YOUR ADVICE PLEASE! fe450 adv bike over 570??

octopusenvy · Oct 6, 2015

Greetings berg-ers!

I'm really needing your experienced advice. There are literally NO fe570 bikes for sale here in NZ (my mate has one 2010 only), but there ARE fe450 and one in particular at a decent price. So what's the difference for mostly ADV riding with a bit of tar seal in between rides?? I know I can always bore out a 450 eventually, but for those longer high speed distance rides is the 570 way way better? I'd get a 570 if there was one here. Importing is not looking affordable (plenty for sale in Australia and USA).

I currently ride a 650x challenge bmw which is great for long distance and comfort (renzaco seat, will get something made for the berg too), but i want smaller and lighter. What are the main differences/disadvantages for service intervals and maintenance when u run these bikes at high revs? I know a cush hub would certainly help too. I've read Colebatch's Chile thread on ADVrider too, and the 570 seems perfect for me. PLEASE advise me!

Speedtrickle · Oct 7, 2015

Eternal struggle

Hi, this is quite funny in small worldy way for I'm pretty certain I've met you on one of Jim and Sue's rides a couple of years back if you had the X then. I'm in pretty much the same boat which is why I'm trolling around here. Had a 690, too much of everything for a novice. Had heaps of fun on a big Sth Island trip (J and S again) riding a TE 630 but still searching for The Grail, the fictitious supremo of adventure motorcycling in its rawest form. Came close to bidding on a 570 across in Townville but I think you're pretty right about the cost of importing. In fact the the only thing stopped me was the GST this side of the ditch. I could have shipped it through a contact for about 8 hundy NZ but the GST would have "legitimately" been about 13 hundy so no go. Lot of hassle and unrecoverable expense for a 4 or 5 year old bike when you could buy the newer ktm 500. Anyway, I digress. There was a road regd fe450 in Welly a few months back for a very good price but think it got sold. There are one or two 570 floating about, I could pass on a number for one in Aucks if you want, mate of a the guy bought my 690, story goes he'd "reluctantly" sell it but could be worth a shot. He paid 8 and a half a year ago. The 450 was a lot cheaper than that but having toured with a dude in our group on an exc 450 I wouldn't personally go that road.

octopusenvy · Oct 7, 2015

Interesteded

Speedtrickle said:
Hi, this is quite funny in small worldy way for I'm pretty certain I've met you on one of Jim and Sue's rides a couple of years back if you had the X then. I'm in pretty much the same boat which is why I'm trolling around here. Had a 690, too much of everything for a novice. Had heaps of fun on a big Sth Island trip (J and S again) riding a TE 630 but still searching for The Grail, the fictitious supremo of adventure motorcycling in its rawest form...

Maaate, u got me. Here i am on an international forum searching for international advice and I find another kiwi who knows me. Only in NZ aye? Only thing is you didn't say who u r...Jef here. Anyhow, if you're in Northland too, we should ride and chat. I'll PM you.

As for the right bike, well I am still sitting on it. It being the X-challenge. It does so much so well. But I've been riding a lot these years and wanting something 50/50 road/off-road. The X can do that, but I'd say its happiest as a 70/30 bike if u follow. Don't get me wrong, I could keep the X forever and be happy, just like Colebatch (who loves the 570 after his Chile trip but said he'd never sell his X) and others with well over 100,000kms of happy trails. But the trail rider in me wants lighter in the 570 even tho I know I will be forfeiting road comfort.

Speedtrickle · Oct 7, 2015

Gotcha! I did briefly chat to you when during a break at a wee bay I'm not really familiar with, there were a couple of boats n stuff and we rested up and talked **** for a couple of minutes while people cought up. I think I may have been forced to appologise for some loose riding etiquette at some stage, gravel will do that to you especially on a 690. I live in Waipu. The thing with the weight is the thing with the weight and theres no getting around it. I loved how the 630 did everything and after a dozen continuous days in the saddle I felt pretty confident trail riding. However, there was a moment in that trip where the riding was that bit more tricky where you wanted an almost real trail machine. It was called the Akaroa saddle and was the pinacle of the whole journey. To put this in context though, Jim pointed out that Murry from Hamilton had done it on an 1200GS so question is, who are we trying to kid..

Goose916 · Oct 7, 2015

My .02;
Like all Euro bikes, there are known problems that exist with both the 450fe and the 570. I'd own a 570 in a hearbeat if I could afford one. There's plenty of info on this board about it's known and correctable problems (upgrate fuel pump, etc). However, the 570 has been, for the most part, a very reliable bike.

The 450 depends on the year you are talking about. The new slant motors well, see the 570. If it's the 04-08 version, main bearings and water pump seals are the main issues along with much increased routine maintenance (oil changes and valve adjustments) Otherwise, another reliable albeit labor intensive bike.

Neither is going to give you japanese level of reliability, though I'm told the slant motors come awfully close. Then again, neither is japanese so the power is like all euro mx/enduro bikes, more fun. Everything has a trade off. I love my lil 450 (05) and it's powerful enough for me if a bit long in the tooth suspension wise. Still, I wouldn't give it up for a CRF.

octopusenvy · Oct 7, 2015

agree

Cheers Goose,

I'm only looking at 2009 up 70degree Bergs. I prefer 2012, and there's a 450fe here for sale. But I was thinking 570 (none avail usually in NZ) due to my 60/40 road/offroad riding. Agree totally about performance increase, reliability decrease...after all they are more race bred. Keen to keep my bmw 650x for reliability and grin more with a berg in the bush.

Goose916 said:
My .02;
Like all Euro bikes, there are known problems that exist with both the 450fe and the 570. I'd own a 570 in a hearbeat if I could afford one. There's plenty of info on this board about it's known and correctable problems (upgrate fuel pump, etc). However, the 570 has been, for the most part, a very reliable bike.

The 450 depends on the year you are talking about. The new slant motors well, see the 570. If it's the 04-08 version, main bearings and water pump seals are the main issues along with much increased routine maintenance (oil changes and valve adjustments) Otherwise, another reliable albeit labor intensive bike.

Neither is going to give you japanese level of reliability, though I'm told the slant motors come awfully close. Then again, neither is japanese so the power is like all euro mx/enduro bikes, more fun. Everything has a trade off. I love my lil 450 (05) and it's powerful enough for me if a bit long in the tooth suspension wise. Still, I wouldn't give it up for a CRF.

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YOUR ADVICE PLEASE! fe450 adv bike over 570??

octopusenvy

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