Basic steps to prepare for Hard Enduro

So you want to ride Hard Enduro.. Where do you start? The first question most people get stuck on is what's the best bike for hard enduro.? Well just take a look at the start line of any hard enduro race, 99% of the bikes will be 300 2strokes. A 300cc enduro bike has the best usable power delivery from low down in the rev range right through. Many people think that a 300 will be an animal and want to rip there arms off, but in truth the 300 (especially the modern fuel injection engines) has a very tame but strong power delivery allowing the rider to stay in 2nd or 3rd gear most of the time due to the wide power band. Compare this to a 250cc bike which takes a lot more clutch work and changing gears to keep the power delivery smooth.

So 300 2stroke is the way forward. The next decision that needs to be made is which manufacturer is best? Unfortunately there is no perfect bike.. Each manufacturer has its positives and negatives. It all comes down to dealer location, budget and what colour you prefer, all the modern bikes today are relatively reliable and all very close on performance. test ride as many as you can to get a feel for how each model rides. You need to feel comfortable riding the bike.

Setup.. Before you go ordering sparkly graphics and led headlights the very first thing you need to do is set the bike up for you. The handlebars, pegs, seat and suspension can all be adjusted or changed to fit you, and so many people just waste money adding bling bits and ignore the basics. Suspension being the biggest overlooked thing, but it is the most important to get right. Even just changing the springs to your weight/ability, sag and adjusting the clickers should be top of your list. Without this you will be fighting the bike making life much harder than it should be. Speak to your local suspension shop and get this sorted first.

Now the bike fits you its time to look at protecting that expensive machine that your going to throw up and down the mountains. 

Protection.. Radiators are high on the list of things to protect as they are fragile, exposed and can end your day/race if damaged, along with potentially spitting boiling hot water all over you worse case. So Decent aluminium radiator guards or braces will be required, along with a fan kit if not already fitted.

Disc guards.. both front and rear will be needed to stop the discs getting bent from rocks, there are many options for these from cheap plastics ones to solid aluminium. Metal ones being the recommended for the hard stuff.

Skidplate.. is another essential item, from an acerbis at around £60 upto a molecule £150, something that will protect the underside and some of the sides of the engine need to be fitted. If you have a linkage suspension bike, then a linkage extension on the skidplate will make riding over logs and rocks much easier.

Handguards.. For the ultimate protection wrap around guards seem the obvious choice, but you'll be getting in some shapes riding hard enduro, and you will be crashing many times so wrap around handguards are not the best of choices as you can easily get your hands trapped in the guards, causing a nasty injury to hands or wrists. Some decent flag style handguards and billet bar ends to protect the grips and throttle is the best option.

Engine guards.. These also seem like a good option to stop the engine getting damaged, but in practice they not only trap dirt and moisture corroding the engine casings, but also make the engine run hotter. The better option is a billet clutch cover. Not only much stronger, these also allow for slightly more gear oil which in turn helps keep engine and clutch temps down.

So there you go, you have the right bike, you have setup the suspension and protected the essentials. Now its time to get out and ride ride ride. The more you gel with the bike and tweak the bike and your riding, the easier life will be, the more you will enjoy it and the better you will become. 

Forget the Bling - Just ride the F@#king thing