Only two brands for Enduro bikes?????????

xrsforever

Member
Nov 2, 2000
249
0
It is my humble opinion and I would stand by it that only two manufacturers produce Enduro bikes out of the box. That would be KTM and Gas Gas(TM also but where is there a dealer)Yamaha WR's & YZF's are close ,Hondas in left field,Kawasaki,Suzuki are close but all need something added :but still only KTM and Gas Gas can be raced competitively out of the box.:cool:
 

weimedog

~SPONSOR~
Damn Yankees
Nov 21, 2000
959
2
Add Husqvarna and VOR to that list. In the European Enduro series open class Husky won and a VOR took second. That VOR didn't have anything you couldn't have.:)
 

xrsforever

Member
Nov 2, 2000
249
0
I would add Husky & VOR to the list,and yes I do ride enduros,but bike is not stock,and if I get serious I would keep my XR as a playbike and lean toward KTM for competition.:cool:
 

HiG4s

~SPONSOR~
Mar 7, 2001
1,311
0
I'm glad to see you have rethought that statment. So let's see Husky, KTM, Gas Gas, Vor, TM, how about Husaburg? That would make 6!
 

justql

Sponsoring Member<BR>Club Moderator
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 23, 2000
2,874
0
I agree about the Husky. But I don't consider VOR and TM anywhere near mainstream enough to be considered in the same class as the others.
 

LocoCD

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 22, 2000
352
0
Interesting perspective. A few years ago KTM wasn't considered "mainstream", few would consider GG mainstream now. Husky has been up and down but they have a fairly long and established history.

I still see an awful lot of KDXs and XR4s at the races without significant mods. There are also a ton of RMs, CRs, YZs and KXs out there with minor mods - all made for less than the difference in price of the euro bikes.

I know we are talking "enduro racing" specifically, but out here a lot of folks think the XR650R is one of the few bikes to ride in the desert - right out of the box (kind of). It's all a matter of perspective.
 

HiG4s

~SPONSOR~
Mar 7, 2001
1,311
0
Originally posted by justql
I agree about the Husky. But I don't consider VOR and TM anywhere near mainstream enough to be considered in the same class as the others.

Well I guess TM is pretty hard to come by, but there are more VOR dealers in Florida than Husky dealers. In the whole state of Florida there are the following non-big-four authorized motorcycle dealers, 11 KTM, 5 Gas Gas, 2 Vor and 1 Husqvarna. I get all my Husky parts mail order from a dealer in MO. Although the local Gas Gas/VOR dealer is trying to get a Husky dealership also.
 

justql

Sponsoring Member<BR>Club Moderator
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 23, 2000
2,874
0
For the price you cannot beat these bikes. When I priced DR it was going to cost me over $7000 to get it race ready. A Gas Gas cost you more out the door, around $6000 but it's ready to go. FMF, wheels, chains, etc. No way you can consider a Jap bike the same caliber. Look at a Gas Gas close then look at one of the big four.
As far as mainstream. Most enduros on BJEC, TSCEC, and SERA are loaded with Gas Gas. I guess I live in a vacuum, while I have seen a few TM's I do not ever remember seeing a VOR.
I'm not talking in a few years. TM will probably be there once they get more bikes out.
 

justql

Sponsoring Member<BR>Club Moderator
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 23, 2000
2,874
0
I went from an RMX to the Gas Gas. If they vstill made them I might have bought one of them.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
I don't know about all that . . . the top 2 riders at our last enduro were both on 2001 RM 125s with fairly few mods. Both had computers, one guy had a steering damper and big tank, the other did not. Both had stock suspension and gearing. And the winner wasn't even breathing hard at the end of the 120 mile race in some nasty, rocky, steep conditions.

Don't get me wrong, I love my KTM. But I know plenty of fast guys on Jap bikes. There is a large amount of KDXs and KTMs, only a few Gas Gas at the NMA events that I've attended.
 

woodchuck

Member
May 2, 2000
123
0
90% rider 10% bike

However, I do better when that 10% is a GasGas. ;) However, there were a lot of Huskys at the central Ill harescrambles on Sunday.

