Joined May 2012
201 Posts | 15+
southern hemisphere
Loving my new 2012 FE570, I did a pile of googling for known issues and mods required for a new berg and thought i'd just list everything I found here to save a bit of legwork for anyone thinking of buying one of these awesome bikes. Hope no one minds me rehashing stuff they have already posted when I'm a noob around here.
I'm still setting mine up so keen to hear if I've missed anything or got anything wrong. And this list isn't Berg bashing, the levels of awesomeness involved far outweigh the known issues with brilliant handling, suspension that will work great for most riders, flat power curve and adjustable ignition mapping, excellent reliability, decent 1.4 liter oil capacity, hot looks and a wide ratio six speed box to suit all kinds of riding.
35W HEADLIGHT: Poor lighting, you can get a marginal improvement with a Philips 12v 45W/40W BA20D, or go an aftermarket headlight like the Trail Tech X2 seems common, or the el cheapo H4 car bulb mod. http://www.husaberg.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12783rl
REAR TAIL SECTION: This usually breaks within 10 seconds or 30 mins of hitting dirt, and has to be replaced with a tail tidy or remove all together and fit some flush mount indicators. If you want to keep the tail section, take the indicators off, drill holes in the plastic just under the rear fender and mount them there. Then trim the bottom of the rear section off as over rough ground this eventuallly catches on the tire and disintegrates. Then work out somewhere to put a reflector if one is needed to be road legal in your state/country.
EXHAUST PIPE SHIELDS: Earlier models were known for melting pants, boots and even causing fuel to boil in the tank where it comes close to the exhaust (at low fuel levels)! The 2012 has some shields and plastic guards to resolve these issues, but still none on the forward part of the pipe, apparently some riders are still melting their pants on this bit (no probs on mine though). Either wrap some muffler insulation around the offending parts, stick reflective heat tape on the bottom of the fuel tank, buy a universal heat shield or just make your own with some alloy plate and hose clamps that have a threaded hole in the bracket to allow bolting your home built exhaust shield in place.
REAR SPROCKET BOLTS: These are known to come loose. At the very least get some Loctite on them, or ideally fit Nyloc bolts as well.
FUEL CAP: Poor design, if you just push the logical place on the tab to release it usually only half releases. You need to apply pressure both sides of the breather hose to get a proper release, and it still isn't all that easy then.
EXPOSED RADIATOR HOSE: Some Berg owners think the radiator hose on the left hand side of the engine is too exposed and could hook up on stuff?
INLINE FUEL FILTER: The dealer told me pre-2012 models had too fine a screen which was prone to blocking, but Husaberg have now got the correct guage mesh in the 2012 models. Owners of earlier models just removed the screen completely, but the dealer told me they should really put the correct filter in as the fuel injection system easily craps up with dirty fuel. Also, the older filters would swell and restrict fuel when they heated up (easy fix is fitting a Can-am fuel filter). Heat buildup from the motor caused issues with some older fuel filters causing them to swell and restrict fuel. Most people fit a Can-am fuel filter and do away with the fuel quick disconnect. A fuel neck filler sock is a good idea as an extra preventative meausre against a blocked filter. Another cool idea is a fuel filter sock that sits under your fuel cap in the opening to the fuel tank (http://www.profill-australia.com/e-store/STORE.html).
HANDGUARDS & BASHPLATE: The plastic handguards need to be replaced with proper Barkbusters for serious offroad riding, like pretty much every other bike out there.
STICKY CLUTCH WHEN COLD: Right off the dealership floor, the clutch won't disengage when cold so you have to push the bike before engaging first gear. It's fine once the engine is fully warmed up. Doesn't seem to be much you can do about it and a lot of Katos do it, the Europeans make kick *** bikes but just don't seem to make decent clutches like the Japanese on a lot of their models.
TOUCHY THROTTLE OFF IDLE: Like a lot of fuel-injected bikes, some riders might find the instant response a hassle in gnarly tight terrain but easily fixed with a G2 throttle cam or putting the ignition mapping to the mild no.1 setting, or both. I did the el cheapo mod and took apart the throttle housing and created my own cam by getting a Stanley knife into the plastic the cable runs along. It's worked a treat.
AIR FILTER NOT SEALING PROPERLY? Only found one post about this so not sure if it's a known issue, no probs on my bike. He said the boot from the throttle body to the airbox didn't seal well?
ALLOY REAR SPROCKET: Cool if you want to save a few ounces in weight, but in reality it will just wear quickly then wear out your chain and front sprocket too. Probably worth putting a steel one on straight away.
CAM CHAIN TENSIONER: A long-term test said cam-chain tensioner didnt keep full pressure on the chain sometimes, but a Dirt Tricks tensioner fixed it. Worth considering if the cam chain starts to get noisy?
NO KICKSTART: Poor oversight by Husaberg imho, and that compression makes her tricky to bump start. Well worth replacing the battery with a Yuasa or top shelf battery at the first sign of problems.
TANK BOLTS: One guy said the tank bolts just spin when trying to get the subframe off, apparently if this happens a very thin spanner is needed to hold the nut.
NO IGNITION KEY: Not a problem for dirt rides, but security is a problem for adventure rides or parking in the city. Some riders fit a hidden kill switch.
THERMOSTAT RUBBING ON THE FRAME: One rider said this was an issue on all 09 10 models were the same but it was easily solved with making a bracket for it.
DECALS DON'T LIKE STAYING ON THE BIKE: Seems to happen a lot, and it's a warranty claim so if you bought new check your decals before your six month warranty is up.
SIX MONTH WARRANTY: What's the go with this? The Berg shares so many parts with the Kato but they get a full year warranty. It's almost like saying the Bergs just aren't that reliable - yet they seem to be!
FUEL PUMP ON EARLIER MODELS: It seems Husaberg put crap fuel pumps on any FE570 built before October 2011. Only a possible issue if buying a secondhand Berg, there's a thread around somewhere about identifying if you have the original crap pump or it has been replaced.
RADIATOR FAN: Bit surprising the Berg missed out on this when they are standard issue on many KTM models. Probably only needed if you'll be doing a lot of slow gnarly work in hot weather?
FUEL CAP: Apparently it's a good idea to remove the one-way valve and ball from the fuel cap.
WHERE'S THE IGNITION MAPPING SWITCH?: A cool feature is adjusting the ignition mapping from mild, standard to wild. But you have to buy this poorly designed OEM switch for $60 from the dealer when it probably costs them $5 a pop. A clear case of just milking the consumer for a bit more dough. Trail Tech and 70 Degrees do much better designed mapping switches for around the $120 mark.
SMALL TANK: 8.5 liters is fine for dirt rides but very limiting on longer rides, and the auxiliary tanks aren't cheap. The main options seem to be a safari tank, safari rear tank or subframe tank that replaces the existing plastic subframe.
WEEP HOLE MOD: Apparently there is a weep hole around the water pump area that slowly fills up with crud and can eventually do some damage. Basic mod to fix this on the thread below:
http://www.husaberg.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=14199
CRAMPED POSITION FOR TALLER RIDERS: Nothing new here compared to any enduro model. It was a problem for me, the cables will easily allow mounting high bend bars in the forward position on the triple clamps, with one to two inch risers, if you rotate the throttle housing and add a few cable ties so the throttle cables aren't rubbing on other parts of the bike. I padded the seat an inch higher (and wider) with some upholstery foam, vinyl and a staple gun. Lowboy pegs would help, I just ground a few mm of the peg mounts so they moved 8mm back and down.
PLASTIC SUBFRAME & LUGGAGE: Given that many riders are turning their Bergs into light weight adventure bikes, the plastic subframe is a bummer as you have to opt for soft luggage instead of a rear rack.
REROUTE OF WIRING: Disconnect the fuel breather from the frame and run the cable harness under it as it will rub through at some point.
There is a similar issue with the the headlight connectors touching the frame after a few years so bend the plate a little for clearance.
ADVENTURE BIKE MODS
CUSH DRIVE HUB: If you can get your hands on a Husky TE610E rear wheel (note it must be the E model) then you can get a cheap cush drive hub (if you don't mind a silver rear rim and blue front rim). It slots straight in and just needs an extra 5 to 6mm of width on the disc side wheel spacer to work.
EXTRA OIL CAPACITY, FUEL & WATER STORAGE
This thread has some pretty awesome tips. He plumbed the frame for extra oil capacity, the swingarm to carry water, and the subframe for an extra four liters of fuel. Apparently a few Bergs have caught fire from the subframe tank mod so you would really need to know what you were doing with that mod. http://www.expeditionportal.com/veh...want-a-lightweight-adventure-travel-bike.html
GEARING: Have to love that wide ratio gearbox. I've geared mine 15/45 so she's just cruising on the highway. First gear is too high for the gnarly stuff but a Rekluse autoclutch takes care of that.
