Guys, I've enjoyed reading your post. I have one of Darris's XB2002's that I purchased brand new and a 200SS ProMax modified by Jay Smith Racing - also purchased brand new. I will be very surprised if they (Mercury) brings back a light-weight 2-stroke as a solution to the shortage. They are facing ever tightening emission standards and potential heavy fines if their consumer lines don't meet those standards.
I've been inside the motorcycle scene for 45 years and I know that 4-Strokes do make amazing power. My factory-stock Kawasaki GPZ750E Turbo is a 738cc 4 cylinder making 115 hp at 12.7 lbs boost. These bikes are air-cooled and live 50,000+ miles regularly and they are 30 years old! Owners regularly install manual wastegates that boost pressures up to 16~17 lbs and 200+ horsepower with long-term reliability. I've seen dyno sheets showing 250 + hp from a well-prepped and bored 810 cc bike that lives in daily commutes and weekend drags.
Fast forward to the new Kawasaki H2 and H2R - 1,000 cc and 230 hp for the street and 320 for the track, all from a lightweight Super-Charged 4 Stroke. These Street H2's come with full warranty and built to last for 50,000+ miles. The entire motorcycle - wheels, transmission, frame, tires, tank, everything weighs less than 400 lbs!
Has anyone talked with Darris about surface drives? This allows a small, lightweight powerplant to be inboard while the drive surfaces out back. The internet is full of Arneson Industries Drives. I don't like seeing our small Allisons go obsolete....Gordon
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