Author Topic: Which 2 stroke Yamaha motor is the best?  (Read 1614 times)

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Offline Husk72

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Which 2 stroke Yamaha motor is the best?
« on: April 06, 2012, 07:17:38 pm »
Guys, I'd love some input on the following:
I have a project that I'd like to attack,but dont know which donk to go with.
What I'm aiming for is an aircooled motorcrosser that will keep up with todays bikes.I have a few frame set- ups in mind,so thats not an issue.
I'm on a limited budget at present,and the motors I have at my disposal for this project are,-1982 IT465, YZ360,and a YZ400.If these motors dont fit the catergory I can always pull the motor from my IT490.
I'm aiming to keep the thing a motorcrosser,
So please guys,some input to which motor would be able to produce realistic grunt to be competitive with the moderns?


                                                                       Pipe dreams,Mark.
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I still do,but I used to,too.

Offline Freakshow

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Re: Which 2 stroke Yamaha motor is the best?
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2012, 07:30:40 pm »
MArk sell me the 360 as i have the frame and ill buy you another air cooled of your choice.
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For sale -  PRE 75 Yamaha MX stuff, frame, motors and parts also some YAM DT1,2,A and Suzi TS bikes and stuff

Offline Lozza

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Re: Which 2 stroke Yamaha motor is the best?
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2012, 07:47:06 pm »
Unfortunately no air cooled engine is going to get near water cooled models only with methanol would you have a chance.Might make some OK power for a limited time or be maintenence intensive.Would need to know the bore/stroke to get a good idea if you won't get lapped on lap 3.
Jesus only loves two strokes

Offline 74yza

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Re: Which 2 stroke Yamaha motor is the best?
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2012, 01:50:47 am »
Mark  I would be interested in the 360 motor at a premium price    Thanks Tom
Looking for 74 75 YZ 250/360  WORKS parts  Anything !

Offline Nathan S

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Re: Which 2 stroke Yamaha motor is the best?
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2012, 01:48:59 pm »
Depends on how good you are. For a typical VMX rider, if you take any of the motors you've mentioned and get it running right, the motor will not be the limiting factor.
With few exceptions, its very rare for peak HP to be a significant issue in the results of club MX - its about who is comfortable winding the throttle on earliest, and keeping it there - so a good useable spread of power and properly sorted suspension are MUCH more important.

Personally, I'd go for the IT465 donk, although the YZ400 motor will probably be a good thing too. Side exhaust ports are a bit of a pain in most modern frames, though (if that's what you're planning).
The YZ360 motor is just too old and too valuable to be a good choice, IMO.

At HBBB, there was a mid/late-90s(?) RM with an RM or PE400 motor in it. I didn't check it out properly, but it seemed to be quite well done, including a custom alloy fuel tank.

All of that said, have a long hard think about what you're hoping to achieve. I'd had this idea of building an 03/04 YZ250 with a YZ250G motor in it, and some TTR or YZ-U cartridge RWU forks on it. I'd give it the YZ-G colour scheme (black frame, seat and fork boots, white plastics inc the old style guards).
Then I realised that even if someone gave me a perfectly good 04 YZ roller, the project would still cost me considerably more money than just buying a decent 04 YZ250... and that by any logical measure, the stock YZ would be a better bike than my hybrid.
Instead, I went and bought a good '06 YZ125 and spent even less money...
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