State of TM Racing & going forward

EuroGuy39
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Does anyone have any information about TM Racing and their plans forwards? Seems like their presence has dropped a little in the U.S., and it's hard to figure out what their plan is with having just the EMX program and limited MX2 program here in Europe. The roadracing program is done from what I gather, and that might loosen up some resources back to moto. Production numbers are going up as well, if I'm not mistaken.

I feel like TM being such a legendary company, they should always be in the GP's. They were actually quite competitive the last time they had a "full effort", with Bernardini and Nagl.

There has been the odd few TM's in the MXGP class this year with Nick Leerkes and the Greek rider whose name escapes me at the moment, but definitely no top guys. Still at least some local support.

In the EnduroGP's they still have a strong lineup, but no championship contenders anymore. I think TM would do fine in GNCC's as well, but there has never been any push for it.

Thoughts?

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9/16/2024 1:44pm Edited Date/Time 9/16/2024 1:45pm

Rumor is that there will be a new US distributor soon. Current spare parts in the USA are coming through Canada. 


Seems like TM is doing fine. If they did a "full effort" before then they have an idea of how much it costs vs. how much revenue it generated.

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Rickyisms
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9/16/2024 1:51pm

A newer TM125 is still on the top of my board for bucket list bikes to ride. 

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RACING
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9/16/2024 2:01pm

What makes TM legendary?

Tha fact that very few people actually tried one.

 

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The Shop

burn1986
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9/16/2024 3:46pm Edited Date/Time 9/16/2024 3:46pm

The only manufacturer to make a true 144cc

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Flatliner
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9/16/2024 4:18pm

It's on my list to own one eventually.

 

Would love to try the 250f they have. Or even read a review.

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RCB33
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9/16/2024 4:26pm
burn1986 wrote:

The only manufacturer to make a true 144cc

This is my dream bike, I have some hopes they'll be back available in the States by the time I'm in the market but time will tell! Word at the local dealership was the same company that distributes RIEJU in the US was trying to work something out...

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burn1986
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9/16/2024 6:39pm Edited Date/Time 9/16/2024 6:48pm
RCB33 wrote:
This is my dream bike, I have some hopes they'll be back available in the States by the time I'm in the market but time will...

This is my dream bike, I have some hopes they'll be back available in the States by the time I'm in the market but time will tell! Word at the local dealership was the same company that distributes RIEJU in the US was trying to work something out...

Yep, me too 100%. The only other equivalent would be a pre-2016 KTM 150. I suspect the 300 is also its own motor. I haven’t seen any ‘25s.

https://www.vitalmx.com/product/guide/bikes/tm-racing/mx-144-2t-17481

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NotTheStig
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9/16/2024 6:48pm

I love my 144, it's an amazing bike. Hope they figure out the importing situation soon as I want to pick up one of their 250 2t's and going through Canada is a hassle.

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OuTBoReD
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9/16/2024 8:39pm
NotTheStig wrote:
I love my 144, it's an amazing bike. Hope they figure out the importing situation soon as I want to pick up one of their 250...

I love my 144, it's an amazing bike. Hope they figure out the importing situation soon as I want to pick up one of their 250 2t's and going through Canada is a hassle.

Do you still need a snap-on sponsorship to maintain it?

 

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burn1986
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9/16/2024 9:33pm
NotTheStig wrote:
I love my 144, it's an amazing bike. Hope they figure out the importing situation soon as I want to pick up one of their 250...

I love my 144, it's an amazing bike. Hope they figure out the importing situation soon as I want to pick up one of their 250 2t's and going through Canada is a hassle.

OuTBoReD wrote:

Do you still need a snap-on sponsorship to maintain it?

 

Lol, are they unreliable? I don’t own, but I want one.

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OuTBoReD
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9/17/2024 7:04am
NotTheStig wrote:
I love my 144, it's an amazing bike. Hope they figure out the importing situation soon as I want to pick up one of their 250...

I love my 144, it's an amazing bike. Hope they figure out the importing situation soon as I want to pick up one of their 250 2t's and going through Canada is a hassle.

OuTBoReD wrote:

Do you still need a snap-on sponsorship to maintain it?

 

burn1986 wrote:

Lol, are they unreliable? I don’t own, but I want one.

Oh no not at all....absolutely BEAUTIFUL bikes,Italian quality and beautifully built....They had 'billet' down before any other manufacturer ...I would love one but there was a time where you needed an aresenal of tools to work on it.

I'm sure that's changed,just poking fun.

I so wish they were 'mainstream'

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ktmracer726
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9/17/2024 7:40am

The 85/112 bikes seem well built. I can't comment on the rest. 

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nrosso391
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9/17/2024 7:53am

Unpopular opinion....TM looks like the Temu version of a dirtbike from Wish...

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RoostBuckets
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9/17/2024 7:56am
burn1986 wrote:

Lol, are they unreliable? I don’t own, but I want one.

PlumBob wrote:
Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.They are junk.The folks that own them are typically the type of...

Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.

They are junk.

The folks that own them are typically the type of people who put 10 hours or less a year on a bike, or own multiple bikes, so they don't even realize it.

If you can find someone who has actually put high hours on one they will tell you about constantly fixing stuff.

Buyer beware.

Not sure I can agree with this one. My first big bike was a 2003 TM 125. Thing was awesome in its day. I rode it basically every single day with next to zero maintenance. Mostly trail riding and such due to where I live. Never had a single issue with it really, never even did a top end on it after hundreds of hours. 

