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Husaberg FE650 vs Honda CRF450R

imitheos

imitheos

Joined Jun 2004
10 Posts | 0+
Greece
Hello.
Firstly, i want to say nice to see you all again.
Nice change for the site.
I re-registered my nick and i am back again.

Now, the post.
I know the models are different and i should compare the FC550 with the
CRF, but i am going to buy one of them, and i can't make my mind, so i
want your opinion.

I love the husaberg and my only dislike is that i owned several different
enduros (now i own a Suzuki DRZ400E) and i came to dislike the e-start.
I like in the CRF/FC the absence of battery,e-start,etc. I want the bike
to have as less as possible. (I also like the CRF/FC pureness).
I grew to fear the complicate electrical systems ;) since my kickstarts bikes
had alot less problems than my e-start bikes, although it could be my fault.
But that is the reason i don't like e-start.

My problem with the CRF is that i will probably not be able to street legal it.

I believe they require equal maintenance and there are many cases of
problems for both of them, but looking the whole image both are great bikes.

I don't do MX, so i guess the FE650 is suited better for me, but i thought
to ask for your opinion.

I will probably post in the thumpertalk CRF forum too, but since i am leaning
towards the husaberg i ask here first.

I don't mean to start a flame, and as i said both bikes are great. I just
want to know what you think of them, since many people own both of them.

Thank you for your time.
 
The CRF is MUCH less refined with regards to the engine and drivetrain.

I hated the vibrations and the shifting was not as smooth.

The first gear on the CRF was taller then my second and the fifth gear was lower than my fifth.
I feel a bigbore should have a wider ratio transmission than the CRF

The engine, while powerful, has too little enertia and the bike has poor traction as a result.

The Husaberg allows you go apply more throttle and the bike puts the power to the ground more efficiently.

The CRF stock suspension is very, very good. But the Husaberg suspension can be made as good if not even better.

If you are buying new, the 'e'start reliablity is as good as the KTM, so I've heard.

One thing you'll never get on a CRF, the look. You know, how everyone looks jealously at your unique racebred machine. :wink:
 
Aaaaaa Yes, "THE LOOK"!!!!

The pointing fingers and turning heads as you drive down the road with your bike strapped down in the back of the pick up.

The subtle peaks and glimpses a person takes at your Berg while your preparing for a ride, on some occasions they will walk over for a closer inspection of your machine with a puzzled look on their face.

Some will ask you, "What kind of bike is this, is it a Husqvarna"?

Some will tell you in pride and arrogance, "I can beat you on my CR500".
But the uncertainty in their voice is unmistakable and their excuses after you finish roosting them are numerious but never ligitamate.

My personal favorite is when someone that has had a Husaberg or still has one (which is rare) comes over to talk to you about the bike and you
can converse with someone about the greatness that is Husaberg.

Their is no other bike with so much mystique and aura surrounding it. I believe when it comes to owning a Husaberg you either love them or you hate them.

I once considered the purchase of the CRF450 and will tell you that I have never regretted buying my Husaberg. I am sold on the bike.

Regards,
Sandskipper
 
Get the WP suspension better than Showa?
Lets be real here.The advantage the Husaberg
has is the six speed transmision.It has a gear
for every situation.The Honda is a MX bike and
will cost alot to add lights,wide ratio trans etc.
The Honda you will look like everyone else.
The Husaberg will have poor resale value.
Exotic bikes aren't for everyone.You have to enjoy
doing your own maintenance,and be willing to
open the wallet a little farther from time to time.
 
sandskipper said:
Aaaaaa Yes, "THE LOOK"!!!!

The pointing fingers and turning heads as you drive down the road with your bike strapped down in the back of the pick up.

The subtle peaks and glimpses a person takes at your Berg while your preparing for a ride, on some occasions they will walk over for a closer inspection of your machine with a puzzled look on their face.

Some will ask you, "What kind of bike is this, is it a Husqvarna"?

Some will tell you in pride and arrogance, "I can beat you on my CR500".
But the uncertainty in their voice is unmistakable and their excuses after you finish roosting them are numerious but never ligitamate.

My personal favorite is when someone that has had a Husaberg or still has one (which is rare) comes over to talk to you about the bike and you
can converse with someone about the greatness that is Husaberg.

Their is no other bike with so much mystique and aura surrounding it. I believe when it comes to owning a Husaberg you either love them or you hate them.

I once considered the purchase of the CRF450 and will tell you that I have never regretted buying my Husaberg. I am sold on the bike.

Regards,
Sandskipper
Click to expand...

Extremely well stated!
 
WELL SAID..i have enjoyed my bergs for many reasons but my true favorite is that when all the bikes are parked together the husaberg will draw the crowd and the look of wow that is some cool s////t is all i need to keep going back to the well ..i went on a 250 mile dual sport trip this weekend mostly gravel roads in the national forest .i was with seven other bikes my 550 outran everything .top end. thru the gears. and in every other way (except the seat) and this bike was stone stock.most of the other bikes were highly modified....i will ride them as long as they will let me ...tim
 
Hello again.

Thank you all for your answers.
In my town CRF/Husabergs are both exotic :)
There is 1 Husaberg and 1 CRF(not street legal) so the CRF is a bit more exotic
since you can't see it in every road.

