16 replies to this topic

[thespikeyone]

HELLO FOLKS,

Thinking about buying a T-ride for riding enduro as im a bit short and the yam wr i had i was struggling to get my feet down and was wondering how does it ride as an enduro bike? I have never ridden one but used to have a sy250F so all input is welcome.

the other option is a KTM EXC 200

[Thedbf]

The 200 ktm is a beast. The scorpa would be a great bike for an enduro. There was guy a couple years ago rode a H&H up at Woodside in Elgin no bother.

[Pete_Scorpa3]

They are good bikes but not as good at trials as Beta Alps and Pampera's.

[motovita]

I think of my T Ride as essentially a small WR 250F. It's much closer to an Enduro bike than a Trials bike. The front end is steep and would likely be twitchy at higher speeds. but at trail speeds it's not been a problem.

[scott_king]

Hey Guys

I too have had the same conundrum recently. On paper the Scorpa T-Ride should be the weapon of choice but for speed events like enduros and hare and hounds I just don't think the suspension is up to the task. For slower events or very technical riding i am sure it would cope very well but the state of UK events turning into "field bashing" affairs recently I am sceptical of its suitability especially with some of the unmaintained tracks with massive braking bumps.

Yet, I did see on the Welsh two day enduro a Scorpa T-ride in the results proving that they could cope with a classic enduro. I think it would depend on what you really want to ride and the type of tracks the clubs set out. If you want to do LDT, green laning or a technical enduro I am sure it would be perfect. However I have never rode the bike properly only around a flat car park so I may be under estimating the bike.

The KTM 200 on the other side is also a very good bike. True it can be a bit of an animal but the great thing about the bike you can set it to your requirements. If you google "PV Mods" you will find lots of pages on taming down the bike plus you can also add a fly wheel weight which will make a noticeable impact.

If you can try to ride both you can see what suits you better. Personally I want the special enduro 4rt that appear a year or so ago as that was a honda CR50 frame, upside down Marzocchi with a bored out 4rt engine but I don't have the money to build one

Hope my ramblings help.

[thespikeyone]

Thanks for all the replies.

I am still undecided.

I have ridden 2 enduro events before the wr got seized by the rozzers 1 H&H at elgin and 1 enduro at lossie now in both of them i never got higher than 3rd gear and the suspension on a trials bike would have been fine. What I did notice was that the enduro bike was a big lump to lug around in the tight woods.

I'm doing the craiglash enduro on my trials bike on sun so I will see how it goes and maybe get a ride on a 200 while im there.

I think the t-ride would be ideal as its smaller quite light and as i'm used to trials bikes the geometry would suit me better. the biggest worry is like you say the suspension.

AGGGGHHHHHH decisions decisions

[motovita]

thespikeyone, on 01 October 2011 - 11:40 AM, said:

Thanks for all the replies.

I am still undecided.

I have ridden 2 enduro events before the wr got seized by the rozzers 1 H&H at elgin and 1 enduro at lossie now in both of them i never got higher than 3rd gear and the suspension on a trials bike would have been fine. What I did notice was that the enduro bike was a big lump to lug around in the tight woods.

I'm doing the craiglash enduro on my trials bike on sun so I will see how it goes and maybe get a ride on a 200 while im there.

I think the t-ride would be ideal as its smaller quite light and as i'm used to trials bikes the geometry would suit me better. the biggest worry is like you say the suspension.

AGGGGHHHHHH decisions decisions

I very much doubt you can ride faster on your Trials bike suspension than T-Ride suspension.
The T-Ride will feel like a "big lump" compared to your trials bike though.

[Loonal]

Both the missus & I have TRides. I have ridden LDT’s & H&H's on them. Usually use them for trail riding. The missus has a Revloc clutch in hers... great for H&H & trails but no good for LDT’s. If you want to get a TRide to go, but loose some of its low down, pull out the inlet restrictor & put on a larger carb.
As for the suspension I am no enduro rider, but I have had occasion to scoot around with some fellas on KTMs. No issue keep up on the tight stuff, beats them hands down on the real technical stuff, but not as good on the flat out bumpy stuff.
I think the rear shock copes well, but the front forks are not as good as the real enduro forks. Certainly I have only noticed lack of suspension stroke on the real fast bumpy stuff.
Would a TRide win the World Enduro Chamionship, probably not. Would a TRide improve the riding of most mere mortals, probably!
NB has had one in the Tough One a few years ago & bar a chain jump off would have finished really well.
LOONAL

[thespikeyone]

Cheers for the info LOONAL.

