Talking of nippy, about the end of the 1970s, when in the UK you could ride up to 250cc on L plates, I recall Suzuki came out with a 2-stroke 250 (called the X7 IIRC) that in stock road-legal form could do over 100mph - seems tame by today’s standards, but before that such speeds had been the province of only bigger bikes.
It’s 100% relevant for the people who are forced to breath in the ghastly cocktail of fumes from these dreadful machines when they pass on the road. A few times a year a local inconsiderate runt on an old vintage stink-wheeler bike overtakes me when i’m out cycling along on my bicycle, the 2-stroke bike rider is in front of his exhaust system breathing in fresh air, but anyone in his wake is forced to breath in toxic pollution!
The fumes hang in the air for miles, it can’t do the lungs any good, probably causes cancer.
All two-stoke bikes should be banned from UK roads, the ban should have been applied years ago, and either confined these horrible machines to a museum or dissembled for recycling.
The picture you’ve used above clearly shows a problem with the vehicle’s diesel engine which would fail legal road worthiness requirements and not to mention MOT regs, so there is no need to ban that particular one it wouldn’t be legal to use on the road anyway.
However, foul stinking two-stroke engines are legally entitled to drive on our roads and to deliberately pollute like this as a normality, totally crazy!
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I have never owned a 2 stroke bike, nor a 3 cylinder bike for that matter. Did have a test ride at one point on a (4 stroke) 3 cylinder Triumph Sport that I didn’t really get on with - I suspect that the front tyre pressure wasn’t what it should have been on the test ride.
My current bike is a Honda VFR 1200 (much much better than some reviews would have you believe) and now my ideal touring bike, although I haven’t done nearly as much on the bike since retiring as I had anticipated.
I have very recently returned from a 6 week trip to China, in which I visited 6 of its major cities. One of the fascinating things I became aware of is that China has banned not only 2 stroke bikes and scooters, but all petrol powered bikes in all of its main cities. All scooters and bikes in these cities (and there are still loads and loads of them) are now electric powered, and this has made a massive difference to the quality of air and traffic noise in these cities.
It was also evident that there is a hugely greater uptake of electric and hybrid cars (and public buses) than I have seen in any other country.
China may still have many heavily polluting power stations, but it appears that they are taking significant steps to reduce overall levels of pollution, despite what some people would have us believe.
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I can concur, as a past owner of a 1996 [ Hinckley ] Triumph Trophy, the OEM types needed checking for pressure drop a least once a week, just a loss of a couple lbf/in2 and the handling felt vague and lardy. An upgrade of rubber improved this issue.
A nice bike tho’, and fab engine that never lost a beat 
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Yes - the engine was pretty fantastic and I loved the look of the bike. However, every time I slowed down to approach a junction or roundabout during the test ride, I felt that the bike and I might part company. There was obviously something far wrong with the front tyre pressure or the suspension.
I ended up buying a Honda VFR800 that remained with me for quite a few years and on which I had some memorable tours.
Always felt the Guzzis were the real Italian ‘ugly ducklings’! I owned Ducati 900SS (original blue and grey) and one of the first Roger Slater Laverda Jotas. Loved them both but just couldn’t afford the tyres and chains (not to mention the servicing) required to keep them on the road! Traded in Italian sex appeal for Teutonic efficiency and reliability and ended up with BMW R90S, followed by my last bike, the R100RS.
Sad to admit I never owned a 2 stroke (other than chain saws and strimmers!).
Old diesels - absolutely.
New diesel Mazdas have 20% lower CO2 emissions than petrol equivalent, and almost non-existent NOx emissions (< the 0.06g / km Euro6 limit applicable to petrol engines).
So let’s ban all petrol engined cars that can’t match that!
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Good looking MZ.
The KTM 300 is the 2 stroke weapon of choice for single track riding here in the US southwest. Light weight, great torque. I downsized some years back so I don’t have space for a two stroke in my line up now. I expect environmental regs will eventually get them here in the states.
Had a lifetime of bike riding in all forms. Current bike is here.
Bought a couple of months ago and just 700km on clock. Not run in yet but a nice ride for an aging rocker.
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Like many here had a lifetime of bikes in all forms and currently ride Ducati’s. When I was about 18 a friend had a KH500 and he lent it to me for a go. I can honestly say it was and has always been the scariest bike I have ever ridden. Plasticine forks, rubbish brakes, handling of a very dubious nature BUT that power band … oh my you needed to have your wits about you ! A modern R1 or GSXR seems a pussycat now in comparison. I never wanted to borrow that thing again.
The green meanie was generally thought to have had a hinge in its frame, the handling was so scary
Wow! Yes I remember Bridgestone motorcycles. Only ever saw then in magazines though. I’d love one now.
Had a Honda MVX 250 back in the mid-80’s. Horrid little V3 that apparently was a failed race engine because it kept blowing cylinders - so they put it in to general production. Not sure if that was true or not. I must admit it was my pride and joy for a while when I was a student, but I cringe now when I think of the trail of blue smoke it left down the motorway when it was opened up. Guess it was a good getaway smoke-screen from the Fuzz.
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I don’t agree with this as motocycles have a nuch lower footprit for cvarbon and cause a lot less damage to the roads as well as being much smaller so more efficient so can travel much further on one gallon of petrol. More like it’s a personal choice ban where certain things are banned because the state doesn’t like it. China and Japan too can treat the peoples like children sometimes stating we know whats good for you so accept it now or else you’ll be punished.
I haven’t owned one, but a friend that I have known for a long time still has a Kawasaki KR1S. Looks, sounds and smells gorgeous. Very evocative of my youth watching races at Cadwell, and later the 2 stroke era of MotoGP.
Had a Fireblade until about 2 years ago, when I was knocked off, and have resisted the desire for a new bike, thanks to the ‘encouragement’ of my kids!
They haven’t banned motorcycles and scooters - just required them to be converted to electric power. They have also introduced regulations for other vehicles.
I visited Vietnam last year and China this year, and the contrast of traffic noise and vehicle air pollution was staggering. I think that if you were to visit one of the large Chinese cities you would be very impressed by the policy.
When in graduate school, my flat mate owned a late 70’s or early 80’s KZ 500 2-stroke. He went away one summer and I rode it around; it was pretty fun! I didn’t realize how QUICK 2-strokes could be. Decades later I bought an older BMW K-bike and it was amazingly lower in torque for the same displacement.
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When I moved across the pond to London in 1990, a good friend here rode a Yamaha rd350 powervalve. I sat on the back one day all the way down to Farnborough Air Show where his brother had vip tickets waiting for us. That bike was a hoot when it hit the narrow power band!
Peter
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