So sorry I forgot to talk about engine vibration. Epic fail! So here we go: This is NOT a counter balanced motor in the same way as KTM/Husky/GasGas. It vibrates more. It feels like the "counter balanced" Sherco and Beta, which is to say it MIGHT vibrate a little less than the 2016 and older KTM bikes, but its nowhere near as smooth as the counter balanced Austrian brand. It's not a reason to NOT buy the bike, but just know it's gonna vibrate a fair amount more than a 2017 or newer KTM.
Sorry man I hate to keep commenting but this engine IS counterbalanced. At least according to everyone else including the dealer I bought the bike from. Including dirt bike magazine…..
@@miked240 I can say after sitting on a 250 that it is not balanced as well as my new Ktm. As you may know, there are primary, and secondary, and even third ways of making vibration. Some counteract just a piston, some counteract longitudinal vibration. I'm definitely not an engineer. My guess is these bikes have some form of counterbalance, but it might not be a sophisticated as he would get on the KTM or obviously on modern automobiles.
Like fuck it is I have this exact bike and had a 22 te300i and currently have a 22 beta 300 and my brother and I switched back and forth from his tpi 300 erzberg and my tm vibrates less than the ktm and way less than the beta
If you were to ride this bike in the manner it was probably designed for, fast solid single cut or deep sand you’d have a very different take on it, the Tm isn’t build for hard enduro, the harder and faster you can push it the better it gets. Having owned ktms, huskys, betas, ridden shercos, I’d never buy any other bike again except for a TM. Has the best suspension on the market, amazing frame, a motor every other brand would die for, billet wheels standard, excellent brakes and clutch, I’ll admit the air filter change is a pain, but no worse than a yz250, yea the clutch is a tad heavy, and the pv issues is a pain in the arse till you fit the arming switch. Has the best balance shaft in the 2t class hands down.
Nice review! Thank you Kyle. Just some few points to mention, TM Racing comparing with other brands is like comparing a Ferrari with a Volkswagen. They produce 3000 bikes while KTM 300000 per year, most of the bike is hand made with 90% of the parts coming from Italy and the rest from Taiwan and Japan. EnduroGP racers who use TM are mostly stock because these bikes are ready to race while Josep Garcia KTM or GasGas from Andrea Verona both have Factory custom race machines. KTM group build their bikes ready to ride by the normal end-user and no other brand does this job better than them. The important thing in the end of the day is to just enjoy life riding them.
First off, thanks for the great review Kyle. My hats off to you for review something other than the run of the mill 2 st that are out there. I do want to mention I bought a 2023 TM 300 also and find most of what you said is pretty true but some is your opinion. However a couple of things have changed sense you got yours. The power valve resets itself now automatically. Before my dealer informed me I was basically just revving the engine after a stall. So now that is not necessary. As for the suspension, well I haven't bought a bike yet that I could ride stock. Mainly I weight too much for the stock set up. The valving was a shade stiffer but adjusting it softer made it pretty much perfect for stuff like hare scrambles to slow rocks and roots (for me). Taking the seat off is well.... I guess I need to come to the 21st century. Engine vibration is better IMHO than pretty much anything out there. My last bike was a 2022 Husky TX300 and felt they are the same. One thing you didn't mention is TM has a 1 year warranty, unlike KTM, Husky, Gas Gas. The TM doesn't have the on going issue with the sensors either. I was left stranded on my Husky because of the sensor failed. As for oil pump (failures), I have never seen one in real time from the TM or any other bike for that matter, fail. And someone stated "the thing that worries me about oil injection is if you tip the bike over and it gets an air lock in the pump , kiss your cylinder good bye the pump doesn’t have to fail to cause damage!" It still works whether it's upside down or not, on any of the oil pump bikes. And you can see, if it has an air bubble, that the oil is still being pumped into the cyl. Just saying. So there is a saying, I fixed my KTM by removing the K...... I'm enjoying my TM and I don't worry anymore about little things failing as much as I have with the more liked main stream bikes out there.
I own the carby version of this bike and absolutely love it. I also got all P-tech bash plates on the bike. I’m 5’11 tall 75 to 80kg and find the cockpit fits me perfectly same with the suspension I do race enduro and do a fair bit of hard enduro after softening the front forks 3clicks and bedding them in it’s perfect for me. But all in all love my bike would buy another one. I also changed out the kill switch to a Ktm one
Thank you for reviewing this bike Kyle ! A couple years ago on a live video you had asked us if there was a particular bike we wanted to see you do a review on . I commented and asked you to review this bike . And bam 💥 here we are ! Thank you for doing these reviews !
