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my first berg.......

O

osubuckeye

Joined Aug 2006
144 Posts | 0+
Pickerington OH home of the AMA
presently I am riding an 82' yz 490. I just started riding again this year after 20 years. I am 45 y.o. 6'2" 230 lbs my yz i bought new out of the crate in 85. It wasn't a problem 20 years ago when I was 25......LOL. the bike it was stored inside the whole time and kicked a few times a year. the yz is not the issue, my question is would I be happy with a 98 fe400e? Here in Ohio if there were 10 berg's I would be surprized. there are no dealers, closest dealer is 5 hrs away in indiana or michigan. 20 years ago the big bore 2 strokes were king.I ride with a guy who has a 525 exc. nice bike. But since he has a ktm I want something else....Its a guy thang.... I have read everything I can on husaberg and have narrowed my choices down to a berg or a husky. where I ride is in wayne national forest in southern ohio....tight trails, and no hill climbing off the marked trail. the yz has plenty of power but the wrong type of power for the tight trails .......on or off doesn't get it through the woods. I can get a 98 fe 400 for a song......looks like it is in good shape. i realize anything that breaks will have to be ordered, so I am done riding until the part comes in. Other than having cables on hand, anything else i should have with me?? found a local mechanic that works on older pentons, mako's, bultaco's and tm's that will work on the bike. anyone with any experience on this berg I would love to hear from you. This will probably my last bike i purchase being 45, so i want something different than the norm. I know husky is finally coming into its own again, won't buy a gas gas, but a vor would be nice.I know some will disagree but the only big bore in the 80's better than the yz was the husky's. I've tried catching up with them. yes I know an mx isn't the best bike on the trail. but for now she is all i have. looking forward to reading any responses.
Dan
 
osubuckeye said:
... This will probably my last bike i purchase being 45, so i want something different than the norm.
Dan
Click to expand...

Dan,

I am 44, and my wife always hopes that the bike I bought last will be the last one I bought ... but so far my list of 'want-to-haves' is way to long to stop ...
I have a '97 FE501E. The bike is generaly more that I can handle, but really fun to ride, especially with the way the power is delivered. When I purchased it, the motor was apart because of a timing chain failure, and I had it rebuilt a a local shop/dealership. They had to order all the parts, too - nothing in stock. But: the job was not done right, and after about 20 hours the thing blew up again. I decided to go for a rebuild with used parts, and shipped the motor to Peter Hardsteen in NM - he has, according to rumors, a shed full of pre-2000 parts. He did a fine job for really reasonable money, and the bike runs fine since. I am not racing, therefore it should last for a while.
So: if you can pick up the bike for reasonable money, and you are able to do maintenance work like oil changes and valve adjustments yourself, you should be ok. This page accumulates an incredible wealth of Husaberg knowledge, and many people are willing to step forward with advice and help. And for the parts go to Dan @ Motoxotica in Vacaville: he has most of what you might need in stock, is willing to ship, and he is a really nice guy, too.

Franz
 
Dan, hello, and welcome to the site! What follows is opinion, not fact. A 98 Berg can be heaven or hell. You won't know till you have owned it a while. They had several issues with mechanical longevity if not maintained to the highest degree. 98's will never handle quite as well as the newer Bergs. At 45 you are not quite ready to sign off, should be riding for another 20 years. Riding is important, act like it is. Sell your saddle, bicycles, ATVs, and boats, buy a newer Berg, '04 or later. You will thank yourself, and beam with pride in the company of your friend with the KTM. It will last, be dependable, and run like nothing else. A 450 or 550 would do just fine. Just opinion, as stated. Good luck! Buzzard
 
thanks Franz.....
My dream vacation would be to trailer my bike out west and ride the open trails. only wish our trails were as open as yours. course I'd have to get a paddle rear tire.......and the yz would love it out there...... and the berg would too....I have read about the 501 ....a brute.....but other than parts and a problem with not enough dealers in general here in the midwest......I can hardly find anything negitive about a husaberg. I like to weight the good with the bad. not crazy about a berg's shade of blue.....and yes I know its the same shade as the swedish flag. I just prefer a deeper darker shade..... The ktm orange isn't my fav either. but great bikes...... I am taking from your response that a good mechanic is worth his weight in gold.
 
Buzzard....
thanks for your reply and I have no problems hearing anyone's opinion. Going through a nasty divorce 2 years ago, money at this time is an issue. I have resorted to thinking of buying an xr 400 just to get a 4 stroke. Then through word of mouth that someone knew a guy, who knew a guy that had a berg and just had a baby and needed to get rid of his bike. I would love to read and hear about all the improvements from 98 to present. I am sure they are numerous. But until my finacial situation changes.........this is where I am. From what I have read, bike for dollar here in the states, berg's win hands down and its a 400 at a great, great price. I have spoke with 2 dealers on the phone, and both said the 400 would keep up with my buddies 525 exc on the low end but he would have more top end.......but I know him.....he's not that brave.........and he's afraid of scratching it!
 
Dan, all is understood! Heck, give the 400 a try, you cannot get a lighter, more advanced 4-stroke than a Berg. And, heaven forbid, any troubles arise, help is right here on this site full of avid enthusiasts. I first purchased a '92 FE501. I raced desert and enduro events on it with good success, and great reliability. Few knew what a Berg was, making it most satisfying to take trophies home with it. I then bought a 2000 FE501, rode the pants off of it. Replaced a few rocker arm rollers, but no other problems. I now have a 2006 FE450, I think I am in heaven! I am not wealthy, had to sell my road bikes(Harleys and Nortons) to afford my Berg habit. I have never had a nearby dealer, drove hundreds of miles to get the first two, and had the new one shipped from the excellent Nevada Motor Sports in Sparks, NV. So, let nothing deter you, go for it! Buzzard
 
Ummm... just noticed, there is a '98 FE400 basket case on Ebay, located in Indianapolis, IN. Spare parts are good. Look if interested. Buzzard
 

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