Enduro

This article covers the motorcycle. For the computer game, see Enduro (computer game) .

Trendsetter: Yamaha XT 500, manufactured in 1978

As Enduro (from the Spanish duro hard =; English : endurance = endurance), the German also off-road motorcycle in Austria partly Gatschhupfer called, an all-terrain (grobstolliges tread, long suspension travel) motorcycle called street legal and the necessary safety equipment. In addition to the usual driving on public roads, enduros are used in off-road sports .

The seating position is upright (often standing on hard terrain) with a comfortable knee angle under certain circumstances, whereby motorcyclists with small body size have problems with a secure stance due to the high seating position with long suspension travel. Enduros have a chassis geometry that is comparable to that of motocross machines, but their performance characteristics are more geared towards long distances or endurance than speed and short-term high performance.

Emergence

Yamaha Enduro 125E DT, manufactured in 1972

Originally, the first enduros were created by simply converting street motorcycles. Due to a raised exhaust system and more profiled tires, limited off-road mobility was achieved. Such modifications were known as scramblers .

The Yamaha XT 500 , presented in 1975, made the term Enduro known to a broad public, especially since it was the first large-scale production machine to have it on the side cover until 1977. The successes in the first two editions of the Paris-Dakar Rally also spurred sales.

Due to the competition in enduro sport and related motocross, the machines have been adapted more and more specifically to the requirements of even the toughest terrain (steep ascents and descents, rivers and mud crossings). In addition to the motorcycles specially adapted for sporting competitions (e.g. Husaberg FE570, KTM 525 EXC Racing, Husqvarna TE 510, GasGas EC 300, Sherco SE-R 300), the motorcycle manufacturers have created other offshoots of enduro machines that are more or less for Off-road trips are suitable.

Enduros are also used militarily as reporting vehicles. A diesel- powered enduro is offered based on the Kawasaki KLR 650 .

Types of enduro bikes

Sports enduro / hard enduro

Sports enduros and hard enduros largely correspond to competition motorcycles and are usually adapted to everyday use with minor changes (lighting system, chassis). Examples are Yamaha WR , KTM EXC , Husqvarna Te / Fe , Sherco SE-R and Honda CRE . Few of the models designated as Hardenduro fully comply with the road traffic regulations. The original spread of the term Hardenduro was the company KTM , which coined this term in 1995 for their sporty LC4 series.

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  Sports enduro: prototype of the BMW G 450 X

Hiking enduro

Hiking enduros are light and sporty enduros, which are, however, less aggressive in direct comparison to hard enduros and therefore not specially designed for competitions. That means z. B. a more stable engine with less power, longer maintenance intervals, a less pointed and therefore easier to use engine characteristics and sometimes a road approval for two people with a reinforced rear frame, which is also well suited for luggage transport. Prime examples of this are the Suzuki DR 350 and the current Beta Alp 4.0, which also uses the engine of the DR 350. Wanderenduros cover a very wide range of uses, to which they can be converted with only minor adjustments. Equipped with larger tanks for long-distance desert trips or rallies, enduro sports or the daily commute to work or a trip around the world, anything is possible. Hiking enduros are more or less the light fraction of all-round enduros or even better fits the American classification "dual sport".

Freeride

Freerides are a mixture between enduro and trial. The machines are therefore usually delivered by the manufacturers with trial tires. Models are the Sherco X-Ride, AJP PR4 / 5, Beta Alp 200, KTM Freeride, Ossa Explorer or Scorpa T-Ride. The area of ​​application is primarily for difficult terrain without competitive ambitions and for small riders or women who are looking for an enduro that is as easy to master as possible.

All-round enduro

With an all-round enduro, the main focus is on versatility. These models can be used both on and off the road. Modifications are e.g. B. the registered full engine power (and thus the full road approval), luggage rack systems, two-person approval, mixed tires (e.g. Pirelli MT21 , Michelin T63 ). The first all-round enduro was the Yamaha XT 500 or the Honda Transalp PD06 from '87. B. Yamaha WR 250 R , Yamaha XT 660 Z Ténéré , Suzuki DR 650 , Honda XR 400 , Kawasaki KLR the KTM-LC4 series and Husqvarna TE 630 .

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  All-round enduro: Yamaha XT 660 Z Ténéré

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  Suzuki DR 650

Rally enduros

Rally enduros are competition enduros that have been specially developed for rally raid long-distance rallies (e.g. Paris-Dakar rally , Baja 1000 ). They have a large tank volume, a reinforced chassis that is adapted to the higher weight, a windbreak and a GPS navigation system. With a few exceptions (e.g. AJP PR7), these are enduro bikes that have been retrofitted. Machines with a single cylinder engine and 400 cm³ to 700 cm³ displacement are most frequently used.

Travel enduros

→ Main article : Travel enduro

Travel enduros are machines designed for longer distances, usually with a larger tank, less suspension travel, longer, motorway-compatible gear ratios, mounting options for suitcases, wind protection, etc. This also increases the driving weight. Many of the travel enduros on offer are only suitable for off-road use to a limited extent, as more emphasis was placed on comfort and road behavior. This took into account the trend that road enduros are mainly used on roads and only in rare cases on unpaved roads. The BMW R 80 G / S was the first travel enduro in 1980. This category also includes, for example, Kawasaki KLR 650 , KTM 990 Adventure , Yamaha XTZ 750 Super Ténéré , Honda XRV 750 Africa Twin , Honda Transalp , Honda NX 650 Dominator , Honda XL 1000 V Varadero , BMW GS , Suzuki XF 650 Freewind , Suzuki DL 650 V-Strom , Suzuki DL 1000 V-Strom or the Triumph Tiger Explorer , as well as the Aprilia Pegaso 650 .

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  Travel enduro: BMW R 100 GS PD

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  BMW R 1200 GS

literature

• Leo Keller: Type Compass - Enduro & Off-Road Motorcycles . Germany and Austria 1960 to 2006. 1st edition. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 978-3-613-02602-5 .

Web links

Commons : Enduro  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Wiktionary: Enduro  - explanations of meanings, origins of words, synonyms, translations