2007 2-strokes : Yamaha Tests....Honda Ends

Satch0922 · #1 05-10-2006, 07:19 PM

The Yamaha test team was seen out testing the YZ125....a good sign for kids that want a bike they can afford to ride and race on.

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After seeing threads that suggest Honda will discontinue their 2-stroke 125 and 250 I asked a local Honda dealer today what the status was. They confirmed that Honda will not produce the CR125 or CR250 for 2007. I still can't believe it....BUT he still had NEW 2004 CR's sitting on his showroom floor. I know that doesn't mean much....cause the 2-stroke die hards will buy the newest one...regardless. Even he admitted that CRF sales were down and that Honda told them the 2-strokes were gone to focus solely on their thumpers. To me...that makes sense....

Just goes to show you....some manufacturers (Yamaha, KTM, Suzuki to name a few) can PRODUCE and SELL both 2 and 4 stroke bikes. All I can ask is this....who are the leaders are and who are the followers. I think the answer is obvious. Disagree if you want....it is America.

Maybe it is just a difference in marketing departments.....

TheMuffinMan · #2 05-10-2006, 07:48 PM

Wow... thats a shocker. But i totally agree w/ you Satch. Im also shocked that Honda hasnt been selling very many crfs. You would think that the dual pipe crf would really get peoples attention. So i guess all Honda has going for it is the 450 and even that has really stiff compition this year esp. from Yamaha

Take this Honda

(Honda isnt that bad its just that all my friends ride Honda so i got a rivarly to support ya know)

Satch0922 · #3 05-10-2006, 07:51 PM

keep in mind...CRF sales can be down and they are still selling boat loads of them! The CRF450 was/is the best selling dirt bike of all time. But for 2006.....it has some serious competition.

**Aus_Rider_22** · #4 05-10-2006, 08:48 PM

Interesting news!

It's not so much of a surprise about the CR125R machine being culled, but the CR250R? I guess it's own worst enemy was it's bigger brother, the CRF450R.

I am very interested to see the developmental steps that the YZ125 receives!

Mainjet2001 · #5 05-10-2006, 08:49 PM

Sorry Satch, I see things a little different.
Get the Governments to change their rulings and Honda would be in the 2 stroke market with both feet.
2 things, Honda will not fight the coming rules and is the 1st to quit manufacturing 2 strokes for the US.
2nd thing is the rest that you mention will follow, at least in the US initially.

Will this thread become another hate Honda thread?

Satch0922 · #6 05-10-2006, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mainjet2001

Will this thread become another hate Honda thread?

Not at all. Just interesting how different manufacturers have different approaches to developing and selling motorcycles. What the gentleman at Honda eluded to was that Honda was gearing up to do even bigger things with their CRF line...thus dropping the 2-strokes.

It was pretty obvious that it was coming since no changes were made to the 2006 Cr's.

There still is a huge market for 2-strokes in the cross-country/woods scene. Like I said though...they are only going to buy the best most advanced 2-strokes. The main questions Main is how long will the other companies invest in produce 2-stroke dirt bikes? So far, there is no legislation that I have read that outlaws them....

**crfjedi393** · #7 05-10-2006, 09:13 PM

What will this do the FX boys? I don't recall seeing too many 4-strokes at those competitions.

I guess they can always have motors custom made. I guess most of them do that anyway.

yzernie · #8 05-10-2006, 09:29 PM

Let's think back to just a few years ago.Yamaha discontinued their 500cc class bike and the world came unglued and the company was the focus of much trash talking. Within a couple of years the other big 3 followed.

As much as I would like the 2 stroke to stick around (and I believe it will outside of the USA) the fact of the matter is the smoker is facing its demise because of the eco-nazis and others who refuse to look past the exhaust smoke of a 2 stroke. In my eyes it's just a darn shame. I do however, appreciate all of the investments and R & D the companies have put into the fourstroke bikes. We'll still have dirt bikes to ride.

HiG4s · #9 05-10-2006, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mainjet2001

Sorry Satch, I see things a little different.
Get the Governments to change their rulings and Honda would be in the 2 stroke market with both feet.
2 things, Honda will not fight the coming rules and is the 1st to quit manufacturing 2 strokes for the US.
2nd thing is the rest that you mention will follow, at least in the US initially.
Will this thread become another hate Honda thread?

Honda never wanted to be in the 2-stroke business to begin with. They only started producing 2-strokes because 4-strokes were not viably competitive in the 70s with the 2-strokes.. they never have sold 2-stroke street bikes, outboards, or PWCs, and I've always expected they would be the first to drop 2-strokes entirely.

KKXR400R · #10 05-10-2006, 09:35 PM

I think everyone saw this one coming from a mile a way. So its no real suprise to me. I was suprised that kawi didn't axe them first (IE: KX125) Get ready people...2 stroke parts are going to go through the roof in a few years.Pipes, silencers, odds and end parts will go up , you can count on that. I will keep my 2-smoke...but someday (maybe soon) I will have the best of both worlds

.

-Kevin-

KX02 · #11 05-10-2006, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiG4s

Honda never wanted to be in the 2-stroke business to begin with. They only started producing 2-strokes because 4-strokes were not viably competitive in the 70s with the 2-strokes.. they never have sold 2-stroke street bikes, outboards, or PWCs, and I've always expected they would be the first to drop 2-strokes entirely.

I agree Honda has always been a 4 stroke company. I've always thought that since the days of riding my friends Honda 70's. I'm sure that everyone on this site knows that the 2 strokes are being phased out, or at least scaled back in their applications. I thought it was painfully obvious Honda would be the first to do so, KX125's aside. I mean I've read for a couple of years now about the surplus CR250's collecting dust in warehouses. Oh well, the next couple of years will be interesting. I'm glad I have a 2005 smoker in my garage right now. I won't have to adjust any valves for a while yet!

2000kx250 · #12 05-10-2006, 10:31 PM

I used to ride 4 strokes, but as soon as i rode my first 2 stroke i realized how much better i liked them. I will ride 2 strokes for the rest of my life... they're just so much more fun to ride. I even managed to convince my friend who is a die hard 4 stroker to buy a smoker.

I blame it on the enviromentalists...darn tree huggers

Honda125Man · #13 05-11-2006, 05:12 AM

Quote:

What will this do the FX boys? I don't recall seeing too many 4-strokes at those competitions. I guess they can always have motors custom made. I guess most of them do that anyway.

Thats what i was thinking

kuritaro9 · #14 05-11-2006, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiG4s

Honda never wanted to be in the 2-stroke business to begin with. They only started producing 2-strokes because 4-strokes were not viably competitive in the 70s with the 2-strokes.. they never have sold 2-stroke street bikes, outboards, or PWCs, and I've always expected they would be the first to drop 2-strokes entirely.

sure they did, and still do. how about the nsr line up or the crm250AR dual sport. i dont know if they were sold in the states, but they sold a gang of them overseas...