http://www.adbmag.com MAY 2019 | 43
I
’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for
big-bore four-strokes. Whether it be on
a moto track, an enduro Special Test
or just going out riding with mates,
there is something about 500cc that
gives you a different kind of rush to
every other bike.
Something about having so much power at
your disposal just makes you smile from ear
to ear. Of course, a few years back, the big-
bore or “V8” enduro bike class was seen as the
“big, tough guy” class as the bikes were a bit of
a handful on the trail.
I’ll never forget my first ADB V8 shootout
back in 2008. We had the Aprilia RXV550
and Husaberg FE550 there and those bad
boys were so fast and such a handful to ride
that you were scared to open them up
because you went from 0-100kmh in no time
at all. Here I was, 19 years old, probably 70
odd kilos geared up with this fire-breathingdragon hauling arse down the trails doing
its best to try and kick me off! Not ideal,
that’s for sure.
Nowadays, the 500cc class consists of a few
less brands than back then but they’re still a
whole different breed of animal compared to
what they were 10 years ago. They’re lighter,
have smoother and more useable power and
cater for just about any level of rider.
You can pretty much click them into third
gear and ride all day no problem. And it is
because of this that the class is making a
comeback on the sales charts. Riders are
liking what they’re seeing when they buy a
500 enduro. I, for one, am all about the
big-bore bikes and couldn’t wait to do this
test, so let’s get started!
We had five bikes at our disposal this year
and there is a big price difference between
them so it’s going to be very interesting to see
how this all pans out!