Why does everyone hate 4-stroke bikes?

[Will'smotobikes19]

I can't not notice the lack of 4 stroke related posts. It seems the 4 stroke builds were common about 10 years ago from pictures on here. It is a common argument that a 49cc 4 stroke is not enough power for hills or whatnot. Unless you are very overweight I can tell you it can pull up to a 250lb person up a hill at a decent speed with a 44 tooth. My house is at the top of a 25%-30% grade hill and it cruises the whole way up the hill at atleast 18-20ish mph and I'm 180. It all boils down to this-people think a $100 ebay 2 stroke kit based off a 1950's Russian design will ride to the moon but they won't. However the GXH50 was released in 1998 which is only 22 years ago vs 65 years ago in the soviet union. The chinese copies either sticker-less or Huasheng reflect the original designs. Either way the kits should be reduced to just engine, mounting plate and exhaust due to the rest being junk. That goes for both 2 stroke and 4 stroke kits.


https://motorbicycling.com/threads/the-russian-engines-d-4-d-5-d-6-d-8-history.6820/ The original CG, although it would be an RG get it?

Honda Global | June 29, 1998 Honda Introduces its GXH50/GXV50 4-Stroke Multi-Purpose Engine Series

Honda Global | Honda Introduces its GXH50/GXV50 4-Stroke Multi-Purpose Engine Series

global.honda

The original GXH-50 next to copies

This is my point: With 65 years to copy or produce an engine the Chinese did a better job copying and mass producing the 22 year old Honda design than the 65 (or so) year old soviet design.

They also axed the Russian type cylinder head made of cast iron to pot metal and a micron or few thick chrome plating which chips right off the cylinder wall at X- amount of miles.

This can't be said for the 49cc 4 stroke, they have a casted-in iron cylinder sleeve.

 

[DAMIEN1307]

I can't not notice the lack of 4 stroke related posts. It seems the 4 stroke builds were common about 10 years ago from pictures on here. It is a common argument that a 49cc 4 stroke is not enough power for hills or whatnot. Unless you are very overweight I can tell you it can pull up to a 250lb person up a hill at a decent speed with a 44 tooth. My house is at the top of a 25%-30% grade hill and it cruises the whole way up the hill at atleast 18-20ish mph and I'm 180. It all boils down to this-people think a $100 ebay 2 stroke kit based off a 1950's Russian design will ride to the moon but they won't. However the GXH50 was released in 1998 which is only 22 years ago vs 65 years ago in the soviet union. The chinese copies either sticker-less or Huasheng reflect the original designs. Either way the kits should be reduced to just engine, mounting plate and exhaust due to the rest being junk. That goes for both 2 stroke and 4 stroke kits.

I cant really speak for 4 strokers since ive never run them on a bicycle as of yet. And i didnt get it off of E-bay either, I got mine from bicycle-engines.com and it wasnt 100 dollars but 149.95 dollars when i bought it in May of this year...They are now 169.99, and i bought the last black one they had in stock...At the moment, they are all silver.

New Zeda 80 Complete 80cc 2 Stroke Motorized Bicycle Engine Kit - Firestorm Edition

Your source for 2-Stroke and 4-Stroke Bicycle Engine Kits, Performance Parts, and Accessories!

www.bicycle-engines.com

I can only say that at my "Incredible Bulk" of 215 pounds, My Zeda 80 CG goes up steep hills in the Sacramento Mts. foothills at 32 MPH using a 36 tooth rear sprocket at a 4500 minumum altitude here in Alamogordo, NM.

On the flats, I can do 47 MPH before i chicken out when i start thinking that this is just a bicycle, not a motorcycle, with throttle left over to spare, and my motor and carbie and exhaust are all stock...lol...DAMIEN

CHINA GIRL

 

[mark20]

The main reason you don't see as many bikes with 4 strokes is that they require a longer and larger frame to fit in than 2 strokes. as well as it's MUCH cheaper to make a CG hit 45 50 and even 60mph than a comparable 4 stroke bike, a basic pipe and port and she's hitting 45mph no problem.

another reason is that a CG is 66-79cc now, while most compact 4 strokes are 50-53cc (not counting predators here, whole different animal).

also realize that people here aren't exactly big spenders, just tinkerers. and the additional 2-300$ a kit for less performance makes people want the CG platform.
id say 4 strokes will be much more popular once someone makes a cheap clone of the honda GX50 motor, and mounts it in a center frame.

really the CGs are good engines, just gotta see what they need and what they want, a properly tuned engine with 32:1 will last basically forever.

but for now, 2 smokes are king!

 

[Chainlube]

4 stroke = reliable transportation, 2 stroke = fun toy to get a ton of power out of.

 

[Frogslayer]

When you need the most power out of the smallest lightest package 2 strokes will always out perform until outlawed in order to increase cost. I bet hobbyists will mostly skip 4 strokes and go straight from 2 stroke to electric when China girls are outlawed.

 

[Will'smotobikes19]

Here is the bike trying to put chain tensioner on but they have the wrong sized plate for one of the Ubolts, also noticed the motor mount is slightly pulled to one side and bowed upwards in the middle I made a better cover strap out of an old hard drive tin and it is pretty strong. Thinking of welding a motor mount on. The speedometer works but a brand new Giant headlight was defective, the taillight works. About to mount a rear box.

 

[GreasyChris]

There's nothing Chinese or Russian on my girl, she's all American, Italian,Japanese and Canadian. Built right the first time and built to last.

 

[mark20]

well, here's another thing, currently there are 4 ways to go about building a bike.

Cheapo kits (cg, clone grubee 4 stroke kits), expensive kits (staton, Golden eagle, etc) , or custom (either cheap boneyard type or GreasyChris high roller custom type)

Really it comes down to how people want to build their stuff, what they want out of it, their skills, and budget

ever heard the saying "you got million-dollar dreams but only a 10$ budget"

if you want dead simple reliability, custom fabbing is the way to go (ie custom motor mount, designed transmission, some kind of general-purpose motor) and that will last you pretty much forever, but that takes time, money, and resources to make happen.

im currently planning on putting a 3hp briggs on my old 1970s monarch bike, should be a fun one.

 

[CrazyDan]

I didn't know I hated 4 strokes :/ I thought I beat some 2 strokes 13ccs bigger than me... Must have been dreaming.

I thought I was first place out the hole...

Musta been dreaming from slamming into this pole I swore I missed.

 

[Chainlube]

I didn't know I hated 4 strokes :/ I thought I beat some 2 strokes 13ccs bigger than me... Must have been dreaming.
View attachment 101723
I thought I was first place out the hole...
View attachment 101724
Musta been dreaming from slamming into this pole I swore I missed.

Pedaling hard Dan.