True Blues
By TMX Archives on 10th Dec 09
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.
TM logos are machined into the numerous aluminium parts, all very time consuming to produce. The digital dash is backlit in TM blue', even the panel bolts are little works of art. As soon as you take them out of the van a crowd appears. Everyone wants to see them, everything is nice', they are made to a specification not a budget, they are what they are and they are beautiful... and now it's my job to get down and dirty with five of Italy's finest...some guys have all the luck!
WHAT we are testing is TM Racing's Enduro model range, the 125cc, 144cc, 250cc and 300c two-strokes and the 450cc four-stroke, this was not the usual drive, arrive and ride kind of test either, TM UK actually let me take these machines home where I played with them at my leisure over two weeks, I even washed them for the photos...badly, apparently...
With the humble two-stroke enjoying a resurgence in enduros it made sense to jump at this opportunity to test the TM enduro machinery, with a reputation of being some of the best two-strokes in the business that are championship winning bikes straight from the box and with a track record to prove it both at National and International level.
TM has taken numerous class titles in the BEC and at the 2009 ISDE claimed a whole host of class titles with both their two-stroke and four-stroke machines. It was time to put these bikes through the mill.
EN125
FIRSTLY the small capacity two-stroke machine, the light and nimble TM125 EN. This machine was a pleasure to ride and put a huge smile on my face, there is nothing more fun than throwing an agile and lightweight two-stroke around and this bike ticks all the boxes.
For a small two-stroke engine the power was very progressive, decent bottom-end building all the way through the rev range right up to an incredible top end. This was matched to a very well spaced six-speed gearbox with a positive and precise shift which made the most of the revvy little motor and it was just sooooo much fun and really enjoyable.
Carburetion was good with no hesitation or flat-spots noticeable anywhere and the hydraulic clutch is nice and light and showed no signs of fading even when abused.
When labouring the engine it will slowly pull and trickle around, finding grip and driving you forward. A quick flick of the clutch and away she goes again and for a small motor it really packs a punch in the mid-range.
The ergonomics of this machine are excellent, a nice riding position and the slim feeling aluminium chassis allows you to get right up the tank when needed.
The Marzocchi forks and Ohlins shock give fantastic feedback and as expected for a small machine it turns incredibly well. The suspension was a little tight as the bikes were new but even though they still worked incredibly well, finding grip continuously and never doing anything unexpected. It is a very well balanced bike and even when deliberately trying to force an error it still manages to find grip and keep you on board.
The brakes on the 125 (and on all of the bikes tested) were amazing, the mix of Brembo and Nissin components combine to give superb feel and really inspire confidence in them. They not only work well but the oversize wavy discs look as good as they perform too.
An incredible little machine, as much fun as you can handle, but also a real performer with nice, predictable handling and an awesome little engine.
EN144
NEXT up was the very well publicised 144cc two-stroke machine, the TM144.
This is not just a big bore' 125cc machine, this is a true 144cc and it shows. It has a bigger bore (56mm compared to the 125's 54mm), a longer stroke (with a billet con-rod) and it also features a larger crank, different crankcases, cylinder and head and with all of these changes combined the results are outstanding.
Whilst the chassis and all of its riding characteristics remain the same as the 125cc machine the extra 19cc really does create a noticeable change in the engine department, with the same light and agile feeling and excellent handling as the 125 but with the increased torque of the 144cc motor, this bike is awesome.
The 144cc motor has more grunt from the get-go, it pulls harder from lower in the rpm range and as the 125 continues through to a strong middle and a very good top end, with the extra torque available from the 144cc motor short shifting and even being a little bit more lazy in gear selection is permissible. The power spread is broader than the 125 and it feels stronger throughout the rev range, more so from the bottom to the middle to be honest, it actually feels like the engine is bigger than it actually is through the lower rpm range.
Again a very predictable handling machine that is well balanced and combined with that little bit extra that the 144cc engine gives makes for a very versatile machine that will suit riders of all abilities. From Novice to Pro, this bike will impress and flatter all.
EN250
THE quarter-litre two-stroke was a big surprise, renowned for being a Pro' machine with a hard hitting power delivery I was expecting this machine to be hard work. This however was not the case.
TM Racing have obviously listened to their riders and customers over the past few years and have re-worked this engine to smooth out its spread of power. I found it to be much more linear and easier to ride than I throught it would be. Don't get me wrong, when you poke it with a stick it still rips but it is nowhere near as fierce as the TM250's of yesteryear.
You can ride this bike so it's as docile or as aggressive as you wish, short-shift up the five speed box and the motor will work pulling nicely and finding grip on the most slippery inclines. Provoke it and you can be as tail-happy as you like, but it never feels like it's too much too soon. Maybe some of this is to do with the chassis and handling characteristics also but it was extremely pleasant to ride, even with the extra weight over the 125/144 and with the chassis being slightly wider to accommodate the bigger engine it sill felt small and agile.
The 250 was extremely well planted in the turns and very well mannered, even when pushing a little too far to try to upset the machine's balance, it did not falter.
The gearbox is positive and the clutch action nice, a little heavier than the 125/144 but then that is to be expected. Suspension was nice and smooth and the grip level was more than impressive, even when landing from some decent heights the suspension absorbed the impacts well, no bottoming and at speed there seemed to be no sign of any headshake. The brakes were spot on and as per its little sisters, was a real performer. Again an incredibly capable machine and a nice surprise too.