Luggage: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=782994&page=5
GPS: There's an AUX connector just under the battery cover. You can buy the required connector to plug into this from BMW (Part # 83300413585) for about $30. Typical Beemer price for a $1 piece of plastic. :shock:
I'm still setting mine up so keen to hear if I've missed anything or got anything wrong. And this list isn't Berg bashing, the levels of awesomeness involved far outweigh the known issues with brilliant handling, suspension that will work great for most riders, flat power curve and adjustable ignition mapping, excellent reliability, decent 1.4 liter oil capacity, hot looks and a wide ratio six speed box to suit all kinds of riding.
35W HEADLIGHT: Poor lighting, you can get a marginal improvement with a Philips 12v 45W/40W BA20D, or go an aftermarket headlight like the Trail Tech X2 seems common, or the el cheapo H4 car bulb mod. http://www.husaberg.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12783rl
REAR TAIL SECTION: This usually breaks within 10 seconds or 30 mins of hitting dirt, and has to be replaced with a tail tidy or remove all together and fit some flush mount indicators. If you want to keep the tail section, take the indicators off, drill holes in the plastic just under the rear fender and mount them there. Then trim the bottom of the rear section off as over rough ground this eventuallly catches on the tire and disintegrates. Then work out somewhere to put a reflector if one is needed to be road legal in your state/country.
EXHAUST PIPE SHIELDS: Earlier models were known for melting pants, boots and even causing fuel to boil in the tank where it comes close to the exhaust (at low fuel levels)! The 2012 has some shields and plastic guards to resolve these issues, but still none on the forward part of the pipe, apparently some riders are still melting their pants on this bit (no probs on mine though). Either wrap some muffler insulation around the offending parts, stick reflective heat tape on the bottom of the fuel tank, buy a universal heat shield or just make your own with some alloy plate and hose clamps that have a threaded hole in the bracket to allow bolting your home built exhaust shield in place.
REAR SPROCKET BOLTS: These are known to come loose. At the very least get some Loctite on them, or ideally fit Nyloc bolts as well.
FUEL CAP: Poor design, if you just push the logical place on the tab to release it usually only half releases. You need to apply pressure both sides of the breather hose to get a proper release, and it still isn't all that easy then.
EXPOSED RADIATOR HOSE: Some Berg owners think the radiator hose on the left hand side of the engine is too exposed and could hook up on stuff?
INLINE FUEL FILTER: The dealer told me pre-2012 models had too fine a screen which was prone to blocking, but Husaberg have now got the correct guage mesh in the 2012 models. Owners of earlier models just removed the screen completely, but the dealer told me they should really put the correct filter in as the fuel injection system easily craps up with dirty fuel. Also, the older filters would swell and restrict fuel when they heated up (easy fix is fitting a Can-am fuel filter). Heat buildup from the motor caused issues with some older fuel filters causing them to swell and restrict fuel. Most people fit a Can-am fuel filter and do away with the fuel quick disconnect. A fuel neck filler sock is a good idea as an extra preventative meausre against a blocked filter. Another cool idea is a fuel filter sock that sits under your fuel cap in the opening to the fuel tank (http://www.profill-australia.com/e-store/STORE.html).
HANDGUARDS & BASHPLATE: The plastic handguards need to be replaced with proper Barkbusters for serious offroad riding, like pretty much every other bike out there.
STICKY CLUTCH WHEN COLD: Right off the dealership floor, the clutch won't disengage when cold so you have to push the bike before engaging first gear. It's fine once the engine is fully warmed up. Doesn't seem to be much you can do about it and a lot of Katos do it, the Europeans make kick *** bikes but just don't seem to make decent clutches like the Japanese on a lot of their models.
TOUCHY THROTTLE OFF IDLE: Like a lot of fuel-injected bikes, some riders might find the instant response a hassle in gnarly tight terrain but easily fixed with a G2 throttle cam or putting the ignition mapping to the mild no.1 setting, or both. I did the el cheapo mod and took apart the throttle housing and created my own cam by getting a Stanley knife into the plastic the cable runs along. It's worked a treat.
AIR FILTER NOT SEALING PROPERLY? Only found one post about this so not sure if it's a known issue, no probs on my bike. He said the boot from the throttle body to the airbox didn't seal well?
ALLOY REAR SPROCKET: Cool if you want to save a few ounces in weight, but in reality it will just wear quickly then wear out your chain and front sprocket too. Probably worth putting a steel one on straight away.
CAM CHAIN TENSIONER: A long-term test said cam-chain tensioner didnt keep full pressure on the chain sometimes, but a Dirt Tricks tensioner fixed it. Worth considering if the cam chain starts to get noisy?
