RUST #49

RUST PEOPLE
CRAIG: BACK TO THE FUTURE
It’s apparently ten years since KTM
brought us the 350 EXC-F. It seems
about that long ago that I last
had an enduro bike to just go
out and play on, which as it
happens was a 350. That seems
a ridiculous thing to say, I
appreciate, given my ramblings
on here and what they’ve covered
over the last two or three years. But as I
sit on the (open plan) workshop toilet,
multitasking and eyeing up my rally bike,
I can hand-on-heart state that since
about 2015 every enduro bike I’ve bought
has been built into either a rally wannabe,
or been used in prep for something
specific.
But now, post-Lockdown we’re back,
and I’m ready to have some fun – and
I’m back on a 350 again (a new FE). So far
#CK275
we’ve clocked up 10 hours. All glorious.
But alas, I’m now starting to pick fault
again. The day playing on super plush
Cone Valve forks at the WP press test has
had me wanting to build THE all-round
enduro whip for a wannabe, but old
enough to know better really, quickish
everyman. So that’s what I’m committing
to. Just for you obviously. This is an
entirely selfless exercise.
I do wonder where we’ll end up though,
as we’ve also got another age-old
question to re-ask/re-answer. Things
have come on a LOT in the ten years that
the 350 has been with us. Do we really
need to start with the enduro bike for
the all-round woods and hare & hounds
weapon, or can we use the MXer?
I’m looking forward to the summer of
2011/2021. Let’s take ten years off!
10
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