Enduro Survivor
THERE IS SOMETING I JUST CAN'T EXPLAIN. Not because I don't know the answer, but mostly because everyone else knows a different answer. That question is, "What is an enduro bike?" Don't date yourself and say it's a street/trail bike. 'cause we call those dual-purpose or dual-sport bikes now. So, enduro bikes are trailbikes? Not really. Strictly for competing in enduro races! Better, but can they compete in hare scrambles, GNCC events or GPs, too'? What about taking an enduro to the motocross track, does that break a rule? Confused? Not us!
A good enduro bike should do just about everything. So we went ahead and opened up this comparison to all corners. as long as it wasn't an MX machine or a trailbike. Every manufacturer could choose any two bikes from its 2004 model line. Starting with the smallest, Kawasaki nominat ed its tried-and-true KDX200. Honda's all-new CRF25OX joined Yamaha's WR25OF and Husqvarna s TE250, representin' the quarterliter Thumpers. Jumping to the middleweight class, KTM chose a 250 EXC two-stroke and a 450 EXC four-stroke. Yamaha's WR45OF. Husky's TE450. a Husabcrg FE45OE and a Suzuki DR-Z400E all fit in. honda capped the competition with an XR65OR. Eleven bikes, no displacement rules, who cares how many strokes it has?! We chose to run the bikes at `full-power" setting, meaning with all the little stops, plugs, wires, etc. uncorked if they had `em-and in the case of the two-stroke KDX200, with the stock double-walled expansion cham ber replaced. But we kept them quiet. The all passed the 96-decibel stationary test and we checked them during the acceleration test, as well. Quiet is the only way to go if you plan to ride off-road in the future.
And then we rode them. A lot. In a lot of dif ferent conditions on a lot of different terrain. Some got raced, others were taken trail riding. Big guys rode them, newbies rode them, girls rode them. Trials riders rode them, motocrossers rode them and, yes, guys who actuafly race enduros and know how to tirnekeep rode them. For hard numbers, we lut 11 brand-new sets of Dunlop D756 tires on them and ran through a series of timed tests-roll-ons, a dirt drag race and a slalom U~ a sand hill.
We conducted this test in Survivor" fashion to arrive at the final four. One by or*. all others were voted oil the trail and into the truck!
ENDURO SURVIVOR
CW COMPARISON
Forget the next thrilling episode, get out and ride
JIMMY LEWIS
Husabery FE450E
First to load up was the Husaberg FE450E. A “boutique” bike, according to KTM, which now builds the FE in Austria, for the enthusiast who wants to ride something different-like a KTM rider of about 10 years ago, maybe? Anyway, the FE came to us in trouble, with the handlebars bent and swiveled forward, suitable for what appeared to be a 6-foot, 5inch-tall rider. We fixed that, but then there wasn’t enough juice to spin the electric starter. We charged the battery, but then a jetting glitch on the low end became apparent. When it ran (and the planets were aligned) the FE was a dream. Then the kickstand broke off! In this crowd, one glitch is one too many.
Suzuki DR-Z400E
Next, in a surprising fall from glory, was the Suzuki DR-Z400E. Based on its high placings in past comparisons, we thought the 400 would be a shoo-in for a top spot. Not to say that for trail riding the Suzuki isn’t just about perfect. What’s needed for serious enduro work? Lose 40 pounds maybe? Better suspension? All-new RMX450?
Yamaha WR250F
Pull out the loading ramp for the Yamaha WR250F. Living on revs, the 25OF runs pretty good, as long as there isn’t a Husky or Honda with so much more torque to compare it to.
Husqvarna TE250
Husky’s TE250 fell into the same category as the WR250F, albeit with a bit better motor. We still like everything we raved about in our test a couple of months back, but hey, this is a tough crowd!
Kawasaki KDX200
Believe it or not, the little Kawi is a bike that just keeps on giving. A porting tool may have lifted the KDX a place or too, but that would have been too many mods for this comparison. We replaced the stock pipe and heavy silencer with an FMF Gnarly/Q muffler system ($350, www.fmfracing.com) to bring it up to spec, as Kawasaki doesn’t have a “power-up” mod available inhouse. The boost is dramatic and the noise level is still low in comparison to even a quiet four-stroke. Front suspension was way too soft, so we installed a set of stiffer .36-kg optional springs, and everyone was happy, beginner to expert. The KDX is a tidy package that works very well; it may be old, but it’s still a great bike. Consider the $3999 price and you are in for pennies in this field. Ring up a sure winner for the cheapskates out there.
Yamaha WR450F
Next in the truck goes the WR450F. Gone are the flywheel-shearing durability problems, and everyone will appreciate the rideability improvements. Ridden hard, this bike sometimes felt heavier than even the XR650, mostly through the handlebar. Not to say that when the going got really tough and you stalled it, the WR wasn’t a hell of a lot easier to start than the Honda.
