02 Husaberg vs. 05 KTM?

I know this may seem as a silly question being as this is a Husaberg site... I have an opportunity to grab a brand new 02 Husaberg 400FEE. I also have found an 05 KTM 450EXC. The hard part is that I thought I could get a good deal on the 02 since it is a major left over, but they both are costing right about the exact same. I am an old motocrosser and getting into a bike from a 6 year rest so please excuse my lack of knowledge. This will be my first four stroke and I want to make the right choice. Is their no comparrison between these two bikes or are they similar. And, the KTM has 3 years of technology on the Husaberg.... Which way should I go???

Thank you!!!

In my personal opinion the KTM doesn't have the advantage of 3 years technology, only 50cc more. I wouldn't worry soo much about the technology, although I would keep an eye on the rockers. A friend of mine rides an 01 400 and it has made many, many hours on the tracks. Yes, without a rebuild But it is strange that the prices are the same, since the 02 and 03 models are being offered for a good deal. Or did you get a very good deal on the KTM also?

I think it is a mixture of both. The guy on the 02 is pretty high in is price and the 05 KTM made me a good deal. I guess the bottom line is which is the better bike....

If this was your only option then definitely buy the KTM. They are both good bikes but the reliability of an 05 KTM over a 3 year old bike regardless of brand makes the decision easy.

It sounds like the guy with the 02 Husaberg is way over the top in price.

Your post doesn't say what country your from but you should also be able to get great deals on a new 04 Husaberg at the moment.

I am from the U.S. and live in Missouri. If anyone can direct me to a dealer in the surrounding area I would greatly appreciate it! MO, KY, IL, IN, AR, OK....

Corey, take a look at this thread.

Euromotors Thread

The company is in Michigan but will ship the bike anywhere in the US. Apparently the prices are great and a couple of guys on this site have given Euromotors a good reference.

For more info/feedback do a search on this site for Euromotors.

I emailed Euro Motors for a quote on a FE650e and they replied right away. USD 7600 delivered. I figure that aint bad considering how weak the USD is against the Euro right now.

- Craig

Check this out.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... AMEWA%3AIT

[web]http://www.hms-motorsports.com/hms3.htm[/web]

hI THERE;

I have the same opinion like maichusa has.
I think we cannot say that the KTM has a better reliability and a technical advantage or mor performance than the Husaberg. Even in 3 years of engineering.
A KTM also has got its problems. And they´re not too small.
Corey, you´re right, this is a Husaberg site and most of the people here are Husaberg fanatics, including me, but I always try to see the things objectively.
I don´t want to talk too bad about KTM, I have ridden one (or 3) for 5 years, so please don´t misunderstand
me.
The case is logical, a bike that is 3 years younger normally should be more worth (in value of money), especially when the bike gets older.
In one or two years the difference in their prices will surely be much more than today.
But: I would say you have to go on a test ride with both of them.
yesterday I rode a brandnew KTM EXC 525 2005 model. And I don´t know how to say it soft, but this bike behaved like crap. Extremely easy steering but very nervous on the MX track and the under carriage is for my feeling really lousy. The frame geometry is bad, I avoid calling it a catastrophe! And there are some other things that didn´t convince me. Maybe you can get used to it. I wonder how Joel Smets realized to become world champion on this bike. I know the reason: the KTM 520 model 2000 was a total different bike. In 2003 they changed a lot. Ok, today on Suzuki he is also not able to win race.
I want to be fair, every rider has his own personally set up, but sometimes it is not only the set up of your bike what makes you unsafe in riding a curve, that are fundamential things. Never heard about the characteristics of a Husaberg when you´re riding through a curve? Try it and when you accustomed to it you will never want to change your bike. What I ´m talking about is riding offroad with the focus on racing. Maybe a normal rider would not be able to feel it.
But it is really there. Husaberg has some magical qualities. When you ride one, I hope you´ll feel it.
I can´t say to you: "Buy the Husaberg!", I don´t know if that would be right, maybe the Berg is too expensive. But I can say: "The Husaberg model 2002 was very good."
You have to make the decision.

greetings

hribman :rock:

Hey guys, thanks for the very helpful responses!! Since the posting of this thread, I have found some 03's, 400 and 501's for some AMAZING prices. Husaberg here I come!!!! Thanks again.....

Corey

Hi.

Better look for an ´04, there are some nice details
which are really advantageous.
Maybe you find one for a good price.
I would rather buy a ´02 than a ´03, but don´t want to be too confusing.

good luck

hribman

hribman said:

Hi.


I would rather buy a ´02 than a ´03, but don´t want to be too confusing.

good luck

hribman

Click to expand...

Someone needs to play Devils Advocate so it might as well be me.

Why would you rather have an 02 than an 03 ?

The 03 has the updated rockers and mains. It would clearly be a better choice than an 02 in my book unless of course the 02 had the updates done.

