Joined Dec 2003
587 Posts | 2+
Where ever we park the motorhome, USA
Four of us started out on some 4 foot wide trails to warm-up and get loose. Then off in the sandwashes and the singletrack, (one section is nicknamed the slot car track)
The guy on the CRF 450 had a little trouble keeping up in the tight twisting turns.
When we hit the single track, he fell further behind. After about 20 miles, I asked him if we could trade for a while. He obliged and we took off again. His gearing is 14:50, otherwise the CRF is totally stock.. The suspension is really good. Much better than a stock Husaberg or KTM. The front and rear are extremely well matched. Whoops were really fun and very easy. The bike just naturally stays very level as it leaves the jump face. It feels more natural. The brakes were as good as the bergs. I absolutely hated the transmission. You can feel the gears under your body. The drivetrain is not refined at all. The gears were too closely spaced for my tastes, and first gear was taller than second on the 501. The power band felt more narrow than my 501. Even though the CRF is quicker revving, it didn't have the torque nor the high rev power. I also didn't like the traction, or lack of it. The engine obviously has very little flywheel weight, so the rear tire is constantly breaking loose. I normally blip the throttle as I go through the whoops. The CRF rear kept slipping, whereas my 501 would hook-up and launch me forward to double jump the whoops rhythm style. The CRF isn't bad in the sandwashes, but not quite as stabile as the Husaberg.
When we switched back, I complimented him on the suspension of his bike. What really surprised was his comment that my suspension was more plush and felt easier to control. He said the Husaberg felt more stabile and turned better than his CRF. He really loved the engine and transmission of the 501. And of course he loved the way the power went to the ground instead of the back tire spinning and slipping. Now he wants to upgrade to a Husaberg.
I'm really happy with my new suspension from ****'s Racing.
The guy on the CRF 450 had a little trouble keeping up in the tight twisting turns.
When we hit the single track, he fell further behind. After about 20 miles, I asked him if we could trade for a while. He obliged and we took off again. His gearing is 14:50, otherwise the CRF is totally stock.. The suspension is really good. Much better than a stock Husaberg or KTM. The front and rear are extremely well matched. Whoops were really fun and very easy. The bike just naturally stays very level as it leaves the jump face. It feels more natural. The brakes were as good as the bergs. I absolutely hated the transmission. You can feel the gears under your body. The drivetrain is not refined at all. The gears were too closely spaced for my tastes, and first gear was taller than second on the 501. The power band felt more narrow than my 501. Even though the CRF is quicker revving, it didn't have the torque nor the high rev power. I also didn't like the traction, or lack of it. The engine obviously has very little flywheel weight, so the rear tire is constantly breaking loose. I normally blip the throttle as I go through the whoops. The CRF rear kept slipping, whereas my 501 would hook-up and launch me forward to double jump the whoops rhythm style. The CRF isn't bad in the sandwashes, but not quite as stabile as the Husaberg.
When we switched back, I complimented him on the suspension of his bike. What really surprised was his comment that my suspension was more plush and felt easier to control. He said the Husaberg felt more stabile and turned better than his CRF. He really loved the engine and transmission of the 501. And of course he loved the way the power went to the ground instead of the back tire spinning and slipping. Now he wants to upgrade to a Husaberg.
I'm really happy with my new suspension from ****'s Racing.
