So here we are! After a quick call to say I need to fly to Barcelona to test a bike, I sat down and thought about how tough my job is. Obviously, my first response is always ‘yes, no problem at all!’ followed by ‘what am I testing?’
Words and Bike Test by Craig Chamberlain
This time for me it was a little different, I’m not that known for being a big enduro guy (well, not an enduro guy). I do, however, take part in a few enduros when time allows me to, and I obviously have a lot of time to talk to a certain Lee Sealey who never shuts up about enduro! He has always been telling me how much more I would love enduro on a proper enduro bike. So when the guys let me know what I was testing, I couldn’t wait to get on that plane. Luckily for me, it wasn’t an electric bike as the whole of Spain was in the middle of a massive power outage, so that could have caused us a lot of hassle! Enough waffling from me now, let’s get on to the bike in question! The all-new RIEJU MR PRO 300i.
Rieju steps up its game in the hard enduro world with the launch of the MR Pro 300i, a fuel-injected, 2-stroke machine built for riders who demand peak performance, precise handling, and premium components right out of the box.
They also offer an MR racing 300i model, which comes at a lower price. However, with the PRO, you get extras such as Renthal bars, Fan, bash plate, Michelin tyres, and handguards.
The MR Pro 300i features a robust 300cc liquid-cooled 2-stroke engine equipped with electronic fuel injection (EFI), providing smoother power delivery, improved fuel efficiency, and cleaner emissions. Whether you’re tackling tight woods or wide-open climbs, this bike adapts really well. I must admit, when they started taking me up the climbs, I did enjoy the smoother power delivery compared to what you get on the motocross bikes these days, and I could instantly feel what Lee had been telling me for years.
Built on a proven Enduro GP-winning platform, the MR Pro 300i features high-end components like KYB suspension, which comes with DLC anti-friction treatment as standard on both models. When I first got on the bike, I was wondering how I would cope with the very soft feel on the suspension, but again I realised what Lee was going on about. The plushness helped me so much over the rocks and tree roots, which in turn helped me on some of the more extreme climbs we tackled; The bike felt light and nimble to me, which really worked well through the tight technical drops we encountered. Now I must be honest, I didn’t feel the need to drop down the two lower maps and found the more aggressive map more to my liking, but I feel that was mainly due to my motocross background.
The counter-balanced shaft is also a massive improvement and works so well. So if you are a proper enduro rider, I’m sure you would have the need and conditions for all the maps provided. The prices these bikes come in at make them a very desirable choice, especially given the current climate. Don’t be fooled in to thinking this is just the old GasGas, the work this company is putting in is pretty amazing given that this is still a family run business that started all the way back in 1934 and is still run by the same family which again to me is amazing and if I were to go enduro it would definitely be high up on my list. The bike and the company we had while we were there made it all feel very welcoming, and to top it off, the place was absolutely unreal.
The Nasser Racing Camp is a premier off-road motorsport facility located in Castellfollit del Boix, approximately 70 kilometres from Barcelona, Spain. Owned by Nasser Al-Attiyah, a five-time Dakar Rally champion and Olympic medalist. So, all in all, it was a privilege to be involved in such a test.
