4 stroke. ?

[mxjosh]

I dunno. It depends why you ride. I ride because the entire thing, in all its aspects, is a challenge, it's hard to me, it's hard to do well, it's subtle, and there is always something to learn.

I purposely purchased the smallest bike I could ( a 200 ) because It's so much more fun riding a small underpowered bike fast than riding a big powerful bike slow ( because you lack the skills to ride at a pro level ). I get more kicks personally from trying to get the most out of my 200 than I do riding my 450. Yes, I love the 450 and it is fun ... but my 200 is "more" fun, because it's NOT easy.

Riding "fast" is not easy. I just prefer to have a bike that lets me go fast when I want to. I don't want the bike to be the challenge. Pushing my limits is my challenge. How fast can I go around a corner, over a jump, through the whoops, single track...etc etc. I personally don't want to fight the bike. Riding is difficult enough.

And wam is a prime example of it not being a 4stroke or 2stroke thing. He feels comfortable on the 2stroke. He's not fighting the bike like he was when he rode a 4stroke. Which = more fun!

[WAMXP1MP]

He does make an excellent point there I went thru a few bike testing stage there for awhile I thought I just couldn't ride no more and all the fun was going right out the window.

I tried really hard to like the 250F but it wasn't meant to be and when my '04 KX 125 broke I got to spend alittle more time on a friends 250F and it drove home the point I'm a 2 stroke specialist.

[RCannon]

I am not sure I considered one better over the other, but they were different. The only reason this feels like a contest is because of silly ama rules catering to the top 20 riders in the usa.

I like my yz 250 for now, but I am not so loyal to any machine. I hope no one else is either...it would suck if we were all driving 1984 Ford Tempos.....The worst car ever built...I hope Ford goes under just because of that car.

[bills442]

...I like my yz 250 for now, but I am not so loyal to any machine. I hope no one else is either...it would suck if we were all driving 1984 Ford Tempos.....The worst car ever built...I hope Ford goes under just because of that car.

Ford Tempo! ?

[rusky]

Ive been riding two strokes my whole life and will keep on doing so unless all of the major companies drop the 250 two stroke... The bike is just so much fun to ride and is so easy in all aspects. Yes it does make you work more but if you can ride a 2 stroke competitively then you can ride anything fast. That's why 125's tend to be the best bike to learn on. They teach you throttle control and technique more than any other bike can.

[redrider121]

If you wanted to play basketball better, would you make the hoop bigger?

Dirt Rider I know published a mag including lap times of individuals on 4 different bikes. when comparing a 250 smoker to a 250F, lap times were nearly identical.

i know you are looking at a 450, but all things considered, practice makes perfect and its not the bike its the rider.

so go ride!!...NOW!!!?

[yathump]

I can't be the only one who thinks ridding the 4 stroke was harder I hated it's lazy power and it's lack of flick and decomp braking I knew it was the wrong bike when I can take an old semi clapped '96 RM 125 and be instantly faster on it in 5 mins then 8 months on a 250F. I now have 1 4 stroke (pitbike) but I got 4 2 strokes 2 offroad 2 street to off set that 4 stroke. ?

Nope i feel the same, while i had the 4t i was going with the flow, and thought i was haveing a good time, i actually sold the 4t and went without for a few yrs before doing lots of reasearch and committing to the YZ250, boy was that a wakeup call. I am faster now than i was on the 4t and am haveing much more fun, haveing the added challenge of a bike that will kick your butt if you get lazy raises the bar and is a added benefit IMHO

Ride whatever you like but for god's sake ride and and support the cause, 2t's, 4ts and even quads need to support or recreation of our choice

[mxjosh]

If you wanted to play basketball better, would you make the hoop bigger?

Dirt Rider I know published a mag including lap times of individuals on 4 different bikes. when comparing a 250 smoker to a 250F, lap times were nearly identical.

i know you are looking at a 450, but all things considered, practice makes perfect and its not the bike its the rider.

so go ride!!...NOW!!!?

For discussion sake, I disagree. Factories spend thousands of dollars and man hours trying to get the bike better and make the rider feel more comfortable. I just can't see the factories making the bike a challenge for the riders. Yes they are factory riders and they're faster than we will ever be but it says a lot about whats important. Lots of time on the bike and lots of time on setup for rider comfort. A good rider on a crappy bike will be slower than a good rider on a good bike. Take Stewart for example. The factory did what ever they could to make the KX250 competitive with 450's. What did Stewart say about the bike that was set up for performance? It was a deathtrap and his least favorite bike to ride. He had to work hard and it was difficult to ride. 2 stroke or 4 stroke. Whatever bike you feel comfortable on, is the bike you should choose.

Nope i feel the same, while i had the 4t i was going with the flow, and thought i was haveing a good time, i actually sold the 4t and went without for a few yrs before doing lots of reasearch and committing to the YZ250, boy was that a wakeup call. I am faster now than i was on the 4t and am haveing much more fun, haveing the added challenge of a bike that will kick your butt if you get lazy raises the bar and is a added benefit IMHO

Ride whatever you like but for god's sake ride and and support the cause, 2t's, 4ts and even quads need to support or recreation of our choice

Maybe I'm missing something here but I crash enough on my own without the bike kicking my ass when I get lazy. Why would you want to increase your chances of getting injured if you slack off for a bit?

[2strokeYardSale]

The only reason this feels like a contest is because of silly ama rules catering to the top 20 riders in the usa.

Amen. If people could buy a YZ450 2T (and pros were racing them against 450 4T) it would be a no-brainer. 220 lbs, 60 HP and 40 ft-lbs, rebuild the top end for under $200 every few years.

[yathump]

Maybe I'm missing something here but I crash enough on my own without the bike kicking my ass when I get lazy. Why would you want to increase your chances of getting injured if you slack off for a bit?

I crash more than enough also, i like added risk because it keeps me on my toes and dosen't let me relax, adding to the workout of rideing which is 1 of the reasons i enjoy it

[BRM]

I tend to agree with most of the comments in that ride what ever you like but just ride. Personally I can trail ride my YZ all day no problem with the 4ts and race it hard all day when required, the same could be done with a 4t.

I actually find the 2t easier to ride as it is lighter and easier to start especially in the knarly terrain.

Good luck either way.