Do you remember your first bike? Was it fast, nippy, responsive and a joy to ride? I'll bet it was a 2 stoke.
Castrol R is an oil, once much used in motor racing circles, primarily in the heady 60's and 70's. A two-stroke oil, still used in such mundane things as lawnmowers, it was distinctive by its smell; an intoxicating perfume - once smelled, never forgotten.
It was used in racing two stroke motor cycles of those days; Kenny Roberts, Barry Sheene, Phil Read and ad infinitum. Two strokes ruled the world, because they were machines of light weight (no heavy camshafts or flywheels) and instant power - most riders would describe 'power bands' that could be likened to flicking a switch on and off: tick over, nothing; throttle open, wham! Closing the throttle was like switching a light off - everything fades until that power band was reached again. Four strokes were at a disadvantage; heavy, mechanically more complex, and slow to reach that magical power band. In the cut and thrust world of racing, weight was the loser; only exotic machines, such as the 4-stroke Honda 4's and 6's of Hailwood fame, or the fantastically-prepared and built MV Augustas, were a match for the 'strokers' - and this because of the astronomical speed the engines turned at - 15,000RPM was the norm for the diminutive Hondas..
Technology advanced, 4 stroke machines became serious contenders, aided by racing rules that killed off the strokers - noise pollution, exhaust pollution, all frowned upon. But up to that point, it was a two stroke world.
Eric Hartwell oversees the worlds best home page a user-led resource - you can read, digest and contribute your opinions on any subject.
Source: www.isnare.com
