2-stroke or 4-stroke for cross-country travel?

[Egor]

When I first saw your post (GEBE) flashed through my head, as I read on I saw you had considered it also, and then I thought you have solved your own problem. Mike has a good point with the Whizzer, big on CC's, but I have not had good luck with the belt drive for starting with a load, but both of the ones I have dealt with lately have auto clutches. I wonder if you could use the Honda 49cc engine on the (GEBE) platform. Dax has his but I would not venture out that far with it yet, but it has a lot of potential. I am assuming it has to be a motored bike, just something you have to do! I understand, I was supposed to go to Alaska on a Honda S90 this year from LA, we tried it 40 years ago our kids thought it would be fun. Have fun, Dave

 

[Dean]

Ok Egor, I gotta ask....did you guys ever make it to Alaska?


Dean

 

[Egor]

No, we only made it about 300 mi, one of us fell and broke his arm. Good thing it was that close or his dad would have to gone a lot further to get us. Our kids heard he story a few years ago and thought is would be fun to fininsh the ride, but we are forty years older and the fact is, we as 18 years old had no idea how far it was. On a sunny Sunday afternoon in 1968 we just put our S90's on the road to Alaska. The kids wanted to put the ride on the internet, with a camera on the bars and let people follow us. We still know people at Honda and they wanted to follow also. This last year has been a tryal for our health and I was not able to secure a bike yet, my buddy has his and we thought we had one for me, but it fell through. Too bad one of us did not keep one of the bikes. We still talk about it but we will see. I am starting to feel better, and I am keeping an eye out for a bike, I have a lead but it is rough, I have four engines and some small parts. I will keep you posted. Have fun, Dave

 

[Dean]

First off, sorry to hear about your health problems.
I wish you a speedy and permanent recovery from that.

Otherwise, it sounds like your kids have it pretty well planned out.
Kudos to them for taking the reins and doing some planning.

Your story actually sounds familiar.
When I was about 9 years old, I saw a movie about Bigfoot and one of the segments was about Roger Patterson's famous encounter in 1967.
For about a year or so afterwards, I wanted to take some horses up to Alaska and find Bigfoot myself! No planning, no learning to ride a horse, just get some horses and go up there.
...

Anyway, that sounds like a great plan. Maybe you and your friend (and the kids!) should do it on Mobicycles, instead of those old "Super Hawks".
Maybe you could use one of the Honda "mini" engines to power them, and thus keep them involved (i.e., don't lose your sponsorship!).
If the kids want to get the internet involved, maybe you guys could make up a website dedicated to the ride.
Sounds like a great time, wish I could go with ya's.

Please, keep us updated.




Dean

 

[bamabikeguy]

If you go 4 stroke. Use nothing but a TRUE 4 stroke synthetic oil in the crankcase such as Mobil 1, Redline, or AMSOIL. Don't use any other synthetic oil such as Penzoil, Castrol, etc... because these "synthetics" contain Group III base oils and are not considered true synthetics by tribologists. A judge made the decision to call those oils synthetic even though most people in the know, know that synthetics are Group IV/V based oils (PAO/Ester). A synthetic motor oil will help it perform in hotter temperatures. Use a heavy weight oil too! I'd probably go for a high detergent diesel oil such as Mobil 1 5w-40 turbo diesel. I'd also help the cylinder walls by adding 1/2 oz of 2 stroke oil to each gallon of gas. Most gasoline contains ethanol which washes down residual oil on cylinder walls. This small amount of oil restores and improves fuel lubricity.

I'm glad I found this old thread, I have to make a decision soon, because if I run the Tanaka to North Carolina, maybe up to Charlottesville VA and back next month, I need to go lengthen the throttle cable....but this makes me think the Robin Subaru can do it.

I'm on the Mobil 1 regimen, multiple oil changing early on.

This part about adding some 2 stroke oil, does everyone think a few drops of Amsoil 100:1 would really improve performance?

I'd also help the cylinder walls by adding 1/2 oz of 2 stroke oil to each gallon of gas. Most gasoline contains ethanol which washes down residual oil on cylinder walls. This small amount of oil restores and improves fuel lubricity

It seems easy enough, but I sure want to hear from some R/S 35 cross country riders ASAP !!!

