2011 TM EN 250 - Straight From The Rider's Mouth - Dirt Rider Magazine

"Prior to swinging a leg over this blue 250 two-stroke, it had been quite a while since I'd ridden a TM. My first thought-even before I fired the bike up-was how narrow and sleek the ergos feel. The tank and shrouds are thin and easy to grip, while the seat has a fairly hard feel to it. The stock bar was a little too ape-hanger for my size, quite a departure from the low feel of a KTM handlebar. But this bike is far from a KTM; its construction and design are as unique as the Italian-inspired style.The TM starts on the first kick (note the lack of a button...my, how lazy I've gotten!), and the jetting was clean and crisp. Power-wise, the 250cc powerplant has enough torque to warrant a gear-higher riding style, making it a beast in technical off-road sections. On rocky terrain, the TM's heavy flywheel feel and robust low end was a great match for tricky boulders and rough obstacles. The bike can also be ripped in a lower gear and revved out, as discovered in some wide-open desert terrain. The hydraulic clutch has a nice feel to it, and the brakes are strong and precise.The Marzocchi fork and Ohlins shock are actually set up pretty firm, more on the stiff side for a rider in my weight class. There's plenty of adjustability, though, and from our fastest pros to the pickiest vets all of our test riders were able to find a setting they could live with. But despite the TM's skinny appearance, the bike feels a bit heavy on the trail. Much of this weighty feel seems to be in the front end, making it difficult to wheelie compared to similarly displaced two-strokes. The upside to that is that the bike feels planted, and traction is plentiful on most trails. All together, the TM EN 250 is a cool, different and fun bike to play on. Read the full test in our September issue!" **-Chris Denison / 5'10"/ 155 lb/ Off-road expert

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