OFF-ROAD TEST: TM 300EN

[MotoFactory]

TM is back. You can be excused if you never knew they were gone. After all, TM Moto is a tiny Italian company that exists primarily in the dirt bike underground. For years, if you wanted a TM, you had to go find one. But, since 2022, finding one in the U.S. was nearly impossible. The importer left town, leaving a dealership in Morongo, California, as the only parts connection for a cult-like band of TM devotees.

That has changed for 2025. The 300EN Corse before you is one of the first official imports in three years, and there are more to come. Cam Mitchell of 71 Powersports has officially picked up the reins and opened the flow of TM motorcycles into the U.S. and Canada. As if a “normal” TM isn’t exotic enough, the 300EN Corse is a premium model along the lines of a Factory Edition from KTM, Husqvarna or GasGas.

The price for the 2025 300EN Corse is $12,345. Shockingly, it’s not the most expensive bike in the class anymore.

LET’S CATCH UP

If you aren’t in the TM inner circle, here’s a little review: This is a family-owned company out of Pesaro, Italy, that got its start in the karting world. Eventually, they started making high-end two-stroke ISDE bikes. Motocross models followed and eventually four-strokes. TM motorcycles built a reputation for being very light, fast and expensive—virtually works bikes for the public. Accordingly, production numbers were very limited. The 2025 test bike we have is just like the TMs we remember from the past. It shows extremely high-quality workmanship. The aluminum frame is hand-built with beautiful welds. The hubs, triple clamps and dozens of little pieces are machined from billet. The rear shock is actually manufactured in-house by TM, while the fork is KYB, the front brake is a Brembo and the rear brake is by Nissin. The Corse edition goes a step further with an anodized clutch and ignition covers, a radiator fan, axle handles, upgraded brake rotors, quick-release wheel pins, and so forth.

Our test bike used a throttle-body EFI system. You can also order the bike with an old-fashioned carburetor.

What’s really amazing about TM is its sophistication. Despite being a very small company, TM has matched KTM blow for blow in the technology department. When KTM moved to transfer port injection (TPI) in 2019, we believed that it was so high tech that only a big conglomerate with a big budget could manage it. TM had it within a year. When TPI gave way to throttle body injection, TM was actually there first. The EFI system on the 2025 300EN has an injection system developed by eMoticom with a 39mm throttle body. It’s integrated with the electronic power valve and an oil-injection system. In every way, TM is at the cutting edge of two-stroke technology. And, what’s just as interesting is that the company hasn’t abandoned traditional technology. You can order the bike with a Keihin carburetor instead of fuel injection. You can also ask for a kickstarter on the standard model; although, our Corse-edition test bike came with one.

In Europe, you can still ride heavily detuned two-strokes on the street, and some of the dual-sport trappings are visible on the 300EN. It has a turn-signal switch and horn button that are connected to nothing, as well as that infernal spring that folds up the kickstand as soon as it’s unweighted. The tires on our test bike were Bridgestone Battlecross X31s, although later models will probably come with Maxxis.

The Corse is a special edition that comes with upgraded items like special rotors and wheel-changing hardware. The TM comes with an interesting mix of components. The front brake is a Brembo, while the rear is a Nissin.

RIDE AS THE ROMANS DO

Our time with the TM 300EN was limited and quite busy. Ty Cullins, who achieved considerable success in EnduroCross, took the bike to the Two-Stroke Championships at Glen Helen knowing that it wasn’t a motocross bike and expecting it to be under-suspended and possibly under-powered. He promptly won both motos of the 25+ Intermediate class. The next day we put Carson Brown on it. He confirmed that the enduro suspension was soft and that Ty had simply ridden the wheels off it. But, it certainly wasn’t underpowered, at least not for the amateur classes. The bike has excellent power right above idle and then builds smoothly to a potent midrange. The smooth, sweet nature of that power was completely lost on the motocross course, but revealed itself on tight trails. The motor is unstoppable down low and through the middle revs. It is, after all, a European 300cc two-stroke. It compares very favorably to the best of its breed and has all of the same strengths in tight, technical trails. It easily out-powers a KTM 300XC-W, but the more aggressive KTM 300XC will have an edge on top. As the revs build, the power tapers off. And, if you ask too much of it, the TM objects. If you clutch it and hit the rev limiter when the engine is under a load, it can cough and glitch out. This was a common trait among the first generation of TPI two-strokes. In the case of the TM, we think it might just be fuel mixture, which is rich on top. Dave Turner at Get Dirty Motorsports is the most authoritative TM expert in the U.S., and he knows all the tricks to perfect the eMoticom system. As it is, there’s very little chance that normal off-road riders (translation: not Carson Brown) will over-rev the bike that dramatically. Within its intended parameters, the EFI system is perfectly mapped. It has two maps, and virtually all riders preferred the more aggressive one, even on tight trails.

TM has a reputation for making light, fast motorcycles. After a brief hiatus, the company is back in the U.S.

RIDING THE EDGE

TM clearly knows the type of rider who will be drawn to the 300EN. The suspension is designed to deal with hitting rocks and roots at speed. It doesn’t deflect or dive, it just absorbs trail trash and goes perfectly straight. This is a bike for skilled off-road riders on difficult trails. It isn’t necessarily for loafing along at a sightseeing pace. The frame is rigid, the seat is hard and everything about the bike screams out to be ridden aggressively. We were impressed about the adjustability of the TM-made shock absorber. Initially, it seemed stiff, but we were able to make it more comfortable with a little effort. The compression clickers are very difficult to access, but the rebound can be adjusted by hand. The front suspension is typical of the 48mm KYB closed-cartridge fork and works well across a wide variety of situations. The great thing about the KYB fork is that if you don’t like it, there are about a million suspension shops who know how to get it right.

All of the components that come on the TM are of very high-quality, including the LED headlight.

Still, the TM is a race bike. That’s clear. It feels light, agile and stable at speed. On our scale, it weighs 232 pounds without fuel. That’s in the same bracket as all the other 300cc two-strokes that come with similar equipment (i.e., lights, radiator fan, hand guards and motor guards). We are somewhat surprised that the bike has oil injection, but we love it. After two days of riding we checked the oil level and couldn’t tell if it had changed. If nothing else, it will save a substantial sum in your oil budget.

If you’re a TM guy, though, you probably already know that it’s not about saving money. Traditionally, part of the TM attraction is the exclusivity that comes with a hefty price tag. In this day and age, however, that’s less of a filter than it used to be. The 300EN Corse has an MSRP of $12,345, whether it has fuel injection or a carburetor. The standard model is $11,195. There’s a shock factor there, but TM is no longer the most expensive bike in the off-road world. A KTM 300XC-W HardEnduro is $13,299 and a Husky TE300 Pro is $13,499. Admittedly, that’s a little crazy, but we know that going in. When you’re talking about the kind of riding where the TM excels, crazy comes with the territory.

The post OFF-ROAD TEST: TM 300EN appeared first on Dirt Bike Magazine.

Просмотреть полный текст статьи