250 XC-W 2026 (MY2026)

This is a competition enduro machine, not a trail bike wearing race graphics. The 249 cc two-stroke single runs throttle body injection, so metering stays clean and predictable as the day and the altitude change, and it makes 55 hp and 28 lb-ft in a package that weighs almost nothing under you. Around it sits a hydro-formed steel chassis, a WP XACT 48 mm closed-cartridge fork with 11.8 in (300 mm) of travel and a WP XPLOR PDS shock with 12.2 in (310 mm). Electric start, hydraulic clutch, Brembo brakes. In the E1 class, this is the reference point.

It rides like a machine built by people who ride hard terrain themselves. Ground clearance is 13.7 in (347 mm), the 21/18 wheel pair is exactly right for rocks and roots, and the clickers adjust without tools, which you will use more than you expect. Ruggedness holds up, parts support is deep, and routine work is straightforward for anyone who owns a torque wrench. The honest part: the seat sits at 37.8 in (960 mm), the tank holds 2.4 gal (9 L), and there is no ABS or traction control. Buy it for the hard days out, not for the ride there.