Tm 250

TM 250

FACTORY RIDES FOR SALE

DON'T FEEL BAD IF YOU’VE

never heard of TM; we

hadn’t either. But after

sampling the company’s

new 250 enduro bike,

we’re sure that the small Italian company is an off-road force to be reckoned with.

TM, based in Pesaro, Italy, is a 60-man operation that puts out about 1500 machines a year. The company specialized in 80cc and 125cc bikes, but had to rethink things when the FIM killed off the 80cc enduro class last year. To fill that production void, the TM 250 was built, the first bike rolling off the assembly line less than eight months after the company learned the 80cc class was dead. This firstyear effort is shocking not only because of the speed with which it got to the market, but because of its features and performance. Got a wish list for top-of-the-line enduro parts? Forget it. The TM already has them, from an Öhlins shock and Marzocchi fork to sand-cast engine cases and billet-aluminum triple clamps and brake pedal. The TM even has a hydraulic clutch and a small counterbalancer-firsts for a production dirtbike.

After confirming that the fluorescent pink-and-yellow bike was not the “Hers” version of a His-andHers set, we were ready to roost. Roost is quite the appropriate word, because the TM 250 is the new king of grunt. It feels like its engine displaces at least 300cc. The power climbs and stays strong through the midrange, but flattens out a little too soon. No worries. Short-shifting will keep this enduro bike running with any 250 motocrosser.

The rest of the bike keeps pace with the motor. The conventional fork is plush and resistant to bottoming. The Öhlins shock is a perfect match, and will draw complaints only from lighter riders, who may find it too stiff.

Brakes are by Brembo, the M94 front system giving the bike the feel and stopping power of Honda’s CR, the class yardstick. The hydraulic clutch is worth mentioning. Its action is flawless, and the point of engagement never changes, regardless of abuse. In tough going, you really appreciate the extra control. Our only complaint about the TM is that its Suzuki-style fuel tank holds just 2.3 gallons, a gallon or so too small for real enduro work.

Since this is the only hand-built dirtbike available-with the exception of a few trials bikes-you can be forgiven if you want to think of it as basically a works machine. But at a retail price of $5995 the TM is a pretty good deal, considering what you get for your loot. Available through Motoman Distributing (P.O. Box 1037, Chino, CA 91708; 909/391-3278), there will probably be less than 20 TM 250s available for sale in the U.S.

Enduro riders looking for the next best thing to a factory ride would be well-advised to get in line early.

Jimmy Lewis