KIWI RIDER APRIL 2021 VOL2 | Page 47

that the fuel-injected two-stroke TPI motors in general are not as crisp as a well-jetted carb machine . The strength of this 300 TPI motor is in the low to mid-range power zone . The effect is effortless traction and ease of use – the sort of power which is ideal for rock hopping and keeping tight trail times in an enduro stress free . The 300 will flow along quickly and easily no matter the terrain . If you ’ re the type of rider who loves keeping an engine pinned at high rpm , the EC300 is not the best engine for you as it definitely prefers to be short-shifted through the gears . Meanwhile , the 350 loves being pinned and happily revs to the moon , but , thankfully , you don ’ t have to . This engine is has a broad spread of grunt , much improved from early 350 models that tended to have very high rpm biased power , with only a bit off the bottom and a weak mid-range . It probably has a little
more grunt everywhere in the rev range than the 300 and doesn ’ t have the upper mid-range hit , making it more forgiving in this zone . The 350 will roll out of a corner well from low revs using the torque and perhaps a little clutch . Then the engine offers up an extremely wide and smooth power range that rapidly propels the bike forward a long way before the next shift is needed . Sometimes this will completely eliminate a gear change that would be needed on the 300 - even when the 300 is in a high gear exiting the turn and the rider slips the clutch hard . Really , the 350 engine is better everywhere than the 300 , except right off the bottom where the 350 won ’ t quite hang on as well and is more inclined to stall . So , the 350 has a much wider power delivery , is quicker and , if you are in second gear or above , it ’ s the better engine , but it does ‘ feel ’ heavier .