BALANCING ACT

When pondering a manual start 40 it's essential to consider your ability to actually start the engine. Sure, some simple twin cylinder two-strokes are still available – such as the 696cc Suzuki DT40 and 703cc Yamaha Enduro 40 – but unless you've been bulking up, these engines are very hard to start when cold.

The trouble is that having two large displacement cylinders, even with one piston up and one down, creates an imbalance that requires a lot of effort to overcome. Add another cylinder, however, and the balance is restored to the extent that even a two-stroke outboard of over 800cc can be started manually without permanent back or shoulder injury. Yamaha's 849cc Enduro