streetable 2stroke bikes

do they really exist around here?
I have yet to see one since I moved here. Maybe its a European thing, I dont know.
But older bikes like the RD's, the RG(V)s, and even new models like Yamaha Z125, Modenas, Aprilia RSs etc are a lot more popular and being used as daily commuters.
Here not only I dont see them, I cant even find any for sale and if I somehow do, they are either far or very expensive or BOTH!
it is to the point that I am actually thinking of getting a bike shipped over in parts and put it together here, or at least it has crossed my mind.
I guess my question is why are they so rare here?

It is (surprise!) good old U.S. regulations. The pollution/smog control laws essentially eliminated 2-strokes from the U.S. market in 1980. Yamaha managed to make a few of theirs meet the 1980 regs and sold them until 1985. And that was that, for anything over 50cc, in the U.S. Anything newer than that is an individual/grey market import, usually semi-smuggled in from Canada; getting one titled for the road is achievable in some states, and not in others.

PhilB

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Originally Posted by PhilB

It is (surprise!) good old U.S. regulations. The pollution/smog control laws essentially eliminated 2-strokes from the U.S. market in 1980. Yamaha managed to make a few of theirs meet the 1980 regs and sold them until 1985. And that was that, for anything over 50cc, in the U.S. Anything newer than that is an individual/grey market import, usually semi-smuggled in from Canada; getting one titled for the road is achievable in some states, and not in others.

PhilB

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It's worse than that, current regs basically outlaw two strokes as an engine design, rather than setting an emissions target.

^ 'Splain, please!

Here's one for you to buy.

http://burlington.craigslist.org/mcy/3800790156.html

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Originally Posted by PhilB

It is (surprise!) good old U.S. regulations. The pollution/smog control laws essentially eliminated 2-strokes from the U.S. market in 1980. Yamaha managed to make a few of theirs meet the 1980 regs and sold them until 1985. And that was that, for anything over 50cc, in the U.S. Anything newer than that is an individual/grey market import, usually semi-smuggled in from Canada; getting one titled for the road is achievable in some states, and not in others.

PhilB

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so how do people get them on the track? is it just because you dont need a title then?
I cannot picture one getting titled in MA LOL

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Originally Posted by jcbell1007

Here's one for you to buy.

http://burlington.craigslist.org/mcy/3800790156.html

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it wont get titled in MA

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Originally Posted by jcbell1007

Here's one for you to buy.

http://burlington.craigslist.org/mcy/3800790156.html

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Nice bike.

I think you can also reg some of the KTM enduro bikes because they don't specifically say "Offroad use only" on the titles, but aren't specifically designed for the street.

It's already plated in VT. Just keep the VT registration or you might be able to transfer it to MA.

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Originally Posted by jcbell1007

It's already plated in VT. Just keep the VT registration or you might be able to transfer it to MA.

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I'm not in a position to spend that money now, but I was just wondering

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Originally Posted by tsorfas

so how do people get them on the track? is it just because you dont need a title then?

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That's exactly it. A track-only bike does not have to be registered for the road. You should be able to get a *title* for anything, since that's just proof that you own it. But registration, insurance, inspection, etc., are a lot more difficult, if not impossible, in most states.

PhilB

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Originally Posted by PhilB

That's exactly it. A track-only bike does not have to be registered for the road. You should be able to get a *title* for anything, since that's just proof that you own it. But registration, insurance, inspection, etc., are a lot more difficult, if not impossible, in most states.

PhilB

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but if they dont exist in the market to begin with how do people get em on the track?
import from Canada?

You can find just about anything if you look hard enough. Its not to hard to bring a bike in from another country but it will be nearly impossible to register it. Your basically gonna have to spend the money to find one thats legit. It can be done and has been done but it is increasingly hard to do. It was much easier in the 80's and 90's in the 2 strokes hay days.
That being said i did spend the money on and rd350 last year and love it. Its in pieces now due to a blown piston but itll be back. I honestly dont think i would sell it for what most people would consider a reasonable price.
Once you go 2 stroke its hard to go back.

How much can I find a working rd for? Or tz or rgv

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Originally Posted by tsorfas

How much can I find a working rd for? Or tz or rgv

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RD and RZ350s were sold in the US and are all over the place, not much effort to track one of them down. TZRs were sold in limited numbers and do pop up from time to time. I don't know the RGVs as well so I can't comment on them.

Steve at Speedwerks has imported machines into the US before, my JDM FZR 400RR SP came into the US through him originally for example. He might know of a machine matching your goals for sale?

rd's range from 1500 to 3g. I know of a really nice rd400 for $3000. Ive been tempted to get it for a few weeks now but im out of space.
tzr and rgv are probably $7000 and up. Its a waiting game for them. The rgv is a more common bike since they can come from canada. I see rgv's more than any other 2 stroke oddly enough. And everyone ive ever seen for sale always comes from ct too. wierd.
My particular rd350 I paid $2400 for. I over paid abit but i hadnt seen seen a decent one for months for sale, never mind a cheaper one. You really dont want to buy a low mileage or sitting rd. The seals all dry up and need to be rebuilt. The cranks is fairly expensive to rebuild as well. My bike had just been rebuilt so i didnt worry about it. Crappy gas took mine down. I should have known the signs but continued to push the bike anyway.

tsorfas, check the archives of this site....its worth a few minutes of your time

http://raresportbikesforsale.com/

sport bikes only or will you do dirt?

R7 has a 2-stroke street legal dirt bike (ktm), but it sort of sucks for street duty

and also - the RS250 falls into VT's weird rules:
-anything <300cc can be "registered" (= get a license plate) but NOT titled - so if you register it in VT, you won't get a title. No title, harder to transfer ownership in MA
-HOWEVER - MA does allow you to register a bike with a bill of sale AND the previous street registration. In order to get that through, you might need to have a mindless insurance agent stamp the RMV-1, and you need to be friendly to the DMV agent.

so to use the VT loophole - get a <300cc 2-stroke bike, get a registration in VT, bring that registration and bill of sale to a MA insurance agent, and hopefully (after a couple tries), you'll get a MA title

otherwise, you'll need to find a >300cc bike that is already street plated and titled (if someone even makes one)

I have a NSR150 registered in NH if you interested I don't have time to ride.

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Originally Posted by jwm2k3

tsorfas, check the archives of this site....its worth a few minutes of your time

http://raresportbikesforsale.com/

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Thank you :)

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I'm referring to street bikes only

You can register a vehicle in VT without ever having to waste the time / money transferring anything about it, to MA. You don't need to be a resident, have an address in VT, etc. to register it in VT. The VT DMV will mail you your registration renewal, sticker for the tag, and of course your very own title. The only downfall is, when the inspection is up, you're going to VT to get an inspection.

I could tard out a CR500 and register it in VT. Yes, the 2-stroke MX bike. You can do it the exact same way you'd do it with a CRF450 with an "off-road only" certificate of origin. Lots of people think they're illegal to ride on the street, but you can make them legal.

I thought there was a displacement restriction on doing that? Like under 300cc?

Also note that local state law typically has a provision requiring you register the vehicle in that state if that's where it spends most of it's time...

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Originally Posted by Kurlon

Also note that local state law typically has a provision requiring you register the vehicle in that state if that's where it spends most of it's time...

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That is MA

I just saw a classic the other day. Kind of odd to hear a 2-stroke on the road.

You can get a street titled 2 stroke KTM and convert it to supermoto. Street 2 smoker.