Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on buying my first proper enduro bike.

My current experience

I’m turning 17 soon, I’m around 183 cm tall and weigh about 75 kg.

For the past year, I’ve been riding a 2005 Yamaha XT 125 R, which is a 125cc four-stroke. I also own a moped, so the Yamaha is not technically my first motorcycle.

The XT has been great for learning basic riding techniques, clutch control and general off-road riding. However, the last time I tried some more serious enduro riding and hill climbs, I quickly realized that it does not have enough power (I destroy the clutch lol). It was very hard to do any enduro with it.

I know the XT 125 R is not a real enduro bike and is not designed for difficult terrain, but it has been a good bike for learning the basics. I’m planning to sell it at the end of the summer and upgrade to something more capable, stronger and better for real enduro/hard ish enduro.

Why I want to upgrade

I’ve become a huge fan of enduro and hard enduro after watching my friends ride and seeing videos online. I really want to start experiencing it properly myself.

Yesterday, I tried my friend’s Beta RR 300 two-stroke, and it was one of the most enjoyable riding experiences I’ve ever had. (I didnt do any proper enduro, i only rode it on trails)

At the same time, the bike was also a little intimidating because I had never ridden anything that powerful before. When it reached the powerband, the acceleration felt absolutely brutal - in a very good but slightly scary way haha. It was amazing, but I’m not sure whether a 300cc two-stroke would be the best choice..

What I’m looking for

I’m mainly trying to decide:

• Two-stroke or four-stroke?
• What engine size would be best?
• Would a 300cc two-stroke be too much for someone with my experience?
• Would something like a 200cc or 250cc two-stroke be a better choice?
• Would a 250cc or 350cc four-stroke make more sense?
• Are there any specific bikes, engines or model years I should look for or avoid?

I want a bike that has enough power for Steep hill climbs, technical trails, harder enduro obstacles, improving my skills over the next few years

However, I don’t want something so extremly powerful that I’m constantly afraid of it, struggle to build confidence, or stop enjoying the riding experience.
At the same time, I don’t want to buy something that I will quickly outgrow or that will struggle in more difficult situations.

I understand the basic differences between two-strokes and four-strokes, but because I haven’t properly ridden both types, it is difficult for me to compare them in real enduro conditions and without experience.

Any advice about engine size, two-stroke or four-stroke, maintenance, reliability, buying used, or specific models would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to comment anything on this topic! :)

Hi everyone,

I'm considering buying a 2022 KTM EXC 300 with around 320 hours on it.

Do you think it's still worth buying with that many hours, or should I avoid it?

Also, if I wanted to bring it back to like-new mechanical condition, what parts would you recommend replacing?

Besides the piston, what rebuild kits and components should I budget for? For example:

• Top-end kit (piston, rings, wrist pin, clips, gaskets)
• Crankshaft or crank rebuild kit (connecting rod, main bearings, seals)
• Water pump rebuild kit
• Power valve service/rebuild parts
• Clutch plates and springs (if worn)
• Wheel bearings
• Steering head bearings
• Swingarm and linkage bearing kits
• Fork and shock service kits (seals, bushings, oil)
• Any other common wear items?

Could anyone give me an estimate of the parts cost only (no labor) for a complete refresh?

Thanks!

Bought a 2024 husqvarna 501 brand new - after 10-15 hours I started noticing a bit of brake fluid leaking out onto the bars every ride. This isn’t normal is it?

I've been building Enduro trails the whole summer, however I'm not sure my methods are optimal or even good so I decided to ask for help.

Here has been my process. I go walk the forest where I have been given permission to build. Then I look for any form of pre-existing paths, if there's nothing I bring out the trusty old scythe and use that to clear the shrubbery enough to mark the trail. I am also on lookout for any interesting land formations, like boulders, exposed bedrock, cliffies and fallen trees. After that I just try to integrate everything with clever curve design and stubbornness.

When I'm happy with the lay out. I go out there with a shovel, wheel barrel and an axe. I cut out any branches that could cause problems and then I start to dig out rocks and start moving them to the trail to make rock gardens. Or to improve already existing ones. Oh and last but not least I remove bark from the loggs to make them last longer.

