Enduro test 2022. Beta RR, Honda CRF, Suzuki RMX, TM EN, Yamaha WR

Comparative test by six riders of five hard enduro motorcycles Beta 430 RR Race Edition 2022, Honda CRF450X 2022, Suzuki RMX450Z 2020, TM Racing EN 450Fi 2022, Yamaha WR450F 2022.

Yes, yes, without KTM and Husqvarna!

There is an opinion that off-road motorcycles should be extremely light and simple. For example, like motocross motorcycles: no lighting, side stands, frills such as odometers or large tanks. But in reality this is not so: there are models that can do a lot, and at the same time are more comfortable (in a broad sense) than cross-country shoes. Today we'll talk about enduro.

We took five motorcycles, suitable for both racing on the track and for traveling in search of adventure. The test consisted of two days: on the first we visited the cross-country site (which, to our great joy, was somewhat damaged by rain, so it was in decent condition). There was no special toughness here, just a fairly narrow route consisting of straight sections connected by turns. On the second day, for the purity of the experiment, we went in a direction where no one had ever been, and along the road we encountered a sandy area, a rocky plateau, a narrow path, jumps, and to top it all off, a considerable hill.

Enduro test 2022. Beta RR, Honda CRF, Suzuki RMX, TM EN, Yamaha WR

Cross and enduro are similar in many ways, but in enduro there are no elements, but rather directions. In the sense that an enduro motorcycle encounters such different conditions that it is difficult to find a model that would cope with everything equally well. And a motorcycle that behaves perfectly when you’re driving along sand dunes in fifth gear is very different from a motorcycle that perfectly drives up a slippery and smooth waterfall. Nevertheless, we tried very hard to find as many landscape options as possible in order to seriously test the experimental subjects.

By the way, about landscapes. Part of the enduro route, unlike cross-country, may well run on asphalt.

In order not to ramble on for too long, I’ll tell you how the seats were distributed. Each of the six testers ranked the bikes from fifth to first. By adding up the ratings of each motorcycle, we found out what each of them costs. And then we present the opinion of each tester for each model.

About testers. They vary in weight, height and age, but four of the six are professional enduro riders (who have completed their professional careers), another considers himself an intermediate amateur, and the last is an advanced amateur.

So, fifth place - Enduro motorcycle TM Racing EN 450Fi 2020

Enduro motorcycle TM Racing EN 450Fi 2020
First tester: 5th place

TM Racing EN 450Fi is a completely different series than the rest. This is an Italian model, hand-built to order, and their idea of how an enduro should look, perform and feel is completely different from the generally accepted one. And I can’t say that these are bad motorcycles - they just require serious getting used to, and under tight deadlines it’s not very convenient. The TM's motor has an old-school feel: it's slow to rev, fairly sluggish in the low end and has about twice the engine braking power of the rest of the bikes. Judging by the dyno graph, this motorcycle produces very good power, only it is all at the top. And unlike other torque models (KTM/Husqvarna), the TM Racing EN 450Fi doesn't rev very quickly, which is disconcerting. It handles very well and doesn't feel heavy or bulky like some others. The TM Racing EN 450Fi is not as nimble as the Beta, but about the same as the Suzuki, and perhaps better than the Honda and Yamaha in cornering. The suspension is both comfortable and composed, but is more designed for fast, flowing trails than wild terrain.

Second tester: 5th place

My first impression: the TM Racing EN 450Fi is very large, vibrates a lot, and the throttle is very tight to turn. As with the others, after some time I got used to the TM and rode it well. Partly I was hampered by its bulkiness, and partly by the suspension: the stiffness of the fork and shock absorber means that most of the bumps are transferred to my hands. Vibration is very noticeable, especially at the top. By the way, there is considerable power there, but most endurists don’t push it that hard unless they’re competing. I think they should move the thrust lower and put softer valves in the suspensions. I liked the TM Racing EN 450Fi, I just liked the others better.

