Husaberg Mythbusters
- Thread starter Parsko
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Hi Luke,
Yes I have many thoughts. Perhaps we should start off by trying to list as many "myths" as possible then dispell them. What do you think?? How about these?
Hard to start
They break frequently
Can't get parts
Not enough dealers/dealer support
Require a lot of maintenance
Information is hard to come by
Exotic/and or cottage bike
No aftermarket bits
Not many suspension tuners know how to tune
Yes I have many thoughts. Perhaps we should start off by trying to list as many "myths" as possible then dispell them. What do you think?? How about these?
Hard to start
They break frequently
Can't get parts
Not enough dealers/dealer support
Require a lot of maintenance
Information is hard to come by
Exotic/and or cottage bike
No aftermarket bits
Not many suspension tuners know how to tune
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2005
- Messages
- 10
- Location
- echuca australia
i own a fs650e and it is as strong as any jap bike will ever be.
i should no because i have owned a few rice burners.
as for the suspension it is the same as on any KTM so its rather commen stuff.
my berg dealer is far beter than any of the jap dealers around my home town.
ps. it can be hard to kick start but you just need the right technec
i should no because i have owned a few rice burners.
as for the suspension it is the same as on any KTM so its rather commen stuff.
my berg dealer is far beter than any of the jap dealers around my home town.
ps. it can be hard to kick start but you just need the right technec
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2005
- Messages
- 307
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- HELLAS GREECE ATHENS FS 670cc 2004 - FS 650 2008
ONLY FOR CHOSEN
Howzit berg people
Just joined the site and it's awesome.
I broke my swing arm in half about a year ago, local dealer replaced it at no cost; apparently a factory defect, I got ragged by my mates for months, however I am still faithfull.
Just joined the site and it's awesome.
I broke my swing arm in half about a year ago, local dealer replaced it at no cost; apparently a factory defect, I got ragged by my mates for months, however I am still faithfull.
SM bikes will blow up first cuz of the abusive throttle we put them through !! mine is rock solid and has a stock engine and still smokes the rest.....change the oil all the time and enjoy e-start and still tip the scales with a 450 whatever !! 
They Break Frequently:
Here's what I know or at the very least what I think I know.
Early on the demographic that could afford the berg's were, shall we say, in our current age group. This group of people had enough disposable income to buy the Husaberg's, that were at that time priced well above your standard XR600. These people bought these new Husaberg's with great anticipation of riding a 4T bike that was probably at least 60 to 70 lbs lighter than their tried and true XR600. So, our hero's get their new bikes and off they go into Hog heaven, coming home and parking their new steed. Then off riding again and again without doing any maintenance. In their minds why should they? My XR 600 only needed the valves adjusted once a year, and the oil changed twice a year. Or perhaps our hero's were riding in Baja putting on 500-1000 miles per trip, and the trusty ol XR only needed gas.
Well, I'm sure that you can see the writing on the wall here. The older bergs used oil. In my experience about 20% in a typical District 37 Hare & Hound of 70 miles. So, right there you can see where, dare I say, the majority of problems came from. "You mean I have to check/change the oil frequently?" The same could probably be said of the few outside the demo who scraped up the cash to buy one of these "Ferrari's" of the dirt bike world. I don't know much about the late 90's oil pump engines, but, in my experience with my 94 501FE the bike just used oil, and it wasn't a problem. However, it was a problem for Chuck Sun & a few others who ran the Vegas to Reno race, they just ran the bikes out of oil and that was it.
This all changed with the introduction of the 2001 model. My 2001 FE501 never used any oil to speak of, and neither does my 2004 FE550. Although they had the usual teething problems of any new motor design, overall they were a great step forward, in design and reliability. What problems I had with my 2001, Husaberg picked up the tab to make it right. What you don't hear about in all the popular dirt rags, are all the failures of the japanese fourstrokes. I remember going into a local shop that does suspension as well as motor work some years back, and lined up on the shelf were YZF426 motors lined up with seized big end connecting rod bearings, the sides of the crank halfs were blue next to the big end pin. If you've ever seen the movie time to ride, Ty Davis is riding I believe a 426 at the 100's National Hare & Hound, and the bike grinds to a halt with a motor that is locked up tight. The new Honda CRFX 250's were going through heads in 25 hours. Yes ladies and gentlemen, heads in 25 hours. And, the Honda dealers weren't helping these guys out at all. Funny how we didn't hear about all of that in the magazines. Another example was the KXF 250's, these bikes would over heat very easily, not ulike the XR650 in stock condition. The KXF's also had a recall of ALL the CDI boxes in their first year as one of the maps would burn up and make the bike run poorly on it's way up through the rev range.
