Ktm guy is looking to make a switch to Husaberg

FE350 -- I love you man but you really need to try a 550 or a 650. It's about how it feels like to ride them.

The 550 and 650 turn the world into a weird, aggressive cartoon. It's like an instant-on tab of strong acid. You know it the moment you get on one. They fold time and space. Gas it and everything bends in warped tunnel vision, rocks get eaten, roost flies everywhere. Mountains rise and fall on the horizon, a new scale to everything. You hear someone laughing hysterically and it takes a while to realize that it's yourself. Fun like nothing else is fun.

Or you lazily scoot the rocket-sledgehammer across your favorite trails, never having to change gear or work the clutch, always in the powerband always in the fun zone, just powersliding out of anything and everything.

There's nothing "old" about the classic Husabergs. The suspension maybe, but they are NOT heavy and I can't see how you could improve upon the throttle response!! And the handling is super stable and it's designed that way. I like stable handling better than the "agile" handling that's been in fashion for the past years (Beta Motors seem to agree which explains their popularity.)

That made me smile! But not as much as my 550 does

tourist said:

FE350 -- I love you man but you really need to try a 550 or a 650. It's about how it feels like to ride them.

The 550 and 650 turn the world into a weird, aggressive cartoon. It's like an instant-on tab of strong acid. You know it the moment you get on one. They fold time and space. Gas it and everything bends in warped tunnel vision, rocks get eaten, roost flies everywhere. Mountains rise and fall on the horizon, a new scale to everything. You hear someone laughing hysterically and it takes a while to realize that it's yourself. Fun like nothing else is fun.

Or you lazily scoot the rocket-sledgehammer across your favorite trails, never having to change gear or work the clutch, always in the powerband always in the fun zone, just powersliding out of anything and everything.

There's nothing "old" about the classic Husabergs. The suspension maybe, but they are NOT heavy and I can't see how you could improve upon the throttle response!! And the handling is super stable and it's designed that way. I like stable handling better than the "agile" handling that's been in fashion for the past years (Beta Motors seem to agree which explains their popularity.)

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After this excellent post I have came to think lol sometimes I don't. I do remember the day of the first Honda 4t's when I was young. The big XR's. Yes me being all of a 100lbs and a kid getting on a big XR. Now I see what all the fuss is about lol. Its all about the fun factor, get on hang on and gooooooooo.

I guess my riding style has changed over the years and I have forgotten about the fun fun fun end of things and just think of the technical part. Maybe I have lost it with age as I now get on and think not just get on and ride.

I still feel it is a huge safety concern for a new rider, but not my bones being broke lol be safe and have fun and I hope our 650 lover finds one as I do see now what he is looking for

I rode enginenumbers fancy 501 on the same ride as my 650

I found it boring. Compared to my little bike (the 650) The engine has no immediate presance.


It's a fast bike for sure with respectable hp. Main advantage is the throttle application doesn't influence handling but that is also what made it so boring

If I compare my 2 bikes both have similar power but the 700 has the most presance. Maybe Soul is a better word.

Which is faster ? Depends on the terrain. The 700 is faster by a long way in tight stuff. In more open trails there isn't much difference

tourist said:

FE350 -- I love you man but you really need to try a 550 or a 650. It's about how it feels like to ride them.

The 550 and 650 turn the world into a weird, aggressive cartoon. It's like an instant-on tab of strong acid. You know it the moment you get on one. They fold time and space. Gas it and everything bends in warped tunnel vision, rocks get eaten, roost flies everywhere. Mountains rise and fall on the horizon, a new scale to everything. You hear someone laughing hysterically and it takes a while to realize that it's yourself. Fun like nothing else is fun.

Or you lazily scoot the rocket-sledgehammer across your favorite trails, never having to change gear or work the clutch, always in the powerband always in the fun zone, just powersliding out of anything and everything.

There's nothing "old" about the classic Husabergs. The suspension maybe, but they are NOT heavy and I can't see how you could improve upon the throttle response!! And the handling is super stable and it's designed that way. I like stable handling better than the "agile" handling that's been in fashion for the past years (Beta Motors seem to agree which explains their popularity.)

