Why an Enduro?If you love raw, pure and no-nonsense motorcycles. Bikes with nothing more than an engine, a set of wheels and a frame to keep the two together. One which can take you over the road less travelled and isn't overweight. A bike where you can feel and hear a real engine working, rather than riding something which tries to be a washing machine and where 'clever' electronics reduce you to a glorified passenger… if that's what you're after then you can't get much better than an Enduro. After all, on a bike we want to ride ourselves and enjoy it. We want to go to those beautiful places where tarmac roads don't go. That's why we love Enduros, simply because motorcycling is our passion.
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That pureness, that raw essence of motorcycling if you like, has disappeared from virtually all new motorcycles but we still find it in Enduros. Yes, they come with ride modes too and traction control now, but at least it can all be switched off too. Being essentially a race bike means they are light, devoid of any unnecessary stuff and come with a beaut of an engine and suspension package. The time that enduros were all about top end horsepower at screaming high revs is long gone. The latest offerings from KTM, Husqvarna and Beta, to name just a few European brands, have flexible engines with loads of mid range and low down grunt. Sure they've got the power when you need it but they can also potter around all day at low revs without complaint. They are great engines, simply because they are tuned for performance rather than meeting the data some bureaucrat dreamed up. Don't get me wrong, we love the environment too. After all we love the Great Outdoors, but when bikes get crippled so much by environmental requirements that they actually start to use a lot more fuel… that's when we start to wonder.
That feeling is emphasised by Enduros, which are tuned for performance and yet have very good fuel consumption figures, which in our humble view is not only good for the environment but also gets us further without the need for humongous tanks. We recently took a Beta 480RR to the UK on stock off-road gearing and still got a constant 3.8 litre/100 km, no doubt that will improve considerably once we fit a larger front sprocket. But even with enduro gearing a 17 litre tank will get you 440km, or even 540km when taking just one small Rotopax. |
Reliability'Yeah, yeah, yeah' I hear you thinking 'but what about reliability? Aren't these racing engines which are in for a rebuilt after 150 hrs?' To answer the last question first, if you are racing it flat out all the time, then maybe (although they do considerably more than that in events like the Dakar for instance). If you are riding rallies and the like then you might need some work at 15,000-20,000 km. If you are travelling around the world like New Zealander Aaron Steinmann did on an EXC500 then you can expect 67,000 km without a problem(!) That's 1,5 times around the world... As for reliability, unreliable bikes don't win races. That they are essentially racing engines is to our advantage too. It means they are easy to work on and easy to service as that all needs to be done quickly under racing conditions.
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What about on-road regulations?As they are classified as racing bikes, they've been mostly left alone by the bureaucrats. However as Enduro races also use public roads to ride from stage to stage, they are road legal too… which is a beautiful combination! All in all they are in our humble opinion a great bike to ride. Obviously they are well suited to rally riding, but they are also a very good (if not the best) platform for a great travel bike! The key ingredients are all there: light weight, simple mechanics, reliable, plenty of power, torquey engines and good fuel consumption to boot. Parts are readily available world wide, and relatively cheap. They are easy to work on and most importantly, they put a grin on your face. Sure a 1200 will cover huge distances on highways more easily, but is that fun? Is that travelling? The thing with Enduros is that with a few sensible modifications they can cover the distances too, and in comfort, but unlike the heavy weights they are so much more suited to the winding narrow and gravel roads, to find those beautiful places hidden away from the tarmac.
That's why we've been working on a full Nomad conversion for the KTM 250/350/450/500 EXC range. We've made a rally/travel tower for it which has all the essentials built-in, including USB charging points, 12 volt charging points, a spot for a GPS, Spot tracker, GoPro, roadbook, ... etc. All of which is possible as we use LED headlights, which use less power. We've also included a spot for an optional ignition key in the dash panel. |
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At the rear we've developed a proper rack for side bags and a duffle. As the EXC rear end is a kind of uni-body construction, whereby non of the individual parts are strong enough until they are bolted together, we designed a rack on the same principle. To keep it light, it's an all aluminium construction. We've made support panels for side bags and even made little G-hooks which can be mounted near the footpegs to strap your luggage to when the going gets tough. Heel guards / brake cylinder protectors and handlebar risers are also available.
Under the frame we've made a strong skidplate which has a toolbox at the front, big enough for a toolkit, a bottle of oil for the next service, tyre levers, oil filters, air filters etc. We sell a range of products for them too, from Seat Concepts comfort seats to IMS long range fuel tanks. From Australia, where conditions are really harsh, we get Barkbusters handguards and arguably the best steering dampers in the business from MSCMoto. We've made a special setup for a Tutoro chain oiler which works in rough terrain too, fitted heated grips (which works well with our low wattage LED headlights) and we've fitted Haan Wheels with a cushdrive and wider rims which allows for a wider range of tyres. |
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The KTM EXC Nomad Adventure and Rally at a glance
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Quick facts
• Made by travellers for travellers • Built to your specification • Original KTM450RR Dakar screen • RAM mount options for GPS, GoPro etc. • Rally ready tower • 2 LED E-marked lights • Wide range of electrical options • Factory warranty is unaffected • Anodised black finish • Marine and aircraft grade aluminium • 100% Made in Europe, 95% made in Holland |
Product video
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