So heavy tho. And on old forum, every few months there was a phantom loss of power at more than half throttle. Never was the same fix, if it got fixed at all. Ppl did sell B4 resolved. Just sayin':
Mine was sadly a lemon; 4 top ends and a cylinder refinish in under 60 hours… piston kept sticking. Weirdly wouldn’t e-start pointing uphill. A failed coil had me leave it in a canyon overnight. Nicely the dealer sent me parts off his own bike to get it out. Sold it back to the dealer. Looking back I woulda tried switching from a smart carb back to stock and try different premix, but it was too frustrating. Strong engine when it worked. Racey chasis. Closer to an XC than xcw.
Thank you for doing the TM review. I think it's awesome you got one and I think you gave it a fair shake. You forgot to mention the interesting fuel tank and air intake design! I got my 2023 TM in March and have 60 hours on it so far. Having come off a YZ250X, I absolutely love it. And I gel with the geometry on the TM way more than any KTM I have ridden. I think it feels somewhere between the YZ and KTM. Not sure what you paid, but I paid $10.4k, although I got an MX model (With an 18" rear wheel) and with a carb. The EN Fi model would have cost me around $11.6k. All of my friends who got new bikes paid well over $12k for their 2023 KTM XC-W's.
I paid $11k out the door for that exact TM 300fi. KTM were 13k+ out the door. TM suspension is stiff. Everything else is better than KTM, imo. After stillwell did my full front and rear suspension, I came out the same as a ktm $$. Believe me, much better than any WP suspension I've been on.
@@michaeltuttle8712rather stiff suspension(valved for A-pro level gncc) vs ktm being 140lb slow c rider. 180lbs 1 spring rate softer f/r mainly upper 2nd and low 3rd forks feel great tbh. Stock tires dont help though get a 216mx cheater worlds better then maxxis pos
If I'm not mistaken the EXC line of KTMs have the auto retracting kickstand. Sign for the Husky. I believe it's required for Road registration in Europe
I have a 2022 carb 300EN (no oil injection). I love it. I run 50% 110 race fuel/50% pump gas. 100% pump gas did not work well for me. The bike is a tractor, if I'm on the throttle it just doesn't stall. It feels like it has three speeds. Low speed, med, and high. Jumping up a speed has a big hit. The carb seems to be set well. I love this bike and ride it over my 2022 KTM 300 xcw. The sound is really cool, way different than the KTM. I think Kyle is spot on, the forks felt brutal hard for me (250lbs). I put everything full soft and its decent but the KTM is way softer. Ill get springs some day. The power feels crazy to me, but I'm a newer weekend rider. I love the kickstand, and I love the e start and kick start. The Nissin rear brake feels fine to me. The front brakes are awesome. The headlight is really nice, the cyclops look is fine for me. KTM wins on air filter access. I get my parts from cross shop USA in California. They take a week to ship, but they have alot of parts. The kill switch is kinda weird, you don't use your thumb. It's been super reliable for me, I'd buy another one.
Great review. You say that suspension is too hard. I have heard you in the past on how happy you were with the gas gas suspension which was really soft and I have ridden one, but where I live, the gas gas suspension couldn't get any worse, soggy soft and terrible. Sand whoops and flat open desert they just couldn't hold up. So it is always interesting for a manufacturer to set a standard setup for everyone. All bikes I have owned have always been too soft, however when I rode in the mountains, it was perfect. Which is unfortunate. Just means we always need more than one bike! Would be great if you revisited the beta 390 again. I'll keep watching.
When I was younger TM 125 had the reputation of being the most powerful 125cc enduro bike on the market. Here in Finland you can drive 125cc bikes legally on street at 16. They may not have the racing pedigree of KTM or Husqvarna, but they are still great bikes made with love. Raw awesomeness.
My sons 07 KTM battery lost a cell and wouldn’t hold a charge while on a trip. Was great that he had a kick start he was able to ride with us the rest of the time. He would have had been stuck with the truck for the next couple days. He would love it if we won and we could upgrade his bike. Great review on the bike. I always enjoy your info.
I carry an extremely small lithium battery jump starter in my riding pack. Super light weight and unless my starter fully dies… I am good to go if my battery fails.
I’ve always wanted to try one the frame is like the older Hondas that I always loved. I’d send the suspension off to get it revalved for what you want to do and it would be perfect I’d imagine.
