The class of off-road bikes has been formed for decades and today it involves the division into several segments. The niche in which enduro motorcycles are presented can be attributed to one of the most striking branches with a clear hint of extremeness. But here, not everything is so obvious. If earlier among the key differences of such a device from the classic road model, riders noted the steering wheel width and a raised muffler, today this set has expanded significantly. In a certain sense, a compromise option is the tourist enduro, which combines the convenience of road versions and off-road qualities of the canonical representatives of the class.
What is the peculiarity of tourist enduro?
Nevertheless, it will be wrong to consider the travel enduro as something between an ordinary roadster and a sports bike. A careful analysis of such devices can also find similarities with cruisers and crosses. Therefore, the tourist enduro is a hybrid of several representatives of different classes at once. This is an SUV, endowed with a rigid structure, and a utility designed for long-distance attacks, and a nice-to-drive bike that can be used on public roads.
At the same time, there are also divisions in the enduro segment for tourism itself. Almost every model forms a separate subspecies with a unique set of technical and operational qualities. But in any case, manufacturers are guided by the general user requirements that modern tourist enduros should have. A review of the models presented below will reveal the features in the approaches to providing the characteristics of interest to modern riders.
Kawasaki ZZR 400
Sports and tourist apparatus, which is a classic representative of this niche. The model first came off the assembly line in 1990 and was further produced until 2007. During this period, the motorcycle has experienced many restylings and updates, covering an increasing audience of fans. The power filling of the model was taken from the older version of the ZZR 600. True, the new tourist enduro, whose 400 cc engine caused a less aggressive nature of the ride, lost its oil cooler and got a different exhaust system. Also among the features of the ZZR 400 are adjustable suspensions, an aluminum frame, a 6-speed “box”, as well as the presence of inertial boost. The modest power plant is also economical. Kawasaki of this modification consumes an average of 7-8 liters per 100 km. By the way, this is an important point precisely for expeditionary enduro. Such motorcycles do not aim to overcome difficult extreme obstacles, so high power is not so important for them. But overcoming many kilometers of distance is commonplace for such bikes. Accordingly, an economical rider should think about the appropriate fuel consumption.
Yamaha WR250R
The small size of the engine does not contradict the ability of the bike to easily overcome rugged terrain with a difficult surface. It is the ease of construction and power base that allows motorcycles to cope with impassable terrain. This is confirmed by the small device WR250R from the famous manufacturer of motorcycles Yamaha. Despite its modest dimensions, this is a rather tough enduro, 250 cubic meters of which does not weaken the power potential at all. 30 liter revving engine from. It allows you to confidently overcome long road distances, and easily transfer problematic soil. In many ways, the sporting qualities of the model are also due to the unusual design. It is represented by an aluminum diagonal frame with cross suspensions, which make the bike universal (in terms of cross-country ability).
BMW F800GS
The model has taken a strong position between the lightweight G-series devices with a working volume of 650 cm 3 and a solid bike with 1170 cm 3 already. Again, the question may arise as to why the expeditionary apparatus has such a high volume of 800 cm 3 ? The fact is that it is precisely the balance in working qualities that allows us to consider such bikes as universal. The model should be sports, and off-road, and comfortable in cross movement. A combination of such qualities is provided by the BMW F800GS modification, which, in addition to tourist ambitions, can show its best qualities in a large metropolis.
Honda Transalp XL700
This is the representative of heavyweight enduro, which are also distinguished by high power. The Transalp family is quite diverse and in this case we are talking about the most advanced modification, which has been produced since 2008. As for the differences from the less productive counterparts, the XL700 is provided with an injection engine, the presence of an ABS safety system, as well as a reduced front wheel radius. On the other hand, the model is more suitable for the title of a rally motorcycle. This is evidenced by the practice of operation - users note that the bike performs optimally in the conditions of the highway and cross-country, but is not suitable for hard off-road. And here we can recall that the tourist enduro - motorcycles for long-range, and not for extreme sports. Therefore, this model can be used as a universal motorcycle for traveling in tolerant road conditions.
KTM Adventure 1190
The Adventure family also presents several versions with different technical parameters. In this case, the motorcycle can be considered as a universal model in the category of tourist enduro. It should be noted right away that the development of the motorcycle was done by specialists in racing technology, who, however, did not forget about the ease of construction. The bike organically combines high power potential and a maneuverable frame base. The designers used an ultralight and at the same time rigid tubular frame made of a chromomolybdenum alloy. As for the power filling, KTM provided the tourist enduro with a twin-cylinder V-shaped engine of 1200 cm 3 , the power potential of which is 150 liters. from. Noteworthy is the suspension with WP Suspension mechanisms, as well as a unique brake system from Brembo. As a result, we got a device balanced in terms of characteristics, which has high power and a lightweight, robust design.
How to choose the best travel enduro?
Even the general belonging to the segment of motorcycles intended for long-distance travel does not allow the same approach to the choice of a bike in all cases. Still, each model has its own peculiarity of application, ability and ability. When assessing the working qualities of a particular bike, it is worthwhile to build on your requests first of all. For example, the KTM Adventure is more suitable for a relaxing trip with a pragmatic outfit. On the other hand, Yamaha WR250R or the younger version of Honda Transalp is more suitable for visiting European cities with their narrow streets. It is important not to forget that the best touring enduro motorcycles are also distinguished by safety and reliability. In this regard, leadership can be given to the German bike F800GS.
Conclusion
It is generally accepted that motorcycles for riding outside the city are initially endowed with riding characteristics that go poorly with comfort for the rider himself. Such a motorcycle will certainly be provided with rigid frames, a sturdy suspension and a powerful engine, but only an experienced user can feel the convenience of control. This is partly a fair statement, but there are also exceptions - for example, you can distinguish light modern enduro, 250 cubic meters of which favorably affect the friendly character. At the same time, it cannot be said that powerful devices with a working volume of more than 1000 cm 3 and a power output of 150 liters. from. are difficult to manage. The developers introduce elements into the design and suspension mechanisms that facilitate the interaction of the motorcycle and rider, regardless of riding conditions.