Enduro Motorcycles
The Enduro motorcycle refers to any motorcycle made for the Enduro sport. These bikes have the medium-hard suspension and long travel of motocross bikes. They also come with other features like quiet muffler and headlights. These are necessary to ensure the bike is street legal as it needed on certain sections of the track.
The Engines
The bikes use either a 4-stroke between 250 and 650cc or the single cylinder 2-stroke between 125cc and 360cc. The type of engine used will depend on the Enduro event.
Sometimes it is more advantageous to use engines under 650cc. The reason is the bike becomes lighter and easier to manage. This is necessary for navigating around obstacles. This also allows the rider to get on the hills without moving down a gear.
Other Features
The motorcycle has some features that are not present in supercross bikes. These include components like a tail light or brake light for use on the road and handguards. The handguards are necessary to protect the rider from leaves and branches.
The motorcycle also has a street legal exhaust system. They meet the requirements for spark arresting and noise.The gear ratios of the Enduro motorcycle are wide.
The handlebars are also narrower than other bikes. This is to allow easier access between trees and other obstacles. An Enduro computer is included; sometimes a roll chart is put in its place. The flywheel weight is also heavy.
Care and Maintenance
The nature of the sport means the bike requires extensive care and maintenance. To maintain peak performance, the bikes need care like Motocross bikes. However the Enduro bikes will need more repair for collisions.
MX (Motocross) Bikes and Enduro Racing
MX bikes are used by many bikers for Enduro racing but with some extensive renovations. Apart from the components mentioned earlier, MX bikes made for Enduro racing have more resilient components and longer lasting engines. Enduro racing does not have lower limits on weights, so that is not a concern.
MX 4-stroke Engines
The decision to employ MX bikes started in the early 2000s. At this time the MX bike changed from a 2-stroke to 4-stroke engines. The power-to-weight ratio of the then standard Enduro bikes were not as good as those used today. When the MX bikes changed to 4-stroek engines, it became more convenient to use the MX bikes instead.
By using the MX bikes, the bikes became lighter and stronger. Because MX bikes are not built for use on Enduro tracks, they have to be modified. To improve performance, manufacturers are resorting to using lighter materials.
Companies that have developed bikes for Enduro racing include KTM, Yamaha, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, BMW, Suzuki, Honda and Ossa. There are many other manufacturers that are getting into the sport.
The Enduro motorcycle is specially made for Enduro racing, and as such has unique specs. From the headlights to the engine, these bikes are built to go through obstacle courses. The nature of the sport also means they require more diligent maintenance than other bikes.
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