Although us two-stroke addicts have been spoilt over recent years with brand new engines like the Casa SSR/SST 265 for Lambretta, and Pinasco 251, BFA 305 for Vespa we haven’t had (and are very unlikely to get) a road-legal, officially imported new large capacity screaming two-stroke for the road.
75bhp Vins Duecinquanta
Manufacturers told us they couldn’t get a two-stroke to pass emissions, but in truth we all knew it was just an excuse to force us on to modern four strokes. Since 2003 the PX 200 was killed off, followed more recently by the PX 125/150 (after it was semi-killed off in 2008). Yet at EICMA last week a relatively small Italian company was showing off their 74bhp, 130mph road-legal Duecinquanta Strada and their stripped back track version, the Competizione.
Dream team
This small company was started in 2013 by (at the time) Ferrari employee, Vincenzo Mattia in his garage. Vincenzo used his own Cagiva Mito to develop the Vin’s engine. He also built himself an oven to layout the carbon-fibre which would later form the super-light monocoque chassis. As the company grew he was joined by others who shared his enthusiasm. In 2014 the old Cagiva frame was replaced by an original VINS item and Professor Enrico Nino perfected the fuel injection system needed to clean up the powerful two-stroke engine. Interestingly the Vins team are all under 30 years old.
Direct injection
In 2017 Vins was part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and came second in the 2017 innovative start-up awards in the automotive sector. Their patented direct oil induction two-stroke engine proves the technology is there to be used. The Strada has been homologated for use in the UK on the road – you can buy one now.
Vins Strada technical info
Fancy building a special?
Could the technology behind this engine pave the way for a geared, two-stroke scooter to hit the market again in the future? We very much doubt it’ll happen but one of the scooter tuning specialists could certainly work alongside Vins to collaborate and use the technology.
Get more Vins info here (the first specials builder to use a Vins engine in a scooter can have a free SLUK T-shirt).
Have a browse in the SLUK Shop
Like it lots be interesting too see how they got the fuel injection working well as bimota tried with the V-Due and failed.