Third tester: 5th place

I was looking forward to testing this bike, but was ultimately underwhelmed. I found the TM Racing EN 450Fi to be heavy and not very powerful. But it has the most powerful engine braking of any 450, and you almost never have to use the brakes. Yes, and it vibrates much more than other motorcycles. The suspension is stiff, but works well during aggressive driving. Overall I expected more from the TM Racing EN 450Fi.

TM Racing EN 450Fi 2020

Fourth tester: 4th place

TM Racing EN 450Fi is an interesting device. Quite powerful, but a bit heavy at the back. Not sure, but it might be due to the gas tank behind the bike. It also stalled a couple of times under heavy engine braking, which is no good in tight off-road sections.

Fifth tester: 5th place

I had never ridden the TM Racing EN 450Fi and was excited to try it out. A couple of negative points immediately caught my eye: the sticker on the plug is upside down, several wires are dangling unconnected, perhaps for some kind of option, but it’s still somewhat confusing. On the track the ergonomics are not bad, I quickly got used to it thanks to the good steering wheel and levers. The bottoms are soft and make it easy to maneuver in tight and tight spaces. I would have liked a little sharper throttle response because it lacks connection between the right hand and the rear wheel. After unwinding it, I felt how powerful it was. I felt a lot of engine braking on it in the corners and on descents and it completely changed my riding and braking technique, but I adjusted to it and the longer I rode it, the less it bothered me. The intake sound is similar to the Yamaha and took some getting used to as well.

Sixth tester: 5th place

This bike is different from anything I've ridden. He has his own unique style and unusual character. What surprised me was the gas cap on the right license plate. It seemed to me that she would get in the way when I leaned back, but I never noticed her. This bike seemed taller than the rest when I sat on it, but it didn't feel that way on the track. There is nothing else particularly surprising about it. The TM Racing EN 450Fi is not the slowest on the move, but it stops surprisingly quickly, and not thanks to the brakes, but thanks to engine braking. And I haven’t decided how to approach this. Perhaps this would be useful on a steep descent, but on a fast section of the highway, when you let off the gas a little, you immediately feel how it slows down. What really bothered me was the side stand. When you ride in a stand-up position, standing on your tiptoes, the stand touches your heel. I wear size 44 shoes, and perhaps in smaller boots this would not be a problem. I also noticed that the front tire is quite smooth and constantly tries to slide off instead of gripping into the mud.

History of appearance and development

The first step towards the emergence of a full-fledged separate sports direction was standard technical testing of motorcycles, carried out almost from the very moment the appearance of two-wheeled mechanical vehicles. In particular, the very first test of this kind is usually considered to be an endurance run, conducted in 1902 in the USA on a route connecting New York and Boston.

The first truly sporting event was the International Six Day Trial, a six-day off-road competition held by the FICM in 1913 in England. They turned out to be so successful that they began to be held annually (the only exceptions were war years), periodically changing countries. In 1967, the ISDT received World Championship status.

By the early 1980s, among English-speaking off-road enthusiasts and professional racers, the colloquial name for the direction was firmly established - Enduro, so the FIM, which replaced FIKM in 1981, decided to slightly change the name of the main competition. Now it officially became known as the International Six Day Enduro, which was much more in line with the essence of the race, which by that time began to resemble cross-country races.

Enduro was also very popular in the USSR, although, for obvious reasons, it was called motorcycle all-around. The first USSR Championship was organized in 1956. At the same time, the country's main automoto club joined the FIM, and the way was opened for our athletes to participate in six-day races on a global scale. And, I must say, they managed to show themselves well: the athletes brought home gold medals more than once, and sometimes prize-winning places were taken by participants driving domestic motorcycle models.

