2 Stroke Vs 4 Stroke Scooters
The price of crude oil is near an all time high, and as a result prices of everything are up. Most obviously in many of our daily lives is the price of gasoline. As a result, many people are looking for alternative options for making the morning commute easier and cheaper. For some people that means carpooling, telecommuting, or mass transit. Another great option for commuters is gas scooters.
The problem is that for many people, it is their first time on a motorized set of two wheels. One of the many questions asked is which is better, a 2 stroke or 4 stroke scooter?
Each of the types of scooters has their positives and negatives.
4 stroke Scooters
Speed
Four stroke engines are heavier and will make the scooter heavier. They tend to be slower at accelerating, partially due to their added weight. 4 stroke scooters may be heavier and have slower acceleration, but they tend to have overall more power and often can attain higher speeds.
Regular gas
With 4 Stroke Scooters, you pull up to the gas pump like everyone else and pump straight into the gas tank. There is no need to mix anything in with the gas.
Environmentally friendly
Scooters get great gas mileage, and are obviously better for the environment than driving around a big gas guzzling SUV when it is only you in the vehicle. Four stroke engines are cleaner and pollute less than their two stroke counterparts.
Easy on your ears
Four stroke engines are much quieter than two stroke engines because they are able to operate and sustain suitable power lower in the RPM range than two stroke engines.
2 stroke Scooters
Weight
Two stroke engines are lighter, and thus it makes the scooter lighter. The lighter weight of the scooter helps give quicker acceleration and this will help to get your scooter up to speed quicker after stopping at traffic lights.
EPA restrictions With increasing concerns about greenhouse gasses and pollution, the EPA has put stricter guidelines on engines which have hurt 2 stroke engines especially bad. Even though 2 stroke scooters still have great gas mileage, they pollute more than the government would like. As a result, more and more scooter manufacturers are switching over to 4 stroke models. Because of more restrictions, and fewer new 2 stroke models you may have to look for older models if you decide a two stroke scooter is right for you.
Mixed Gas
An inconvenient problem with two stroke engines in scooters is that you need to mixed the gas with an oil additive. You can't just pull up to the gas station and pump your gas. You will have to add a specific ratio of the additive for your scooter to perform correctly.
Noise Pollution
Two stroke scooters tend to operate at higher RPM's and therefore are considerably louder than other scooters. It may not be a problem to start with, but on longer rides you may get annoyed. However, many bikers live by the idea of "loud pipes save lives." So this can be in the benefit column or negative depending on how you look at the situation.
These are just a few of the things that you should consider when deciding on the right kind of scooter for you. Be careful and have fun riding!
I am a freelance writer, and scooter enthusiast. I hope to get more info about scooter riding and scooter insurance out to as many people as possible.
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