>>155010Close ... there was a study in the past two years... can't find the URL in a quick google search, but it was either a university or public lab that slightly modified a two-stroke engine and was able to make it outperform a modern four-stroke in terms of fuel efficiency and exhaust emissions. To put this engine in a compact car would make a smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicle than a hybrid with significantly reduced manufacturing cost and environmental impact. (Batteries are about the least environmentally-friendly product in your car...) Not going to happen anytime soon because of that public perception that two-strokes are "bad".
The noise is nothing that can't be attenuated with mufflers. There's a balance that has to be struck though - Cars are quiet because there's not nearly as big a concern with weight as an offroad vehicle. There's also a LOT more room to put mufflers and sound baffles in place.
30 years ago, two strokes were noisy and dirty. A lot of technical advancements have been made in 30 years too. My sled's fuel- and oil-injected, computer-controlled to meet strict emissions guidelines. I'd be willing to bet money it's more efficient than a lot of the cars driven every day on the road.
And even Yellowstone isn't "wilderness". There's land surrounding the park that is, but all the cool stuff like the paint pots, geysers, sinkholes, fields of buffalo .... nope, that's not wilderness.
