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FE 501 for a newbie?

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Shaun9988

Joined Aug 2013
3 Posts | 0+
Hi Ive just bought my first green lane bike to see if I like it and have gone for a 2004 FE 501, Am I mad?
I decided to go for a bigger bike as Im hardly small at 6ft 2 and 16+ stone plus I have 2 big 4 strokes already (Yamaha XTZ660 and Honda Varadero) and I didnt want to be buying a smaller bike and wishing Id gone for a propper one after just a couple of rides out. Ive done 2 half days out green laning and found that the power is manageable as long as I have full control of what my right wrist is doing, had a couple of heart stopping bucking bronco moments with the front end in the air but other wise its been fine. Would I have been better going for a smaller starter bike?
Other peoples opinion would be appreciated.
 
Nah. As you have some experience since before I see no problem. I bought a 390 after a 20 year pause and sold it quickly as I thought it was weak, so I, more or less, started on my 570 and it's all about how much gas you give. I find it easier to drive a strong torquey machine as you can at anytime save a situation with a quick snap of the gashandle.
 
Cheers Jon, its very true that Im getting away with a lot of situations where a less tourqy bike whould have stalled and its no heavier at 110kg than a large portion of the smaller stuff. Sorry with you using the word Gas I presume you must be from the US, 110kg to you would be around 242lbs. I have a cousin who lives in San diego and does death valley and Baja on a regular basis, hes invited me over to join them but of course with no offroad experience I would have no chance of keeping with them and dont want to be slowing them down and frustrating them. He has a Honda XR400 and I was in two minds about going for simmilar or maybe something like an XR250, he said dont be a *****, buy a real bike so bought the FE 501.
 
I don't think you are mad. It is you that controls your right wrist. Some people can take it easy and learn ... others can't. Depends which person you are. There are new 450 mx bikes decked out in monster graphics sold with only a few hours on them after someone gets hurt. The ad reads "Too much bike for me". Take it easy and enjoy the bike.
 
Shaun9988 said:
Sorry with you using the word Gas I presume you must be from the US, 110kg to you would be around 242lbs.
Click to expand...
I'm Nordic and live in Sweden, but thanks for the consideration :)
 
Thanks for that Kaye, its just that with just buying it on a whym without trying smaller stuff first I have nothing to compare it to. Whilst out on my first run out with it I had a quick play on my mates KTM EXC300 2 stroke which fealt like it could be a bit more manageable and easyer to deal with but I never really fancied a 2 stroke with the high pitched whine that you get with them compared to a 4 stroke as well as the lack of torque that you get from them and the oil/fuel mixing hassle. I didnt really want to go much smaller than say a 400 and looking at the figures the FE 400 and FE 501 had the same weight and frame size so just decided to bite the bullet and go for it.
 

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