Fourth place: Enduro motorcycle Suzuki RMX450Z 2022

Enduro motorcycle Suzuki RMX450Z 2020

First tester: 4th place

Suzuki RMX450Z pleasantly surprised me. In terms of characteristics, it seems to lag behind other motorcycles, but for some reason you don’t notice this while driving. Its power is indeed lower than other models, but it is distributed in such a way that it is easier to drive, and most importantly, it is easier to ride more aggressively. Like a smaller motorcycle, the Suzuki requires a little more throttle, but at the same time you control it, not it controls you. And with a couple of simple modifications (I won't say what, but you can easily find them on Google) you can squeeze a little more power out of it. This bike feels a little more toy-like than the others due to the small tank and thin profile. Thanks to this, he walks well on a smooth, but not level path. When riding over challenging terrain, the RMX's weight comes into its own, and the suspension, while outdated, is much better suited to traversing challenging terrain at a fast pace. For the average rider, the Suzuki RMX450Z has excellent potential, and for a pro who has moved into the veteran class, it is a very good option.

Second tester: 4th place

This old lady hasn't been updated in a while, but she's still surprisingly good. My first impression is that the engine is stifled and stunted, and the front end is too heavy and makes it difficult to turn. After some time I got used to it. The muffler outlet is the diameter of a pencil, so the exhaust sound is no louder than an electric razor, but this also affects the power. The Suzuki RMX450Z's engine is definitely the smoothest of the bunch, but it's quite adequate on the track. It chugs busily at the bottom in difficult places, but also spins up well when you drive up a hill or unscrew on a long clearing. If you don't plan on racing seriously, more power is cool, but not necessary. In the end, I realized that the Suzuki RMX450Z handles quite well, if you feel its balance. The front end is really heavy and you have to shift the weight rearward to lighten the load on the front tire. And once you get that out of the way, the Suzuki RMX450Z starts to be fun. It’s not as severe as the others, but you arrive at the finish line with a smile as wide as your helmet.

Third tester: 4th place

At first I wasn't too impressed with the Suzuki RMX450Z, it seemed a bit outdated compared to the rest. But over time I began to like him more and more. It's smooth and handles well. Perhaps a little slow and heavy for me, but for most it will be fine.

Suzuki RMX450Z 2020

Fourth tester: 5th place

I never got along with this enduro bike. The front end is very heavy and does not steer well. The sound was completely stifled, and I felt in my gut how hard it was for the engine to breathe. I didn’t like that you can’t turn off the headlight - I think it should still have a switch. In general, I didn’t like anything about it.

Fifth tester: 3rd place

I immediately felt at home on the Suzuki RMX450Z because it feels like a motocross bike due to the small tank and narrow body. A small tank may limit ride time or range, but it improves stand-up ride comfort and handling. The Suzuki RMX450Z suspensions suited me better than all the others because the bike is heavier than the others and the suspensions are stiffer. After a Yamaha or Honda you notice that it is weaker, but for our trip this was not a problem. But you can ride it more boldly, and not be afraid of every movement, as with others. When going up hills, I revved it more than others, but I always had enough traction.

Sixth tester: 4th place

Suzuki RMX450Z is a normal motorcycle. It’s quite possible to go, it completely copes with the task. I really liked how smoothly the gears shift, almost like an automatic transmission. You just press your paw a little, and he switches clearly and continues to pull without objection. On the other hand, I wasn't always able to get the hang of it, the Suzuki RMX450Z struggled to climb in corners and didn't handle very well in tight, twisty places.

Classification

There are three main groups of bikes in this class.

Hard

Their appearance becomes a reason to mistakenly classify them as sports motorcycles. Indeed, they have a lot in common - and this is no coincidence, because hard courts are often built on the basis of sneakers. However, this does not mean at all that it is so.

The first thing that distinguishes hard from the rest of its fellow enduro hard bikes is:

excellent chassis strength;
energy intensity;
impact resistance of parts and finishes with minimal weight;
high power-to-weight ratio compared to other enduro bikes.

However, hard bikes also have disadvantages: service life measurement in engine hours, similar to motocross bikes, and maintenance intervals that are shorter than those of “civilian” motorcycles.

Software

This class is suitable for driving both off-road in nature and along well-trodden city avenues. Therefore, it is often called a dual-purpose bike or a compromise enduro.

An excellent option for lovers of nature, fishermen, and villagers. He is not afraid of bumps, holes and other obstacles.

Today, unfortunately, this category among manufacturers is characterized by a clear shift towards asphalt motorcycles.

Touring enduro

Comfortable for long journeys, equipped with equipment from protective bars to navigation systems. The most popular class of bikes, especially abroad, sales significantly exceed other types of enduro.

A powerful engine and durable suspensions - all this is designed for heavy workload without compromising technical parameters and service life. The only downside is, perhaps, that driving on Russian off-road roads becomes more difficult due to its large weight and dimensions. Everything else is at the highest level.

When buying an enduro, you should first of all proceed from your goals, financial capabilities and experience.

Third place: enduro motorcycle Beta 430 RR Race Edition 2020

enduro motorcycle Beta 430 RR Race Edition 2020

First tester: 2nd place

The Beta 430 RR Race Edition is a purebred racing machine. Obviously, it is produced by a company that specializes in enduro and has nothing to do with motocross. Excellent pulling power, smoothest clutch, allowing you to dose the traction with pinpoint precision for perfect grip. The 430 invites you to explore unexplored places and overgrown paths, and says “we will go everywhere, no matter how good you are.” All other motorcycles sneeze or spew fire at one time or another, but the Beta 430 RR Race Edition puffs smoothly and drags very well. But if you spin it up properly, it makes more noise and vibrations than it accelerates. Handling is excellent, the bike is light and nimble, and the weight feels very light. The motorcycle goes where I need it with pinpoint precision and responds best to any influence. The stock suspension is very soft and comfortable, making riding over difficult terrain a pleasant and easy task, but when driving on sand it is likely to be too soft. The Beta 430 RR Race Edition is a very good motorcycle in terms of balance of power, handling and suspension.

Second tester: 3rd place

At a beauty contest, the Beta 430 RR Race Edition would have taken first prize. Very beautiful motorcycle! From my first impression it seemed to me that it prefers narrow and slow routes, but it turns out that it also handles tight S-turns very well, and the engine pulls like a tractor on the bottom. The suspension is rather stiff, but comfortable for racing. The components and comfort are excellent, I have not had a single complaint about the brakes or clutch. Stiffer suspensions force you to lean harder, and that's fun. A couple of clicks softer and they're perfect for any conditions. The engine is not very torquey, the Beta prefers traction from the bottom to the end of the mid-range. Having reached a certain number, the engine begins to vibrate, and the chassis seems to paralyze. You end up having to shift a little more often, but the bike is really comfortable and fun. The Beta 430 RR Race Edition may not be the fastest, but you don’t feel disadvantaged either.

Third tester: 3rd place

I liked the Beta 430 RR Race Edition and was very impressed. I could give it second place, because Beta and Honda were on par for me. The Beta 430 RR Race Edition would be better suited for hard enduro, it is lighter, handles better and is more powerful. It feels a little wobbly on the front end in some of the fast sections, but it's a hell of a fun bike and the best looking of the bunch.

Beta 430 RR Race Edition 2020

Fourth tester: 1st place

This motorcycle really surprised me. At the very first turn on it, I fell in love! I really liked how narrow and nimble it was. The Beta 430 RR Race Edition is quite powerful and its traction is easily measured, especially in difficult areas. And I really liked its balance, which is important on difficult off-road sections.

Fifth tester: 4th place

I've never driven the Beta 430 RR Race Edition before, but in terms of design it's ten out of ten. This is the only bike under 450cc and I didn't know what to expect in terms of power. At the beginning of the race on the plug section, the motorcycle behaved excellently, it clung to the ground very well and at the same time handled perfectly, easily coping with bumps and stones. I found the Beta 430 RR Race Edition to be the most comfortable in the rack and I really liked it. On the faster section I rode it like a powerful bike and it felt a little slow, but then I started shifting more and trusting the engine and things got better. The KYB suspension is a little soft for fast and big bumps, but is excellent for slower riding. The Brembo brakes are a huge bonus, stopping the bike excellently and modulating beautifully to make corner entry more controlled. The only, but huge, flaw was that the Beta overheated at some point, and without a cooling fan and with a poor heatsink cap, this could be a big problem.

