Two Stroke Goodness (and Badness)

[MendoDave]

[Bill in OKC]

Absolutely beautiful.  For a company that hates 2 strokes, they sure knew how to build them.  A street legal version of that would be the only Honda I would consider owning.

[MendoDave]

Absolutely beautiful.  For a company that hates 2 strokes, they sure knew how to build them.  A street legal version of that would be the only Honda I would consider owning.

What do you mean they hate 2 strokes? They made lots of them in the past.

[Bill in OKC]

What do you mean they hate 2 strokes? They made lots of them in the past.

"The Old Man had come to really hate 2-stroke engines then."
http://world.honda.com/history/limitlessdreams/qualityproducts/text/01.html

Honda swore they would never build a two stroke.  Then in the interest of winning races, they were forced to - until they could get two strokes banned.

[nickshelby500kr]

Not near as cool as some of those but here's a kx250 I picked up that needed the whole engine redone. New crank, bearings, rod, piston, etc. This was on its first start.

Not near as cool as some of those oil burners previously posted though.

[MendoDave]

"The Old Man had come to really hate 2-stroke engines then."
http://world.honda.com/history/limitlessdreams/qualityproducts/text/01.html

Honda swore they would never build a two stroke.  Then in the interest of winning races, they were forced to - until they could get two strokes banned.

well I guess the company wasn't listening when it made bikes like these.


500


250


125


80


60


480




1974 or thereabouts Honda Elsinore 250

[MendoDave]

I found this cool article about. The 1986 RC 250 Factory bike. 1986 was the year the production rule went into effect and gone were the $200,000 Factory bikes.

It looks remarkably stock but has all sorts of trick features.

http://www.mxworksbike.com/RJ_1986250_1.htm

[Bill in OKC]

well I guess the company wasn't listening when it made bikes like these.

The Elsinore was Honda's first two stroke.  Back in the day it was quite a revelation.  Honda had spent millions and millions trying to prove the 4-stroke's superiority - 6 cylinder 250s etc.  Soichiro had previously said "I will never build a noisy, dirty two stroke".  The Elsinore was kind of like Mr. Honda's admission that he could not compete with his 4 strokes and Honda was forced to turn to the dark side lol.

http://articles.superhunky.com/4/138

[MendoDave]

Sidecars.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?client=mv-google&feature=related&v=wvc_PM7AsSs&rdm=mltlka3cp

[Speedbag]

My second motorcycle was one of these with cafe bars.  I did not take pics back then but found this online.  Two stroke triple!  It was tremendously quick, did not turn, did not stop.  But it would rip your arms out of their sockets.  Wish I still had it they only let 500 into the U.S. before the DOT told them "no more" as they were to fast for their weight class.  Rode it 900 miles in one day once.  Left a trail of blue smoke from Redding CA to Portland OR and back.  Had to stop every fifty miles to get the feeling back in my hands and feet.

A buddy of mine died on a Kawi triple in the late '80s.  

Man, did that thing rip.