EXPLAINER: HOW TRIUMPH ENDUROS HANDLE

Ever since we threw a leg a leg over Triumph’s first ever enduro models at the bikes’ Aussie media launch back in June, barely a day goes by when we don’t field enquiries about the British manufacturer’s all-new 2026 TF250-E and TF450-E. Naturally, our first response is to direct people to the comprehensive piece we published in the wake of that launch, where we answered a slew of your FAQs about these new Triumphs; or to the 10-minute video that took our audience behind the scenes at the launch and captured our first impressions.

Somehow, though, this wasn’t enough for many of you, evidenced by the fact that we’re still being inundated with Triumph-related questions. So, we’ve decided to answer the most frequent FAQs, one at a time.

For last in this series of FAQ answers, let’s address your questions about the riding experiences aboard these new TF-E models – their cockpit ergos and handling character…

HOW CONVENTIONAL – OR OTHERWISE – IS THE COCKPIT & ERGOS?

Very conventional … though more Euro than Jap. If you sit on the Triumph and shut your eyes, you could be aboard an equivalent KTM model. That goes for the seat/bar/footpeg triangle, the seat’s profile and feel, the OTF adjustable Brembo brake and clutch levers, and the overall shape and dimensions of the bodywork. The Triumph’s bar-mounted switchblocks are a nice touch. They’re intuitive and feature illuminated buttons for quick, easy adjustments, while the digital speedo screen provides real-time data – including engine temperature, trip information and gear position. Yep, once again, no corners cut!

OKAY, BUT HOW DO THE ENDURO BIKES HANDLE?

With a KYB suspension package – generally regarded as the best-performing fork and shock currently available for production dirt bikes – we always expected these TF-E models to deliver a sure-footed, confidence-inspiring ride and be capable of absorbing big hits. But with Triumph’s enduro and MX models using the same alloy frame, the real question for us coming into the launch was whether Triumph had managed to successfully adapt the KYB suspension settings to off-road applications. In other words, were they able to give the bikes a more compliant and forgiving ride across the multitude of obstacles, big and small, they’d encounter on off-road trails and tracks? Five minutes into our test ride, it became apparent that Triumph had done a superb job of that adaptation process. Rather than feeling like an MX bike with softer, more compliant settings to absorb rocks and roots, both 250 and 450cc enduro bikes handle like their DNA is 100%, ground-up enduro. With a 10mm shorter fork than the MX models, the enduro bikes steer precisely and have a really agile feel in tight terrain – a character trait no doubt aided by being lightweight and by the lower seat, which gives you more manageable stand-over for technical sections. 

But the real magic of these bikes is the way they combine that low-speed agility with high-speed stability. And that super-wide handling sweet spot gives them a planted, confidence-inspiring ride in all sorts of terrain. Both fork and shock offer plenty of plushness in the first part of their stroke; soaking up small, square-edged rocks and roots without a hint of deflection. And yet when you huck the bikes off a bigger-than-expected erosion mound or slam a high-speed G-out you only saw coming at the last second, the impact through your arms and legs routinely feels gentler than expected. That progression in the stroke at both ends means way less fatigue, which in turns makes you feel like you can afford to relax in the saddle and charge into obstacles, safe in the knowledge that the bike is resistant to being knocked off-line or bottoming out.