FE 250 (MY2024)

The FE 250 is a competition enduro that also carries road equipment like an LED headlight, and that dual identity is the whole point of it. The liquid-cooled single makes 47 hp from 250 cc, though delivery matters more than the number here: clean pull from low rpm, a genuinely meaty midrange, and over-rev that keeps going well past where you expect it to sign off. The frame is light chromium-molybdenum steel with the engine positioned to centralize mass, and WP's XACT closed-cartridge fork and XACT shock ride high in the stroke. Traction control, ride modes, an up-shift quickshifter and adjustable suspension at both ends are standard.

On the trail it behaves like exactly what it is: firm, tall, and happiest when you ride it with intent, paying back a committed rider with real grip at both ends. Back it down to a wandering trail pace and it stays manageable, which is why it works for an ambitious rider stepping up from something smaller as much as for someone chasing a result. It is built to survive a hard season, and the aftermarket catalog behind it is enormous. The honest caveats: a 37.4 in (950 mm) seat rules a lot of riders out, there is no ABS, and 2.1 gal (8 L) of fuel disappears fast.