It is exciting times in the realm of dirt bikes as we have a new player entering into the Enduro world! With a long and rich heritage in road and adventure bikes, British manufacturer Triumph have jumped out of their comfort zone and are now stamped their way into the off-road scene. They started with their 250 and 450 MX machines for 2025 and now for 2026, they are adding two brand new enduro bikes to their line-up, with the all-new 2026 Triumph TF 450-E and TF 250-E. Two bikes that Triumph have super high hopes for and with the amount of time, effort, and money they have put into the off-road program, they are sure to ruffle some feathers with the enduro scene.
I was fortunate enough to be invited along the Australian launch of the two new Triumph Enduro machines down at Star of the Glen Lodge in Bonnie Doon, Victoria and we were treated to an epic day on the bikes with some pretty wild – yet typical – Victorian conditions. Yep, after months of dry weather and no rain, we were met with a deluge of heavy rain the night before the launch and more during the ride as well. Thankfully, the property needed the rain and held up as best as we could have hoped, and we clocked a solid day in the saddle. Now, yes, I rode both bikes on the day but for now, we are going to stay focused on the big brother of the two, the TF 450-E. The TF 250-E will not be far behind, I promise.
TECH INFO
Now, if you are like me before the launch and are under the impression that Triumph have simply slapped on a headlight, taillight, 18 rear wheel and a side stand onto their MX 450, you are dead wrong. I was genuinely surprised at how different the new enduro bikes are compared to their MX counterparts. Triumph have gone to town making these bikes enduro-specific and I applaud their efforts. And it’s not just small things here and there either, a whole host of changes have been made to give the enduro models their own identity.
The motor in particular compared to the 450 MX machine has been built to be easier to ride and more rider friendly for the enduro conditions. In particular, the crankshaft in the TF450E is 30% heavier for increased inertia paired with a forged, high comp König piston which then creates a smoother and more controllable power delivery for the rider. There are also enduro-specific camshafts, a new 6-speed gearbox with quick shift capability, Exedy clutch system with a steel basket, GET ECU as standard and the exhaust system has been tweaked to meet the required enduro noise regulations. Triumph is claiming 90-hour service intervals as well on the enduro bikes and it’s also extremely impressive and worth noting that the motors are completely built from scratch in-house in their state-of-the-art facilities in the UK.
Chassis-wise, the 2026 Triumph TF 450-E features an alloy main frame which is hand-welded paired up with an alloy subframe. KYB is in charge of the suspension with 48mm AOS twin chamber forks up front and a 50mm KYB shock in the rear. Interestingly, the KYB forks in the enduro bikes have been shortened by 10mm compared to the MX bikes and of course, the spring rates in both front and rear are softer than the MX models. The geometry of the TF 450-E is different too as the swingarm is longer aiming for added traction and rideability. The list of other features of the stock TF 450-E is impressive, with forged triple clamps, Brembo brakes and clutch, Protaper bars, ODI grips, clear 8.3L tank, Michelin tyres, map switch, LED lights, in-mould graphics and a gripper seat all cap off what looks to be a solid enduro weapon. It’s cool to see the bikes in the flesh, but it is way cooler to chat about what they are like on the track.
HOW DO THEY RIDE?
With the huge amount of rain we had leading up to the ride, I was expecting to be riding in the mud all day. Thankfully, this was not the case. The Star of the Glen property features a lot of elevation with plenty of rocks and with the dirt being so dry beforehand, the ground soaked up the rain like a sponge and actually made for decent conditions. Sure, it was slippery as hell to start with but the more we rode, the better the tracks became. We set off on a long single-trail trailride up and down the mountains weaving in and out of gullies with the occasional fire road to give the bike a proper open up. It was a good mix of terrain to get a feel for the bikes and at the end of it all, I linked together a bunch of smaller tracks and created a special test loop to cut laps on.
I rode the TF 450-E after our epic trail-side lunch and man, was it a good time. I set the sag to 108mm, adjusted the bars and levers to my liking and set off for the afternoon. Sitting on the bike, I was instantly comfortable with the seat, bar, peg relationship and the overall feel of the bike is spacious and slim throughout. The Brembo brakes, as expected, offer awesome feel and incredible stopping power. It is a very easy bike to feel at home on.
When you look at the motor in the frame, visually, the motor does kind of give off KTM-ish vibes but that’s as far as that similarity goes. The motor is all Triumph, and they are claiming that their new TF 450-E features the most powerful engine in the class so, with that in mind, I was very eager to see what kind of machine they have built for the bush.
As I set off down the first trail, I noticed how quiet the bike is at low revs and the engine has very little engine braking. The power delivery is extremely smooth and even in the slippery conditions, I found myself getting great traction in whichever direction I pointed the bike. It is a very friendly engine, with a super smooth roll-on and a meaty mid-range. There is a shit ton of low-down torque, and it is more than happy to be in 3rd gear and lug around everywhere. I was very happy to just cruise along the single tracks and enjoy the scenery as the TF 450-E was in its element. It was an enjoyable first 30 minutes on the bike that’s for sure.
