Bike Tests

Published: 06th September 2010

Scorpa is back! Not just in name but with actual 2011 bikes. When Scorpa founder Marc Tessier – who went on to found Sherco – re-acquired the Scorpa brand after it went bust last year he promised to build a brand-new 2011 model that would be bang up-to-date but would maintain the Scorpa identity.

Published: 27th August 2010

This week’s T+MX bike test is the Gas Gas EC250/300 two-stroke enduro models. Yes, the latest 250Fs (four-strokes) may well be the models that other manufacturers are pushing but the hugely enthusiastic Catalan company Gas Gas is enjoying a resurgence of interest in its strokers, as indeed are other manufacturers who have stuck with the ring-dingers.

Published: 30th July 2010

Forget everything you thought you knew about Husaberg being a four-stroke only enduro manufacturer as the ‘born in Sweden, built in Austria’ brand readies themselves to enter an exciting new era by branching out into the two-stroke market for 2011.

Published: 03rd June 2010

IT’S not often that a manufacturer comes up with a genuine, all-new model. KTM have not only done just that, they have come-up with a whole new concept - a 350cc four-stroke designed to compete with, and beat, the mighty 450Fs.

Published: 25th March 2010

SHERCO, as you all know, is firmly established as a leading brand in the trials world with a state of the art new model launched for 2010. Sherco is, however, less established in the world of enduro where it has been bravely plugging away against the established big guns with its very own 250F model for several years.

Published: 18th February 2010

THE 2010 Sherco trials range represents a major milestone in the life of the relatively young Spanish company. The new models represent the first major redesign since the very first Sherco – named Bultaco Sherco back then – first hit the trials world in 1998.

Published: 04th February 2010

WHEN it comes to motocross in the US, it’s easy to see the mark that Cobra Motorcycles have made in the Youth classes with over 200 national titles!

Published: 14th January 2010

DECEMBER is not a good month to launch a dirt bike into the UK market, but despite the dire weather Suzuki’s new enduro, the RMX450Z, proved itself a surprisingly well-rounded package as JON BENTMAN found out…

Published: 17th December 2009

THE all-new fuel-injected RM-Z250 has arrived with new chassis and stylish new bodywork. But its beauty is not only skin deep.

Published: 10th December 2009

TM’s just ooze class... they always have, they are stunning beautiful creations that will have you dribbling over them like an infant, from the blue Excel rims to the billet hubs, the gold billet clamps to the oversize wave discs, the HGS exhaust systems to the V-Force Reed blocks, the black Marzocchi forks to the Ohlins shock, they are just dripping with quality components.

Published: 10th December 2009

THE Beta EVO range was brand new for the 2009 season when the Italian factory sprung the surprise of the all-new model which gave an entirely new take on its trademark aluminium chassis. Out went the old shapely twin top sections to be replaced by a skinny single beam that obviously shaved a bunch of weight – and from the right place, high-up – as well as looking a lot more skinny. The new top beam still contained the fuel.

Published: 26th November 2009

THE 250cc four-stroke market really is where it’s at just at the moment in motocross with all manufacturers pouring development time and energy into their quarter-litre thumpers. The bottom line is, if they want to stay competitive in a red-hot market they simply have too. While the 450s used to rule the roost in the showrooms there’s no doubt that 250Fs are first on the list of many potential purchasers. This is really because the current range of 250Fs have such a great spread of power and handle so well that they are the easiest models to ride fast - for virtually anyone!

Published: 19th November 2009

GAS GAS is probably still best-known as a leading trials manufacturer (and T+MX printed the 2010 Gas Gas trials test two weeks ago) but over the years it has also firmly established itself as a major player in the enduro/ cross-country marketplace and in Britain, with the recent explosion in hare and hounds racing, the specialist range of two-stroke EC and CC racers from the Gerona-based concern have become class leaders, having won themselves an excellent reputation for performance, rideability and reliability.

Published: 19th November 2009

WHEN David Knight quit the BMW factory team this season – and then announced that he would be riding ‘private’ Kawasakis for the rest of the year, most people raised their eyebrows. Why would Knighter choose a motocross Kawasaki to ride enduros on? David soon proved he knew exactly what he was doing though when he went out and won a World Championship Enduro round in France!

Published: 12th November 2009

HAVING clinched the 2007 World MX2 championship before the final GP of the year, Tony Cairoli turned up at the penultimate race of the season, the British GP at Donington Park with a Yamaha YZ450F under the team awning ready to do battle with the sport’s big hitters, which had the worlds press licking their lips in anticipation at a possible Cairoli victory. Could he win? Would he be strong enough over two motos? If he wins, will he move to MX1 in 2008?

Published: 05th November 2009

WITH Gas Gas having unleashed a completely new PRO range of trials bikes for 2009 featuring the brand-new, lightweight tubular steel frame designed in conjunction with star rider Adam Raga, for the full range of 125/250/290 and 300 models, it is no surprise to learn that on the technical front there are no major changes for 2010. Yet when you see the actual bikes you would be forgiven for thinking that they were all-new again as the 2010 look is stunning with the red black and silver hues making for awesome showroom appeal.

Published: 28th October 2009

HONDA has always been right at the forefront of four-stroke technology, and the latest MX offerings from the Japanese giant are always eagerly awaited as Honda is definitely a leading light when it comes to technology. And so the 2010 four-stroke pairing of CRF250R and CRF450R is as eagerly anticipated as ever.

Published: 01st October 2009

KTM is the established front runner when it comes to producing competitive out and out Enduro machines and with a full line-up of both two-stroke and four-stroke orange hardware once again, the Austrian factory stands as strong as ever as we head towards 2010...

Published: 24th September 2009

RECENTLY, we headed off to Doncaster Motor Park, again, but this time it was to test the new 2010 model KX450F. This time round the track conditions weren’t quite as great as our previous visit to the venue – to say the least – but test riders have to deal with such things. It seems that most manufacturers are trying to get a head start with their bikes this year and rather than waiting till all their models are ready to test, they’re just doing one at a time or as each model arrives in the country. The new Kawasaki KX450F hasn’t been radically changed, but last year’s model was completely new with the main attraction of fuel injection.

Published: 10th September 2009

YAMAHA was at the forefront of the four-stroke revival - which rapidly turned into four-stroke domination - of motocross, firstly with its eye-opening YZ400F and shortly after with its quarter-litre sibling. Then it sort of sat on its laurels a bit while everyone else caught-up. But 2010 is looking like the year when Yamaha moves the goalposts again. There’s a hot new 450Fcoming up shortly but meanwhile, the 250F has been given a snazzy new chassis, a sharp new look - and a whole new lease of life. Read on...