The point I'm try to make here is that all these bikes have their problems. The dirt bike press may or may not be in the pocket of the big four, but, for sure the japanese companies cater to what ever the dirt rags want. Magazines like MXA or Dirt Bike for example, have a very limited view of how a MX or Off Road bike should look, feel, and ride. If a bike is outside of that realm it already has two strikes against it. Especially if it's a small production company that doesnt' have a semi trailer with a couple of mechanics at a test session tweaking the bikes to satisfy how these "gentlemen" want their bikes. I mean how else can one explain the fact that they think the CRFX450 is all that ( it is a good bike don't get me wrong) great a bike when it weigs about 25 pounds more than a Husaberg? Has to have all kinds of things added to it to even come close to what your bone stock Husaberg is. Ahhh, I digress, I just wanted to address the "breaks a lot" Husaberg myth.
The fact of the matter is, many of my desert racing friends have watched me and my Husberg for years now, start races and finish them. In fact, just recently I got an email from a fellow desert racer asking me about the reliability of the new Husaberg's as the local dealer was making him a great deal on a left over 2005 FE450. After several emails back and forth he went out and bought it, and is a very happy camper. He is a new member to this site as well, his handle is BUSHMASTER. I directed Bushmaster to this site to check out the support that was available and he wrote back saying that it looked like a bunch of great people and valuable information.
Here's what I know or at the very least what I think I know.
Early on the demographic that could afford the berg's were, shall we say, in our current age group. This group of people had enough disposable income to buy the Husaberg's, that were at that time priced well above your standard XR600. These people bought these new Husaberg's with great anticipation of riding a 4T bike that was probably at least 60 to 70 lbs lighter than their tried and true XR600. So, our hero's get their new bikes and off they go into Hog heaven, coming home and parking their new steed. Then off riding again and again without doing any maintenance. In their minds why should they? My XR 600 only needed the valves adjusted once a year, and the oil changed twice a year. Or perhaps our hero's were riding in Baja putting on 500-1000 miles per trip, and the trusty ol XR only needed gas.
Well, I'm sure that you can see the writing on the wall here. The older bergs used oil. In my experience about 20% in a typical District 37 Hare & Hound of 70 miles. So, right there you can see where, dare I say, the majority of problems came from. "You mean I have to check/change the oil frequently?" The same could probably be said of the few outside the demo who scraped up the cash to buy one of these "Ferrari's" of the dirt bike world. I don't know much about the late 90's oil pump engines, but, in my experience with my 94 501FE the bike just used oil, and it wasn't a problem. However, it was a problem for Chuck Sun & a few others who ran the Vegas to Reno race, they just ran the bikes out of oil and that was it.
This all changed with the introduction of the 2001 model. My 2001 FE501 never used any oil to speak of, and neither does my 2004 FE550. Although they had the usual teething problems of any new motor design, overall they were a great step forward, in design and reliability. What problems I had with my 2001, Husaberg picked up the tab to make it right. What you don't hear about in all the popular dirt rags, are all the failures of the japanese fourstrokes. I remember going into a local shop that does suspension as well as motor work some years back, and lined up on the shelf were YZF426 motors lined up with seized big end connecting rod bearings, the sides of the crank halfs were blue next to the big end pin. If you've ever seen the movie time to ride, Ty Davis is riding I believe a 426 at the 100's National Hare & Hound, and the bike grinds to a halt with a motor that is locked up tight. The new Honda CRFX 250's were going through heads in 25 hours. Yes ladies and gentlemen, heads in 25 hours. And, the Honda dealers weren't helping these guys out at all. Funny how we didn't hear about all of that in the magazines. Another example was the KXF 250's, these bikes would over heat very easily, not ulike the XR650 in stock condition. The KXF's also had a recall of ALL the CDI boxes in their first year as one of the maps would burn up and make the bike run poorly on it's way up through the rev range.
The point I'm try to make here is that all these bikes have their problems. The dirt bike press may or may not be in the pocket of the big four, but, for sure the japanese companies cater to what ever the dirt rags want. Magazines like MXA or Dirt Bike for example, have a very limited view of how a MX or Off Road bike should look, feel, and ride. If a bike is outside of that realm it already has two strikes against it. Especially if it's a small production company that doesnt' have a semi trailer with a couple of mechanics at a test session tweaking the bikes to satisfy how these "gentlemen" want their bikes. I mean how else can one explain the fact that they think the CRFX450 is all that ( it is a good bike don't get me wrong) great a bike when it weigs about 25 pounds more than a Husaberg? Has to have all kinds of things added to it to even come close to what your bone stock Husaberg is. Ahhh, I digress, I just wanted to address the "breaks a lot" Husaberg myth.
