If the National Enduro Series has as short a memory as most of us it really only remembers Mike Lafferty and Russell Bobbitt as its champions. And it really only remembers some sort of KTM propelling these two riders to victory. It would make sense, then, that their bikes would be similar. But they're not. As you read in the October issue, I tested the factory Enduro bikes back-to-back in Montana. But I didn't let Mike and Russell tell their side of the story. I wanted to know why their bikes were so different. Was it age, riding style or simple smart marketing on KTM's side? It turns out that these guys can ride whatever they want, and they both want some different rides. Here's what Mike Lafferty and Russell Bobbitt say about their bike choice.
Why Mike rides a 400
Mike Lafferty has dominated Enduro for years. For more than a decade the New Jersey native has been winning races and his eight National Championships are tied for the most ever with Enduro legend Dick Burleson. Since 2002 he's been riding four strokes full time and he's rarely gone back to the oil-mixing life.
"I just love them," Lafferty says of KTM's four strokes. "Ever since the first four strokes came out in 2000/2001 the RFS engine seemed to suit me well. I really enjoy riding them and when I want to just ride for fun, it's a lot better for my attitude if I'm riding a four-stroke."
Like a lot of riders going to the cam-and-valve side, Lafferty loves the traction and always-available power a thumper provides. He says he dropped two-strokes because he doesn't need the excitement or the punch of horsepower the two-stroke delivers. He's admittedly not a kid anymore (Mike is 34 years old) and his riding style seems to have changed in sync with the development of modern four-stroke technology.
"Ten years ago I felt like I needed that two-stroke power. Even a few years back we were looking for more power from the stock four-strokes. Now, I like them out of the box and we hardly do anything to them for more power."
He's not against two-strokes. And he finds himself thinking, every once and a while, that he might like racing a 300 or a 250. But he always goes back to the four-strokes. To him, to switch to a two stroke is just too much work.
Why Russell rides a 250
Russell Bobbitt represents the new guard in Enduro dominance. As his National victories and championships grow in number, the off-road world becomes intrigued as to just how much talent and speed the young Georgian has. He's never been a fan of racing four strokes and KTM's potent 250cc two stroke has been at his side for years. "I choose the two stroke because I've never raced a four stroke besides a DR 200. I've been on 250's since 2002 and started racing KTM's in 2005. Basically, I like the fact that they're really light, nimble and super responsive. The two stroke is always really reliable and they don't require nearly as much maintenance as the newer four strokes. And there's the handling, too. On the higher speed kind of stuff they might not be as stable as a big four stroke but for me, and what we do-the tight enduros-it makes a perfect fit. The bike handles so quick and nimble through the tight woods and the quick and responsive bursts of speed get you from point to point really quickly. Plus, they stop really fast."
But it's not just about the handling. Russell rides a bike wide open and if you've been on a race minute around his at an Enduro you'll hear him-especially if he's coming up behind you!
"The way I generally ride a bike now is from 3/4 to full throttle where I rev it a whole lot. This bike works so good for that (huge smile). Add in the fact that the XC transmission gives you perfect gearing and this bike is just awesome. It torques really well but the top end revs are still nice and the shift points are spot on."
With a team like KTM behind him, Russell has the opportunity to ride whatever he wants. But he rarely feels the need to experiment.
"Whenever I get on a big four stroke they just feel heavy and I feel like the mass of the bike is going to move me where I don't want to go. I've never really tested for racing on a big four-stroke. I rode my dads 250 SX-F in a local Enduro a couple weeks ago and, I guess you really kind of ride those like a two stroke anyway, so it worked pretty well. I did ride a 400 and thought the bike was really cool but kind of slow. It was just like a tractor but didn't suit my riding style although it would mellow and smooth me out a lot. I'm a little whiskey!"