Just through observation it appears the bikes have become progressively better (more reliable) over the past 3 years. The 04s are more reliable than the 03s and the 03s more reliable than the 02s. As you would expect it to be.

I am just basing that statement on what I read on this site along with the 2 bike shops I frequent and the others I ride with.

Corey, go for the latest model you can afford. You will benefit performance, reliability and resale value particularly as the 04 model has the Keihin carb.

Hi,

ok I didn´t want to go too much into details, because describing
everything in english is not too easy for me.

I don´t know what the remaining part of the world would say to that, but
my experiences are the following:
Here in germany we had more trouble with models of 03 than 02. I must admit
that the problems that I mean were to be found in details,
but for normal riders, who are not too good in doing some maintenance
these things are really annoying.
2 friends of mine had these problems and right now I hear some agreements
from other guys in my country:

1. the kickstarter shaft was broken after 15hrs
2. the engine produced very loud noises when warm/hot, because of wrong nut
crankshaft
3. the camchain is of the lowest quality I´ve ever seen: camchain totally
worn out after 40hrs
4. carb problems (defective float? for 2 times)
5. I don´t like the design, the voltage regulator and the whole wiring
harness

Sometimes it´s the small things that cause problems.

On the other hand there are some improved details like:

1. better clutchhub
2. better crankshaft bearings
3. better rocker arm bearings
4. magnetic oil plug

I know that.
But what I wanted to say is that it was neccesary to bring the new motorbike
to our dealer several times, because of some unexpected failures.
None of these failures was really a big problem, everything was covered by
the guarantee, but every failure means you can´t ride,
and that was annoying - especially when you´re on a race.
So, that´s our situation here.
I hope I could describe it clearly.

greetings

hribman



PS: But it doesn´t matter: Husaberg rules!

Hirbman...
I appreciate the info but here is how I look at it... We all would aree that Husaberg is a very well made bike.. I have had many Ford vehicles in my life and at one time we had two of the exact same models, one for me and one for my wife. My vehicle ended up in the shop almost every other week, transmission, dash lights, ignition safety switch, cracked exauhst manifold, front end differential went out, and the list goes on... My Wife's on the other hand had zero problems.. Bottom line is that sometimes you just get a product that will cause you problems, it is the "luck of the drawl" if you will.... I would imagine I could get an 03 and have zero problems, but then again could have many?

hribman, perhaps there is some confusion with the language barrier.
For the problems that you listed on the 03 model, there were no design changes to these items between the 02 and 03 models.

On the other hand, the improvements that you listed were introduced on the 04 model.

Hi Corey,

you´re right, sometimes someone has luck
and another day he has bad luck.
In former times we called a bad car or motorbike "Montags Auto/Motorrad" what basically means "problem car", because of the man in the factory who assembles the car or motorbike may had a bad day.
Populary saying the monday is the day when bad vehicles are produced.
But I don´t believe that in our modern times any "Montags Motorräder" can be produced.
It can´t happen by chance.
The technical standard is too high.
What we got here is a material failure (broken shaft, worn out camchain). It was a known material failure in 2003, my dealer admitted.
I´ve never heard before about a broken kickstarter shaft.
I can´t believe that only 2 or 3 owners of 2003 models had this problem.
It must have been the failure in a whole series until they (or maybe KTM?) discovered these problems, if they wanted to...?!.
As I said before I heard about some other guys who had the same probs, because I´m quite well informed about Husaberg riders in germany.
I talk a lot with my dealer about his experiences this year with the current model, about that what customers say, and I often talk with people on the phone from other regions
who own different models of Husaberg. The last 3 1/2 years
I have acquired a knowledge that is based on my personal experiences and experiences of a lot of people with Husaberg models of the last years.
I don´t want to seem like a "know-it-all" and sorry that I always write a novel and you have to read so much,
I only want to give some tips to the world and I wish everybody that he will buy the right
motorbike and he will get a lot of fun with it.
That´s all.

greetings

hribman


PS: Everybody who owns a 2003 model should check his camchain. It´s easy: Just dismantle the camchain tensioner and look if it is already in end position.
If it is so, change the chain and buy a new one from the old model. Take a good old Regina chain.

Hi twistthethrottle,

sorry, my english is not the best. I have to look often into a dictionary.
Maybe there is a language barrier.
Theoretically some of the details I was talking about were not changed between 02 and 03.
But the spare parts produced in 03 may be of lower quality. For example the kickstarter shaft. The camchain comes from a supplier. In 03 it was Iwis. In my eyes very bad quality.
Under point 5 I meant the decal kit as I said "design". And the bearings, the voltage regulator, the wiring, the magnetic plug and the clutchhub were definetly changed in 03!!

So, have a nice day, I´m going to bed now - it´s 1 o´clock AM here.

greetings

hribman