Enduro motorcycle
An enduro motorcycle is an off-road racing motorcycle used in enduros, which are long-distance cross-country, Trails, time trial competitions.
Types and features of enduro motorcycles
Enduro motorcycles closely resemble motocross, or "MX" bikes. They may have special features such as oversized fuel tanks, engines tuned for reliability and longevity, sump protectors, and more durable components. Enduro bikes combine the long-travel suspension of an MX bike with engines that are reliable over long distances. The engine of an enduro bike is generally a single cylinder 2-stroke between 125 cc and 350 cc, or a single cylinder 4-stroke between 125 cc and 650 cc.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, these may include:
- Headlight for on-road and after-dark use
- Brake light/tail light for on-road use
- Protective hardware such as brake and clutch handguards for protection against branches and leaves i.e. "bark busters"
- Exhaust system that is street legal and meets regulations for noise and spark arresting
- Wide-ratio gear box
- Narrower handlebars so that the bike can fit between branches and trees easily
- Roll chart holder/Enduro computer
- Heavy flywheel
Manufacturers
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, Rieju, Sherco, Suzuki, SWM, and Yamaha.History
Motorcycles specifically intended for enduro competition first appeared at the International Six Day Trial now called the International Six Days Enduro. The ISDE was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. The ISDE requires an enduro motorcycle to withstand over six days and upwards of 1250 km of competition; repairs are limited to those performed by the rider with limited parts. The ISDE has occurred annually, apart from interruptions due to World War I and World War II, at various locations throughout the world. The early events were a test of rider skill and motorcycle reliability. The earliest ISDE courses used the dirt roads common in that era. Today, most of the routes are off-road. In 1980, the ISDT was renamed the International Six Day Enduro.Until 1973, the ISDE was always held in Europe. In 1973 it was held in the United States, and since then it has been held outside Europe more frequently: twice in Australia, again in the USA, Brazil, New Zealand and Chile. The ISDE has attracted national teams from as many as 32 countries in recent years.
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. 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 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 consisting of both paved and unpaved trails and 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 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.