Really need to decide

Hello, this is my first attempt to motorize my bike and i need to decide what kind of kit to get for my bike. I have decided to order from Dax, but I don't know whether to get the 4 stroke or the 2 stroke. My situation is that I will need to depend on this daily to get to work as well as running errands because unfortunately I will not be able to drive a car for appx 2 years. I live in Iowa so the winters are fairly harsh and starting in the early hours of a cold winter morning will be important. Whichever kit i decide to go with I will be getting a shift kit. There is a significant price increase from the 2 stroke to the 4 stroke. I have been told that the 4 strokes are more reliable, easier to use, so on and so forth. I understand the basic concepts on how each system works, and I am fairly knowledgeable when it comes to motors, but minimal maintenance will be a plus. I am ordering a kit one way or another tomorrow morning and I really need help deciding which to get. I did have a motorized scooter with a subaru robin 4 stroke motor that I really put through **** and it was a little champion rain shine and snow. So I am sold on the reliability of the 4 stroke, but if i could save the money and get a 2 stroke with similar reliability, obviously I would like to do that. I really appreciate any help that I can get from members of this forum. Thanks in advance.

4-strokes are more complex for the manufacturer

2-strokes are lighter & can produce more power versus size and weight

the trade-off is that 2-strokes are very much more of a 'black art' for the uninitiated

lotsa guys here like the challenge of tuning a 2-stroke - you may or may not....

4-strokes are simpler for the owner... just a few thoughts....

Yup resta's got it. I am a 2 stroke kinda guy. I don't like their pollutant levels, but I like as much power VS weight. The 4 stroke your thinking about may actually have as much power as a 2 stroke china girl, only because of the higher engineering level. If your china girl was engineered better the 4 stroke wouldn't have a chance. There is a lot more noise both from the intake and exhaust on the 2 stroke and it may vibrate a bit more (which means you should regularly do maintenance to make sure things haven't loosened up). The 4 stroke will require less maintenance, you won't really have to worry about disturbing the peace with noise, and they do not cause as much pollution. But my two stroke is fun, and requires maintenance, and I love doing it so I'm grand with a china girl.

thanks restapukin. I will be building a very simple setup, nothing fancy. I might mess with tuning at some point down the line but for now I just need something simple. Any thoughts in terms of long-term reliability between the two as long as I do the necessary maintenance and use quality parts?

Simple=4 stroke

i'd score them even on 'long term reliability' - the 4-stroke should win by rights

but the cost of parts for the 2-strokes is rock-bottom, and it is really very easy indeed to shove an entire new top-end on ....barrel, cylinder, head & piston can be changed in half an hour with ease...

and the 2-strokes balance on the bike better; sweeter handling when the road is slippery and yer fingers cold.....

you've got a hard, hard decision


I myself dearly wished to have a 4-stroke... but ended up buying a 2-stroke because of the sweet way they mount to the frame, and the fact of a manual clutch ...

It s not a hard decision at all, do you want to get to work or do you want to become your town's resident expert on fixing 2 cycle chinese engines? Ya get to work, I knew that , buy the 4 cycle And its true the cost of two cycle parts are rock bottom , so rock bottom in fact you can afford to buy an replacement engine every month. Well if you can't afford it you could be buying one anyway. Remember your first goal is not to join the ranks of the unemployed.

I agree. Look at how many motorized things are powered by 2 cycles anymore. Heck even weed whackers are starting to be produced with 4 cycle engines. If I were using mine as my sole means of transport instead of just something fun to cruise around on (that and the fact that my wife already looks at me sideways over how much I've spent on a bike ) I'd have gone 4 cycle. Just the fact that if you get a little careless and run out of gas just being able to pull up to the pump is a nice bonus in itself.

ok, ok,

I kinda agree with these guys putting 2-strokes down .... but remember, all things are not equal here, and one of the criteria is 'harsh winter' ... that means dark mornings & evenings on wet or icy roads...

now let's imagine it is your one and only lifetime true love that's gonna be riding the thing...

the way you can mount a 2-stroke real low and central in the frame's main triangle means much better primary safety and icy-roadworthyness to my mind.

the ways the 4-strokes mount to the frame means more weight up high where you don't want it.


i'd rather my babe broke down rather than hurt her beautiful legs in a spill

or worse

my oath

Thanks everyone for all your advice I really appreciate it. Can I do the 4 stroke without the shift kit? I'm aware of the benefits of a shift kit, but if I can I'd like to save the extra 175+.