Drag Race: A 2-Stroke 250cc Sports Bike Troubles A 500-HP Toyota Supra

The two-stroke era gave us motorcycles with the wildest power-to-weight ratios. It is because of this feat that, even today, many of these raspy-sounding smokers can outgun powerful four-cylinder bikes. But what about a sports car? Can a two-stroke engine’s performance advantage outclass a powerful four-stroke-engined car? The intrigued people from the Officially Gassed YouTube channel decided to test it by pitting a two-stroke Aprilia sports bike against a modified JDM legend—a 2JZ Supra with over 500 horsepower. This race is very interesting.

The Quarter-Liter Sports Bike Shows Just How Good Two-Strokes Are

Generally, supercar vs superbike drag racers are a no-brainer. A serious weight advantage gives the bikes a steep advantage. The story is no different here, as the RS250 weighs almost 10 times less than the Supra. The power advantage of the sports car gets somewhat nullified by the sports bike’s weight advantage. This gives the two-stroke Aprilia an acceleration advantage, which is clearly showcased with it outgunning the Supra off the line.

But eventually, the 2JZ’s power kicks in and the Supra overtakes the not-so-slow ’90s sports bike. The best race ends with the Supra being half a second quicker and having a top speed difference of 18 mph. While the Supra wins, the Aprilia RS250 takes the underdog crown, as the time difference between the two is not even a whole second. This is due to its insane power-to-weight ratio. You should also know the sports bike is mostly stock. Whereas, the Toyota Supra has been jacked up with some serious engine mods, like:

• Precision 6266 Single Turbo Conversion
• HKS Camshafts
• Titan Pulleys
• Twin Plate Clutch

Performance Specs Compared

Two-Stroke Vs Four-Stroke

Aprilia V-Twin Vs. Toyota Inline-6

Despite being banned for its environmental implications, the two-stroke engine’s performance advantage makes it still relevant today. It is actively used in racing events, especially on dirt bikes. Not just that, there are still wild two-stroke motorcycles being made, with the most powerful one ever coming out in 2022. We are talking about the Langen Two-Stroke, a beastly machine with a 249.5 cc V-Twin producing an impressive 76 horsepower and 33 pound-feet of torque.

A two-stroke engine has a combustion cycle with each crankshaft revolution, whereas a four-stroke engine needs two revolutions. In other words, a two-stroke engine delivers power twice as quickly as a four-stroke engine. This is also why, despite packing around ~55 horsepower, the “tiny” Aprilia can hold up against the mighty ~550-horsepower Toyota Supra in its acceleration runs. However, due to the disadvantage of peak power being produced at a narrow rev range, the two-stroke RS250 falls behind in top speed.

Engine And Gearbox Specs Compared