We live in a time where, inexplicably, in recent years a legion of followers and lovers of 2T motorcycles has emerged. Some of them, who already have gray hair, knew first-hand at the time the ecstasy of taking a 2T to the limit.
Others, however, have been added out of pure hobby to this select club. In any case, we are all aware that riding a motorcycle powered by this type of mechanical configuration has become a noble art where, In just 2,000 rpm, 100% of its full potential is condensed.
From everything to nothing in just 2,000 laps
This small personal reflection came to mind when watching for the umpteenth time the video where an iconic Suzuki RGV250, decked out in the legendary PEPSI colors, and its brave pilot, offer us a whole lesson on what it is like to ride on the Nürburgring with a “sitting fist”. There are few times in which its protagonist is left with the engine outside the good zone throughout the slightly more than 8 minutes that the video lasts.
In fact, the occasions in which he finds himself in this situation is the result of the ineffectiveness of other fans who at that moment are also riding on the legendary German track at the controls of their cars. The crux of the matter here is to delight in the pilot’s ability to keep the rev counter always between approximately 9 and 11 thousand rpm. It is in this turning range where the maximum potential of the GIXXER 2T is extracted, turning it into a true tool on the track.
Its barely 60 HP of power and just over 200 km/h top speed are enough to travel the little more than 20 km that the German route has, enjoying the maximum between curves. Of course, always pay attention to the tachometer and without letting the needle fall below the appropriate rotation speed. In short, displaying a unique driving technique within the world of two wheels and incomparable for sensations, not performance.
Not suitable for amateurs
If you have been thinking about buying a 2T for a while, I suggest that, if possible, you try one before “jumping into the ring.” The majority of fans who, getting carried away by romanticism and an iconic image, end up buying an “Old School” two-stroke motorcycle, usually regret the first changes when they see how they work once you go into attack mode.
All its potential is summarized in approximately the aforementioned 2,000 rpm. Below that barrier you usually end up in no man’s land and will have to lower one or two irons to return to the optimal spin regime. That is why driving a 2-stroke is not made for amateurs who need to have torque from any part of the tachometer. To enjoy these driving dynamics, there are many models that can hit the nail on the head.
However, in none of them will you be able to enjoy those synergies that occur when you open the gas handle to the maximum and notice that characteristic jerk when you reach the indicated regime in which the party begins. In just 2,000 rpm everything will be over but, while that happens, an endless number of sensations pass through you from top to bottom, being aware that you are driving an unusual machine:
Vibrations through a tube, a shrill and addictive sound, as well as the characteristic smell of burning oil, are part of that sensory explosion that usually occurs on top of a 2T when you decide to squeeze its full potential. Not to mention the lightness and agility that characterizes them, vital characteristics to offer a very special and unique driving experience in equal parts.
Remember: Sensations, not benefits
This is important to emphasize: in almost no 2T you will achieve incredible performance, not at least in those related to top speed or recoveries. With the exception of those mythical 400 cc and 500 cc machines from the late eighties of the last century, machines with almost 100 HP of power, the rest do not exactly shine for being the fastest around. But you should not care about that. This is what someone tells you who, from time to time, takes routes of more than 100 kilometers enjoying the virtues that his humble TZR80RR gives him.
The most obvious proof of how much fun you can have in these cases is the smile that appears on your face under the helmet when, on a winding secondary road, you have a good time tracing like angels at legal speeds on the road. Of course, in my case, I am aware that you always have to have the needle above 8,000 revolutions and that just when it exceeds 10 thousand revolutions, what was happening is over.
Conclusion:
2,000 rpm may seem like a lot or a little depending on each person’s criteria, but above all, depending on where you have your backside placed when enjoying that meager rev ratio. A 2-stroke motorcycle is characterized precisely by that “all or nothing” operation, a unique frontier located at the top of the rev counter and that very few are able to master efficiently. The question is, are you one of them?… I read you in the comments. Thank you!
