I still get heaps of questions from guys about bike recommendations, despite constantly saying
there are so many things I need to know about their situation first. And I am hopelessly
unqualified to make recommendations anyway! Sigh. Anyway, many ask if they should buy a 250 or 300
two stroke. Get a test ride! It's the only way you will know for sure. But if you want a dodgy
opinion from a dirt riding muppet, hang around. So up ahead is Pete on his 250. It's all he will buy,
and he often tells us we will sell our 300s and get 250s when we learn how to ride properly. Of
course we tell him he is a skirt-wearing nancy boy who will sell his princess pony 250 when he
mans up and grows a pair. So how do they compare? Well, two strokes have come a long way recently,
and especially the 250s. The Europeans are really getting some serious low down grunt
from the little two strokes, which has narrowed the difference considerably with the bigger 300s.
But the 250 is still a favourite for guys who like a lively engine, and like to rev more without
killing themselves. The smaller engine revs up faster, usually a bit higher, and despite having
less lowdown power in most brands the 250s are putting out the same top end power as the 300s.
For less experienced riders the 250 will probably be safer and less tiring too. The milder power in
the low to midrange revs will keep you out of trouble, and if you adjust your power valve you
can soften that hit of power you usually get with the 250s at higher revs. Mind you, our research
indicates that plenty of experienced riders love the hit of the powerband when you put change the
power valve setting from mild to wild... your previously tame beast is suddenly wheelspinning
uncontrollably, the front wheel is pawing the sky, your arms are pulled out of their sockets
and your eyeballs are pushed back into your brain. If this is your sort of caper then the
250 can be a winner for experienced racers too. Another alleged advantage of the 250
is less rotational mass. A few years ago Stephen Hawking sent us this easy equation that explains
everything. The idea is all the moving bits in your engine tend to keep the bike upright. So a
bike with a smaller engine should be be easier to tip over into corners. Me? I'm not good enough to
pick the difference. I can with the heavier four strokes where there's a lot more rotational mass,
but the 250 and 300 two strokes? Nup. However plenty of experienced faster riders say they
can tell. Get a test ride and see what you think. Interestingly some riders say this makes the 250
less tiring to ride. But then others say the same about the 300 because it requires less rider input
with clutch slipping and gear changing. Who knows. A major point for many is the price difference. In
some brands the 250 is up to a thousand dollars cheaper. It costs exactly the same to make,
but the manufacturers know everyone wants to ride the bikes the top hard enduro riders use,
so they have to make the 250 much cheaper in order to sell it. Now the funny thing is that often the
complete 300 upgrade kit is around $1000 too. So beginners can start with the 250 then later
on spend their savings on an upgrade to a 300. Sweet! Okay, that all makes the 250 sound pretty
good. But me? I love 300s. Lugging around at low revs, less gear changes, less clutch slipping and
grunting up hills effortlessly. Slightly less often top end rebuilds. Riders were raving when
the first 300s came out, saying they are like riding a four stroke but so much lighter and
better handling. the 300 is all about a linear powerband. heaps of low down grunt, same in the
midrange, same in the top end. I love it for our slow technical riding. At low revs a small blip
of throttle lifts the front wheel for all those obstacles, it's almost impossible to stall as long
as you have some throttle applied, and there's way less clutch work needed compared to the 250.
You can see why it's the bike of choice for hard enduros. And then when the track opens up you can
just go for the high gear and chug around like a turbocharged tractor all day. Epic stuff. So
that's my two cents worth. I should also mention the two strokes are so tunable nowadays. The power
valves are just getting better and better at totally changing engine characteristics. The
mapping switches are also improving, especially on the Shercos where you would swear you are on
a completely different bike when you flip the switch. There's a range of aftermarket pipes
for extra grunt or top end. In KTMs you can fit the motocross heads for increased compression,
or just head your existing head modified. It's all a far cry from the old deadly peaky two
stroke beasts that were the ulimate way to commit suicide. Go in peace, my brethren and sisteren.