Right then, Today I rode the last round of the scottish enduro champs on my trials bike and I am so glad I was on a trials bike cos it was hard enough on that never mind a bigger heavier bike.

It was quite a tight and rough course which I found not to bad on the trials bike and caught up and passed a few guys on enduro bikes and could even keep up with the experts until my fatness kicked in.

So this is pushing me more towards the t ride. does anyone know someone selling one??? ive seen the one on ebay but it might as well be in cuba its that far away.



NOTE: Trials tyres are pump in a wet craiglash enduro!!!!

[sam_w]

Hi

I've got a T-Ride which I use mainly for road trials but I have ridden a few enduros on it. Generally the T-ride copes OK with tight enduros although as others have said you can bottom the suspension fairly easily. The fork angle is steep on the T-ride and on steep downhills in the wet it is very unstable compared to an enduro bike. I fitted a rekluse automatic clutch to mine which gives the engine a bit more flywheel effect and stops it from stalling when you hit the rocks in rough going. Because of the space taken by the electric starter motor there is no room to fit a bigger conventional flywheel weight like on the SY250F trials bike.

Best of luck.

[Pete_Scorpa3]

sam_w, on 03 October 2011 - 07:50 AM, said:

Hi

I've got a T-Ride which I use mainly for road trials but I have ridden a few enduros on it. Generally the T-ride copes OK with tight enduros although as others have said you can bottom the suspension fairly easily. The fork angle is steep on the T-ride and on steep downhills in the wet it is very unstable compared to an enduro bike. I fitted a rekluse automatic clutch to mine which gives the engine a bit more flywheel effect and stops it from stalling when you hit the rocks in rough going. Because of the space taken by the electric starter motor there is no room to fit a bigger conventional flywheel weight like on the SY250F trials bike.

Best of luck.

How does the automatic clutch work Sam? Is it suitable for trials use?

There was talk of a trials kit for the T ride. This included removing the starter and fitting a heavier fly wheel, do you know if these ever became available?

[sam_w]

Hi Pete

The Rekluse automatic clutch is just like the schoolboy trials bike automatic clutches it engages above a certain RPM. You get differnt springs with it to choose where it engages and whether it engages gently or suddenly. There is still a clutch lever to let you slip the clutch but the feel is strange on the standard Rekluse product, the pull gets harder at higher rpm. There is a more expensive pro-version that is supposed to give you a conventional clutch feel at high revs. For trials use I believe that the best method for slow maneouvering is to leave the clutch alone and drag the back brake balanced against the throttle. I can't say that I've fully mastered this yet but it is better than the inevitable engine stalling that I found with the manual clutch when hitting a rock step. The biggest disadvantage is that you lose all engine braking on hill descents and the bike freewheels if you stall it. If you fail to get up a hill-climb you find yourself going backwards at speed unless you're ready for it.

I don't know if the trials kit for the T-ride ever materialised.

[motovita]

sam_w, on 03 October 2011 - 06:34 PM, said:

Hi Pete

The Rekluse automatic clutch is just like the schoolboy trials bike automatic clutches it engages above a certain RPM. You get differnt springs with it to choose where it engages and whether it engages gently or suddenly. There is still a clutch lever to let you slip the clutch but the feel is strange on the standard Rekluse product, the pull gets harder at higher rpm. There is a more expensive pro-version that is supposed to give you a conventional clutch feel at high revs. For trials use I believe that the best method for slow maneouvering is to leave the clutch alone and drag the back brake balanced against the throttle. I can't say that I've fully mastered this yet but it is better than the inevitable engine stalling that I found with the manual clutch when hitting a rock step. The biggest disadvantage is that you lose all engine braking on hill descents and the bike freewheels if you stall it. If you fail to get up a hill-climb you find yourself going backwards at speed unless you're ready for it.

I don't know if the trials kit for the T-ride ever materialised.

I have the Rekluse Core EXP clutch on my T-Ride and I would say it is in no way suitable for Trials as it disengages at low speed.
I've not heard of a trials kit for the T-Ride but I'd be very interested.

Edited by motovita, 04 October 2011 - 12:16 AM.

[thespikeyone]

well I dug into my very deep pockets and shelled out for a 2010 exc 200 with 45 hrs on it. not had a chance to ride it properly cos we are moving house, again!!!!! and the wife seems to think its more important to sort that out cos she is going on holiday to Afghanistan for 5 months at the end of the month.

Had to buy a lower seat tho cos i'm too nuch of a short a*** to touch the floor on it.

[pindie]

I had a 200EXC. An absolute weapon!

Enjoy