WoodChuck
 
Last edited:

weimedog

~SPONSOR~
Damn Yankees
Nov 21, 2000
959
2
It never crossed my mind that a quantity of a given brand of motorcycle seen by one DRN member was a qualification of a good Enduro bike. I know of a couple of Gas Gas bikes and VOR's running in our district. The World Enduro Championship is a reasonably good place to looks as well for capabilities. There are TM's, VOR's, Gas - Gases, and Husqvarna's along with the standard brands like KTM and Yamaha doing very well.

Husky won a couple of classes as did Yamaha and KTM. A VOR came in second in the open class by one point. TM's and Gas Gas also placed in some classes. TM's are pretty rugged machines. VOR's are pretty capable as well. Its their capabilities and setup from the factory that make those two brands good enduro bikes stock. Both TM and VOR offer a complete enduro setup. VOR offers a street legal setup, blinkers and all; for some states that require that. My experience with VOR support has also been good to this point. Its going to get much better. If anyone out there has a VOR and is not getting good support I can get them in touch with people who would love to help.:)

Those husky's are getting better as well and their distributer is making a real push to increase the quality of dealer support. They are priced right as well.:)

Gas Gas gets good review from a very loyal AND hard to please DRN membership...that says volumes about that brand.

There is also a fellow who is a DRN member and has a TM who is EQUALLY tough to please but is happy with that machine...

Guess its a great time to be in this sport isn't it. Lots of GOOD choises and variety.:)

As far as Japanese machines? There are two DRN members who ride in my area who would swear by Honda CR250's ... and they win. (Yes they might have to add some stuff for the timed sections) DRZ's seem to have a following as well as WR's, and XR's. Guess its really different strokes for different folks. (Slower strokes for older folks...which explains four strokes doesn't it?)

And thinking of good results, my congratulations to Rudolph Bradley who won the honor of "Rider of the year" at the Colorado 500 last week. He was riding a 2002 VOR 450 enduro. He is an amazing character who at 60 something was able to complete the entire event when many dropped out cause it was too hard! :)
 
Last edited:

BRush

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 5, 2000
1,100
0
I always have to smile a bit at the "ready out of the box" argument.
It usually comes up in a good bench racing "which bike is best"
session.

Yet, when I look around those riding buddies with KTM's & Gas Gas's
(Woodsrider, you know who you are... ;) ) the funny thing is, they all
have steering dampers, revalved suspension, aftermarket bars, and all
sorts of widgets and gizmos from Enduro Engineering.

So while the "ready out of the box" may have theoretical merit, in the
real world, the enthusiast Euro Bike rider is just as likely to have sunk
$1000 in aftermarket goodies for his bike as your typical spodely jap
bike owner (your humble servant :cool: ).
 

WoodsRider

Sponsoring Member<BR>Club Moderator
Damn Yankees
Oct 13, 1999
2,812
0
BRush - I never said my GG was ready to race right out of the crate, but it was a little better prepared than your KDX. ;)
 

teton

Member
Dec 13, 2000
262
0
Do you guy's who race VOR's pull them behind your $45,000.00 lifted F-350 power stroke's in a $20,000.00 25' air conditioned Dico trailer ?;)
 

weimedog

~SPONSOR~
Damn Yankees
Nov 21, 2000
959
2
Guess you think VOR's (And KTM's Husaberg and the like) cost way more to buy and setup than what ever your chosen brand is....Well as long as you believe that you will be happy with what you have.:)

I'm happy to see I spent less by the time I hit the races than almost ANY one I know buying a new bike in the same size class.

My 1975 Chevy pickup with its 454 sucks all the spare cash I have down the carburator.:( But it gets me to Wyoming fast and often.;) Riding like what we have for riding area on a machine that works as well as that bike I have is...priceless.
 
Last edited:

VOR 492

Member
Feb 18, 2001
100
0
Do you guy's who race VOR's pull them behind your $45,000.00 lifted F-350 power stroke's in a $20,000.00 25' air conditioned Dico trailer ?

Teton have you been to my house?
 

teton

Member
Dec 13, 2000
262
0
I LOVE IT !! I guess if I'm going to judge your truck by what bike you ride what does that say about me, 95 KDX 200............please dont go there !!:confused:
 

WideOpen

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Dec 21, 2000
333
0
no one's said anything about ATK so add the to the list. plus ATK's come with ohlins shock, brembo brakes, Excel rims, talon hubs, pro tapers, and a FMF USFS pipe and silencer. i'd go for an ATK or Husaberg.
 
Top Bottom