Re: 4 strokes versus 2 strokes
I'll agree with you, four strokes cost more than a 2 stroke! No doubt about it, that's why people still buy a 2 cycle. Cost savings. My business is on a medium size lake. I'm am often ask'd by a potential cusyomer if he thinks he should buy a four stroke. It does weigh more, costs more and if he only goes around the bend approx. 1 mile or so and then uses his electic bow mount motor, why go to the extra expense?? He may be right. He just may not get the benifit that others who travel further, troll all day long...yada. yada.. No harm. However, this is the example I use frequently if someone truely wants to justify "the expense" of an "expensive four stroke". I'm not at work and don't have my price sheets nor my business calculator so please give me some slack on this! But here's the example I'll use. (and the difference on the newer high horsepower motors is larger) but let's use a 115 hp 4-stroke as an example. Let's say the the 115 four stroke retails for $7800 and the 115 two stroke retails for ... hum... $6400. We have a difference of $1400. First of all, buy the motor you can afford but consider this.. On a new $21,000 boat, motor, trailer package financ'd over 10 to 12 years, the monthly payment difference PER MONTH (that's out of your pocket each month) is only about 6 or 8 dollars. Or so! Again, don't beat me up on this, I don't have the exact numbers in my head but it's not too far off!! So, the question really is... Is the four stroke worth it ,to you, an extra 8 dollars a month, in fuel savings ( each time you use it) reliability, peace of mind, fill in the blanks.........over a two stroke motor??? I would caution you to save your answer 'till you ride in one. And certinally ask you fellow fishermen at the dock who are running one what they think... <br />Now as to those twin 225 four strokes on the back of offshore canyon runners and the additional costs involved, the dollar difference is bigger but these people don't want to be stuck 40 miles offshore and rely on a motor they just don't feel confident with. If you don't trust your boat to bring you and your family back... why would you go ????? What cost do you put on that?? Anyway, I just get a little peev'd when I still here from people who say four strokes are "pigs", too heavy, too slow, too much maintance, Other than a bass boat, they are fine, fine machines and for the most part, misunderstood by only those people who have never run one OR try to do an apple to apple comparsion against a two stroke!!
I'll agree with you, four strokes cost more than a 2 stroke! No doubt about it, that's why people still buy a 2 cycle. Cost savings. My business is on a medium size lake. I'm am often ask'd by a potential cusyomer if he thinks he should buy a four stroke. It does weigh more, costs more and if he only goes around the bend approx. 1 mile or so and then uses his electic bow mount motor, why go to the extra expense?? He may be right. He just may not get the benifit that others who travel further, troll all day long...yada. yada.. No harm. However, this is the example I use frequently if someone truely wants to justify "the expense" of an "expensive four stroke". I'm not at work and don't have my price sheets nor my business calculator so please give me some slack on this! But here's the example I'll use. (and the difference on the newer high horsepower motors is larger) but let's use a 115 hp 4-stroke as an example. Let's say the the 115 four stroke retails for $7800 and the 115 two stroke retails for ... hum... $6400. We have a difference of $1400. First of all, buy the motor you can afford but consider this.. On a new $21,000 boat, motor, trailer package financ'd over 10 to 12 years, the monthly payment difference PER MONTH (that's out of your pocket each month) is only about 6 or 8 dollars. Or so! Again, don't beat me up on this, I don't have the exact numbers in my head but it's not too far off!! So, the question really is... Is the four stroke worth it ,to you, an extra 8 dollars a month, in fuel savings ( each time you use it) reliability, peace of mind, fill in the blanks.........over a two stroke motor??? I would caution you to save your answer 'till you ride in one. And certinally ask you fellow fishermen at the dock who are running one what they think... <br />Now as to those twin 225 four strokes on the back of offshore canyon runners and the additional costs involved, the dollar difference is bigger but these people don't want to be stuck 40 miles offshore and rely on a motor they just don't feel confident with. If you don't trust your boat to bring you and your family back... why would you go ????? What cost do you put on that?? Anyway, I just get a little peev'd when I still here from people who say four strokes are "pigs", too heavy, too slow, too much maintance, Other than a bass boat, they are fine, fine machines and for the most part, misunderstood by only those people who have never run one OR try to do an apple to apple comparsion against a two stroke!!
