Are 2 strokes really THAT bad?

[nitsuj]

I hope this isn't a dumb question:
So I've not had a PWC in a long time. Last I had one, 2 strokes were all that existed. Now, the wife and I are thinking of picking up a pair of pre-owned skis to goof around on. Mostly rivers, a few inland lakes, possible a trip to Erie a few times a year. A lot of sources, articles etc say to steadfastly avoid 2 strokes. Now, I'm not asking about the inner workings. I'm well versed on how a 2 stroke works and how it's different from a 4 stroke. I was a technician at a Yamaha dealer way back when. I have zero concerns about my ability to do any work I should need to on a 2 stroke (or 4 for that matter). I prefer reliability though. I can work on stuff, that doesn't mean I want to work on stuff. My other concern is that I hear rumblings of 2 strokes getting hard to get parts for, and that some waterways straight up forbid their use. Budget isn't a concern, I'm not a wealthy man, but I can afford to buy either. Used 2 strokes do seem much more plentiful on the market in my area though, giving me a wider choice.

So what say the experts? I realize I'm asking on a 2 stroke forum, so the opinions may be biased. I wish I could ask on both forums, but I don't want to spam the site like that on my first day. For light duty use, not modding, tuning or racing, just old people goofing around, is a 2 stroke still viable, or should I hold out for a 4 stroke?

 

[Dmpaul89]

the 2 strokes are going to be older. so you have age related issues but putting that aside, i prefer having less moving parts. 2 stroke boat engines have been around forever. simply tried and true. if it wasnt for EPA regs they would never have made a 4 stroke PWC.

 

[JeremyD615]

They really aren’t that bad if you can work on them yourself. They definitely require more diligent maintenance than some of the newer four strokes, but there are some real upsides to two strokes as well. The skis are generally lighter, more nimble, and in a lot of cases faster than their four stroke counterparts.

It really comes down to what matches your riding style the best. If you just want to get out and cruise, a three seat four stroke might be the ticket. If you prefer a more “playful” ride, you still can’t beat the smaller two stroke skis.

I’ve really considered picking up a new Spark, just because it would be nice to grab the trailer and go without having to closely look over the skis and check/double check everything. When it comes down to it though, they have a similar riding style to my X4’s, and are 8-9 mph slower on the top end... I’m not quite ready to give that up for the sake of a bit of convenience, but your mileage might vary...

 

[mikidymac]

Depends on what you want.

To just put gas in and ride especially rough water then 4 stroke much bigger budget.

For a lot less money way more playful and much cheaper to work on 2-stroke.

That’s everything in a nut shell.

 

[benjilafouine]

I have both and I like both for different reasons. Newer 4 stroke: more stability, better hull, feels more reliable. Older 2 stroke: fun to ride, engine has a bit more kick at middle throttle.

But of course, I think 2 strokes are really on the way out because the more recent ones are nearly 15 years old so if I had to chose between the two, at the end of the day I would keep my 4 stroke.

 

[Arriva2001]

Sad to say, but I think choosing a two-stroke over a four-stroke at this point is more because you at least partway enjoy working on things, or because it's what fits in your budget. Or....you are a little nostalgic, like I am Not to be discounted...there are also still a few performance gains for a few different models that are much lighter than their four-stroke counterparts as well. Or it's a combination of all of the above.

I owned a 2 stroke SeaDoo back in the 1990s when it was new (actually my parents owned it and I was a lot younger then , and then got out of the hobby for a long time. Last year, I was looking for a used SeaDoo and gravitated toward what I knew--I understood the basics of the older carbureted two strokes...so I bought one. It was 22 years young! So far it's treated me pretty well for its age, needing a few upgrades (fuel lines, new starter, new seat vinyl, and a lot of buffing).

When I was making my decision, purchase price was a factor, but also it was the anticipated service and maintenance costs. I figured I can find eBay parts and seek out forum advice and work on an old machine myself.

The newer 4 strokes...I'm thinking I would probably need more help and tools/parts only a dealer can provide (though that is just my presumption--I've never looked into it very much).

I also have a 2 stroke outboard motor on my boat as well, and have really enjoyed the reliability and performance it's provided me since 1994! I do annual service on it myself and believe if you take care of something it will treat you right.

Probably the biggest concern with one of these older two strokes (since you mention you can do your own wrenching) is finding the parts. It seems that these were pretty well mass-produced, and a lot of the mechanical parts carried over from year to year--so I wouldn't think that would be much of a problem unless you're looking at a very rare model. Another thing to consider is what the watercraft is worth in a non-working state. If you end up blowing up an engine or needing major repair...sometimes the cost will exceed the total value of the machine. So to fix it at that point would be a labor of love.

One thing that I find kind of interesting is that when 2 strokes were basically killed off by the CARB regulations in the late 1990s....the Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) maker of Evinrude and Johnson outboard motors went bankrupt, and Bombardier (maker of SeaDoos) bought the company. So even to this day, they are producing a model of 2 stroke Evinrude outboard called the E-Tec. So marine 2 strokes never really completely died off! Maybe (probably not) some day they'll power a SeaDoo with one of their high performance Evinrude two strokes?!?

Sorry for the long post, but I guess you can probably tell I'm a little biased toward the two stroke machines. Maybe I have a little two stroke oil running through my veins (Probably the blue/purple TC-W3 moreso than the API-TC type, but just the same

 

[benjilafouine]

And maybe I could add the last thing to think about: new 4 strokes don't pollute as much as 2 strokes. The new ones are low emissions. No oil spill in the lake and no smoke.

 

[Ckrawiec]

I have 3 skis:

'96 GTX.....well loved but a PITA, a labor of love though to keep running...currently not but that's my fault (no time to TLC it yet)
'17 Spark 2 ; Nice little jaunty ski but it'll beat you up...younger man's ski....I'm an older fart, kids (20 somethings) like it...me, meh! Reliable so far (even after a crash (my fault), sunk it, replaced hull)
'18 GTI (90hp): Nice, stable, fast enough...good for cruising, has enough giddy up...was NOT a budget buster either (picked up at end of season for reasonable price)....has been uber reliable...push the button and go but it's still new

Of the 3, '96 GTX is my riding favorite though...fastest of the bunch when necessary...hah!