Why travelling with an Enduro?
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We all know that heavy bikes just don't work. Not off-road, not on-road. Weight is a killer of enjoyment no matter where you are or what you are riding. There is a reason why serious travellers have been asking for proper lightweight travel bikes for years and why, in the absence of one, the 650 thumper dual sports have been so popular. It's their light(er) weight, their simplicity, frugality, capability to go anywhere and their ruggedness to name but a few. They are popular, despite most of them being just plain horrible to ride... and still too heavy.
"weight is a killer of enjoyment" |
A proper lightweight enduro on the other hand is a great bike to ride. Light, nimble, powerful, good on fuel, superb suspension, well balanced and devoid of all the unnecessary crap which finds it's way to large bikes these days. Yet we all know Enduros are made for racing... while we don't want to race, we want to travel. Ask the salesman at an average KTM dealership about an EXC450 and he'll tell you everything you don't need to know, like all the ins and outs about the traction out of corners, how they work when 4 mtr high up in the air, how they land after that, the power curve and which is the faster bike... For us mere mortals who don't fly like Toby Price but want to travel, the questions are quite different. We would like to know how many km we can get out of a litre in varying conditions, so we know if we can get to that remote spot or not. What it's like to ride one slowly through the most insane landscapes, how we can take our luggage with us, if the electrical system can charge our electronics, what options and improvements there are for wheels and upgrading brakes, which tyres to choose for long trips, engine longevity, service intervals when not racing etc. All questions the average KTM dealer won't have the answers for, simply because they don't use them like that. That's why we have setup this website. A site dedicated to what it's like to travel with an enduro.
In these pages we'll delve into things like engine longevity, service intervals, options for luggage and luggage racks, practical considerations, options for phone and GPS, how to charge your phone or GPS while on the road, luggage that works (and some stuff that doesn't), exhaust systems, wheels, cush drives, brakes and lighting. We'll even look into camping gear! Everything you'll find here is based on our own personal experiences of travelling over long distances and to remote places, with both heavy and lightweight bikes. There are also travel stories from others to be found here, people who travel with an enduro and have kindly send us photos and their story as an inspiration to others. This website is an ongoing project, that means that it will be regularly updated (as time permits) and grow as time progresses. It's not a forum as we feel there are plenty of them already but we do welcome comments, suggestions and ideas you might want to share with others. Please send us an e-mail if you have something to share, you'll find our e-mail address in the contact section! |