Don’t be fooled though by the cool and calm nature of the bike at trail pace, because once I started getting my confidence up and started getting after it, the smooth bike that I first rode became a bit of a race weapon. Come out of a corner and give it a good handful of throttle, the bike comes alive, and it is deceptively fast. The quiet exhaust note kind of tricked me into thinking that I wasn’t going super-fast, but when the corners started coming at me faster than I anticipated, I quickly realised that this bike means business. They weren’t kidding about the power of this bike, there is a lot on tap, and yet it doesn’t ever feel like it’s too much. The 13/51 gearing was pretty spot on for the tracks we rode, and I feel like they have the gear ratios dialled within that 6-speed box. I did play with the different maps, traction control and quick shift a little bit but my pick of the settings was the stock ‘race’ map. It ran clean, was torquey off the bottom and had more than enough up top to keep my smile in check all day. Overall, the TF 450-E engine package is an impressive one, and it could well be the most well-rounded 450 enduro engine of the class.
HANDLING
As far as the handling goes, with KYB at the helm, I had high hopes for the chassis and suspension before I even got on the bike. As I mentioned, the motor visually looks like an Austrian machine but the frame, well, it kind of looks like a Japanese bike. Alloy frame with the KYB twin chamber forks and shock? Well, you had me at hello. Within a few minutes of riding this bike, I was at home. I am a huge fan of this suspension package, period. I wanted to go faster even on the slippery trails and honestly, this could be one of my favourite standard suspension packages that I have ridden on a 450 enduro machine. Once I set the sag, I didn’t touch a click all day. In a nutshell, this bike is easy to ride, and the suspension package is incredibly rider friendly.
The KYB forks are super plush, yet they remain firm enough to handle whatever I could throw at them with ease. Every lap I gained more confidence and I found myself pushing harder into the gullies and hitting the couple of jumps on the track with more pace as the day went on. I was impressed with the feel of the front end on the slippery flat turns as well as it remained planted and predictable, giving me more confidence to attack the track. The KYB rear shock pairs perfectly with the forks too, offering a stable ride and with the swingarm being longer on the enduro models, the bikes produce amazing traction. The balance of the bike too throughout the day was about spot on as well for me, whether it was trail riding in and out of the gullies, or getting after it on the test track, the bike felt like it was meant to be there. Honestly, I was expecting big things out of the suspension on this bike and after riding it all afternoon with no arm pump or any real scary moments, it passed with flying colours on every level for me.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Triumph have entered the enduro world with a bang for me. I came into the day with a lot of questions and curiosity, and I have gone home a fan. As far as a first attempt at a 450 enduro bike, I think that they have nailed it. They could have easily taken a shortcut and thrown their MX bike in the bush, but they didn’t and for me, I applaud that. The TF450E machine is a seriously fun bike and if you are looking for a new race bike for the 2026 season, maybe it’s worth considering jumping on one. It is an all-round good time that’s for sure. The engine package is a strong and torquey one that produces power in all the right spots without becoming unrideable. It’s smooth enough to cater for a beginner rider and yet, can be lively enough to be raced straight off the showroom floor.
Syncing in nicely with the motor package is the KYB suspension. It very well could be one of my favourite standard enduro settings and I was more than happy to ride this bike until dark. The forks are the standout for me, offering great feel at both low and high speeds and it builds a lot of confidence to push along the trails at pace without worrying if you’re going to hit something and crash out. For me, having that confidence to go fast in a stock bike is a fantastic thing.
The only downside about Triumph bringing out the 2026 Triumph TF 450-E is that we have to wait an entire year to see where it stacks up against the other 450’s in the class. Shootout season is already over for us but damn I am eager to see where this bike slots in because I have a feeling that the new kid on the block could shake things up and be a contender in its first appearance. Watch this space.
2026 TRIUMPH TF 450-E
ENGINE
Type: Single cylinder, SOHC, four stroke
Displacement: 449.9cc
Bore & Stroke: 95mm x 63.4mm
Cooling: Liquid cooled
Compression Ratio: 12.8:1
Fuel Metering: Dellorto 44mm EFI with cable throttle
Tank Capacity: 8.3 Litres
Transmission: Six speed
Clutch: Steel integrated basket, wet multi-disc, hydraulic actuation
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 1488mm
Seat Height: 955mm
Ground Clearance: Not stated
Claimed Weight: 116.7kg wet
SUSPENSION
Front: KYB 48mm coil spring fork, compression and rebound adjustment, 300mm travel
Rear: KYB coil shock, high/low-speed compression and rebound adjustment, 313mm travel
BRAKES
Front: 260mm Galfer disc, Brembo twin-piston floating caliper (2 x Ø24mm)
Rear: 220mm Galfer disc, Brembo single-piston floating caliper (1 x Ø26mm)
RUNNING GEAR
Handlebar: ProTaper Evo
Front Tyre: 90/90-21
Rear Tyre: 140/80-18
PRICE & CONTACTS
RRP: TBC
Browser: www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au
Colour: TBC
Blower:
Warranty: TBC