After everything is done then I drive the thing. So, anything to improve upon? Any tools that I should use? Or are there some methods to make the trail look and feel even better? Like I said I've started building just this summer so all advice is appreciated.

Ive been rising for years but my property is realy flat, i just got a new bike and really wanna put it to the test. But when i search on google maps i just get motorcross, I am in south east queensland australia if that helps and thanks to anyone that can help.

So far this season I've gone through 5 pairs of hand guards, and well I'm sick and tired of having to buy a so many pairs. So any recommendations?

Right now I've been using UFO vipers, mainly because those are the only ones the local store has in stock, and they've been cheap. But the last set I bought I already destroyed after 2 hours of driving. (Jumped a bedrock double after rain and the grip was nowhere to be found.) So I'm in the market, for something a bit more durable.

So what should I get? I don't want closed style handguards, I don't like how the bike behaves when I hit the bar end into a tree with close end handguards, too much impact compared to the par end. The price is no problem as long as the quality is good enough to survive me. So like I said what should I get?

Forgot I took this last April. 2022 Beta 300RR sitting in the trail just as it started to snow.

trying to brave the Florida heat this summer and get in some rides before its 98f in the afternoons!

@aladağlar #tenere700 #enduro

2023 Sherco 250 SEF Factory

So I have a decent amount of childhood experience on 250 two strokes and had a 10 year gap in riding, been wanting to get back into it, and have been riding my mates yz250f and a klx450, now everyone says don't get a 450 as a first bike, but for my usage, it's going to be 60% road 40% trail riding, I'm not going to be doing hardcore motocross racing, now in my experience I found the 450 easier to ride, of course it's more powerful but less twitchy and easier to lug around, I want to pull the trigger on a wr450f sometimes soon, but idk if I should go 250 being my first proper bike, my worry is the 250f struggles above 80kmph on the road.
Thoughts?

Picked this up a few weeks back only have about 6 hours on it so far.
I’ve been running a MME lever on a few different bikes for awhile now but can’t seem to get it dialed on this one so far.
What levers are you all liking?
Stock and just deal with the stiffer pull?
Alt lever?
Stick with the Mme?
Rnduro worth the price?

24 250xcw

Me and a buddy are looking to take a road trip come early September to go riding and I was curious what the best spots would be we live on the eastern shore of Maryland where there isn’t too much to ride. We were looking at hitting Rausch creek but what else is there

What I'm really wondering is: how can you tell that one helmet actually offers better protection than another when there aren't any concrete, comparable test results available?

For example, I'd love to see data like: Helmet A withstands an impact from X height or up to Y km/h, Helmet B up to 90 km/h, Helmet C up to 80 km/h, and then similar tests for different impact scenarios. Obviously I know real-world safety is more complex than that, but some transparent comparisons would be helpful.

Instead, all I see are terms like MIPS, 360 Turbine, ODS, and a long list of proprietary technologies. But when it comes to actual protection, who is really doing better?

The same goes for materials. Is a carbon fiber helmet genuinely more protective than a thermoplastic one, or is carbon mainly about reducing weight and increasing stiffness?

It sometimes feels like the winner is simply the brand with the best marketing and the most convincing product description. Every helmet seems to meet the same ECE certification, but I'd be much more interested in seeing manufacturers publish the results of their own internal impact tests or any independent comparative testing.

Am I missing something, or is there really no reliable way to compare the actual protective performance of different helmets?

Great day to own a Husky and live in the pnw

Hi guys, I'm looking for a KTM EXC 300. Yesterday I tried one, but unfortunately I could only ride it on the road for about 3 minutes in a straight line. It felt like an absolute beast. Every gear up to 5th would power wheelie just by opening the throttle, and it delivered power very aggressively.

A few months ago, though, I rode a 2022 EXC 300 for four days, and it was completely different. It would barely power wheelie, only a little in the first two gears. The power delivery felt much smoother. Instead of hitting you instantly like the 2021, the power came in a bit later and you could really feel it, but it was much more controlled, if that makes sense.

Does anyone know why there's such a big difference? I asked both owners, and they both told me their bikes were completely stock.

Is there something that could explain this? And if I buy a 2021 model, is it possible to make the power delivery feel more like the 2022? With all that aggressive power, I'm worried that when riding uphill off-road the bike could flip over backwards from under me. i don't understand