 

[Mountainman]

if buying quality -- both 2 and 4 strokes are fine.....

I once read a posting on these forums saying that 2-strokes can run all day but with 4-strokes you have to take breaks.

Is actually this the case, and if so, how much "resting" will be necessary?

For what I'm doing, would I be better off going with a 2-stroke or a 4-stroke?

I haven't seen that statement around ???

actually for very, very long rides I perfer a 4-stroke

both 2 and 4 stroke engines if (quality made) can run all day long -- nite time too
non stop -- no problem....
have used many of both 2 and 4 strokes over the years -- many times 10 hrs non stop
note -- all were what would be called on this site -- mid to top end -- nice engines

I own the little Robin you are talking about
it's a proven strong little -- long lasting engine
I have done nothing to mine -- about 2 thousand miles now ??
you mention pulling a trailer -- Robin is not big on power
I am getting 22.5 with friction drive on the level
with that very sweet running thing

ride that thing

 

[Happy Valley]

This part about adding some 2 stroke oil, does everyone think a few drops of Amsoil 100:1 would really improve performance?

Yeah, this is something that gets recommended and sounds like a good idea.
I can't comment about 4 strokes in general nor am I talking about any particular brand of oil but I will say adding 2 stroke oil @ 128:1 to the gas of a Robin 35 was a huge mistake.

I was checking the plug one day and put a spot light into the bore with the piston at TDC and the piston top was heavy carbonized and this motor only had about 15 hours on it.

It took awhile but I finally got through to a guy at Robin America tech support who was willing to help and the first thing he asked was if I had put 2 stroke premix in by mistake. When I told him I was doctoring the gas with a touch of oil for extra lube he said that's your answer and I should stop if I didn't want to burn a piston or valves clogging them with carbon.
The Walbro carbs on these have no mixture adjustment.

I ended up tearing the engine down and cleaned it up as there was a considerable amount of carbon formed.

 

[Dean]

As a former mechanic, I know of 3 things that will blow carbon deposits out of an engine, without having to tear it down.

Water, Diesel Fuel and ATF.

Here's how it was explained to me - At the tempretures that occur during combustion, the water will change to steam and "soften" the deposits. The action of the engine running will eventually "blow" them out the exhaust.
Diesel Fuel actually burns hotter than gasoline, so adding in diesel will actually "burn" the carbon out.
To some degree, ATF is a solvent and seen from that aspect will "clean" the carbon out of the cylinder, much in the way the water did.

The technique is to put a small amount of any one of these liquids into a small cup and gently dribble it directly into the carburetor, while gunning the engine at WOT.

All 3 are classic "engine cleaners", when used in that fashion.
Old trick.

I've since found, in an automobile anyway, that one can actually pour a quart of ATF into the tank upon fill-up and it'll achieve the same end, quite nicely.

I can't say the same for water or diesel fuel as I've not tried that with them.

Finally, concerning adding a little oil to the fuel of the 4-stroke engine, I'd think that if the engine required that, the manufacturer would make sure to get the point across to whomever will be using those engines.
Otherwise, I don't see why the stock lubricating system won't suffice.

However, IF, you do decide to add some oil in the fuel, you will run a greater chance of fouling the plug with more frequency than if you didn't add the oil, so I would suggest that you gap that plug (and the points, if your engine uses points) with much more care, than you might normally do.
You may even want to open the plug up by .001", just to gain a little larger spark, ensuring complete combustion, but you might want to experiment with that first, without adding in the oil, since that extra thousandths might make or break the felt power of the engine.
Some systems are that sensitive.



Dean

 

[Happy Valley]

Nice post Dean.

I suppose the amount of water or other liquid would be critical though so as not to blow out any seals or gaskets.

How about Seafoam or is that just for cleaning fuel injectors?

 

[bamabikeguy]

Thank YOUs Happy and Dean,

I was leery, but I appreciate the input, because I was about 5 hours away from putting a capful of Amsoil per 33 oz....

I couldn't get my small mind around it, how it might conflict with the $6.50 per quart Mobil 1 treatment. It just seemed my frequent oil changes in the early stages would be enough, else why pay that much for synthetic.

Thanx again !!