Enduro21 Review of the Year 2024 (as voted by you)

20 December 2024 | Features

Enduro21’s 2024 review of the year top 10 most-read stories as complied by you, our readers.

2024 has been quite the year for enduro and another one which has flashed by. Where does the time go? It goes on bikes, racing, travelling to races with our bikes, riding, and putting as much of that as we can on Enduro21 24/7.

There is no better judge of what is important in this world of off-road than you, our readers. What you have clicked on and spent time reading is a barometer of enduro life. These are the top 10 biggest news stories, most impressive new bikes, Pro Bikes eye candy and our own bike tests making up the most read stories of the year…

Grabbing the headlines – a tumultuous year for KTM

Despite having one of their most successful racing years with EnduroGP and Hard Enduro World Championships plus more or less a clean sweep of US Off-Road, KTM’s financial situation has grabbed attention big-time as the year comes to a close. Our coverage of the news around this soared up the charts in recent weeks.

But the Austrian manufacturer’s motorcycles still swamp the ‘new bike’ news and the ‘First looks’ at orange, white or red bikes all rank highly in the most-read stories of 2024 – combined they top the charts as people hone-in on what’s changed on the SX, XC models or the enduro EXC bikes.

In the end it is the uncertainty over what will be the outcome of a 90-day period of self-administration for the world’s biggest manufacturer of enduro bikes which will stick this year. But for now at least, the carburetted two-strokes caught your eyes: https://enduro21.com/en/bikes/latest/first-look-2025-ktm-xc-range-revealed-premix-two-stroke-still-going-strong

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Shoutout for kickstart Cody, Jonny and Mason

Webb, Walker and Klein sounds like a law firm doesn’t it? These three guys topped the list of Pro riders E21 readers were most interested in during 2024, each of them due to changes in teams and machines.

Cody Webb moving to Yamaha makes a late attention-grabbing entry here and his popularity remains strong. The chances are the world of enduro is high-fiving itself with the fact Webb has gone off-piste with Yamaha and is using a kickstart again – it might not be unrelated to the KTM story either.

Pro riders hold your interest especially with more and more of them vlogging the hell out of their lives. That makes Enduro21’s life harder but sometimes we peer between the cracks and find something extra. Just as we did with Jonny Walker when he walked away from his contract with Beta without a new bike deal.

No bike was also a major issue for one of the hottest riders in rally as Mason Klein struggled to get his bike in time for Dakar ’24. Things worked out ok for both in the end with Jonny now signed for Triumph and Klein on the factory Kove at Dakar ’25.

Cody’s move to Yamaha: https://enduro21.com/en/racing/latest/cody-webb-signs-multi-year-deal-with-yamaha-us-for-hard-enduro-and-endurocross

Jonny thinking of retiring: https://enduro21.com/en/features/latest/5-minutes-jonny-walker-on-leaving-beta-i-thought-about-retiring

Mason Klein’s pre-Dakar woes: https://enduro21.com/en/racing/latest/rally/mason-klein-out-of-dakar-2024-i-m-here-everything-is-paid-for-i-just-need-a-bike

Bikes, bikes, and more bikes

At the heart of what we do at Enduro21 are the bikes. From new models to Pro bikes and tests we got you covered. The story which ran away with number one spot this year was, surprisingly, Ducati’s entry in the world of off-road racing with the Desmo 450MX.

We’re guessing the world was interested for the same reasons we were: it was something new, out the blue and eye-catching.

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Fantic most-read new bike test

Bike tests remain high on Enduro21’s agenda too, whether that’s our own bikes or the new model tests. Fantic pricked up lots of interest right at the start of 2024 when they invited us to test their new XE300 two-stoke fuel injected bike and the XEF 310 four-stroke – both enduro models.

It was a tough test to be honest on a limited test track and in the snow conditions. But we got it done despite the ice fingers and more importantly got a good impression of two new bikes entering the market.

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Read more about the new Fantic enduro models here: https://enduro21.com/en/bikes/latest/tested-2024-fantic-xe300-and-xef310-you-really-need-to-take-these-bikes-seriously

Chinese take it away

Despite the noise online and in social media comments (and much to the concern of European manufacturers we imagine) both Chinese and electric motorcycle manufacturers are here to stay, like it or not.

CFMoto lead that charge if Enduro21 is any measure and with the announcement of the 450MT Adventure bike lots of ears are pricked up – particularly on our Spanish language sister site (top left of the page if tu hablas espanol). Behind the curve on this one, KTM launched what could be a solid rival in the 390 Adventure but it was their Chinese stablemate in the east who got there first with the 450 MT.

The trend for Adventure bikes continues to grow in the direction of more off-road capable bikes. It’s almost like people want these machines to be more manageable, less expensive and less complicated. Who would’ve thought…

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European manufacturer’s strong results

On the heels of the Fantic, Beta launched their new X-Pro enduro models to us in the height of summer as well as Sherco their 2025 range – although the weather conditions couldn’t have been more contrasting with 40 degrees in Tuscany and torrential rain in central France.

Changes to improve the bikes for the average rider saw both Beta and Sherco update their bikes thoughtfully rather than major overhauls with Beta’s new range of X-Pro models just pipping its European rival for your interest thanks to offering themselves up as firm rivals for the EXC range.

Read more about the 2025 Beta X-Pro model range here: https://enduro21.com/en/bikes/latest/ttested-2025-beta-x-pro-enduro-riding-impressions

Read more about the 2025 Sherco enduro range here: https://enduro21.com/en/bikes/latest/tested-2025-sherco-enduro-model-range

Pro bike candy

Pro Bikes of course are the eye-candy we love to sprinkle in front of your eyes on Enduro21. The best in the world’s racing machines make fascinating viewing to all of us and we often have to work harder than you’d think to get a few minutes with the precious metal.

Top of the most read list this year was Steve Holcombe’s Honda RedMoto CRF250RX. The 2023 EnduroGP World Champion made a high profile move to the official Honda team in the world championship, aiming for back-to-back titles.

The jump to a 250 four-stroke was part of the learning curve for Holcombe who aimed for the E1 world crown for the first time in his career. Unfortunately for Steve, he had a pretty fast Spanish guy in the same class and so unfolded an extraordinarily competitive world championship – we say it each year it feels like but this EnduroGP season was awesome to behold.

Josep Garcia ultimately claimed a maiden outright EnduroGP world title after a season-long fight with Holcombe, Andrea Verona and Brad Freeman who back to his best as the year progressed.

Looking good is half the battle though and Holcombe walks away with the honour of oggled Pro Bike with the 2024 Honda RedMoto CRF250RX rocketship.

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Feast your eyes on Steve’s EnduroGP bike here: https://enduro21.com/en/bikes/latest/pro-bike-steve-holcombe-s-fresh-2024-honda-crf-250rx-enduro

Or feast your eyes on Holcombe’s CRf400RX raced at the ISDE here: https://enduro21.com/en/bikes/latest/pro-bike-isde-hot-sauce-steve-holcombe-s-honda-crf400rx

Photo Credit: Future7Media | Andrea Belluschi + Cris Morello + Beta + CFMoto + Red Bull Content Pool

Written by Jon Pearson
jon.pearson@enduro21.com