Thank you for your honest review. I owned a '22 en300 2t fi and was extremely disappointed by all the "details" that TM just overlooked. Mine came with a faulty fuel tank (leaked gas from the filler area)" , Changing the air filter is real pain in the neck, the plastics that wrap around the rear of the tank is secured with a zip tie from the dealer, changing the oil is another pain in the neck, the clutch chatters really bad when lugging up a steep hill, the hand guards are basically mountain bike grade and last but definitely not least is that stupid power valve issue. I helped the same dealer Kyle went to realize that an arming switch could be cobbled together by buying parts from amazon after he convinced me that the PV issue could be resolved by installing a different map. Wrong . That really hurt my feeling after spending way too much for an "exotic" dirt bike :) I finally swallowed my pride and sold the bike for a big loss but thats ok because I finally rid myself of the illusion that this was a good bike and I should just live with all of it's short comings. I've never been a KTM fan boy, quite the opposite as a matter of fact but I drank the cool aid and purchased a '23 KTM 350xc and have never looked back. All the details seem to have been sorted out by the KTM folks. I'm extremely happy with my new bike after seeing the errors of my ways. 👍
That’s interesting that was your experience with the TM. Having owned two KTMs recently along with two other Japanese bikes currently, I can honestly say the TM is the best bike I’ve ever owned. The suspension is nearly as good as my YZ and the fit and finish make everything else look like a geo metro. So based on my experience I’m completely biased and wouldn’t touch an Austrian bike with a 10’ pole but to each their own.
Bro you need to learn how to adjust that suspension. If the forks are still too stiff then get lighter springs. Send that suspension out to get done and it will make night and day difference
People don't think the oil pump will fail "all the time" it's just one more part that _can_ fail. Which by definition is less reliable, and the downside to it failing are huge. Good idea to replace the pump with each top end, but an extra $100 each time is a bit of a bummer.
I think people get unrealistic expectations of what a bike should be. At the end of the day I'd be happier than a clam to get a new bike! Yeah the bike isn't perfect, but if a bike like this came up and you were in the market it would definitely be worth it!
Good review, the thing that worries me about oil injection is if you tip the bike over and it gets a air lock in the pump , kiss your cylinder good bye the pump doesn’t have to fail to cause damage!
i seen a story from someone who had a TM and i think it was a sensor that went out. the shop keep it about a week before they found the proplem and while they come with an amazing warranty it took another 2 to 3 weeks to get the part. They ordered the wrong one so they reordered it and in another 2 to 3 weeks found out the order was never placed so someone at the dealer who had the same bike pulled the part off his bike to get him back going. everything was under warranty and it didn't cost the owner anything except 6 to 8 weeks without his new expensive bike. the stoy may not have been exactly like that but I remember it was down for close to 2 months or more.
Thanks for actually giving a verdict. It makes me feel more confident when it comes to purchasing. Whether that is an illusion or not...idk but at least I won't have buyer's remorse.
So many of. the niggling issues are hangovers from 20 years ago. It helps you appreciate the constant small iterations that take place with brands like KTM.
Outstanding review, Kyle. Keep up the great work. The review totally made sense to me and I 100% understand (and agree) where you’re coming from. TMs seem like a motorcycle that your brilliant friend made in his garage. He has lathes, mills, and amazing fabrication skills. But he doesn’t have the benefit of a huge R&D budget, decades of feedback from factory racing teams. So if KTM somehow mortally offended your family and you just cannot bear to give them your business…I guess TM is always an option. Otherwise, just get the KTM. I mean, I have 5 in my garage. 😁👍
It looks as good as anything out there. Who buys a bike and not set it up for them. My question is how durable it is and how hard it is to set parts and if they are pricey.
Feels a bit like you came into this review already with a negative bias. You did a good job pointing out the negative things while not really saying much positive. Maybe you didn't find anything positive to like lol. You have orange in your logo, you like the orange bikes and that's fine, they are good bikes. I 100% agree with you about the suspension and that's a shame. It's the only complaint I have about my TM. Other than that I would say that nearly every bike out there today is a great bike and would come down to preference. You can nitpick them all. I wanted something different, I don't like blindly following trends. I looked at KTM and Husqvarna before buying my TM and they both cost quite a bit MORE than my TM, all at full price. There are going to be things an Accord does better than a Ferrari, but it's always going to just be an Accord.
Hi Kyle ! no, your reviews are NOT too long, and we enjoy every one of them here in Israel, so the longer - the better . we're just sorry we can't buy from Rockymountain (they don't ship to Israel) ... thanks for the videos, Greetings from the Holy land !!
man I've wanted one of these for years was gonna pull the trigger but after this video i dont think so too many things you need to change to make it right
I have the bike in this review. I commented that he did a good job of pointing out what HE personally didn't like about the bike (he bleeds orange obviously) and he did point out some legit things that aren't great. What I feel like he didn't do was point out any strong points except a small mention about the engine. These reviews are opinions usually, you need to decide for yourself.
That's really ridiculous about the power valve recalibrating every time the bike shuts off, I guess incentive not kill it?? It's a good looking bike with exception of the headlight. Great review.
True the power valve issue is silly. As far as the headlight I like it because it's small and discreet, it's not meant to be a major part of the bike, unlike the terribly large and hideous KTM light that seems like it's from the 90's.
Is the oil injection system based on engine rpm or throttle position becouse i have heard many stories of 2 strokes blowing up becouse of engine braking and if the oil injection is based on rpm it would eliminate the risk of engine starving from oil when engine braking
Starting to believe you are KTM backed lol. This review left out a lot important info. 1. You didn’t mention that the TM comes with a 1 year warranty, I believe the Austrians give you 30 days😂 2. You took it easy on your suspension review! The factory valving is horrendous! But fortunately, it is equipped with great components, and once valved becomes an absolute weapon. This bike would be a home run if it came valved for its intended purpose! 3. Not sure why you complain about the filter access. You fill the oil and clean the filter at same time. You complained that the beta seat wasn’t bolt on, but complain that the TM is bolt on 🤷♂️. Make up your mind. 4. Clutch is firm!!! TM guys put a washer on springs to soften. Either every or every other depending on your preference. I’ve done all 6 and have no slippage even on asphalt. Paired with Midwest Mountain Engineering lever it is now blissful. You can make a firm clutch softer, but not the other way around..I’ll take it this way. 5. I love the kick stand. Yes it can be annoying, but it’s also safer to be defaulted to the up position. 6. Oil change couldn’t be any easier??? Not sure your complaint is. Pull plug, drain, fill 🤷♂️. Level plug to check level. All super easy to acces. 7. Rear brake a stick magnet??? Cmon. That was purely coincidental. Nothing about the competitors designs that would make them less prone. 8. My 22 tm WITH factory fan and larger gas tank was less $ than my 22 te300 without those add ons. ALSO you failed to mention that the TM comes with all pieces to make street legal! Mirrors horn signals etc. 9. TM is 10+hp higher than KTM I bought a new Husky TE300 and a new TM 300 EN fi. Rode them both back to back. The te got sold, it was such a dud compared to the TM. Now that the TM suspension has been revalved I’m in heaven! TM is the true “Ready to Race” bike of the industry. After watching this review and your Beta 300rr review I’m thinking you are biased…
Kyle I love how straight forward you are. I'm not here to tell you what you can change Just here to tell you what it's like in stock form. Lol .I entered to win as I am every contest. I would be more than stoked To win either one of these. My honest opinion if I had a choice. I would take the KTM just due to parts Availability and things like that. The t m definitely a beautiful exotic machine, But don't know if I could afford to run it LOL.. Good luck, everybody God bless.
my 1990s self is laughing at your 2020s entitlement about having to unbolt your seat cover to get at your air filter. 😄 this is a great review btw. tyvm. 😇 edit: can you convert a 2-stroke to street legal?
Excellent as always Kyle now down to brass tacks. What is the price difference between the TM and the KTM of the same year? Would you spend your own money on one to keep? Have you compared price on parts between the two? Thanks!
I said that, didn't I? I spent a couple hundred more on the TM than the KTM and they are the same year bikes.... And no... for my money, I'd rather have a KTM than the TM. Will have a comparison video coming out in the next few days. I'll be fair the the TM and give it props where it deserves it, but overall the KTM makes more sense.
I looked at KTM and Husqvarna before buying my TM and the TM was the cheapest of the three. Not sure what's going on near him as far as pricing but the three were full price no discounts for me. As far as parts i suppose it depends on if you want a skip plate or a cylinder etc. Ferrari parts cost more than Honda parts.
Thanks for actually walking-thru the features of the EN, detail by detail. Most dirt bike RU-vid's, as of late, just show helmet video on some single track, somewhere, and it could be any bike, actually.
Excellent review. Thank you Kyle!! It's always tempting to be interested in the shiny different thing, but it seems the TM is just too quirky... greatly appreciate getting the straight goods.
The previous generation have the oil reservour inside the frame, i dont understand wy they do that way now. The side stand the system is just like my 2018 husqvarna te300i. Im in Portugal, (Europe) maybe is diferent here 🤷
Remember I told the forks a too stuff. I replaced my springs with softer ones. I love the bike now. Love your videos. Keep up the good work. Ps you need to come to Tennessee and ride with us
100% agree with Kyle on gamble. Had a Sherco 4t tip over on kickstand while I was getting a gate and dent the heck out of radiator. Managed to straighten it enough, but have run braces since.
It’s hard to be excited about something when you’re so hard of a KTM fanboy. I’d imagine you’d get defensive about it. The negatives seemed like whinging. Ps, I don’t own a TM.
TM has had the powervalve issue since 2019.... The fact they can't/won't resolve this simple issue is pathetic in my opinion. Also the powervalve "motor" is actually an RC hobby servo and not an automotive or motorsport grade part. Gorgeous bike but lack of interest by TM to fix this speaks volumes and turns me right off the bike.
Yeah all the Ts have to be crossed and the I’s have to be dotted legally. We will do it asap. I’ll announce on website, email, text, and socials when I have the dates