The fact of the matter is, many of my desert racing friends have watched me and my Husberg for years now, start races and finish them. In fact, just recently I got an email from a fellow desert racer asking me about the reliability of the new Husaberg's as the local dealer was making him a great deal on a left over 2005 FE450. After several emails back and forth he went out and bought it, and is a very happy camper. He is a new member to this site as well, his handle is BUSHMASTER. I directed Bushmaster to this site to check out the support that was available and he wrote back saying that it looked like a bunch of great people and valuable information.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2003
- Messages
- 43
DaleEO said:
YEAH brother...PREACH IT!!!! :headbang:
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2005
- Messages
- 8
- Location
- Kansas City,Mo.
:twisted: Well, I'll say that one myth that I see repeated ,repeatedly (was that repetetive?) , is the myth that ANYONE can adjust the valves or disassemble a motor on one of these bikes. Many of the posts here prove the folly of that belief. Personally, my only lingering squawks on my bike are; clutch still drags a little, engine still smokes a bit from time to time, and she doesn't seem to appreciate anyone elses arse on her seat except mine. All in all, still fewer intolerable quirks than my ex-wife had!
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2005
- Messages
- 201
- Location
- Kansas City, Missouri
:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: Frost didn't write that; doctor corey did it. Darned computer is confused.Frost said::twisted: Well, I'll say that one myth that I see repeated ,repeatedly (was that repetetive?) , is the myth that ANYONE can adjust the valves or disassemble a motor on one of these bikes. Many of the posts here prove the folly of that belief. Personally, my only lingering squawks on my bike are; clutch still drags a little, engine still smokes a bit from time to time, and she doesn't seem to appreciate anyone elses arse on her seat except mine. All in all, still fewer intolerable quirks than my ex-wife had!
Let's try another shall we??
Parts are incredibly expensive:
This like the previously busted myth of breaking a lot can be relegated to history, and or wives tale.
While it is true in the past that the Husaberg parts were expensive, they were not any more expensive than other european bikes. I find this to be true of the parts that I used to buy for my 1986 KTM 250MXC. It was a great bike, and I owned it for 10 years. In that ten years I bought a few pistons for maintenance reasons not failures, and while they were more expensive than say a stock YZ250 piston, the quality of the material was much better as the YZ pistons were cast, and the KTM pistons were forged.
In the present, I find that in some cases Husaberg parts are cheaper than the Japanese. Here's an example, a set of Husaberg center cases runs about $850 to $1000. The same can be said for a set of japanese center cases, the difference being that the Husaberg cases come loaded with bearing and seals, while the Japanese cases do not.
It is my understanding that if you want to buy a spoke for a wheel on a japanese bike you have to buy the whole set. Where as with the Husaberg, you are able to buy one spoke if that's all you need. I could be wrong on this one, so if I am speak up and I'll take this out.
I also believe that it's true that piston kits for say a CRF 450 is about the same as a Husaberg piston kit.
How about a radiator? One side of a two radiator rad system is about $300 bucks, while the complete rad on a Husaberg is about $375. One could make the argument that only one side of a two sided rad system could be replaced if it was damaged, while the whole Husaberg rad would have to be replaced. To which I would respond, that the Husaberg rad is a good deal stronger and is therefore not nearly as likely to need replacing. Especially in light of the fact that the Husaberg rad system mounting, and especially the louver mounts provide exceptional protection in fall over type damage. I have seen Yamaha & Honda rads completely twisted and broken with just a tip over, they are so thin it's easy to see why.
Well that's about all I have in me tonight, I just got back from a full day of tying ribbon, and carrying stakes for our race next weekend. If I think of anything else I edit it in. If anyone else thinks of anything feel free to jump in anytime.
Parts are incredibly expensive:
This like the previously busted myth of breaking a lot can be relegated to history, and or wives tale.
While it is true in the past that the Husaberg parts were expensive, they were not any more expensive than other european bikes. I find this to be true of the parts that I used to buy for my 1986 KTM 250MXC. It was a great bike, and I owned it for 10 years. In that ten years I bought a few pistons for maintenance reasons not failures, and while they were more expensive than say a stock YZ250 piston, the quality of the material was much better as the YZ pistons were cast, and the KTM pistons were forged.
