Trail Rider Magazine

March/April 2017 11 M h/A il 2017 11 7 TM 2-strokes, the 144 is fi tted with an electron- ically controlled, servo-operated power valve that communicates with the CDI box. TM's power valve system produces a very powerful yet linear delivery compared to mechanical/ centrifugal power valve design. TM's electron- ic power valve has the ability to open or close throughout the rpm range, allowing for a great blend of torque and peak power. Being a hand-assembled engine, the cases and cylinder ports are hand-matched, something unheard of in a production machine and typ- ically le to professional 2-stroke tuners. e gearbox is a 6 speed, close ratio. Spacing was ideal for a fast woods machine, well spaced in the lower gears, the top two a bit wider for faster/transfer sections. e gearing on our test bike was stock at 13t front, 52t rear. Suspension is handled with a KYB 48mm Twin Chamber fork and the rear shock, built entirely in house at TM, utilizes standard compo- nents. is fork and shock combi- nation is a pack- age that any knowl- edgeable suspension tuner will be able to fi ne- tune and service with ease. Technical mumbo jumbo aside, how did we like the little TM? Well, it was a lot of fun on so many levels. As mentioned above, our test for the TM144 would be a race test, the 80th Annual Sandy Lane Enduro, held in the pine barrens of South New Jersey. Let me tell you what I really liked — this bike was set up for the rider. Before even fi ring up the motor, sus- pension sag was checked and set, as it should be, with me as the rider, in full gear. Rider sag was set at 100mm, something I would appre- ciate later in the day. Once suited up and into the woods, my fi rst impression is how cleanly the TM was jetted. It ran crisp all throughout the power band with not even the slightest bit of leanness. Brett from Bonjoe's had ridden this area just a couple of weeks before and set the bike up with a pair of Michelin StarCross 5 So (terrain) knobbies. is combination proved to work very well in the fi ne sand and loose loamy soil of South Jersey. Being from New England, I'll admit, I'm a bit of a fanatic on proper tire selection. Our terrain demands an entirely diff erent approach to gaining traction. It's such a bonus to have had the expertise on hand to make the proper choices when needed. Starting on row 42, there was a well-defi ned san- dy, well-whooped trench leading our way through the Pine Barrens. is is where I really appreci- ated having the expertise or proper bike set-up. What this New Jersey rookie soon realized is what would be considered proper set-up for New England terrain would be a chore to deal with in the Jersey sand. e hard compound Michelin StarCross tires stuck like glue in the sand. I'll admit, being used to rocks and roots, it took a few miles before I started to trust the combination, but once I did, it was a magical experience. An- other highlight that I didn't fully appreciate until deeper into this ridiculously tight enduro was the fact that Bonjoe's were adamant on setting proper rider sag. I'll admit, I was skeptical of only 100mm of sag, and was wondering if it was going to shake its head like a wet Labrador when the speeds picked up. Well the reality is the speeds never picked up during this event. It was an entire day of super-tight switchbacks, sawing the bars lock to lock for several hours. is set-up proved to be ideal. e lightweight 144 turned eff ortlessly and the tight fork rake was very well appreciated. With so much snow pack on the ground home in Maine, it had been several months since this guy had been on a bike. I was now very happy to be on such a lightweight ride; it wasn't wearing me out at all. We got a decent break during the gas stop. Ap- proximately 35 miles into the race, I met up with Brett from Bonjoe's. We briefl y discussed how

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