Need a Berg for Dakar

Maybe contact our San Francisco based Dakar race team.

http://www.rallypanam.com/

Their top rider Jonah Street came in 2nd place in the recent Baja 1000.

we also now have a chapter in the doc for just such a thing.

http://www.husaberg.org/wiki/index.php/ ... llye_raids

i think the 650 is a little too fragile i'm afraid.

regards

Taffy

First of all congratulations to paul for finishing the dakar.
Don´t think that I could achieve this (but also don´t want to ride that long)
anyway, all factory bikes to become fresh-engines on a regular basis on this event...

My personal opinion is, that the Berg COULD survive the Dakar with a mature rider and proper maintenace (and good preperation)
But Paul is privateer - does he have a Service Crew? Where to get Husaberg Rally-parts?
I would stick with the XR or get a KTM (because of parts and mechanics-help available),
as the Dakar (for privateers) is only about finishing/surviving.

The Berg is the way better bike, but the XR is built to last

Hell er! maybe!

Ha ha!

regards

Taffy

piggd said:

A friend of mine who finished Dakar 07 on a homemade xr650 would love love love to ride a 650 Berg in next years rally.
We race Hare scrambles and Enduros together and he really likes my 450. When I mentioned the 650 is on the same chasis he became interested in pursuing sponsorship for the 09 rally. Now he's asked me to post an inquiry here to see if you guys feel the bike would be reliable for that long and demanding of an event. Assuming oil and filter changes daily, what do you think?

website:
http://www.dakarpaul.com/

Dalton

Click to expand...

in several words...................YES YES YES YES

dont let the doubters let you doubt.......the FE650 is a great rallye platform even in standard trim.

You will hear lots of negativity here on this site, but dont believe it. I didn't and have now done it this year and will be doing it again next year.

After having done the '07 Australian Safari 5,500km rallye on my own '07 FE650 and having Brandon Keinhius on a bog stock '07 FE650 come 8th outright against the factory Hondas and KTM's, I am totally convinced the new 650's make great rallye bikes.

With out a doubt as reliable as the EXC's, CRF-X's etc and more realiable than WR's. And actually I think more reliable than the EXC. Just needs good set up and maintainence.....run a similar programme you would for an EXC.

Do that and you have a bike that weights less than an EXC, handles better and almost has the power of a 690 Rallye.......best of all worlds !

I know now of a couple of extra teams who are going to run the FE650's in the '08 Australian Safari !

So in summary YES !

well there you go .... someone who can speak from experience , who actually gets out there and gives it a good go .

not like these lounge chair desert racers who say it can't be done

and i do agree ... the bike of choice is the FE 650E , only a well set up and dialed in 650 . a professionally maintained FE650 E in the desert ... in the right hands would be winner .

I could not agree more.
I will be one of the entrants joining Gazza on an FE 650 at next years Safari... the order is in.
I have spent a great deal of time researching and observing the reliability of the 650 and so far there is NOTHING that says they anything but the right choice.
The FE 650 notched up a 100% finish rate at this years Safari and while I have not checked other brands I doubt there is any others that can boast that.

What more do you need ?

Go for it and enjoy.

BTW Gazza,
I didnt notice this year, but did you and or Brandon run a cush drive ? Will you next year ?

ozrider said:

BTW Gazza,
I didnt notice this year, but did you and or Brandon run a cush drive ? Will you next year ?

Click to expand...

I did and will next year as well, but Brandon didn't.........so guess not essential.

I figure its $1,200 worth of extra insurance for being gentle on the motor/gear box especially on the bitumen transports, used Talon hub with Excel pro signature rim and heavy duty stainless spokes

Talk to Ashes Spoked Wheels 07 3262 6447 or 0422 169 050 he did a great job. Got spare spokes & bearings as well.

Dakar Husaberg in Holland

Guys,

There is a small dutch Husaberg dealer that did Dakar with a Husaberg named Robbe Motoren Giessenburg. Their bike did very well but I think they got stranded because of an accident.

The rally-bike in "complete ready for dakar Husaberg" is still sitting in his showroom unchanged and unused. Maybe it is for sale or for rent.

The owners name is Ronald Robbe, he loves the Husabergs and I'm sure he is willing to give all kinds of help or information. He is still heavily involved in the Dakar, I think with trucks now, so he know his business. See their website:

http://www.robbemotoren.nl/informatie/index.asp

good luck ,keep us informed,

Frenz, Leiden, The Netherlands

Gazza said:

ozrider said:

BTW Gazza,
I didnt notice this year, but did you and or Brandon run a cush drive ? Will you next year ?

Click to expand...

I did and will next year as well, but Brandon didn't.........so guess not essential.

I figure its $1,200 worth of extra insurance for being gentle on the motor/gear box especially on the bitumen transports, used Talon hub with Excel pro signature rim and heavy duty stainless spokes

Talk to Ashes Spoked Wheels 07 3262 6447 or 0422 169 050 he did a great job. Got spare spokes & bearings as well.

Click to expand...

Thanks I was thinking the same so I will go with one too.

Sorry for the thread jack piggd, thought it was sort of relevent

Re: Dakar Husaberg in Holland

Frenz said:

Guys,

There is a small dutch Husaberg dealer that did Dakar with a Husaberg named Robbe Motoren Giessenburg. Their bike did very well but I think they got stranded because of an accident.

The rally-bike in "complete ready for dakar Husaberg" is still sitting in his showroom unchanged and unused. Maybe it is for sale or for rent.

The owners name is Ronald Robbe, he loves the Husabergs and I'm sure he is willing to give all kinds of help or information. He is still heavily involved in the Dakar, I think with trucks now, so he know his business. See their website:

http://www.robbemotoren.nl/informatie/index.asp

good luck ,keep us informed,

Frenz, Leiden, The Netherlands

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Almost right Frenz! Robbe did it on a KTM actualy, but his mate Rob van Pelt did it in 2005 with a FE550E which was fully prepared for Dakar. The bike didn't do too bad, but unfortunately it cracked the outlet of the waterpump on a rock. Rob didn't notice it untill the water was all out and the bike blew the headgasket.

RE: Re: Dakar Husaberg in Holland

I am a big follower of the Dakar. But the Eurosport coverage is too brief...we need to get a berg on there to show the doubters that they are great bikes!!! We all wait to see the start lists!

RE: Re: Dakar Husaberg in Holland

Anyone have photos of a Husaberg with a custom rear subframe auxiliary fuel tank system?

The new KTM 690 Rally bike rear subframe fuel system is a perfect example.

Re: RE: Re: Dakar Husaberg in Holland

supertireguy said:

Anyone have photos of a Husaberg with a custom rear subframe auxiliary fuel tank system?

.

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I would say the Meca Systems EXC rear tanks would be the most likely way to go. In fact fitting a whole Meca EXC Rallye kit would be probably the best way to Dakar'ise a Berg.

But best to talk to Jim at Heartland Dakar team or Charlie at Rally Pan America team

http://24.240.192.148/

RE: Re: RE: Re: Dakar Husaberg in Holland

A 650 should do very well in those stages that require a light and agile bike, those stages that usually see the WRF 450 fare better, as well as in the fast stages where the Austrian big guns atomize the competition.

As Taffy says: how many stages before your engine seizes or blows the top? If you are followed by a mechanic that knows Husaberg, has enough parts and even gets some factory support (I think you can dream on), then why not.

A 550 might be a better compromise, where you'd lose in the top speed but gain in reliability and maneuverability.

I guess if the goal is to have a blast, be moderately competitive and finish, I'd go for a 550 or even a 496. Your buddy's goal I guess is not to win the darn Rallye, right?

(And I will keep reminding everyone that Thierry Sabine lived in the village next to mine, and was a client of my mom's).

Dakar Husaberg

LeFrog said:

A 550 might be a better compromise, where you'd lose in the top speed but gain in reliability and maneuverability.

I guess if the goal is to have a blast, be moderately competitive and finish, I'd go for a 550 or even a 496.

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no sorry you have got it wrong. The 650 is the better bet due to

1) less stress on the engine - in Rallyes you spend a lot of time in the 120-150kph speeds. The 650 is right in its sweet spot at these speeds and is not working hard its just loping along, the smaller bikes are working much harder (remember the extra weight - fuel etc it is carrying) and thus are more stressed, thats why a lot of 450's and even 525's etc do hit engine problems on rallyes

2) the 650 motor has actually got the best bore / stroke ratio, its even less over square than the 690 Rallye (100/80 the 650 Berg vs 102/80 for the 690) and the 550 etc are more over square, ie less relaxed

3) the 650 WILL do 175kph in rallye trim when you need it in the fast stuff.......a 10kph advantage is a lot when you add that up over several hours for a days stage etc.........even forgetting about stage race times etc...........if it gets you back to camp each night 1 hour earlier than you would otherwise you reduce night riding, fatigue etc etc thats a BIG advantage for the rider's sustainability

4) the 650 is a grunt monster........that really counts in the soft dunes, you can really just grunt your way out of ****** situations..........again helps big time re race times and rider fatigue

None of the above is done as well by the 550/525/450 etc bikes.

This is not 2002 or 2005 !!!!!!!!

The 2007 & 2008 650 FE's do not go bang when used off road long distance. End of story.

LeFrog said:

A 650 should do very well in those stages that require a light and agile bike, those stages that usually see the WRF 450 fare better, as well as in the fast stages where the Austrian big guns atomize the competition.

Click to expand...

Yup which is exactly why its a great choice :twisted: :twisted:

Sheesh thats a big call Gazza