06 Fe550e first ride report

bigbob said:

I have spend two weekends riding my new 06 Fe550e in the local woods trails. My review is:

Wow what a well balanced machine. Power everywhere as you'd expect but it's the delivery and smooth riding sensation of all that power that has me giddy like a little kid. though the stock gearing is tall, it does not seem as tall as my 06 FE450e did. I may keep it as geared for a while. Jetting is spot on, Thanks MotoXotica.

suspension is plush. The bike is great in the woods. The primary reason this large bore bike is great in the woods is the nice fluffy racey short stroke motor with very little engine breaking compared with the TE510 or that grunty heavy feel of the long stroke KTM 525 exc.

Definitely by a long margin the Fe550e is the best of the breed in the woods. I'll report again after my desert run later this summer or next fall.

flying on my new Fe550e

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Bob,
I am glad you like your 550, it is a great bike. Calling the KTM "long stroke" vs the Husaberg is stretching it a bit. There is only 1 mm difference between the stroke of the two. The difference between the two bikes, displacement-wise, is primarily due to piston size--95mm for the KTM and 100mm for the 'Berg.

The Husaberg does rev faster, but on the 550 it is not due to the stroke. Have fun on your new ride.

Hi Bigbob,

i got an offer for an 06 FE 550.
I hope I can test it next weekend (never tried a 550 before)
Now I have a 501.
I love the torque

Every Test in the magazines says the 450 has much more traction as the 550.
Better for Cross or Crosscountry, but not for enduro.
Difficult to charge the power on muddy terrain.

But you say it´s fine for the woods-good

KTM 525EXC 95x72(bore&stroke). Husaberg FE550 100x70. Most opinions I've heard suggest that the 525 feels like a tractor. The FE550, on the other hand, revs much quicker and "feels" like a shorter stroke motor. I've only ridden a 525 myself, and you could pull stumps with that thing. Is the Fe550 really that much differnent?

A friend has a brandnew EXC 525 with Öhlins steering damper.
Unfortinaly it was no chance to test then until yet.
But another(and better) friend has tried it a littly and is enthused.
I think its no wonder.
He has a 2000 Huski Te 610.
We call it the "ironpig"
And he will buy a new bike next year maybe. A husky TE510.
He is a Husky man, and I will not change the brand too.

Every bike is good enough for me, so I see now advantage for me to leave husaberg.
But when the 550 is really a "T-Rex",I should buy a 450 (or 380)

My 501 ist good for me.
revs not too quick, but with the keihin quick enough when needed.

I will try it.

BTW:

3 years ago we tried drive-up´s in the wood.
It was raining the whole night before.

The "flat avenue" before was about 10-15 meters.

My friend with the FC 470 does it, I with the 98 FE 600 not for some trials.
No way for me to get enough speed before the hillside starts.
And this is really a tractor.
My friend tried it with the 600, and had also big troubles!

So I think long stroke is not automatically good traction and reverse.

now had my new fe550 for a while,

mangaged to get in about 15 rides.

i love it to bits, quite a step up from the fe400

do not really feel it to much in tight going when compared to the 400.

but boy when you twist the throttle you better hang on

bigbob said:

suspension is plush.

Click to expand...

Ain't " Geezer frendly" yet... 8O
You kids riding this weekend??
Let us know-

D

I think you had them on when you first walked over to our truck. Then you went back to your truck, put on your helmet & goggles, then took off on your short putt.
No GT for us this weekend, thinking about a looong DS ride up in the Stanuslaus..
Vegans? You ate that stuff??? Vegans are nasty little lizard-like critters that poop & spit all over the place. Can't believe you ate Vegan food.. :twisted: