# the short life of the 2 cycle boat motor



## sbdadass (Apr 20, 2008)

My Brother told me a story about older 2 cycle motors being outlawed on bigger lakes. Any body know about this?


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## Gameface (Jun 7, 2008)

I've heard that California has restricted 2 strokes. I would think (hope) Utah would be one of the last places to do something like that.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Several years ago, I was told by a guy from the Coast Guard that all 2 stroke motors will be banned from State and Federal waters and lands.
This will include ATV's, Boats, and even Weed Eaters and Chain Saws.
He didn't know when it will happen but it will probably start in California and work it's way to us.
As I understand it, the newer 2 stroke boat motors that only require an oil mixture of 100 to 1 will be exempt.

I have a buddy that sells Rokon 2 wheel drive motorcycles,
Older models are 2 stroke and the newer ones are 4 stroke.
I was going to buy one of his older 2 stroke bikes until I found out about the ban.

I'm not sure where one could find more info about this.


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## Troll (Oct 21, 2008)

sbdadass said:


> My Brother told me a story about older 2 cycle motors being outlawed on bigger lakes. Any body know about this?


I know they are outlawed on Lake Tahoe. I don't know of others.

There are emmission regulations that have been put on all outboard motors, 2 and 4 stroke. 
Many modern 2 strokes can meet these regulations. FICHT injection and the high pressure injection on OMC's and Mercury motors are examples.
4 sroke motors seem to meet the regulations easier and are the way of the future, but all motors will have to meet the regulations or they will not be allowed in the US.


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## Petersen (Sep 7, 2007)

Over the past ten or fifteen years, two-cycle engines have been slowly disappearing all the way around. I used to ride cross country and motocross on single-cylinder, big-bore two-strokes, and the thought of doing the same on a larded-up, flat-response-curve 4-stroke doesn't appeal to me at all.

Two-strokes are lighter, simpler, cheaper and have more power per given unit of displacement than four-cycle engines. Then again, they're dirty, they foul spark plugs, the engine components wear out faster, you have to mix the oil & gas and most people don't like the less-than-linear RPM-related power band quirkiness of two-strokes — not to mention their whiney sound. Anyway, four-cycle engines have gotten lighter, so lots of the advantages that the two-strokes once had have disappeared for most purposes.

Despite lots of instances where two-strokes are still superior, various environmental regulations and the reduction in their overall market appeal has caused manufacturers to switch over to 4-cycle engines.


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