FE650? Too much for the dirt?

Hello finally got my 1986 TE510 running,still hard too start though.I really want a new edition and I am something of a power freak.Granted I'm faster on the smaller one's, the BIG one's are just too much fun! So has anyone rode or own one of these 650's that can give me some first-hand feedback?Thanks

Hi,

a few years ago I was also a power freak.
The bigger the bore the better it was.
But today I´m also racing MX and enduro and this stuff
I found out that sometimes a bit less power is better.
Formerly I had a 600ccm Husaberg, it was fun on really great areas
but not on the tracks. The bike is much more heavier
in steering and it makes you tired.
For me, right now, the 501 is perfect. Not too much and not
too less power. Great steering character.
For riding street and SuperMoto the 650ccm engine is quite fine
but not in the dirt.

greetings

hribman

On trails and two tracks I haven't topped the
470 out.In the desert a 600 might work,but
here in Michigan they would be a handfull.
PM enforcer4 ,he just went from a 600 to a 520.

Hi t-jet-tim,

what kind of change is that?
He doesn´t only change from 600ccm to 520ccm
but also from Husaberg to KTM?
tststs, it´s not comprehensible for me.
;-)
I´m only joking, a KTM is not a worse bike,
but we´re on a Husaberg site, or not?

But we see, the trend is going to less cubic capacity.

greetings

hribman

hribman said:

The bike is much more heavier
in steering and it makes you tired.
For me, right now, the 501 is perfect.hribman

Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly agree with hribman. My 470 feels way lighter and so much more flickable than my 600. The 470 is only marginally slower than the 600. The only place the 600 excels is a wide open long desert wash where nothing can keep up with it. My next bike, whenever that may happen, will be right around 500-550cc's. If the 501 is still being made at that time I would consider it the perfect choice.

I replaced my Yam WR400 with a 650FE mid 2002 and it's been a huge improvement for my riding pleasure. The smoother power of the 650 makes it easier to negotiate slippery hills and the extra top end hauls my lardy arse (225kg) up big sandhills which were impossible for me on the 400. Sure I hardly ever need all the power when riding in the forest but its great fun when the trail opens out or the hills get long and steep.

Hoof

The way I see it. When you ride a big bike with a lot of power. Then jump on a small bike. You can usually go wide open everywere and be faster on the smaller bike. I personaly am a power freak. There is never enough power.

Hey, just buy the FX470e I have in the classifieds! Totally rebuilt/updated and cheap!

(shameless plug)

Hi guys,

my opinion is:
A bike with 600 - 650ccm brings a lot of fun, also
in the woods, but
when you are trying to ride at maximum speed, round by round
on a mx track and most of the time with full throttle you really
get tired and worn-out after 2 or 3 laps, maybe a Joel Smets won´t, but most of the hobby riders will. I bet.
When you are riding alternately fast and slower on some seections, you will get much fun on the big bike, but in my opinion not when you´re on a race.
Why nobody rides in the enduro or mx world championship a 650?
I think the answer is clear. I can´t believe that a 650 is really effective in the dirt.
Sorry, can´t describe it better in english.

greetings
hribman

I thought you described it quite well.Racing a large
bike is always more tiring.Look at offroad woods
racing.There are a lot of 200cc bikes in the top
ten at the end of the race.

Riding big bikes and big 4T's is much easier to cruise, especially at speeds. For the most part, 2T 250's are the easiest to ride hard, but often 125's are easier on the rider. I've raced 125's, 250's, 500's, and big strokers. There are a lot of places that a 125 or a 400 (especially the fe400) are the fastest way thru the woods.

i currently own a 2003 501.

prior to buying this i was thinking about the FE650 and test rode one (a 2003 model as well)

both bikes are pretty much exactly the same weight.

the power of the 650 was not scary or intimidating, but definitely very fast. hoilding the throttle wide open made the trees whip by real quick! after riding bike for only 5 minutes i was pulling wheelies at 160kph+!!!!!

for me the real difference is in the turning.

when you lay the 650 over and gun it, the bike immediately wants to stand upright and charge in a straight line. it is almost impossible to lay it over and rail a rut like you do on say a 125cc 2-stroke.

it is a result of the longer stroke and heavier crank of the 650 engine creating more inertia, and even tho the bikes weigh the same, they corner very differently.

like others have said, the advantage comes in high speed sections where you can really use all that power, or if you like cruising at relatively high speed for a long way.

you can make the bike corner if you work hard and are strong enough to muscle it around, but your friends on 250's or even 450's will be riding at the same pace throught the tight stuff with half the effort.

keep in mind my 501 pulls about 170kmh(i think about 105mph) WITH STANDARD GEARING!!

the question is, how fast do you want to go???????

another angle to keep in mind that one of these bikes (650) will possibly last longer, since you won't be wringing it's neck like you might a 450.

the other thing i have always found is that overtaking your buddies while on the back wheel really stirs 'em up, no matter how fast they are through the tight stuff. my rule of thumb is look at your mates bikes and go one bigger just to psyche 'em out!!!(because we all know that bigger is better......right???!!!!!? :? )

Have fun

We desert race 650's and a 501. They feel almost the same, except that the 650 pulls hard a lot longer. We've started using 20" front wheels on the 650's and it made a HUGE difference in how the bike turns in tighter stuff. The downside is they're a little twitchy on the fast roads, but that's why the GPR has six positions. On faster courses we'll use 21's, more technical stuff 20's.

Both bikes have very smooth, linear power curves. Guess it really depends on what type of terrain you'll be riding.