An enduro motorcycle is an off-road racing motorcycle used in enduros, which are long-distance cross-country, Trails, time trial competitions.
An enduro motorcycle is an off-road racing motorcycle used in enduros, which are long-distance cross-country, Trails, time trial competitions.
Enduro motorcycles closely resemble motocross, or "MX" bikes (upon which they are often based). [1] They may have special features such as oversized gas tanks, engines tuned for reliability and longevity, sump protectors, and more durable (and heavier) components. Enduro bikes combine the long-travel suspension of an off-road motocross bike with engines that are reliable and durable over long distances, and may be fitted with oversize gas tanks for adequate range. Some enduro bikes have street-legal features such as headlights and quiet mufflers to enable them to use public roadways. The engine of an enduro bike is usually a single cylinder 2-stroke between 125 cc and 360 cc, or 4-stroke between 195 and 650 cc.
A large and powerful engine is not always an advantage, and riders may prefer smaller bikes that are lighter and more maneuverable. In the UK, where enduros are often held in wet, boggy areas such as the Welsh hills, 250 cc may be sufficient. In drier climates, where the dirt surface is firmer (albeit dusty), good riders can benefit from having a heavier bike with more power.[ original research? ]
There may exist several design differences between enduro motorcycles and moto/supercross bikes, according to the rules of the particular competition. For an enduro event such as endurocross (Enduro-X), these may include: [2]
Past and present enduro manufacturers include AJP, ATK, Beta, Bultaco, CCM, Fantic, Gas Gas, Hodaka, Honda, Husaberg, Husqvarna, Indian, Kawasaki, KTM, Maico, Montesa, MZ, Ossa, Penton, Sherco, Suzuki, SWM and Yamaha.
Motorcycles specifically intended for enduro competition first appeared at the International Six Day Trial (ISDT) now called the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE). [3] The ISDE was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. [3] The ISDE requires an enduro motorcycle to withstand over six days and upwards of 1250 km (777 miles) of competition; repairs are limited to those performed by the rider with limited parts. [3] The ISDE has occurred annually, apart from interruptions due to World War I and World War II, at various locations throughout the world. [3] The early events were a test of rider skill and motorcycle reliability. [3] The earliest ISDE courses used the dirt roads common in that era. Today, most of the routes are off-road. [3] In 1980, the ISDT was renamed the International Six Day Enduro (ISDE).
Until 1973, the ISDE was always held in Europe. [3] In 1973 it was held in the United States, and since then it has been held outside Europe more frequently: twice in Australia (1992 and 1998), again in the USA (1994), Brazil (2003), New Zealand (2006) and Chile (2007). [3] The ISDE has attracted national teams from as many as 32 countries in recent years. [3]
In the 1970s the term was used in US marketing applied to dual-purpose motorcycles regardless of their suitability for competition.
In the U.S., enduro motorcycles appeared in light and heavyweight classes during the Greenhorn Enduro hosted by the Pasadena Motorcycle Club (PMC). The Greenhorn Enduro was a nationally recognized 500-mile, two-day desert off-road competition that pounded both rider and machine. Veterans of the early Greenhorn Enduro included Bud Ekins and Steve McQueen.
Many current enduro motorcycles are built along the basic lines of a World Championship (WEC) machine, as used in the World Enduro Championship. The WEC is a time-card enduro, whereby a number of stages are raced in a time trial against the clock over a course of at least 200 km (124 miles) consisting of both paved and unpaved trails and roads (up to 30% of the course may be on public or private asphalted roads).
Another popular type of enduro competition that has spurred enduro motorcycle development is endurocross, a hybrid event combining enduro and supercross.
In the UK, most enduro clubman bikes were 2-strokes, but many ACU events had a separate class for 4-stroke machines, such as the Honda XR series. Such 4-strokes tended to be effectively "sporty trail bikes" rather than de-tuned scramblers, but their much improved fuel economy (compared to 2-strokes) meant that they could complete lengthy laps of thirty miles or more without refuelling. This obviated the need for a back-up team to man refueling stops, allowing 4-stroke clubmen to compete without a support entourage.
MX racing bikes have often been used as platforms for building enduro bikes. [1] This was partially driven by the conversion of MX from 2-stroke to 4-stroke engine designs to comply with regulatory trends, as well as the development of hybrid competition races such as Enduro-X. [1] Compared to MX bikes, enduro and dual-sport bikes traditionally had a much higher proportion of 4-stroke motors.[ citation needed ] Though powerful, MX-based off-road motorcycles can experience problems running full enduro courses, where an over-emphasis on light weight and high power may cause engine reliability problems when racing over distances that are much longer than an MX circuit.
As some enduro courses have portions on public roads as well as off-road tracks, competitors in such events will need enduro bikes that comply with local registration requirements for on-road use. Modern enduro bikes are closely related to their MX counterparts, and the manufacturers may state that enduro machines are for non-highway use only. Some countries refuse the registration of enduro bikes for on-highway use unless they are altered to meet local road-legal specifications. However, some enduro bikes, such as the Husqvarna TE250 and some Husabergs are built to comply with on-road requirements, and it is fairly straightforward to register these machines for on-road use .
KTM AG is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and sports car manufacturer owned by Pierer Mobility AG & Indian manufacturer Bajaj Auto International Holdings BV. It was formed in 1992 but traces its foundation to as early as 1934. Today, KTM AG is the parent company of the KTM Group, consisting of a number of motorcycle brands.
Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom.