EN300
THE TM300 EN is the largest capacity two-stroke in TM Racing's range and I suppose it could be described as a mature 250, sharing the same chassis as the 250 the handling is near identical, maybe a little more push in the turns but nothing that the suspension cannot cope with or the rider cannot compensate for and once again a very nice machine to ride. Excellent mannerisms and excellent brakes, very stable and nothing seemed to faze it.
The trump card up the 300's sleeve however is the motor, this engine is superb, it always has been.
Again like the 250, when provoked this bike takes-off but it's different, it's deceivingly quick. It goes about its business in stealth mode, any gear, any rpm, just open the throttle and it pulls, and it pulls, and it pulls, the torque available is awesome.
I swear you could ride this bike in one gear all day if you wanted to. It pulls from nothing, building pace in a relatively unexciting manner, just keep hooking the next gear until they are all gone. This is the short-shift king.
EN450F ES
THE large capacity 450cc four-stroke model was the one that intrigued me the most, having seen this machine take the overall E2 class victory and the Team title for France in the 2009 Six Days Enduro in the hands of TM Racing's factory' rider Rodrig Thain.
I was keen to get my leg over this bike and see how good it really is.
Being a two-stroke die-hard and with images of electric start four-stroke machinery that must weight about 4 tons being conjured up in my head, I wanted to push this bike into the tight stuff to see how it really compared to the lighter and more agile two-stroke machines.
Finding some tight low speed corners, some difficult sections in the trees and some big sweeping berms I set about trying to upset the big TM. Firing this machine into life couldn't be easier, push the button, the engine settles into a rock steady idle, select gear, away you go. Seemples! Even kicking the bike is a breeze, one full-kick and she's off.
The motor is very smooth, very smooth indeed. Pulling from nothing it builds power right to its top end, the surge is incredible yet comforting, nothing vicious, just a continuous stream of power. Hook the next gear in the slick five-speed box and another surge, hook the next and the same again. Electric-like is the power delivery.
One thing I shall mention is noise, or in this case the lack of. Even when revving hard under load the noise level is good, no thunderous ear splitting racket, just a nice burble from the HGS system.
Handling...what do I say? To say I am blown away is an understatement, to use the old cliche this bike felt as if it were on rails. Turn-in was superb, exiting under power was superb, slow manoeuvrability was exceptional. No matter how I tried to upset this machine it never tried to bite me hard, it consistently stuck to every tight line I could find. I pushed her hard too, I even got carried away and managed to whip her out on some jumps I found!
In short, this 450 is an unbelievably good machine, it really impressed me. It was so easy to ride, so planted, so confidence inspiring. If you open the throttle and let the motor sing (it would be Tom Jones!) it will accelerate at an incredible pace, albeit smoothly, or you can just hook gears and the incredible wave of torque allows it to pull and pull and pull.
The handling blew me away, I can see where all the success TM is having with their 450cc machines is coming from, a fantastic engine sitting in a fantastic chassis.
SPECIFICATIONS
2010 model TM Racing
EN 125, EN 144, EN 250, EN 300
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled two-stroke with reed-valve
Bore & Stroke: 54 x 54.5 cc/ 56 x 58.2/ 66.4 x 72/ 72 x 72
Displacement: 123.5 cc/ 143.35 cc/ 249 cc/ 294 cc
Intake: V-Force reed-valve
Carburettor: Keihin PWK 38
Fuel: Unleaded fuel/ oil at 3.5 per cent mix ratio
Ignition: Kokusan CDI Electronic with variable advance with two selectable maps via handlebar switch
Clutch: Multiuple-disk in oil-bath with hydraulic control
Gears: 6-speed (125 & 144)/ 5 gears (250 & 300)
CHASSIS
Frame: Perimeter aluminium section
Front Fork: Marzocchi USD
Rear Shock: Sachs Boge (optional Ohlins)
Front Tyre: 90/90 x 21 (125 & 144)/ 100/90 x 21 (250 & 300)
Rear Tyre: 120/90 x 18 (125 & 144)/ 140/80 x 18 (250 & 300)
Front Brake: 270 mm Braking wave disc with Nissin pump & caliper/ Brembo caliper (250 & 300)
Rear Brake: 245 mm Braking wave disc with Nissin pump & caliper
Fuel Tank: 8.7 litres (plastic)
SPECIFICATIONS
2010 model TM Racing
EN 450F ES
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled DOHC four-stroke
Bore x Stroke: 95 x 63.4 mm
Displacement: 449.16 cc
Lubrication: Dry sump with double rotor pump
Carburettor: Keihin 39 mm
Fuel: Unleaded fuel
Ignition: Kokusan CDI Electronic with variable advance
Clutch: Multiuple-disk in oil-bath with hydraulic control
Gear: 5-speed
Starting: Electric start and kick start
CHASSIS
Frame: Perimeter aluminium section
Front fork: Marzocchi USD
Rear shock: Sachs Boge (optional Ohlins)
Front tyre: 90/90 x 21
Rear tyre: 140/80 x 18
Front brake: 270 mm Braking wave disc with Nissin pump & Brembo caliper
Rear brake: 245 mm Braking wave disc with Nissin pump & caliper
Fuel Tank: 8.2 litres (plastic)
FOR FULL TEST SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2009
Specification:
