IT’S hard not to compare the recently tested Husqvarna TE310 to the just ridden TE 250, both bikes are equal in almost every way. Of course on paper, you expect the TE 310 to have that bit more power across the board due to the slightly larger engine capacity, however on the trail the difference between the two is much closer, proving the TE 250 is one very capable enduro bike.

On the stand

As covered back in the March issue of Cycle Torque, the 2009 TE 250, and the entire TE range, received a completely new frame design, with improved handling and weight saving the object for the update. With oil but no fuel, the TE 250 tips the scales at a mere 107kg. Keeping the heart of this little thumper beating is a four-valve, double overhead cam, fuel injected motor. A new exhaust system – with aluminium silencer – sees its way onto the 250, along with an oil circuit relief valve, which prevents pressure peaks under cold conditions and reduces overall operating temperatures. Along with these internals, the gearbox also received some updates to the gear change shaft, gear lever and selector which are said to provide faster and more accurate changes. We can’t say whether the shifts were faster, but we certainly had no problems in that department. Wave discs have also made their way into the husky range this year with Brembo brakes looking after the stopping duties. Graphics are also new for 2009 along with a new headlight unit and black anodised Excel rims.

On the bike

From a rider’s view, the cockpit of the TE 250 feels very narrow and flat which is due to the seat and tank shape, enabling the rider to get their weight forward with very minimal effort. Axis taper handlebars are a nice bend and will suit riders of varying height. A Magura hydraulic clutch lever looks after gear shifting. A nice touch on the clutch arrangement is the decompression lever which mounts to the reservoir cap and therefore if you have a get off and happen to break it, only the cap needs replacing. This unfortunately did happen to us while testing, due to a little ‘get off’, and it really makes sense to replace the cap instead of an entire perch or reservoir. Switch blocks with a starter on the right side and lighting on the left keep those items in check, while the digital dash displays the necessary information such as speed, time, engine revs and odometer.

On the dirt

Firing the engine up immediately reveals a very gutsy and responsive engine with a beefy exhaust note which certainly sounds larger than what you would expect on a 250. The throttle is very responsive, which can be attributed to the Mikuni electronic fuel injection system, and while the bike starts without hesitation from the electric leg, a back up kick start is an option in case of a dreaded battery failure. Located within the air box the battery is well out of harm’s way and doesn’t present any real issues getting to the air filter, which is made easy thanks to the Dzus fastener to remove the seat.

Heading out onto some nice winding and open trail the TE 250 immediately felt very torquey and we were almost left wondering at times if the stickers on the bike were changed to 250 from 310. Cracking open the throttle revealed this wasn’t the case, the 250 felt very strong but didn’t quite have the torque of the 310 – that said, it wasn’t far from it either. Heading further into the tighter trails, it becomes quite apparent this little quarter litre thumper just loves to rev. It’s no secret 250cc engines like to rev, but this motor really feels great in the top end of the rev range. A few times while punching through our test loop the limiter was hit but it never bothered the 250, as a quick up change from the six speed ’box was all that was needed to keep it on the boil. At the other end of the scale, pulling up hills from a standing start, the motor was equally happy using the surprising amount of torque on offer, steadily climbing hills without having to rev the engine skyward or work the clutch over.

Suspension and brakes

Being the same chassis and suspension package as the TE310, the 250 receives the 50mm Marzocchi Shiver forks up front and a Sachs shock on the rear. Once again we cannot speak too highly of the front suspension as it offers fantastic feel yet soaks up anything thrown in its way. Action is smooth yet firm and there is no place in the stroke where you feel it is too harsh or soft while giving the rider complete confidence from the 300mm of travel. The only adjustment we feel any rider would require is to dial things in for their own personal settings regarding compression and rebound.

On the rear, the suspension was equally at home being trail ridden or pushed through our test loop. The Progressive Soft Damp rear shock offers all the adjustment one needs and it tracks very well over the terrain tested which comprised of single trail with mud, rocks, tree roots and more rocks. We were happy with the shock as it came and never felt the need to play around with adjustments. Of course it all depends on your weight and ability, heavier riders may need to change the springs front and rear to suit individual applications.

You can almost be forgiven for overlooking the brakes which come on bikes now as they work so well. Brembo brakes are fitted front and rear with the front end stopping power coming from a 260mm wave disc and twin piston caliper, while the rear end duties are from a single piston calliper and 240mm wave disc. Either end the brakes work very well, with plenty of feel to the rider. Under very hard braking conditions the front end felt stable, leaving the rider feeling very confident in any braking manoeuvre.

The final word

We are big fans of quarter litre thumpers and the Husqvarna TE250 doesn’t disappoint. It has sharp and light handling, it’s nimble, has plenty of grunt and it stops on a dime. There is no particular failing that we could find in the TE250 as it does everything expected of it. Being a Husqvarna enduro bike, it comes with a 24 month factory warranty, so the company has complete faith in the product. With what we have experienced over the past couple of months in both the Husqvarna TE310 and TE250 enduro bikes, we have absolute faith in these bikes as well.

$11,895 + ORC.