You're confusing me man... I am not sure what you're comparing to what anymore, but anyway, it does not matter.
The point I was trying to make was that 2 stroke motorcross machines typically have a lot of torque down low, where it's needed on the dirt... open the throttle and the thing goes (kind of like an ON/OFF eletric motor), so if you compare that to an FZ6, it's about as opposite as you can make it... the FZ6 has nothing down low and starts to be fun over 8k rpm... the motocross will have all the fun down low and who cares about the top end. That was my point.
If the OP wants a bike that will have usable power "everywhere" the FZ6 is not a bike for him imo, and he should be looking at 1000cc I4s or v-twins...
I have to throw the BS flag.
Have you ever ridden a 2-stroke mx bike? On a mx track?
I've ridden both a 2-stroke mx bike and a 4-stroke mx bike on a professional circuit MX track, known as Redbud.
I think you're confusing a 2-stroke mx bike with a 4-stroke trail bike. Trails = slow, need torque. MX = fast, need hp.
2-stroke mx bikes typically have a high hp/tq ratio, similarly to the FZ6. When you ride a 2 stroke mx bike on an mx track your wring it's neck, keeping rpm's high so you're in the power. The tracks are fast and long. Now a 250 does a lot better than a 125, but still it isn't a tq monster.
On a fast MX track, hp is more important, so the power to weight of a 2 stroke was superior with the limited 4-stroke technology of the 80's and early 90's they used when motocross started getting a lot bigger. When you ride on trails, you're going much slower, and this is why trail bikes were typically 4-stroke even a long time ago, because slower speed and torque are more important than weight for that type of riding.
With the recent advancement of technology, they began producing light enough weight 4-stroke mx bikes that could actually compete with the 2-strokes as far as hp/weight goes. And, obviously, due to the way a 4-stroke works, the bikes could now have more torque in a VERY LINEAR FASHION, giving riders the best of both worlds. High HP and strong LINEAR tq curves great for any type of riding.
2-stroke MX racing you feather the clutch to get out of that berm. That's why mx bikes would go through clutches so fast. You don't need to do that nearly as much now with the thumpers, and you're faster out of the turns.
So I guess what I am saying is that single cylinder 2 stroke mx bikes, 250cc or less (what MX consisted of), are peaky. They are not torque monsters down low.
Stock YZ250 has about 46hp and 29lb-ft. Weight is 212lbs for 4.6lbs/hp.
FZ6 is 98hp with 459lbs wet for 4.68lbs/hp. (All #'s Give or take depending on @ crank and if the yz is wet.)
Also, from wikipedia, describing (much better) and supporting what I was saying about 4-stroke tech:
For many years, the motocross world almost exclusively used two stroke engines. AMA racing classes had two classes: 125 cc and 250 cc two strokes, with no provision for four strokes. Most riders considered four stroke engine technology to be antiquated and uncompetitive. [4] Additionally, most four strokes produced very little power (the 1996 Honda XR400 made 32 bhp (24 kW), compared to the 40 bhp (30 kW) produced by most 250 two strokes of the time).
In 1996, the AMA changed racing rules to allow 450 cc four strokes to compete in the same racing class as 250 cc two strokes. [5] Yamaha engineer Yoshiharu Nakayama first came up with the idea of creating the first competitive four stroke race motocross bike. [6] The Yamaha YZ400F was developed to fit into this category. It solved the power dilemma by borrowing superbike technology and giving the YZ a five valve head, liquid cooling and a 12.5-1 compression ratio.
In 1997, Yamaha rocked the motocross world with the introduction of the YZ400M prototype, a concept motorcycle which borrowed much technology from road racing. The YZM was far ahead of all competition among four stroke motocross bikes. Doug Henry piloted the YZ400M to its first victory in 1997 at the Las Vegas Supercross. This was the first time any four stroke had won an AMA event. [7] The YZ400M was the predecessor of the production YZ400F, which was released the next year.
And finally an interesting bit of information:
For 2003, the YZF received the biggest update in its history. First, the engine displacement was increased to 449 cc, producing over 52 horsepower, in compliance to the new AMA Motocross maximum displacement rule. Next, the frame and plastic were all updated for a new, sleeker look. Additionally, the YZ's weight was engineered from its original 250 pounds down to 233 pounds. The new YZF also had a gearing change, going from a traditional 5-speed to a 4-speed transmission. The new YZ was much easier to start as well. [12] The bike made tremendous power; however, many thought that the bike had too much power for a motocross track.
The YZ450F received a major update in 2006, with over 300 parts changed and improved. The power was smoothed out, and the bike was made easier to ride, putting to rest the complaint that the YZ had too much power. The four speed transmission was replaced with a five speed. An all new aluminum single backbone frame shaved another 10 pounds off the weight.
Look, if 2 stroke MX motorcross bikes have the same powerband as the FZ6, then I take back what I said. The only 2 stroke I rode in my life was a 80 or 125cc 2 stroke mini-dirt bike when I was 10 yo (i'll have to find a picture of that so you guys can laugh)... and that thing was either ON or OFF... twist the throttle and the power was there. I had the feeling that the OP was looking for a bike that would give him power from anywhere, and for that I recommended a v-twin (obviously it's not the case on the FZ). My bad for starting a 2stroke vs 4 stroke controversy here, I am definitely not an expert and did not know MX engines felt like the I4 600cc street engines in terms of power, so I apologize for the confusion (I thought ppl had gotten the msg I was trying to convey).
... I don't like to see the BS flag pulled on my *ss, but I obviously was confusing things, so someone had to do it :thumbup:
