Best small 2 stroke

looking for a light 2 stroke 10-15hp. Wanted to buy a Yami but everything listed has gone fast. One guy has a parts one listed with a thrown rod, what would that cost to fix?
Anyway thought I heard Evinrude was good, saw one where the guy has replaced all the big stuff but it is a ’74, dang! (well, I’m a 64) Have heard that old mercs are bad, but have also heard that some mercs were made by Tohatsu and they are about as good as Yamis.
Any advice?

Where are the motor heads?

Yamahas go fast for a reason. Just have cash in hand and be ready to go.

If I were to buy a new outboard today I would buy a Suzuki four stroke, right in there with the weight of a two stroke and a six year warranty.
All are good motors and all of them can and will have problems at some point in time.

you mentioned one having a thrown rod, walk away from that as its cheaper to install a new powerhead but you risk not knowing what else is wrong with it that will put you near the cost of a new outboard in the end.

right now I am being told by the manufacturers that it will be sometime towards the end of summer to early winter before much of anything new will be available regardless of brand, hopefully production will catch up very soon.

My friend bought a Zuki 4stroke 15 a few years ago and he loves it, nice that they can get fuel injectors in those, I thought it was kinda heavy but he keeps it on his boat so its not an issue. I’ll be taking mine on and off so I might even go with an 8 or 10. So mostly looking at older stuff and wondering if I buy a Merc am I getting a Tohotsu. Thanks

tim hurley wrote:

So mostly looking at older stuff and wondering if I buy a Merc am I getting a Tohotsu. Thanks

Tim, not sure why you’re so anti-Mercury, but even if it were to be a Tohatsu, you should avoid it, just to minimize the chance of you second-guessing yourself down the road.

Kinda ironic that today, while we Honor & Remember those who died on foreign soil, your need to “Buy Japan” is so strong.

HRG

Here’s one for you https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3913669308669369/?ref=search&referral_code=marketplace_search&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A6d1731f1-2880-4eaa-89db-7d0c9129cd29

I honor and remember my father and uncle who fought bravely in the pacific against Japan! Trade and competition makes everyone better, they copy our tech and do it better then we copy what they do. When we have open and free trade we are less likely to have wars because both sides have too much too loose economicaly. 2 countries that both have Mcdonalds have not gone to war against each other, thats more powerful than religion or other ideaology. Manufacturers here have made great motors and have made some junk, I have read some stuff and frankly just do not remember what is good and what is not. Have never heard ‘avoid this year of Yamaha or Suzuki’ Tricky buying anything used and I cannot buy a new 2 stroke at that HP. Thanks

The old Johnson’s were bullet proof but a bit heavy IMO. I have a 9.9 from the late 70’s/early 80’s, those things run forever.

There are a few on Marketplace now for under 500 long and short shafts.

Thanks one, has to be a shorty BTW.

I put a new short shaft 20hp Suzuki on my old 14 foot Lund last year. I only put 3 hours on it so I took it out for a shakedown run over the weekend. It really flies. 28 mph on the Ole speed wheel. I’ll gps it next time out. It over tachs at full throttle with just me in the boat so I might pick up another prop. It’s really cool going that fast in a little old Lund. Makes short work of moving around on small lakes.

Biggest regret ever related to selling fishing gear was the sale of my 1999 Mercury 15hp short shaft. That thing ran well and started on the first pull for 10 straight years. I never put anything other than the cheapest oil I could find through a tank of gas. We used it in the Chippewa a ton and it bounced off a lot of sand, wood, rocks, stumps, and never skipped a beat. A 6 gallon tank would plenty to run wide open for what seemed like days

First off…Mercury’s are solid engines. They can be cold blooded but great motors.

Second off, 2 stroke small engines are almost impossible to find as newer Regs call for them to produce 4 strokes (yes-they do make a limited amount of 2 strokes but you might need to know someone).

Most ALL smaller engines, regardless what the hood says, are made by Tohatsu.

I have heard advice say anything from the 90’s. Solid state ignition and two stroke and HP rated at the prop unlike the old ones. Not sure when the Tohatsu years where. Totally worth looking into but also check the weight on whatever brand you do find.

I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a tohatsu in that HP range.
I have a 4hp on my boat.

Best bang for your buck engine.

Yup solid state-grouse has me convinced.

I got a old 9.5 johnson short shaft that has not been used in 8+ years any value in those if so what. it ran when I put it away. if anyone is interested let me know.

I’m interested what year is it? PM me a pick if you do not know. Thanks, will give you good coin if it is what I’m looking for (some people always feel the need to try to talk you down even if they know the price is fair)Thanks

Tim MSG sent

Have you ever looked at the Asian owned auto and SUVs that are assembled in the USA ?? Many have a higher percentage of US parts than the US owned automakers. Translation: US automakers use more parts produced in Mexico, Canada and Asia. Many US automaker vehicles are also assembled outside the USA.

Friends and Allies change over time. The British were once the colonialists that Americans hated. We have been to war with Germany twice. Japan was an absolutely evil empire in the ’30s and ’40s and their atrocities to both captured American soldiers and the entire China population as a whole. While some in the deep South still resent the North, the Civil War is now long ago.

The UK, Germany and Japan all are are political friends and allies now against the two real current threats to the US; Russia and China.

Governments create wars … people unfortunately have to fight them.

I have a 10+ yr old Tohatsu 9.9 hp kicker. It’s as good as my ‘96 Evinrude 60 hp 2-stroke. What a beast. It just goes and goes and goes.

Fished a lot as a kid in the 60s with my Grandpa and uncles. Grandpa had an early 50s 10HP Johnson Sea Horse. Wish I still had that motor. it was a champ.