Two-Stroke Articles
Mopeds tackle the alps
Every September for the last three years, hundreds of mopeds have gathered in Switzerland to tackle the mountain passes there. This year's Red Bull Alpenbrevet saw 770 entrants compete in the rally. brightcove.createExperiences(); The 82-mile route includes three 7,000-foot passes. A huge challenge for vintage machines powered by a hybrid of human and two-stroke power. ...
Janus Halcyon: a 1920s style 50cc two-stroke
The first product of a new bike manufacturer from Indiana, this Janus Halcyon was designed to look like a record-breaker from the 1920s or 30s, but powered by a 50cc two-stroke, is light and legally accessible to first time riders. In his own words, the bike’s creator, Richard Worsham, tells us all about it: “Janus Motorcycles is an American manufacturer of hand-made, small-displacement bik...
The 163lb direct-injected two-stroke Ossa Explorer you can't have
On paper, it's a dream bike. How cool would it be to ride around on an incredibly light weight trials bike with a seat? In the real world, there are two problems: It's not coming to America and, even if it did, its two-stroke wouldn't be clean enough to meet US emissions. Adding insult to injury are the Öhlins suspended Enduro 250i and 350i twins that also use the new motor. Ossa is light on inf...
Retro: 1975 Suzuki RG500 XR14
In 1975, this motorcycle, the 7th Suzuki RG500 XR14 ever made, was imported into New Zealand where it was raced by a privateer team. That moment was a historical milestone because it was the first time a top-tier GP machine was made available to non-factory teams. This XR14 is identical to the one Barry Sheene would ride to World Championships in 1976 and 1977. Suzuki employed rotary disc valve ...
Custom: Ellwood Two-stroke/Four-stroke Hybrid
Conceived in Siberia after an unfortunate encounter with a dentist's ultra-sound machine and 100 days of 'medicinal purpose' Vodka, the Ellwood Hybrid is as strange and crazy as its maker, John Ellwood. Essentially a greatest hits of internal combustion, it breathes through the crank cases with reed (one-way) valves and uses the underside of the piston as a sort of supercharger to compress air and...
What’s yellow, blue and smells like premix?
For 2012, Husaberg is updating its enduro range with improvements both mechanical and aesthetic. While it’s the yellow frame you’ll likely notice first, new components like the billet triple clamps, translucent fuel tank and switchable engine maps (dial on the left handlebar) help distinguish the Swedish brand in more than color. These updates (along with a new reed valve for better low-rev po...
Dailies
AWD motorcycles are about to get real
For years the maker of custom all-wheel drive conversions, Christini is launching its own brand of production bikes. Two models will be assembled in the company’s Philadelphia facility for sale as 2012 models and it’s kinda hard to not be overwhelmed by awesome reading the spec sheets. In addition to a $6,895 four-stroke 450, there’ll be an $8,995 two-stroke 300 too. Affordable prices, AWD, ... The Dakar Bultaco
Ignacio Chivers has a dream. He wants to become the first Spaniard to complete The Dakar rally on a two-stroke Spanish bike and he’s not going to let the lack of eligible contemporary Spanish production motorcycles stop him. Instead, he’s goign to ride a 1978 Bultaco Frontera 370 in the 14-stage, 3,100-mile race through the deserts of Argentina and Chile. Where bikes like the KTM 450 Rally an...
Get excited about this Vespa
It might not look like it, but this isn’t a classic Vespa, it’s a new model for 2011. Word is, it’ll be equipped with a hand gear change and a two-stroke engine, basically, it’ll be the engaging, exciting Vespa of old, targeted at the hardcore of scooter enthusiasts. Modern Vespas are, unequivocally, wonderful. They’re convenient, frugal and flatter anyone, anywhere. They’re even ama...
Dailies
2012, the two-strokepocalypse
The end of the two-stroke motorcycle is nigh. Word from this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix is that the 125 GP formula will be swapped for four-stroke 250cc engines in 2012 or 2013 and the class will be renamed Moto3. According to MotoMatters, these engines won't be based on existing 250cc four-stroke motocross engines, but will instead use an 81mm bore, effectively making them a one quarter of a 1,00...