Another fear i have and i forgot to mention is the availability of parts.
I live in a small town in Greece and there is not a Husaberg dealer, so i will buy
it from Athens my capital. If i have some problem i will have to wait more time
in order to get the parts.

Sandskipper, if i am correct, you have a FC550/6.
Can you tell me the quantity of oil it gets ?
(The major issue with CRF's is they don't have much oil)

Also, does anyone knows how much HP's the FE650 and FC550 has ?
I have found a dyno chart of FE501 2001 but nothing else in google.

Thank you again.
 
parts in Greece

Hello imitheos, am from Greece too and have Husaberg for the last 4 years. I can asure you the parts availability is great, all the stuff of the Husaberg Greece have husaberg and you can find them at the mountens every weekand inkluding the importer.
 
Geia sou Dimitri.
Poio montelo exeis ?
8a eixa hdh agorasei to FC550 an mporousa na tou bgalw pinakides.
Exei akribws o,ti 8elw. Oute miza oute mpataria oute tpt pou den xreiazomai.
Alla den 8elw na to fortwnw se ena forthgo kai na to katebazw sto bouno.
8elw na kanw kai ligh figoura sthn polh kai na me koitane oloi opws eipan
kai ta alla paidia :)


(Hello, Dimitris.
Which model do you have ?
I would have already bought the FC550 if i could street legal it in Greece.
It has everything i want. No e-start, no battery. Only what i need.
I just don't want to load it in a truck and unload it at the mountain.
I like driving in town sometimes and have everyone looking at me and
showing the bike with their fingers as the other guys mentioned :) )
 
t-jet-tim said:
Get the WP suspension better than Showa?
...
Click to expand...

You better believe it.

The guy that has a 2004 CRF450 that I rode last weekend said it.

I wouldn't insult someone that let me try their bike. I told him that his bike felt plush and handled the whoops well. He said that he felt my suspension was better than his. He also liked the power delivery of the 501 better than his CRF. He commented that he bought the wrong bike, he wished he had bought a Husaberg.
 
imitheos-

The FC550, as all Husabergs since 2000, have 1 litre oil capacity. Not sure on the oil capacity of pre 2000 bikes but would be willing to bet they are also 1 litre.

Hope this helps...

Regards,
Sandskipper
 
Hi imitheos,

what I can read in your statements means:
You should buy the Husaberg. If the support for spare parts is as
good as Dimitris describes then what are you waiting for?
The FC550 is a very nice bike. I would prefer a model 2002 or 2004.
The 2003 had some little probs, so maybe you have to do some
unexpected maintenance.
A FC 550 has 55 HP or even more. The 650 must have a round about 60- HP with the right set up (carburettor etc), and it means a lot of fun on the street!! Last year I rode a FS650 on the Husaberg Festival in Germany.
It was great. With Super Moto Wheels you really feel the power of this Thumper. And you can believe: It´s strong, but also easy to steer. That was a surprise.
The CRF is not a bad bike, but in my opinion, it has nothing special. No character. It´s a typical japanese motorbike. It runs well, but some of the components (handlebar, brake/clutch levers etc.) are of lower quality, the engine has also much power, but transmition ratio is very short. Not the best for streets.
Don´t think I am using blue/yellow goggles, I´m always trying to be objective. But I´m very satisfied with my Berg.
And if you sometime need used spare parts - contact me. Shipping to european countries is no problem.
Oil capcity was 1 litre for every model (including older engines).

hope I can help you
many greetings to greece
 
imitheos,

As hribman stated, the FC550 puts out an average Hp in the 53-57 area depending on ambient temp, altatude, and state of tune, etc. Of course there are ways of sapping additonal ponies from the bike with performance upgrade parts but your looking at about 55HP stock.

Regards,
Sandskipper
 
About horsepower...my '99 fe400 runs right there against much larger xr650r Hondas...both of which were uncorked and are said to have approx. 65 horsepower. They do show a slight (very slight) power advantage in top gear above 80 mph, but the 400 will holeshot them EVERY time. That being said, I cant imagine the fc550 being anything but MUCH more powerful than my fe400. But, this is my first, and only husaberg. Perhaps it is "special"? I am not sure. But I know this, it will run CIRCLES around the YZ450F I rode last month. I am thinking the peak power numbers may not be higher, but the "power under the curve" is MUCH greater than a CRF or YZF. As for performance, you simply can not go wrong with the berg. Where I ride, I ride alone. I have thousands of square miles to myself, and in the past two years, I have never come upon another rider. So people oohing and aahing my bike, pointing fingers, or asking questions simply does not happen. I get no more attention on my berg than I would on a skateboard. Its all about the BIKE and how it RIDES that matters to me. Not what anyone else thinks about it. And as for that, I have never had a bike that makes me so excited about riding as my husaberg does. The Honda is a great bike; the husaberg is simply greater, IMHO.
 
Thank you all for your replies.

I beliebe when i registered here a long time ago, i did it for a reason.
Because i like Husabergs.

I was a bit dissapointed with the KTM buying Husaberg, but still Husaberg
are the best bikes.

I am going for the FC550 if i can street legal it (difficult), or else the FE550.
(I heard there were some probs with the FE650).
I will try to buy the FC model though.

Thank you again for your valuable info.
 

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