tips for long motorized bicycle engine life

[paul]

this thread will be for us to all add advice on making our 2 stroke engines get many miles of riding pleasure

make sure proper fuel to oil mixture and use a good oil

do not ride extended periods at full throttle

continually check all bolts and screws

add more things to do to this thread!

 

[Andyinchville1]

Good points Cruiser and good thread!

Assuming oil mix is proper and mechanically the engine is sound (no loose nuts / bolts etc..)
I have heard that using the engine at MODERATE rpms will contribute the most to engine longevity.....I do understand that the urge to speed / over speed is always there and hard to fight....I Know....I have lost that battle many times!

Andrew

Oh - As with any engine proper warm up and cool down after a hard run is also very important....times vary depending on the weather and load on the engine.....I would not recommend full throttle on a cold engine nor would I recommend simply shutting off the engine after a long hard pull.

 

[Pete]

Two strokes seem to suffer from poorly filtered air much more than four strokes.
Why? Because they draw intake air on every revolution vs everyother for 4 strokes, plus all this air must pass through an oil covered crankcase where the grit will be trapped & injested later vs the 4 stroke washing it away in its oil bath.

Well filtered air is very important, no matter 2 or 4 stroke. Using fenders will keep the air around the intake filter cleaner as well as the rider.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Oh - As with any engine proper warm up and cool down after a hard run is also very important....times vary depending on the weather and load on the engine.....I would not recommend full throttle on a cold engine...

Definitely- Two strokes are subject to "cold seizure" which is what happens when one tries to run a two stroke to hard too soon. The piston scuffs the cylinder wall due to the difference in piston/cylinder wall clearances and that's not a good thing.


De carbon the muffler, and crown of the piston on occasion. You can tell when it's time if you pull the exhaust off and look in the port.

DO NOT run for long downhill periods with the throttle completely closed! These engines are lubed by the oil in the fuel, and closing the throttle for long periods, especially at high speeds tends to starve them of oil. It's a good thing on a long downhill run to partially open the throttle for a few seconds.

Don't run one lean (leaking intake) too long, or you will kill it faster than a gun that shoots backwards.