The brakes use wave ro-
tors and braided steel lines,
which are technically superior
to the components on some
high-end bikes. However, like
much of the rest of the bike,
the real-world performance
is in the middle. The brakes
have decent feel but not
much power.
The motor runs well, and
the Arrow exhaust is very
quiet. The fuel injection is
well-tuned with no hiccups,
and the power is smooth and
predictable. As the spec sheet
suggests, it is not fast, but it
runs well. The cable-actuated
clutch is a bit hard to pull, but
its feel and durability held up
even after being abused on
some hillclimbs. The six-speed
transmission shifts well and
provides plenty of range for
slow trails to wide-open roads.
The radiator cooling fans
kicked on as they should when
we rode tight technical trails.
If you are looking for a bike to
race or climb hills, you will be
disappointed by the power out-
put, but if you want to do some
casual trail riding, this power-
plant will get the job done.
Like many European "en-
duro" bikes, the XEF250 TL
includes many of the parts
needed to make it street legal
in many countries, but it has
not been homologated for
street use in the USA and is
sold as an off-road-only mod-
el. It does have a good head-
light, taillight, horn and dash
like most higher-end off-road
and dual sport motorcycles.
The dash includes speed,
odometer, multiple trips, aver-
age speed, clock, hour meter,
max rpm and adjustable main-
tenance intervals.
The 1.9-gallon fuel tank is
similar to other off-road bikes,
both cheaper and more
VOLUME 63 ISSUE 28 JULY 14, 2026 P119