In the present, I find that in some cases Husaberg parts are cheaper than the Japanese. Here's an example, a set of Husaberg center cases runs about $850 to $1000. The same can be said for a set of japanese center cases, the difference being that the Husaberg cases come loaded with bearing and seals, while the Japanese cases do not.
It is my understanding that if you want to buy a spoke for a wheel on a japanese bike you have to buy the whole set. Where as with the Husaberg, you are able to buy one spoke if that's all you need. I could be wrong on this one, so if I am speak up and I'll take this out.
I also believe that it's true that piston kits for say a CRF 450 is about the same as a Husaberg piston kit.
How about a radiator? One side of a two radiator rad system is about $300 bucks, while the complete rad on a Husaberg is about $375. One could make the argument that only one side of a two sided rad system could be replaced if it was damaged, while the whole Husaberg rad would have to be replaced. To which I would respond, that the Husaberg rad is a good deal stronger and is therefore not nearly as likely to need replacing. Especially in light of the fact that the Husaberg rad system mounting, and especially the louver mounts provide exceptional protection in fall over type damage. I have seen Yamaha & Honda rads completely twisted and broken with just a tip over, they are so thin it's easy to see why.
Well that's about all I have in me tonight, I just got back from a full day of tying ribbon, and carrying stakes for our race next weekend. If I think of anything else I edit it in. If anyone else thinks of anything feel free to jump in anytime.
Frost said::twisted: Well, I'll say that one myth that I see repeated ,repeatedly (was that repetetive?) , is the myth that ANYONE can adjust the valves or disassemble a motor on one of these bikes. Many of the posts here prove the folly of that belief. Personally, my only lingering squawks on my bike are; clutch still drags a little, engine still smokes a bit from time to time, and she doesn't seem to appreciate anyone elses arse on her seat except mine. All in all, still fewer intolerable quirks than my ex-wife had!
Hi Frost,
If you care to upgrade your clutch to the 97 spec pressure plate you'll fnd that your dragging problem will be eliminated. I cured the same problem on my 94 this way.
I do agree with you that not just ANYONE can adjust the valves on these motors, or disassemble, and then re-assemble one of these motors. However, I would very respectfully disagree with you about the number of posts here that prove that. It is true that a couple of people have had some problems adjusting their valves, with the help of the members here, at least in one of the instances, those difficulties were overcome and the individual can now not only adjust his valves, but, is able to remove and replace the rocker box assembly as well.
I understand that splitting the cases is an entirely different matter. This is a task that I would not normally attempt myself. I know that I could take the motor apart, and put it back together myself with the manuals that are readily downloaded from the Husaberg.se site. However, I do not have the experience to know when certain pieces would need replacing, that's why I take it to someone who does know. What it really boils down to is the level of mechanical apptitude of each individual. Some are at their limit when just changing the oil, or taking the suspension off and putting those pieces back on. While others have no hesistation about yanking the motor out the frame and having it completely dis-assembled in a hour or two. And can have the lot together, back in the frame and ready to hit the trail in about the same amount of time.
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2005
- Messages
- 8
- Location
- Kansas City,Mo.
I'll start by saying that you just made a great post,then I'll say that my father(doctor corey)said the comment that you replied too.I also appreciate the thought of switching to the the '97 spec pressure plate,I'm buying a '98 motor for parts and I hope that part will solve the problem that I share with my father about the clutch.Thanks for the useful advice!Oh and for future reference I only adjust my valves when they are almost visibly loose,and my bike has ran in motocross races for the last four years without problems(regular maintenance aside). :twisted:
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2005
- Messages
- 201
- Location
- Kansas City, Missouri
Well,Dale, now that we're agreed only to a degree, I will stand behind my comment about many users trying to adjust their own valves. Yes, while it is true that many have been able to physically perform the procedures, later they experience mysterious failures, often catastrophic failures due to assembly problems like overtorqueing, mis-adjustment, etc. I'm a mechanic by trade, and I'll state that if I broke my arm, or needed to prescribe medication for an ailment, I wouldn't try to repair myself: I'd get a professional to handle these tasks. I would never look down on anyone for NOT being mechanically talented, nor would I kick myself because I can't write my own anti-spyware program. If you're not set up to work on your own bike, and if you can afford it, take it to someone who can do it right (I'll admit this can be as difficult as fixing it yourself). Past this, I'll say again that Husaberg owners are very lucky to have a forum like this to turn to for help and support. By the way, my dragging clutch is not a result of mis-adjustment. It only occurs when the oil is cold, and is at worst a slight inconvenience. Anyway, Dale, maybe I'll try the 97 spec. pressure plate if I ever find an extra c-note lying around. 8)
8)
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