I wasn’t on the Live last night and just caught up. The subject is a timely coincidence in my case. I’ve done quite a lot of technical/ hard enduro stuff … not that I’m good at it, but I do relish the challenge. I only got back into dirt bikes 6 yrs ago, had some 300 2Ts etc. Although the full sized enduro bikes (even the X-Trainer) are amazing machines but they’re still tall, heavy and hard work in the gnarly stuff. I’m older and I really struggle with the effort and skills, injuries etc so I’ve gone hot and cold on hard enduro, and a year ago I kinda gave up and got an FE 350 4stroke (possibly the best bike ever made I reckon!) but I am still drawn to hard enduro (encouraged to some degree by some better skills due to @Neil Price's coaching!) … and I even have a fantasy of maybe doing an event or 2 before I get TOO old! Anyway, my recent focus on trials has shifted my perspective on hard enduro bikes. The really hard technical stuff the guys train on is just so much more fun, less risk, less stress and less fatiguing on a trials bike. But you can’t hang with the guys on the trails on a trials bike. Discussing this with a mate who’s had a LOT of bikes, he raved about his old Freeride. I had a good hard ride on it and it was awesome. Such a light, small feel but so capable. I did all sorts of stuff I’m sure I couldn’t do on a full sized enduro bike. Anyway I’ve just bought one! A 2014 model KTM Freeride 250R (2 stroke). I spent all yesterday working on it and my new TrialMaxx tyres just turned up so I’m keen to get them on and have a ride!

Posted by Andrew von Berky at 2022-02-03 01:10:52 UTC