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Since hitting up Costa Mesa Speedway a week or so ago all we can think about is this cool one-off machine built by speedway world champion Bruce Penhall for his son Connor Penhall. So that is our main focus on this week’s Two-Stroke Tuesday. We have a product from Ride Engineering featured in 2-Stroke Hardware […]
The Yamaha YZ250 is a proven commodity in the two-stroke world and hasn’t seen very many changes to its powerplant since the early to mid 2000s. This is not because the Yamaha engineers are lazy; it’s just because the YZ250 is that good. However, as you know, the Dirt Bike magazine staff just can’t leave […]
To say that early to mid-2000 Honda CR125Rs are more popular today—over a decade after the last one rolled off the assembly line in Japan—might not be completely accurate. But, it’s not far off, either, and we are certain the people buying them today are more passionate about two-strokes than ever before. We teamed up […]
We now accept that back in 2007 most of the motorcycle industry lost its collective mind. That was when Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki stopped making 125 two-strokes. Only Yamaha and KTM stayed in the game, but with very limited commitment. Now the commitment has returned. It should have been obvious all along that 125 two-strokes […]
If we can presume to speak for the two-stroke underground, most manufacturers are missing the point. No one is really crying out for new technology, more complication and more expense. What most twostroke fans want is simplicity, efficiency and affordability. What they want is more bikes like the Rieju MR Ranger. Rieju is a small […]
For this week’s Two-Stroke Tuesday presented by Decal Works, we take a look at Rick Johnson’s iconic 1984 YZ250. This is the bike that he won the championship on that year, and it set the tone for things to come because it was a production-based bike. By 1984, Yamaha knew that some sort of production […]
Carson Brown loves to ride dirt bikes! It doesn’t matter the year, make or model, he just loves two wheels and an engine. Lucky for us, we like showcasing his talents on said dirt bikes. Lately, Carson and his dad, BBR Motorsports cofounder Duane Brown, have been resurrecting older iconic two-strokes. This 1997 CR500 build […]
The Rieju MR300 Racing is a new off-road two-stroke out of Spain. Those of you who know your two-strokes might see some familiar aspects of the bike. That’s because the bike comes out of the GasGas Factory in Girona, Spain. When KTM acquired controlling interest in GasGas, neighboring Spanish company Rieju acquired the rights to […]
KTM has shown its off-road bike and dual-sport bikes for 2023. This includes the 150XC-W, 250XC-W, 300XC-W two-strokes as well as the 350 and 500 EXC dual-sports. This is only the first wave of KTM’s new-bike offerings and have minimal changes; the two-strokes still feature TPI fuel injection and the dual-sport bikes have the previously […]
The Wiseco Two-Stroke championship hosted by Fasthouse arrived at Glen Helen Raceway this weekend with a record turnout of almost 1000 riders. The one-day race included Pros, vintage bikes and minis, some of which were run on the vet track simultaneously, making for a very busy Glen Helen facility. The feature event of the day […]
It’s common knowledge that the Husqvarna TX300i is an advanced off-road two-stroke machine. It targets faster off-road, GPs, desert racing and GNCC terrain where stiffer suspension is required for the rider who charges the carnage with a smile. Dick Wilk of Dicks Racing’s goal with his personal ’22 TX300i was quite selfish; he wanted make […]
We will be the first to admit that sometimes we get carried away with our two-stroke rebuilds. It’s so easy to do. With this 1996 Kawasaki KX250, our main goal was to find an off-road bike that the average person could afford to not only build, but then ride on a regular basis. We teamed […]
Chad Reed’s 2004 THQ Supercross Championship winning factory Yamaha YZ250 is our focus on this week’s Two-Stroke Tuesday brought to you by Decal Works. Our 2-Stroke Hardware section features items from Maxima Oils, Barnett Clutches and Boyesen Racing and 2-Stroke Theater has a couple THQ Supercross main events from 2004 and a few two-stroke project […]
Going into the 2019 Wiseco Two-Stroke World Championship, Zach Bell was the defending champion and had the right to wear a big number one plate. The only problem was that he didn’t have a bike. He had switched from Husqvarna to the factory Kawasaki-supported Precision Concepts race team between seasons. Well, as you know, Kawasaki […]
The Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke has got to be one of the most commonly modified machines on the planet. This is true for multiple reasons: the bike hasn’t changed much in the last decade, and just about every aftermarket company makes products for it. Kenny Alexander and the crew at Fasthouse arranged a Yamaha YZ250 build […]
Justin Barcia took some time out of his Supercross testing schedule to go to Mexico with a GasGas MC250 two-stroke and just have a little fun. The official video appears below, but the unofficial look behind the scenes is even more entertaining. And what about that track? Pure joy.
Working on “project bikes,” as they’re commonly called, never gets old. Some projects start with new bikes and some are Craigslist finds, but this bike has a unique story behind it. Kevin Bailey from Race Winning Brands takes us through this KX327 rebirth in his own words. SECOND CHANCE “After a phone call from a […]
There is no doubt that the two-stroke is riding a wave of popularity inspired by a rise in off-road passion, new technology and the status of extreme or hard enduro racing. There are several players here, notably the Austrian TPI machines—KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas—Sherco, TM and Beta. We didn’t get a chance to test too many […]
You could spend hours gazing at this Every Single Sunday GasGas EC300 that, believe it or not, was not originally built with the goal of being featured in a magazine. The owner/builder of this hard-enduro specialist, Travis Brock of Every Single Sunday, is a popular off-road YouTuber and content producer for BikeBandit.com who set out […]
Dirt Bike Magazine tests the 2022 Yamaha YZ250 Two Stroke at Glen Helen Raceway. The Yamaha YZ250 has finally received some updates ! For 2022 Yamaha made changes to the suspension, sub-frame, tires, fuel tank, air box, plastic design, seat, and more. We are thrilled to see Yamaha continuing to make advancements on their line […]