If I had to sum up my time on the Triumph Enduro bikes in a single word, it would be‘ refined’. No, it’ s probably not the kind of word you might be expect someone to describe a competition dirt bike of any kind, but after spending a month on the TF250E and 450E models, that’ s where I’ m at. Spend any time with one of Triumph’ s new enduro offerings and it’ s blatantl obvious that Triumph’ s engineers and designers have put a lot of thought into these bikes. And partnering with multi-time world champion Ricky Carmichael was clearly an investment that’ s paid off. From the moment you swing a leg over, both bikes feel solid, well-built, and ready for anything the trails can throw at you.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS The chassis has a unique balance, almost like a blend of European and Japanese engineering. Riding the TF250E at Taupō’ s Berm Buster, my initial impression was that the wheelbase seemed long. It doesn’ t make the bike sluggish in tighter sections, but it’ s noticeable. A little bit of riding shows the ergonomics are spot-on. You can move forward and back on the bike comfortably, which makes it easy to stay connected with the trail. The Pro Taper Evo handlebars are perfectly positioned, and the switchgear feels premium. The mapping switch does stick out a little, which looks like it could catch something during a crash, but that aside, the start, kill, and mode buttons all have a solid, tactile feel. Triumph clearly didn’ t cut corners with build quality here.
READY TO COMPETE Out of the crate there’ s not much to do, you really just need to set your preferred bar bend and tyres, and the bikes are ready to ride. Both bikes come with compact radiators, a factory fan, and a sturdy skid plate fitted as standard. The headlights on both models are impressive too, they’ re bright, focused, and reliable enough for night riding, unlike on some bikes. Zak Fuller and I tested them at Fullers Farm, and being able to see well enough to ride laps after dark was a blast. Triumph’ s lighting team has done something special here and it completely changes how much fun you can have when the sun goes down. The suspension leans slightly on the firmer
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