Motocross people are scared of Enduro racing and possibly off-road racing in general. Maybe it's the name: Enduro! It sounds sort of scary, I guess. It surely sounds difficult. If it weren't tough, I guess it'd be called an Easy. But the name's no reason to be frightened, moto guys and gals. Now, more than ever, the National Enduro scene is rider-and bike-friendly.
To prove this point, Enduro Engineering-a group of non-wimpy old-school off-road guys from Michigan who also promote the AMA Rekluse National Enduro Series-built us a 2010 Yamaha YZ250F (yes, a motocross bike) to race at the Enduro season opener in Sumter, South Carolina.
Before we get into the bike, I'll let you in on a few secrets to the brain-sucking complexity of Enduro racing. As a motocrosser-turned-Enduro addict, I have the scoop. First, you have to pre-enter. These races are very popular and sell out early (600 riders raced in Sumter). Second, you need to show up with some gas. Third, you need to race. That's it. Don't worry about timekeeping, computers, watches, mileage or burning checks. The everyday rider can come to a National Enduro with his buddies and enjoy the best trail-per-dollar ratio of any off-road series known to man. Where else do you get to ride a guaranteed 65-plus miles (for A classes, B and C classes run slightly shorter courses) of single-track while being timed through scoring sections via transponder? Talk about a riding buddy rivalry builder! Yes, it's that much fun.
My bike was a little more...
My bike was a little more tricked out than necessary, but I'm a magazine guy and that's how we think we roll.
Now, a motocross bike like Yamaha's YZ250F is not ideal for a seven-hour off-road race on tight single-track in the tight trees of the American Southeast (at least not for most). Ideal Enduro bikes are generally off-road-born machines customized for each rider, not motocross machines modified for off-road battle. Things like more compliant suspension, electric starting, off-road gearing, traction-biased power delivery and protection for the engine's vital organs (as well as your knuckles) are all reasons to ride the right bike for these races. It's generally easier to do so starting with the off-road section of your dealership.
However, if you want to give Enduro a whirl on your modern four-stroke motocross bike, it's really no problem. In fact, it's quite easy. To do so comfortably, smart must-haves include hand protection, a quiet exhaust with a spark arrestor and some friends to meet you at gas stops so you don't forget to refuel your MX-sized gas tank. That's all you "need." Additional bike protection, a tool pack and off-road-intelligent motor modifications are up to you and your budget.
Enduro Engineering did all the simple, required modifications to make this motocross bike Enduro ready and legal. On went EE Evolution Debris Deflectors and a Leo Vince sparky-equipped exhaust, and EE even provided a "friend" in the form of Gary Hazel who was my personal bike minder and nicely waited for me at the gas stops and refueled the bike. However, since this is an Enduro Engineering project they decided to take this YZ-F a few steps further in an attempt to truly dial it in for the race.
Off-road companies like Enduro...
Off-road companies like Enduro Engineering have the know-how to get your ride dialed.
The first additional mod EE did was to tune the suspension. Softer springs and lighter valving were the call to ward off roots, rocks and other sharp obstacles the moto-stiff stuff would possibly deflect off of at my intermediate speed and skill (faster guys usually like stiffer stuff, but not always). In the tight trees a lot of riders sit down for clearance, comfort and better control around extremely tight obstacles. When doing so a comfortable seat comes in handy. The guys at EE stuffed their tall seat foam under one of their grippy seat covers to give the YZ-F a little more height and cushion while seated. They followed suit with trick-looking machined bar mounts-adding more room to the seated position.