The bike was also purchased used from a family that had 1-2 full seasons of harescramble/gncc racing on it before I bought it.

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MPJC
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9/17/2024 8:11am
burn1986 wrote:

Lol, are they unreliable? I don’t own, but I want one.

PlumBob wrote:
Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.They are junk.The folks that own them are typically the type of...

Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.

They are junk.

The folks that own them are typically the type of people who put 10 hours or less a year on a bike, or own multiple bikes, so they don't even realize it.

If you can find someone who has actually put high hours on one they will tell you about constantly fixing stuff.

Buyer beware.

I have about 80 hours on my 144 with just a top end (and normal wear items like chain, sprockets, changing suspension fluids). The clutch has been bulletproof. Even the linkage comes properly greased, which is rare these days. The build quality is impeccable. Yeah, I'm slow but the bike gets used a fair bit between me and my kid. I raced it for 3 years before Parkinson's put an end to that. 

I have a friend who is, unlike me, actually fast and has raced TMs quite a bit (both 125s and a 450) and he swears by them. 

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EuroGuy39
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9/17/2024 8:32am
PlumBob wrote:
Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.They are junk.The folks that own them are typically the type of...

Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.

They are junk.

The folks that own them are typically the type of people who put 10 hours or less a year on a bike, or own multiple bikes, so they don't even realize it.

If you can find someone who has actually put high hours on one they will tell you about constantly fixing stuff.

Buyer beware.

I know multiple people who have raced TM's for years in national championship level in Enduro, and I completely disagree with your statement. TM's are not what they were back in 2000 anymore.

There is one instance though, where I remember hearing the gearbox breaking from a bike with three hours on it, but that ofcourse was taken care of by TM. 

These things happen from time to time with every brand - I remember having a callback by KTM for my bike for leaking radiators, back in 2017 or 2018 EXC bikes if I'm not mistaken.

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NotTheStig
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9/17/2024 11:12am
OuTBoReD wrote:

Do you still need a snap-on sponsorship to maintain it?

 

Haha no, no weird tools needed. The case bolts and bodywork are internal allen key hexes instead of external bolt heads and that's about the only difference with fasteners. 

I just want to echo the posts above too, I have around 110hrs on mine all I've done is two top ends (at 40hrs and 90hrs) and basic maintenance. Never broken a clutch plate, and all I ride is enduro (at altitude) so I've slipped it a lot.

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burn1986
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9/17/2024 11:28am
burn1986 wrote:

Lol, are they unreliable? I don’t own, but I want one.

PlumBob wrote:
Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.They are junk.The folks that own them are typically the type of...

Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.

They are junk.

The folks that own them are typically the type of people who put 10 hours or less a year on a bike, or own multiple bikes, so they don't even realize it.

If you can find someone who has actually put high hours on one they will tell you about constantly fixing stuff.

Buyer beware.

Crazy. What year TM did you have?

Flatliner
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9/17/2024 11:34am
burn1986 wrote:

Lol, are they unreliable? I don’t own, but I want one.

PlumBob wrote:
Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.They are junk.The folks that own them are typically the type of...

Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.

They are junk.

The folks that own them are typically the type of people who put 10 hours or less a year on a bike, or own multiple bikes, so they don't even realize it.

If you can find someone who has actually put high hours on one they will tell you about constantly fixing stuff.

Buyer beware.

I broke a plate on a 98' CR250.

 

Things happen.

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9/17/2024 11:54am
OuTBoReD wrote:

Do you still need a snap-on sponsorship to maintain it?

 

NotTheStig wrote:
Haha no, no weird tools needed. The case bolts and bodywork are internal allen key hexes instead of external bolt heads and that's about the only...

Haha no, no weird tools needed. The case bolts and bodywork are internal allen key hexes instead of external bolt heads and that's about the only difference with fasteners. 

I just want to echo the posts above too, I have around 110hrs on mine all I've done is two top ends (at 40hrs and 90hrs) and basic maintenance. Never broken a clutch plate, and all I ride is enduro (at altitude) so I've slipped it a lot.

Albany?

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burn1986
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9/17/2024 7:29pm

Here’s a vid of a guy who bought a limited edition (pink) TM 250 carburetorated 2t. It’s pretty good info, I think his might be a ‘21 ‘22?

EuroGuy39
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9/18/2024 8:40am
PlumBob wrote:

'23 EN 300

Thing was a pile.

Were there other issues as well than the clutch plate?

Front242
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9/18/2024 9:10am

What makes TM legendary?

RACING wrote:

Tha fact that very few people actually tried one.

 

one....my buddy has 4 of them two 2stroke and 2 4stroke 😱

EAmato88
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9/18/2024 11:01am
burn1986 wrote:

Lol, are they unreliable? I don’t own, but I want one.

PlumBob wrote:
Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.They are junk.The folks that own them are typically the type of...

Ever seen a clutch plate break in half?  You will if you own a TM.

They are junk.

The folks that own them are typically the type of people who put 10 hours or less a year on a bike, or own multiple bikes, so they don't even realize it.

If you can find someone who has actually put high hours on one they will tell you about constantly fixing stuff.

Buyer beware.

the fact that you have only seen one broken clutch plate tells me that you dont have enough experience to be calling any particular bike "junk"

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philG
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9/18/2024 11:35am

The 300 MX is one of the best bikes ever made IMO. 

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