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:sandwich:

From the 2007 brochure:

"When logic goes out the window and fun factor is a priority, the FE650e comes into it's own. A twist of the throttle is all it takes to engage warp speed and make your eyes water and mouth grin. This motorcycle is an addiction, once you ride one you won't want to stop."

after riding and racing dirt bikes of all makes; mostly 2 strokes til the late 70's when i modified a suzuki dr370 (fairly disappointing), i discovered the ama national dual sport series back when it was just a race that didn't care if you stopped to take a leak, and thinking you needed a street legal bike, i flogged a yamaha xt350 within an inch of it's life and breaking the suspension a few times, when i ran upon some guy on a berg. no idea what size, prob a 501 since it was in the early 90's. i would follow him enchanted by the sound until he would crash. i would ride ahead until he caught me and passed. the yammie and i couldn't catch him, but he crashed a lot. i told myself i need to get one of those. in '98, i made a trade / cash deal with a guy who had an fe600e and wanted the 300 ktm i was riding. it still had the original rear tire on it, but it was shredded. after riding it i realized why. MY GOD, it was like a top fuel dragster. i was hooked. in the eastern woods, it was a handfull, but whenever you could twist the throttle, it was addictive.
since then, i've owned every model except a 350 and a 550. i'm on my third (and prob last) 650, and when i think back on the dozens of dirtbikes i've owned, it is the big bore berg that puts the smile on my face.

tourist said:

FE350 -- I love you man but you really need to try a 550 or a 650. It's about how it feels like to ride them.

The 550 and 650 turn the world into a weird, aggressive cartoon. It's like an instant-on tab of strong acid. You know it the moment you get on one. They fold time and space. Gas it and everything bends in warped tunnel vision, rocks get eaten, roost flies everywhere. Mountains rise and fall on the horizon, a new scale to everything. You hear someone laughing hysterically and it takes a while to realize that it's yourself. Fun like nothing else is fun.

Or you lazily scoot the rocket-sledgehammer across your favorite trails, never having to change gear or work the clutch, always in the powerband always in the fun zone, just powersliding out of anything and everything.

There's nothing "old" about the classic Husabergs. The suspension maybe, but they are NOT heavy and I can't see how you could improve upon the throttle response!! And the handling is super stable and it's designed that way. I like stable handling better than the "agile" handling that's been in fashion for the past years (Beta Motors seem to agree which explains their popularity.)

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Thanks Tourist you nailed it ..been trying to describe my 550 to other for years i'll copy this now don't get me wrong i love my TE250 as well but the 550 takes ripping it to a whole different level

Either your a big bore guy or your not. Some guys who like smaller bore bikes and feel like that's all they really need. That's fine.
But I like power. And I can tell you if you have any kind of strength and experience the
650 can be tossed around like some are not able to do. I have left many of friends on the tightest of single track on their smaller bikes. You may be on the clutch a little more in those conditions but as the road opens up you get away. In comparison as an example. The 06 FE450 which did feel light and nimble but noticeably underpowered for me. When I wanted it , it wasn't there. The FE570 was very good and felt I wouldn't want less power.
For those of us who have ridden and appreciate the Husaberg 650. The immediate things that stand apart from the rest are that throttle response is so incrementally felt. And with it Torque unmatched. And the best part is that you never want more because the bike keeps pulling. IMO the FE650 suffers if geared shorter that 15/48 because it want to pull the taller gear.

yesssss! Congratulations!!!

They exist in some form - TKC-80 and Shinko 244 for instance. Not super aggressive but enough for a decent variety of terrain for sure!

polska said:

Just found out that kinda k 270 has knobby dot spec. For 50/50 road / dirt. I will go that route.

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Yup! For the record, the IRC GP-1, Kenda K270 and Shinko 244 are almost the same tire. The IRC one costs almost double, and the Shinko 244 is a little bit cheaper and it seems people even like the Shinko a little bit better in general :O