Sixth tester: 2nd place

Beta 430 RR Race Edition is simply cool! Definitely the easiest of all. And I really liked the hydraulic clutch, which is easy to squeeze even when your hand is completely clogged. This bike is at its best on slow rocky sections, it's easy to maneuver between rocks, and it has great bottom-end traction that allows you to lift the wheel and go over anything that can be run over. The suspensions work well when you jump off rocks - they land smoothly and don’t break through. The Beta 430 RR Race Edition is best suited for enduro riding, and worse for open trail riding. But at the top it still lacks power.

Directions with enduro elements

Since enduro has been around for over 100 years, it could not help but become the basis for the emergence of other disciplines. In modern motorcycling, elements of these competitions, as well as the corresponding motorcycle models, are used quite widely.

An approximate list of official disciplines and areas that use enduro elements is as follows:

Cross-country rally is a cross-country race that does not include sections of public roads. You can learn more about this discipline from one of our past materials.

Baja is a type of cross-country rally, characterized by a shorter duration and distance.
Rally marathons are multi-day cross-country rallies over distances of up to 10,000 km. The simplest and most famous example of such a race is the famous Dakar.
Endurocross is an analogue of stadiumcross, held in an indoor stadium.
Extreme enduro (also known as hard enduro) is a race that includes particularly difficult artificially created obstacles (concrete blocks, metal structures, tractor wheels, wooden reels).
Enduro sprint is a simplified form of classic enduro, held without timing and not including sections of public roads. The latter feature opens access to the participation of cross-country models.
Enduro on ATVs is carried out according to standard rules.
Enduro on snowmobiles is a “winter version” of the classic discipline.

Second place: Enduro motorcycle Honda CRF450X 2022

Enduro motorcycle Honda CRF450X 2020

First tester: 3rd place

For me there was parity between the Honda and the Beta. Moreover, they are completely different: Beta is ideal for hard enduro, and Honda is ideal for desert racing. It's not as aggressive as the Honda CRF450R, but the two CRFs are similar in many ways, both rev quickly and are quite sharp. The low end is somewhat hesitant, and when idling the engine sometimes stalls. For me, the Honda CRF450X is the least nimble in tight spots. At times it felt like you were trying to steer a tractor. The suspension is great for medium to fast riding, and quite decent for small obstacles. In general, I liked the Honda best in open areas.

Second tester: 2nd place

At first impression, the engine seemed soft and friendly, the suspension was soft, and the front end seemed a bit heavy. After spending some time on the motorcycle, I realized that its engine was somewhat more serious than it seemed at first. The Honda CRF450X has a very linear power curve throughout the entire range! Its traction is not as sharp as that of the Yamaha, but it is usually always enough. The suspensions are definitely designed for a relatively quiet ride. An advanced rider will instantly want to tighten them up in compression. The suspension components are quite good and will suit almost any rider. The Honda CRF450X is a very comfortable bike once you get on it. The fit is relaxed and natural. The general impression of him is that he does everything as it should, without showing off. Great motorcycle!

Third tester: 2nd place

In my opinion, anyone will feel comfortable on the Honda CRF450X. It has comfortable and predictable traction, and the suspension is very soft and forgiving. It's so soft that it could be a negative when it comes to aggressive riding, and the Honda CRF450X is a little heavier than some others.

Honda CRF450X 2020

Fourth tester: 2nd place

Don't listen to me, I'm a Honda fan! Kidding. I would like to highlight how well the Honda CRF450X handles on the dunes, and the suspension handles very well in difficult terrain. If we talk about the minuses, then the Honda CRF450X is perhaps too wide a tank, which interferes with cornering.

Fifth tester: 1st place

Everything from the quality of finishing and ergonomics is excellent, as you would expect from Honda. The electric starter works flawlessly, whether you start the engine cold or accidentally stall on the highway. The engine's thrust is smooth and quite sufficient. First gear is surprisingly long for our goat trails and narrow sections. And the more I got used to the motorcycle, the more I liked the Honda CRF450X. Like the cross version, the more aggressive you go, the better it handles. The exhaust is deceptively quiet, and somehow you don't associate the quiet sound with the powerful thrust that the Honda CRF450X produces. In tight spots you sometimes notice the weight, and the large tank feels like an obstacle at the front, making difficult sections a little more difficult to navigate. On steep dunes the bike handles superbly and handles jumps well. A couple of times the motorcycle stalled in particularly tight spots, but I simply added idle and overcame this problem.

Sixth tester: 3rd place

From the very beginning, the Honda CRF450X was my favorite. The bike is very smooth in every sense, the traction is smooth, and it easily accelerates to the very top revs, where it picks up. The suspensions are comfortable, I didn’t notice anything special or unpleasant about them. A couple of issues that arose with the motorcycle were the clutch lever being too far from the grip and therefore inconvenient: it was very uncomfortable to hold your finger on it while riding. Personally, I recommend installing an adjustable lever right away. And the second complaint is about slow driving, for example over rocks. Trying to drive in first gear leads to attempts to stall, and the inconvenient clutch lever makes it difficult to drive comfortably in the gray zone.

Main competitions

Besides the ISDE, which is still organized every year by the FIM, there are a number of other major enduro competitions:

The Maxxis FIM World Enduro Championship (also known as WEC) is a race of 8 2-day stages that replaced the European Championship in 1990.
FIM SuperEnduro World Championship is a stadium speed competition.

In our country, the most important event is the Russian Enduro Motorcycle Championship. It has been held on a regular basis since 2001. The competition includes a series of two-day stages organized in different cities. In addition to the standard motorcycle classes, it includes additional races for participants in snowmobiles (organized since 2003) and ATVs (since 2009).

More information about the venue and results of past and future domestic competitions can be found here.

First place: Enduro motorcycle Yamaha WR450F 2022

Enduro motorcycle Yamaha WR450F 2020

First tester: 1st place

When I talk about an off-road motorcycle, I personally mean a motorcycle that can do it all. Is the Yamaha WR450F ideal in tight spaces? No. Is it ideal on fast sections? No. But it’s close to that, and it’s so good that I would choose it over all the others. Plus, it's extremely predictable at both slow and fast speeds, and I have complete confidence in it. In terms of power, this is the favorite, followed closely by Beta. And even despite the torquey, sharp engine, its super-low first gear is extremely useful on difficult terrain. And how it unwinds! The feeling is that it pulls literally at any speed. The intake sound is quite unpleasant at first, but you get used to it. The Yamaha under me handles quite well. It’s not the nimblest model, but it turns easily, and most importantly, clearly. Pendants are something magical because they can handle almost any terrain. I can either jump over rocks or drive through the desert all day, and the Yamaha WR450F suspensions provide the proper level of comfort and correct operation. Overall, an excellent all-rounder.

Second tester: 1st place

First impression: Yamaha WR450F has the best engine of the whole group. It is in many ways reminiscent of a cross-country model, it reacts cheerfully to the opening of the gas and accelerates beautifully. The engine is fun, nimble and makes for a delightful ride. The sound from the air filter is quite loud and takes some getting used to. It is not louder than the cross version, but since the muffler is quieter, the intake sound is heard more clearly. The Yamaha WR450F's suspension is the perfect combination of softness early on over small bumps and progressive stiffness as you accelerate or get larger. Whether I was tearing through big rocks or accelerating out of a lumpy corner, I always felt like the fork and shock were ready for it. The motorcycle feels great. The Yamaha WR450F is spacious, but not massive, it turns easily with the rider either in a stance or in the saddle, and the engine pulls well, which is very easy to appreciate in first gear somewhere in the forest or on a trail.

Third tester: 1st place

This bike is a true motocross platform in a slightly more utilitarian form. The Yamaha WR450F is ready for any riding style, whether on rough roads or in open areas. It has the most powerful engine of the five, and it handles great. The suspension works great without any adjustments and never felt too soft. It's a little wide in front of the tank, but that's probably the only complaint.

Yamaha WR450F 2020

Fourth tester: 3rd place

The Yamaha WR450F handles well in tight spaces and always has plenty of traction. And the character of this traction is exactly what is needed to comfortably drive onto a difficult rocky slope. But what I didn’t like was the sound of the motorcycle - as I understand it, it’s mainly due to the intake noise. I also don't like the shape of the front wing.

Fifth tester: 2nd place

The quality of workmanship and finishing, like Honda, is excellent. But the Yamaha WR450F does not start very easily, whether cold or hot. The intake sound was the first thing I noticed, but as I drove, it stopped bothering me. I also didn’t worry about the traction at all - there is plenty of it, and the connection between the movement of the hand and the wheel is very clear. I was impressed by the first gear on this bike, the traction is very easy to dose at the very bottom, but once you get in front of a hill or a rock, with one flick of the wrist you are at the top. The Yamaha WR450F suspension is a little soft for me, but it is well balanced and has a smooth ride. On the dunes and hills I was a little concerned about the softness of the suspension, but the faster I went, the better it held and stayed firm until I lost my rhythm. Climbing between rocks or on narrow trails isn't this bike's strong point, but in open terrain it's great.

Sixth tester: 1st place

After one lap of the track on the Yamaha WR450F, I was impressed. At the same time, the first thing I didn’t like was the noisy ticking when the engine was running. But after riding, you completely forget about it. This thing goes like that! As soon as you touch the gas, it is removed from its place. Definitely the best bike for single track. The fastest and handles better than others. The Yamaha WR450F suspensions performed well coming out of one corner where everyone else was screwing up. This one went over uneven surfaces like an iron, and I practically didn’t notice them. True, on large hills the motorcycle seemed a little heavy, and the front end tried to break.

general information

So what is enduro? The essence of the discipline is easy to understand by the name, which comes from the English word endurance - “endurance”. Indeed, enduro competitions are a real test of endurance, both for the rider and the equipment, since most of any race takes place over rough terrain, strewn with a large number of natural and artificially created obstacles, which participants have to overcome at the fastest possible pace. Racers start in groups of 2-3 people at intervals of 1 minute.

Competitions can be one- or multi-day (up to 6 days), but no more than 6-7 hours a day. These include:

Road competitions with observance of traffic rules, passing checkpoints and the accrual of penalty points for being late. Information about the time and points awarded is noted on the participant’s control card.
Additional tests: cross-country running along the main highway, and acceleration - passing a closed straight section of the highway at maximum speed.

The course for road competitions is a closed curve and may include sections of public roads (up to 30% of the total length) that are not closed to the traffic of other vehicles. When passing them, riders must comply with traffic rules. For each day of competition, a different version of the route is prepared. On the final day of the multi-day competition, a final cross-country race of 10-18 km is held.

In addition to a separate sports direction, currently the word enduro can also mean ordinary amateur off-road racing “for oneself”, that is, without any competitive elements.

Other criteria for choosing an enduro for a beginner

The soft version (250 cc and less) is best suited for a beginner, as it meets the basic criteria of a motorcycle for beginners:

Ease and simplicity of control. It’s easy to control, like a bicycle, and it can squeeze through everywhere due to its narrow profile and high steering wheel - it won’t touch the mirrors of most cars.
Good review. Achieved thanks to a high, straight landing - you can look over cars without any problems.
Single cylinder engine. Provides traction from the very bottom, which is just right for beginners.
Simplicity and low maintenance costs.
Sufficient speed for beginners. For those who like to ride with the breeze, a cruising speed of 100 km/h (plus or minus 10) will be enough. The speed is limited by the absence of a fairing and a long suspension stroke, while it does not depend on the engine capacity (therefore, when choosing software, you should not chase power - weight is more important). Acceleration time to 100 km depends on the speed of gear changes (they are short), for a beginner it will be useful to learn how to do this quickly. In addition, there will be an opportunity to master the skill of working with your own weight.