Supermoto is a form of motorcycle racing held on race tracks that alternate between three kinds of track surfaces: the hard packed dirt of flat track, the irregular jumps and obstacles of motocross, and the paved tarmac of road racing. Supermoto was originally conceived by Gavin Trippe in 1979 as a segment of the TV show Wide World of Sports. It was something like an all-star game, in which the best riders from the three separate genres of motorcycle racing could temporarily leave their normal race class to come together and compete for the title of best all around racer. Today supermoto is a distinct genre of its own and riders in the other classes do not routinely cross over into supermoto.
The AMA Supercross Championship is an American motorcycle racing series. Founded by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1974, the AMA Supercross Championship races are held from January through early May. Supercross is a variant of motocross which involves off-road motorcycles on a constructed dirt track consisting of steep jumps and obstacles; the tracks are usually constructed inside a sports stadium. The easy accessibility and comfort of these stadium venues helped supercross surpass off-road motocross as a spectator attraction in the United States by the late 1970s.
Maicowerk A.G., known by its trading name Maico is the name of a family company in the Swabian town of Pfäffingen near Tübingen. Founded in 1926 by Ulrich Maisch as Maisch & Co, the company originally manufactured 98 and 123 cc Ilo two-stroke engines. After World War II, they began producing their own unit construction two-stroke engines, selling complete motorcycles. Maico made a brief foray into the automobile business with their own line of microcars in the late 1950s. Maico have also made go kart engines.
The six main types of motorcycles are generally recognized as standard, cruiser, touring, sports, off-road, and dual-purpose. Sport touring is sometimes recognized as a seventh category or integrated with the touring category.
Gas Gas is a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer established in 1985 by Narcìs Casas and Josep Pibernat in Salt, Girona. The company specializes in off-road motorcycles for trials and enduro competitions. Gas Gas was purchased by KTM motorcycles in 2019. After the sale to KTM, Gas Gas's off-road models were purchased by Spanish motorcycle manufacturer Rieju.
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on extended cross-country, off-road courses. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges. The main type of enduro event, and the format to which the World Enduro Championship is run, is a time-card enduro, whereby a number of stages are raced in a time trial against the clock.
Husaberg was a manufacturer of enduro motorcycles with four and two-stroke engines, the displacements ranging from 125 cc to 650 cc. Originally based in Sweden, its motorcycles were later manufactured in Austria by parent company KTM until the line was retired in 2014.
Penton was a rebadged American brand of off-road enduro motorcycles designed by John Penton and manufactured by KTM in Austria for distribution in the United States between 1968 and 1978.
ATK is an American motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle company founded in 1985 and located in Centerville, Utah, USA. As of 2016, it has been operating primarily to support previously sold models through parts and service manual distribution. While ATK was initially founded on in-house chassis designs and modified sourced engines, the brand has primarily focused on acquisition and badge-engineered models from multiple companies worldwide since 2004.
Ossa was a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer which was active from 1924 to 1982 and from 2010 to 2015. Founded by Manuel Giró, an industrialist from Barcelona, Ossa was best known for lightweight, two-stroke-engined bikes used in observed trials, motocross and enduro. The company was known originally as Orpheo Sincronic Sociedad Anónima (O.S.S.A.) and was later renamed Maquinaria Cinematográfica, S.A..
Motorcycle racing is the motorcycle sport of racing motorcycles. Major varieties include motorcycle road racing and off-road racing, both either on circuits or open courses, and track racing. Other categories include hill climbs, drag racing and land speed record trials.
Beta is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer, specialising in off-road motorcycles. Beta are best known for their popular observed trials bikes. In 2005, they launched a range of enduro motorcycles using KTM engines. In 2010 they launched the new RR series, with a new engine made in-house. Beta motorcycles have been used by world trials champions such as Jordi Tarrés, Dougie Lampkin, Albert Cabestany and Enduro riders Steve Holcombe and Brad Freeman. Production in 2018 was expected to be in excess of 20,000 motorcycles, ranging in size from 50 cc to 480 cc.
The Yamaha YZ450F is a four-stroke racing motocross bike built by Yamaha Motor Corporation. It was the successor to the previous YZ426F which was discontinued in 2003. It is credited by Cycle World and Dirt Rider magazines as the bike that started the four-stroke dirt bike revolution. The 2006 YZ250F and YZ450F were the first production motorcycles equipped with titanium suspension springs.
Husqvarna Motorcycles GmbH is a Swedish-origin Austrian company which designs, engineers, manufactures and distributes motocross, enduro, supermoto and street motorcycles.
Carl Lee Cranke was an American professional motorcycle enduro competitor. He represented the United States in 10 International Six Days Trial (ISDT) in the 1960s and 1970s. He earned seven gold medals and two silver medals in ISDT competitions to become one of the most accomplished American enduro riders of his era. Cranke was also notable for his two stroke engine tuning abilities, and was also credited with helping develop Penton motorcycles. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000.
Mike Brown is an American former professional motocross racer and Endurocross racer. He was the 2001 AMA 125cc motocross national champion.
The "Pure Enduro" series of off-road racing motorcycles ran from 1977 through to 1984 in engine displacements from 175cc through 400cc. All engines were case-reed valve, air-cooled, two-stroke and single-cylinder with plain steel bores. Lubrication was provided via 20:1 pre-mix. These were directly related to the Suzuki RM series range of motocross racers.
The KTM 300 is a series of 2-stroke enduro off-road motorcycles made by KTM. They are the Penton-inspired 1984 300 GS, the 300 DMX, the dirt only 300 MXC, European road legal 300 EXC and their current US counterpart the 300 XC (close-ratio) and 300 XC-W respectively. The KTM 300 is designed for difficult off-road conditions. The 300 EXC and the 300 XC-W have a small headlight, speedometer, tail-light and somewhat softer linkless PDS suspension. Starting in 2008 all 300's came with electric start. Since the early 2000s KTM has been offering the XC-W model in a special "Six-Days" limited edition.
