Hello from San Jose California!

Welcome to the forum.
I'm new to the forum and bergs as well, so as far as to comment on any reliability questions with your bike I know sweet F.a.
I do know all the obvious things that keep most bikes running for maximum life, as in good fuel, good oil, clean air filters, services on time everytime ect ect.

Anyway enjoy your new machine.

Welcome mate. Do research on 3 liters of engine oil in Husaberg. My post. I have 2 liters now and wet ignition still to do for another liter capacity. I have two filters installed as well.

Welcome Hamberg!
The 450's are definitely fast! I've raced the Vegas to Reno desert race 3 times. Twice on a Honda XR650R (2006 and 2007) and once on a Husaberg FE550 (2011). I can tell you that the Husaberg was MUCH faster than the Big Red Pig. In '06 I finished 43rd overall and 3rd expert ironman. In '07 my team finished somewhere south of 60th overall and 5th in expert open. We were way behind that hear because of the common footpeg broken bolt (that I had never heard about until that day). In 2011, we finished 3rd expert open and 8th overall!! Some of that was from better riders but a lot of it was due to a much better bike.

When we were training for the race, my team and I spent a day becoming familiar with the race bike on a 10 mile desert loop I had laid out that included everything I though we might encounter in the race. There was a section at the "back" of the course where all of the guys were trying to hit an indicated 80mph because that meant we had set up properly for the last corner before the straight and then held the throttle wide open for as long as we had the nerve to before a quick check of the speedo and heavy application of the brakes. I had 3 Husabergs there: The '08 FE550 race bike, a bike I had put together from various parts from different years that was, effectively, a 2000 FC600, and my uncle's '07 FE450. The best I could make was 78 mph on the 550 in 5th gear (6th was geared for about 105 mph). Then I decided to try the 450. I was blown away when I saw 85 mph on that back stretch. Granted, the 450 was running stock gearing and had benefitted from closer effective ratios so that 85 mph number was in 6th gear...but it was still very impressive.

A close friend of mine still has that 450 and is absolutely loving it!

As for longevity, I would expect well over 200 hours out of that engine so long as the oil, oil filter, and air filter are kept clean. Your results may vary depending on how hard you ride it but 200 hours is when I would start keeping a close eye on the drain plug magnet and filter screen. When I sold my 550 with around 100 hours on it, the engine was still as tight as the day it was un-crated despite the flogging it took during V to R preparations as well as the race its self.

Incidentally, I agree with your skepticism about the need for a rebuild at 100 hours. That was probably a knee-jerk reaction by the owner at the time due to the poor track record of Husaberg engines from the prevous years still fresh in everyone's memories.

Enjoy the bike. It should be a blast!

Hamberg; welcome to UHE buddy!

don't follow the 'dreams' just stick to good sensible practical practice. there is little wrong with the FE450e 2004. certainly don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

2004 was about the last year Husaberg tried to win in MX and the bike was full-on as you've discovered!

sounds like the owner two-back cared to spend good coin on it. it will have had a standard rebuild and we just have to hope it was done well.

get your valve clearances nice using the 1/6th-of-a-turn method and change the oil regularly. the fuel screw should be set to best idle when warm and so it will restart. then count the turns out afterwards. 1.5 turns is the right PJ fitted. anything less than 1 or over 2 is plain wrong.

I do a full inventory for them. if it's made I sell it.

cheers

taffy

that plastic knob is your idle. no-no! the one you saw under its belly at the front. by this time SOMEONE surely to christ has bought an extended pilot screw to make your life easier? the job is just about impossible without one.

Taffy