Budget enduro motorcycles – classification, choice in 2022

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This little article is an attempt to help beginners understand what enduro is and why the new Chinese enduro motorcycle is a good choice.

Recommendations for choosing an enduro motorcycle

Characteristic features of enduro.

To choose a durable and patient motorcycle (translated from the Latin indurare), you should highlight its distinctive features.

1. The bike has a small weight category (100-150 kg). Most often, novice motorcyclists choose the lightest models (100-110 kg).
2. Enduros are equipped with low-power engines ranging from 200 to 800 cc. cm. For amateur driving, a 200-250 cc engine will be enough. cm with a capacity of 15-25 l. With.
3. Typically, the classic enduro version is equipped with a larger diameter wheel at the front than at the rear. But this is important when participating in races, but for driving around the city this nuance is not of decisive importance.
4. Another characteristic feature of the motorcycle is the high-set handlebars. It stands out due to its widely spaced handles.

Classification

. In the enduro class, experts distinguish three modifications of bikes.

1. The Hard differs from its counterparts in its very durable chassis and high resistance of the structure and finish to impacts. The model has minimal weight with high power and energy intensity. The disadvantages of hard drives include short maintenance intervals and measurement of service life in hours.
2. The software is designed for driving around the city and rough terrain. This is an excellent option for lovers of nature, fishing, and residents of the province. But the bike is not suitable for serious off-road racing.
3. Touring enduro is created for lovers of long journeys. Distinctive features of this modification are the presence of protective bars, navigation systems, and comfortable seating. Disadvantages include poor maneuverability and heavy weight.

Engine capacity

. When choosing an enduro, special attention is paid to the choice of motor.

1. The lightest are considered to be bikes equipped with engines up to 250 cc. cm. These maneuverable motorcycles have proven themselves well on city streets. Single-cylinder engines have an air cooling system.
2. Light enduro includes motorcycles with an engine capacity of 250-300 cc. see. The advantage of “quarters” is their versatility, which allows beginners to get their first ideas about motorcycles.
3. Trained users should take a closer look at enduro bikes equipped with power units of 400-800 cc. cm. This technique is suitable both for daily driving around the city and for overcoming provincial off-road conditions. The only drawback of the modification is its heavy weight (on average 140 kg).

We have selected 13 of the best enduro motorcycles for review. All of them are sold on the Russian market. When allocating places, the opinion of the expert community and reviews of domestic bikers were taken into account.

Main technical characteristics

Enduro motorcycles. 2t vs 4t.

In one post we will consider two topics at once. One is for dummies: what is enduro and how enduro motorcycles differ from motocross motorcycles. The second topic is very holivar, but I will try to consider it as neutrally as possible. For advanced enthusiasts: two-stroke enduros versus four-stroke enduros.

I myself switched to a two-stroke, having previously ridden all my life on a variety of four-stroke motorcycles.

How the competition works

Enduro competitions began more than a hundred years ago and have undergone significant changes since then. Now there are more than 10 famous multi-day competitions in Russia and abroad, where famous riders from all over the world come to compete. Competitors undergo special tests, including: prepared enduro parks, forest and winding trails, steep descents, ascents, various rough terrain surfaces, high-speed sections and hour-long races. In general, no despondency, only extreme sports, adrenaline and real struggle, which gives a feeling of excitement and a thirst for victory.

Since 2001, Russia has hosted the Russian Enduro Championship. Competitions are held in different regions of the country, two days for each stage. Each lap contains special sections that may include high-speed turns, artificial or natural obstacles, jumps, fording and other challenges. By the way, the motorcyclist must complete them at maximum speed, which implies extreme and spectacular competition.

There are also competitions in Russia for different levels of riders: both for professionals and for beginners, in which those who like to ride in their free time - the so-called “hobbits” - can try themselves. This is, for example, the “Nimble Squirrel” race, which is held in Karelia, or several stages of “Are You Violent?” These competitions are quite accessible to any endurist.

What types of enduro motorcycles are there?

1.1. Tourenduro.

Let's start from afar. Touring enduros are motorcycles for long-distance motorcycle trips with small off-road capabilities. Now the concept of a tourenduro has been greatly distorted; manufacturers have begun to produce heavy monsters, albeit with soft suspensions, but too technically complex to carry out even minor repairs in the open field. In addition, however, along with the engine size, the weight began to go off scale. All this leads to the fact that it becomes difficult to adequately ride on any surfaces more difficult than a grader, on heavy enduro motorcycles, since the rider’s buggy weight, in comparison with a loaded motorcycle, is simply no longer able to load the fork when necessary, nor work off the skid. Yes, and it’s difficult to raise, what can we talk about. The textbook example of heavy touring enduros is BMW, although a much more adequate new Africa-Twin has now been released.

KTM, which is a little more adequate in terms of the weight-engine-suspension ratio, has also long since joined the race to see who is fatter.

Medium enduros traditionally have an engine capacity in the region of 600-700 cc, although until recently, when the 701 cc Husqvarna appeared, this volume most often floated in the range of 600-690 cc. Medium enduros already allow you to move somewhere and drive a little further, even when loaded. It is much more convenient to tackle such routes as Ustyurt and Kola, for example, on medium enduros than on heavy ones. Although it will be much more boring to drive these thousands of kilometers on asphalt to the main goal of the motorcycle trip.

Examples of such motorcycles: Yamaha xt660z Tenere, BMW F650GS, KTM 690r - a little special, but in the same category, Honda XR650L - also in many ways superior to the first two and reliable as a brick, unlike the third, but also belongs to the middle enduro.

The fundamental difference between medium enduro and heavy ones is that on such motorcycles it makes sense to sometimes stand up, since they at least respond to weight management. If you see a guy driving around somewhere on a BMW r1200gs with panniers in a rack (they love this, and most often around the city) - this is just an ordinary pontoon. But the rider on the 690 KTM can already stand up for a reason.

1.2. Lightweight enduro.

Lightweight utilitarian enduro. The word “utilitarian” has become firmly entrenched in the environment of quadrics, where there are scraps that are used for stirring up local swamps around the dacha, going out into the countryside with the family, and walking back-of-the-envelope routes with the men. And there are cross-country quads, light and bouncy, with a chain drive, used in quadrocross and rally raids. Motorcycles are not called “utilitarian”, but it seems to me that this word best characterizes the lightweight enduro class Yamaha TTR250, Honda XR250-400, Suzuki Djebel, DR-Z and the like. These are light motorcycles that can be stuck into a swamp without a second thought, pushed out of there all day long... And in the end pushed out without breaking! They are also used for enduro tourism, when the route is simply a series of GPS points on the ground. Structurally, they are very simple, often even air-cooled; the service interval is calculated in kilometers, not in engine hours, and this is one of the key points.

Sports equipment

If the crossbike has all the necessary documents, you can ride it around the city, having previously installed all the missing parts. However, such motorcycles have a narrow seat, so riding long distances is very tiring. It is difficult to drive it for more than a couple of hundred kilometers, besides, large treads on the tires lead to excessive vibrations of the steering fork when driving on asphalt, which, in turn, loads the driver’s hands.

The Chinese IBRIS TTR motorcycle is an excellent option for a beginner. Although these inexpensive models require some modification (usually replacing some parts with similar ones made in Japan). It could also be BaltMotors Enduro 250. Other global manufacturers also have many models for motocross. As a motorcycle for off-road and city use, for example, the Honda CRF250L, which feels great both on the highway and on difficult sections of the road, or the 250 cc Kawasaki KLX250S.

Differences between an enduro motorcycle and a motocross motorcycle.

In general, the most common question, for the sake of answering which we begin to understand the differences between these two types of motorcycles: is it possible to race enduro on a crossbike? This question arises because motocross motorcycles are cheaper than enduro motorcycles. Correct answer: it is possible, but up to a certain level and not just any enduro. You need to understand that a motocross motorcycle is created for riding only on a motocross track, it is sharper, designed for riding at higher speeds, to the detriment of maximum speed. There are a huge number of differences, which I remember, I will now try to include in the comparative table.

Yamaha XT225 Serow

The Yamaha XT225 is also worthy of our attention and careful consideration

You may ask why 225 and not 250? Because the 250th model is very difficult to find on sale, and it’s not worth focusing on it because of this

XT225 does not have the external aggressiveness that is inherent in its classmates. Many people criticize the bike for this reason, but this is a rather subjective opinion. The meaning lies in the name itself - Serow. The word serow in Japanese means a local mountain goat, which easily gallops along mountain slopes, but does not have great speed.

The Yamaha Serow can outperform many dirt bikes, but it is not suitable for long-distance riding.

Not even because of the low speed, but because of the slippery and uncomfortable seat. But for a beginner, this is the best choice, since the model is low and light, and any rider can handle it.

Classification of enduro motorcycles. Part 2. Hard enduro.

it seems like he was assigned to the wrong class) but he showed the difference between a pro and a very advanced amateur (and these are the ones who risk going there; noobs or average people have absolutely nothing to do there).

There, in order to overcome the first few obstacles you need to train very long and hard, not to mention the entire route

More likely, an expensive bike will ruin a beginner. A friend on a motard got into an accident (he was riding as a passenger), but there was no damage to the moped.

Take Dyrzet 400 and don’t worry about Moscow. He also stands up in the back and is not bad at all. And Sherlock from the British TV series of the same name rode on it in one episode)))) https://www.motonews.ru/imgs/new_10369_0b.jpg

Haska was bought by KTM, now Haska is a KTM painted in a different color)

There was a post about motards.

There was just a post about endura racing, where Baja was called hard, so it blew my mind.

Motocross for kids!?

As they say, good luck to everyone! Surely many of you have children and... motorbike! So in our family, 7 years after the child, a motorcycle appeared. With the strength and desire of the husband - of course.

Well, where the dad’s hobbies are, the child needs them too. But how? It seems that age does not allow it. But we remember about the “forbidden sweet fruit” and do not want at all that at the age of 15 our only, or not so, but still dear little person sat on the first “scooter” stool that came across and flew off into the distant distances, which promise not only pleasant sunrises, and sometimes even sunsets, the last for some.

Enduro → [Typology] Cross and enduro: different techniques, different thrills

I often hear and use the phrase: “everyone will ride enduro.” And I see that the “off-road disease” is successfully decimating our ranks

But unfortunately, the classic “infected” cannot formulate what he needs from the device. He wants “everything at once.” As a result, people overheat cross bikes in the mud, jump high on old endurikes, and storm logs on “tourists.” The result is lost buzz, time, money, and even health.

In this post I will try to provide a coordinate system for an informed choice of off-road equipment. I will typologize off-road vehicles and explain their differences, dictated by the scope of their application.

There will be a lot of text and few photos. Because what's the point of putting up a lot of photos of motorcycles that look very similar?