Berg Beat Downs

I finally got some time off and the usual 2 days traveling to get home. Bought some magazines to kill time and everyone seems to be beating up on the Berg these days. What's happened? Novelty wore off or what? Anyways sounds like the one crew (Dirt Bike magazine) didn't have a clue on how to set the bike up, but regardless the KTM's are back on the favorites in all the shoot outs.

is that the dirt bike mag where they took it mx'ing and just stuck suspension from a ktm mx bike on it then whinged how it was not mx bike and wouldn't keep up with a 450 mx bike - THATS COS ITS AN ENDURO BIKE YOU MORONS - and didnt handle right?

or is it another one?

From another post I made in another thread:

"I am dismayed that some of the dirt bike rags in our country who test these bikes, and talk about their weird handling and unbalanced feeling cannot for the life of them just put the right springs in the bikes to get it balanced out, like they do for all the other brands they test. It would be nice, that when Husaberg NA was going to deliver a bike to a magazine for testing, that they would at least get the weight of the testers, and spring the bikes accordingly. After getting my 09 suspension set up, well, there was just no comparison to the stock suspension set up."

I further add that my bike in it's current set up-desert expert- is THE best handling bike I have ever ridden, nothing has been better in the whoops, rock stable at speed through the high speed stuff, turns on a dime through the tight stuff, just amazing. All that is needed to go from high speed desert riding to tight switch backs in the mountains is a few clicks on the low speed compression damping for a bit more comfort on the bum since you tend to sit more in the mountains. However, with the set up I have, you can go from the desert to the single track and not touch a thing and it works great.

Although I have never been much a MX rider, I did a track day a few weeks back. Didn't touch a thing and the bike worked good there too. Probably would have been better if I would have added a couple of clicks of low speed compression. I'll try that next time and report.

To ramble on a bit further................To me it is obvious that they really don't give a crap about the Husaberg handling really if they are just swapping suspension from a KTM to a Husaberg, in fact I will go so far as to say the it is totally ********, and further demonstrates that these "guru's" of the dirt bike world have no clue about the physics involved with not only the chassis, but, as to the glaringly obvious moment of inertia, or lack there of provided by the placement of the crank, and the reciprocating mass being at a 70* angle and it's effect on handling. As Forest Gump put it so succinctly, "Momma says stupid is as stupid does".

I did read that arcticle where they through the FX450 into a motocross test, and actually it came out OK. These guys are good riders but couldn't write an unbiased arcticle for the life of them.
Dirt Rider seems to have the most sensable writing- They did 2 tests in the mag one was the 390 VS the 300 XC-W VS 400 XC-W. It gave the Husaberg good ratings except each indiviual complained again about the suspension problems and difficulty setting itup. Most of the guys liked the 2 stroke the best which is of course natural it's much ligher and more powerful.
The big test was the 2011 shoot out in Dirt Bike magazine. They throw a 450 Husaberg against the rest of the enduro offerings from the major manufacturers. First problem is they say it's an FE but the pictures clearly show an FX and also in another picture the FE390 so right off the bat they are confusing. The list of groans was long, a lot of it centered around the suspension and handling. The conclusion leaves it in the middle AFTER the Susuki RMX and Honda. Anyways if they don't know if their riding an FX or an FE they don't even know what their talking about to begin with and to be honest if they can't take a moment to set a bike up for their riding style or weight then they shouldn't be raising a pen to write something in a nationally published magazine.
I have a walk around completed on my FS650C and it's a beautiful day...times a wasting. CIAO.

or do what I do, NOT LISTEN.

We know what we got
We know how good it is
We ride it the way it's meant to be

When I read negative comments it's like water off a ducks back. As for attracting new owners ? Once they ride one they will be hooked, if they don'r ride on in the first place because os some morons comment in a throw away mag, then we don't need them.

what the magazines don't test are long term engine problems

based on this site the berg engine doesn't have any except perhaps a stupid MLS headgasket.

the new KTM enduro engine that the husaberg is "based" on has a heap of recurring issues, not every bike it seems but enough to be winged about.

bushmechanic said:

what the magazines don't test are long term engine problems

based on this site the berg engine doesn't have any except perhaps a stupid MLS headgasket.

the new KTM enduro engine that the husaberg is "based" on has a heap of recurring issues, not every bike it seems but enough to be winged about.

Click to expand...

I hadn't heard of any, what are they bushy?

oil scraper ring was made narower than the old engine to reduce drag, some break the ring lots burn too much oil, oil pump impellers plastic, oil pump pressure relief spring too soft, problems with oil jet to the cam, some cambearings fail perhaps related and some with valve stem seals put on crooked. some big ends fail and they "upgrade" to the berg rod as its a different spec apparently. there was a long thread on KTMtalk about one fellow suggesting a possible class action against KTM.

just interenet talk but thats what we're doing here as well

on the subject of the ktm oil pump impellors, its seeming to be a common fault (twin cams). the pump breaks down and starves the cams of oil which promptly nip up and spin the cam pulleys(taper fit, not on a key). timings a mile out and damaged cam bearings....lovely