Honda XR650R
A surprise was the Honda XR650. Big Bertha is amazingly versatile and hides her weight well-most of the time. Not one complaint about the motor, especially from super-sized guys who need this amount of power and torque. Handling is really good, and we all came away impressed with just how well the suspension worked-sweet all-around bump absorption that is really progressive, very much like the WR450. XR durability is known to be astonishing, though clutches are a weak spot if you abuse them. And most times she starts right up; too bad you have to kick it. Kids, this is a real motorcycle! But put the 650 in the truck ’cause the serious competition is about to begin.
ENDURO SCORECARD
CONCLUSION:
LEFT TO BATTLE ARE FOUR BIKES THAT ARE STANDOUTS IN the enduro scene. It should come as no surprise that KTM and its two entries are here. Taking Best Enduro Bike honors for countless years, KTM has written the book on modem enduro bikes and continues to refine every year, this year no different.
So, you think we included the CRF250X just because it’s a new bike and it’s a Honda? Nope, it had to earn its spot in the final four. And it did.
What about that Husky? The Italians and their newfound financing have produced one hell of a 450 that’s worked out its teething problems on the World Enduro circuit. It shows. All four of these bikes perform at a level superior to any of the bikes our test riders voted off during a month of almost constant riding. But which one is best? To find out, we racked up more miles-for a total of more than 1000 each-then took these four out for even more thrashing. We ran them on a grass-track/ grand-prix course for time, a rough track with highspeed sections, huge g-outs and a tight, twisty Easternstyle enduro section thrown in for all you I-don’t-carehow-the-hell-they-do-it-inCalifomia types. Results?
The Honda CRF can do anything. It is almost flawless in its overall package, as long as you don’t include air-filter removal in that assessment. Getting the filter out of that slick, fold-open, no-tools door is a feat-good luck not tearing the filter. And the kickstand hangs up on stuff (note to R&D: Copy Yamaha!). But suspension and handling is on a level that nothing in this comparison matches. Compliance on small bumps is wonderful, yet it totally resists bottoming on big hits. Stability is great, steering is neutral and the CRF is the best-turning bike here.
The power spread is near-perfect, with control and as much snap as you could ask from a 250cc four-stroke. But the fact that it is a 250cc four-stroke does hold the Honda back when running against the big bikes. In timed tests, it simply can’t hang with the 450s. Real-world enduro situation: Tree-lined single-track trail, you come up on a slower rider on a bigger bike, get right up on his rear fender, but passing is another issue, shout all you want. If the CRF were a 450, we’d be telling you about a new enduro king, hands down, but it isn’t. And when we ask, our sources at Honda suddenly go deaf-like and say, “Huh, 450 what?” KTM’s double entry gives insight to why the Austrians make so many good enduro bikes-there isn’t just one kind of off-road rider, and KTM has them all covered. To say we’ve been drawn to the four-strokes lately would be an understatement. The refinement and features they offer at a weight that was unthinkable just a few years ago make us an easy sell. You too?
The 450 EXC has gone through a major refinement since winning CW s Best Enduro Bike honors last year. Its frame got a lot stiffer, so stability got better and steering a little more crisp. Whatever magic R&D did inside the motor really worked because there seems to be more punch everywhere, yet delivery is still smooth and tractable. The new one-piece rear fender/sidepanel cleaned up the 450’s looks and made the tricky installation of the new airbox cover much easier. And this is the lightest feeling of the midi-strokers by a long shot.
THE TRIBE HAS SPOKEN
Husqvarna TE450
So, what didn’t we like? Well, the suspension got a major internal redo. Now the bike is way more supple over the little stuff and extremely plush, but this a double-edged sword. Say hello to suspension bottoming. The 450 has a lot of travel with a very linear rate, but once you get moving through the stroke fast, it goes right to the end with a thud that feels like it’s going to tear the swingarm off. It doesn’t, of course, but it sure feels like it. The fork bottomed as well, just not as much or as hard. We tried cranking on the shock compression, but anything tighter than 12 clicks gave a harshness that wasn’t worth the trade-off for a minor increase in bottoming resistance.
Our guess is that the too-plush suspension is also imparting the bike’s slightly vague steering feel-sometimes you feel detached from the 450 and not “with it.” Steering is commendably light, but the EXC just wasn’t as planted as the other finalists, no matter how we tuned it.
The six-speed, wide-ratio gearbox is great and has the spread of any other bike in just the first five speeds. Sixth is a bonus and great for that 96-mph speed-demon top end. Clutch pull is feathery light, with engagement maybe just on the grabby side, while the brakes are so strong that they border on touchy. Our 450 needed the usual slight richening of the jetting, freeing up of the crankcase venting and one big change to a softer 8.4-kg shock spring. No, this wasn’t responsible for the bottoming-in fact, back-to-back rides showed it made little difference-the softer spring just let the rear end work better on the small stuff, especially on ing bumps going into turns.
The KTM 450 was the first bike picked for any trail ride especially on any route with fast dirt roads involved. And attention KTM shoppers: The Austrians have at last softened up the seat foam!
The 250 EXC mirrors the 450 in almost every way concerning chassis and handling, but its 27-pound-lighter weight lets it deal with the suspension bottoming better. Oh, it still goes through its stroke, just not as hard, even with a softeryet 8.0-kg shock spring installed for the same reasons as the 450. Bottom line (sorry), if there is a whoop-dee-doo trail ahead, and you’re on orange, hope it’s the 250 two-stroke.
Like the 450, steering is feathery light, but the two-stroke is more planted-strange, as it’s lighter. Any time you really start throwing the bike around, the 250 responds easier and faster, especially in sand or mud. On loose, stony ground or baked hardpack, it gives away only a little to the weightier bikes on hook-up. It has such a smooth, strong bottom end you’d think it was a 300. Our bike’s jetting was richened up with a NOZG needle in the third position, a #40 pilot and a #162 main jet. Very crisp, willing to tractor along or snap to life with a grab of the throttle. The power(ours was set up with the red, or lightest, spring in the governor) really makes the most of the delivery. And the five-speed, wide-ratio gearbox is spaced perfectly, with fifth seeming a bit taller than in the past, a good thing out in open.
Honda CRF250X
Much as we like the company’s Thumpers, for most people the 250 EXC is KTM’s best enduro bike. But not this test’s best.
So where’s Husqvama been? Not here in the States, but we’re glad to have them back. The new Husky is building steam again-for the third, fourth or however many-ith time. There are still dealers out there, some really good ones, some bitter ones as well. Financial woes aren’t uncommon in motorcycling today (witCannondale) and it wasn’t so many years even mighty KTM was on the ropes, we’re not basing anything here on much capital the Cagiva Group has or t have. Because no one really knows, do Outright, on-the-dirt performance is all we test for, look to Fortune or Investors ’ Weekly for money matters.
KTM 450 EXC
Anyway, for $6599 you get everything you need to do any kind of off-roading you can imagine-well, less one set of handguards. The electric-start-only TE has been around the CW garage for the last six months and has never missed a beat. With just an oil change and constant air-filter cleanings, it has been stone-reliable even after some excessively abusive trail riding. Maintenance is the easiest of all the bikes in this comparison, but we rarely had to do any. Total damage has been a radiator grille gone missing and a broken rear fender, parts Fed-Ex’ed in a couple of days.
Riding, the first thing you notice is that the bike is very at-home feeling, super-narrow, everything in its place. The hydraulic clutch pull is a little heavy, and shifting isn’t the silkiest, but then our clutch has seen a lot of abuse. Our bike was delivered with very lean carburetion. We went to a #45 pilot jet and gave the pumper squirt a millimeter delay, now we’re spot-on, just a little on the lean side. The TE’s starter motor and smallish battery spin the engine just fine, but it doesn’t jump to life like the KTM. Still, we never needed or even wanted a kickstarter.
With its light flywheel effect, the motor spins freely, but not so much that it breaks traction easily. The TE has got plenty of torque-see the performance charts-but it stalls easier than most other bikes. The revs build controllably with a flat feeling throughout the power spread all the way up to a screaming top end. It is a deceiving pull, as the numbers reveal, and in side-by-side .dr~g races e Husky seemed always to prevail. It 4Ø~sn't feel that fast: it just is, putting the power to the round. Mated to a semi-wide-ratio tranny, there is a gear fçr everything but outright top speed. But hey, h~w often do you really need 80-plus mph, anyway?
KTM 250 EXC
On the chassis and suspension side, the Husky shines.
It feels rigid and flex-free. It was the most stable bike in this comparison, along with its 250cc brother, yet turns with a precision and confidence that rivals the laserlike Honda CRF. Okay, it is a trifle finicky to set up-plan to get up close and personal with the shock and fork clickers. Typically, we ran most of the compression settings near wide-open trying to make the ride as soft as we could. So set up, there was some residual harshness mid-stroke that we couldn’t get rid of. This was most apparent in trail riding, but at faster speeds the suspension was nearly flawless, well up in its stroke, great for attacking ruts, rocks and roots. Racing, the stiffness was really appreciated, rewarding aggressive pilots with a controlled ride.
Overall, then, the Husky was the first choice for anyone thinking of going racing, and our timed laps backed this up. It wasn’t the first to get picked on a trail ride-the KTMs were-but in the end we chose the Husqvama TE450 as 2004’s best all-around enduro bike. It’s a bold re-entry with performance that is class-leading or tied for tops in all areas. It’s supremely versatile and, as far as we can tell, about as durable as an anvil. Ride one and you’ll come away astonished. We were.