NO KICKSTART: Poor oversight by Husaberg imho, and that compression makes her tricky to bump start. Well worth replacing the battery with a Yuasa or top shelf battery at the first sign of problems.
TANK BOLTS: One guy said the tank bolts just spin when trying to get the subframe off, apparently if this happens a very thin spanner is needed to hold the nut.
NO IGNITION KEY: Not a problem for dirt rides, but security is a problem for adventure rides or parking in the city. Some riders fit a hidden kill switch.
THERMOSTAT RUBBING ON THE FRAME: One rider said this was an issue on all 09 10 models were the same but it was easily solved with making a bracket for it.
DECALS DON'T LIKE STAYING ON THE BIKE: Seems to happen a lot, and it's a warranty claim so if you bought new check your decals before your six month warranty is up.
SIX MONTH WARRANTY: What's the go with this? The Berg shares so many parts with the Kato but they get a full year warranty. It's almost like saying the Bergs just aren't that reliable - yet they seem to be!
FUEL PUMP ON EARLIER MODELS: It seems Husaberg put crap fuel pumps on any FE570 built before October 2011. Only a possible issue if buying a secondhand Berg, there's a thread around somewhere about identifying if you have the original crap pump or it has been replaced.
RADIATOR FAN: Bit surprising the Berg missed out on this when they are standard issue on many KTM models. Probably only needed if you'll be doing a lot of slow gnarly work in hot weather?
FUEL CAP: Apparently it's a good idea to remove the one-way valve and ball from the fuel cap.
WHERE'S THE IGNITION MAPPING SWITCH?: A cool feature is adjusting the ignition mapping from mild, standard to wild. But you have to buy this poorly designed OEM switch for $60 from the dealer when it probably costs them $5 a pop. A clear case of just milking the consumer for a bit more dough. Trail Tech and 70 Degrees do much better designed mapping switches for around the $120 mark.
SMALL TANK: 8.5 liters is fine for dirt rides but very limiting on longer rides, and the auxiliary tanks aren't cheap. The main options seem to be a safari tank, safari rear tank or subframe tank that replaces the existing plastic subframe.
WEEP HOLE MOD: Apparently there is a weep hole around the water pump area that slowly fills up with crud and can eventually do some damage. Basic mod to fix this on the thread below:
http://www.husaberg.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=14199
CRAMPED POSITION FOR TALLER RIDERS: Nothing new here compared to any enduro model. It was a problem for me, the cables will easily allow mounting high bend bars in the forward position on the triple clamps, with one to two inch risers, if you rotate the throttle housing and add a few cable ties so the throttle cables aren't rubbing on other parts of the bike. I padded the seat an inch higher (and wider) with some upholstery foam, vinyl and a staple gun. Lowboy pegs would help, I just ground a few mm of the peg mounts so they moved 8mm back and down.
PLASTIC SUBFRAME & LUGGAGE: Given that many riders are turning their Bergs into light weight adventure bikes, the plastic subframe is a bummer as you have to opt for soft luggage instead of a rear rack.
REROUTE OF WIRING: Disconnect the fuel breather from the frame and run the cable harness under it as it will rub through at some point.
There is a similar issue with the the headlight connectors touching the frame after a few years so bend the plate a little for clearance.
ADVENTURE BIKE MODS
CUSH DRIVE HUB: If you can get your hands on a Husky TE610E rear wheel (note it must be the E model) then you can get a cheap cush drive hub (if you don't mind a silver rear rim and blue front rim). It slots straight in and just needs an extra 5 to 6mm of width on the disc side wheel spacer to work.
EXTRA OIL CAPACITY, FUEL & WATER STORAGE
This thread has some pretty awesome tips. He plumbed the frame for extra oil capacity, the swingarm to carry water, and the subframe for an extra four liters of fuel. Apparently a few Bergs have caught fire from the subframe tank mod so you would really need to know what you were doing with that mod. http://www.expeditionportal.com/veh...want-a-lightweight-adventure-travel-bike.html
GEARING: Have to love that wide ratio gearbox. I've geared mine 15/45 so she's just cruising on the highway. First gear is too high for the gnarly stuff but a Rekluse autoclutch takes care of that.
Luggage: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=782994&page=5
GPS: There's an AUX connector just under the battery cover. You can buy the required connector to plug into this from BMW (Part # 83300413585) for about $30. Typical Beemer price for a $1 piece of plastic. :shock: