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 Post subject: Re: Husky TE310/SWM300??
PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 12:00 am 
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125cc

Joined: Tue Jun 22, 2010 12:24 pm
Posts: 229
Husky 701 is perfect. I have pm'd steve on my experiences and am happy for him to share on the forum if any of you are interested. Having ample power is not a barrier IMO, throttle control and discipline on some technical and nadgery stuff is all that's needed. I recently did 4 days, 200km per day with Wilderness Wheels in Morocco on the Husky 701 and it went effortlessly everywhere the KTM 450 EXC's did and on some trails the extra 25 kg helped with momentum. I have an EXC here in the Uk and I am resolute in my opinion that I'd take the husky anywhere I'd take the EXC. best of both worlds really - Tarmac and trails.


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 Post subject: Re: Husky TE310/SWM300??
PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 12:03 am 
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125cc

Joined: Tue Jun 22, 2010 12:24 pm
Posts: 229
Almost forgot, I travelled 330 km each way from Casablanca to Azrou to start the tour. A true all-rounder this bike is which as we all know is really rare in the bike world


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 Post subject: Re: Husky TE310/SWM300??
PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 1:25 am 
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300 cc

Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 10:39 pm
Posts: 502
Steve,

As you know, I've had my TE310R for coming up to 3 years
It has been absolutely faultless so far (3000 ish miles and 175 hours, not exactly hammered!)

You're welcome to try it for a while if you want to

The vibrations are worse than an old Brit vertical twin!!

You wouldn't want to do a lot of miles on it.

I have mine geared to the absolute lowest, so it's spinning at 7500 at 55, but seems comfortable at that - it will (and does, occasionally) happily go to 11+

Seat is more comfortable than the CRF 250X, but that's no recommendation!

Suspension is quite stiff, and I know you are significantly lighter than me!

Mike


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 Post subject: Re: Husky TE310/SWM300??
PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 7:15 am 
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400 cc

Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:50 pm
Posts: 1122
Location: Yorkshire
Kevin Coates wrote:
steveR wrote:
Kevin Coates wrote:
Well, I had a secret urge to go for a rs500 but this thread has taken my plans and burnt them :cry:

I don't want a bike that's on intensive care, I don't want an expensive racer, I want an inexpensive trail bike that can cope with 60 road miles to get me to and from a day on the trails.

I could buy new if the running costs are relatively low.

My crf250l continues to take the treatment and it's not clear which bike is the upgrade for my kind of usage.

:|


Sorry Kevin!! ;)

Your needs sound similar to mine, but the CRF250 is too down on power for long hauls on the road from my POV, too many pies on board. I wonder what you would think on the RS650R, a tiny bit heavier than the CRF, but twice the power? Probably more reliable and less edgy than the 500...


:)
I am not sure I want a load more power for the trails than what crf offers. Less weight yes.
A larger engine may be less stressed on the road though.
I think the 650r could work but the weight and price are negatives.

I've pondered getting a xr400 but I don't want to end up with a restoration project.


Buy a good XR 400 and you won't

Nice 500 miler for £2900 just popped up on eBay

Just like a new bike

_________________
2003 Honda XR400R3
1996 Suzuki DR350SE


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 Post subject: Re: Husky TE310/SWM300??
PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 8:32 am 
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650 cc Monster
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Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:34 am
Posts: 5141
Location: East Sussex
To try a 701 near Shropshire, get in touch with Wyn Hughes at Freestyle in Newtown, Powys as it can't be that far from you.
It's a wing of the Freestyle near here so he may well also do a demo bike.
http://www.freestylebikes.co.uk/find-us ... -sy16-3aj/

_________________
2014 KTM 690 Enduro R ABS - 2015 Husky FE 450 - 1967 Triumph Trophy TR6R
Liable to sudden and unintended changes in speed and direction.
Araf!


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 Post subject: Re: Husky TE310/SWM300??
PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:16 am 
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125cc
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Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:46 pm
Posts: 130
Location: God's own County, Shropshire
Kevin Coates wrote:

:)
I am not sure I want a load more power for the trails than what crf offers. Less weight yes.
A larger engine may be less stressed on the road though.
I think the 650r could work but the weight and price are negatives.

I've pondered getting a xr400 but I don't want to end up with a restoration project.


Bit how I feel about some of the "low mileage" DRZ's on offer... ;)


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 Post subject: Re: Husky TE310/SWM300??
PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:23 am 
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125cc
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Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:46 pm
Posts: 130
Location: God's own County, Shropshire
AlwynMike wrote:
Steve,

As you know, I've had my TE310R for coming up to 3 years
It has been absolutely faultless so far (3000 ish miles and 175 hours, not exactly hammered!)

You're welcome to try it for a while if you want to

The vibrations are worse than an old Brit vertical twin!!

You wouldn't want to do a lot of miles on it.

I have mine geared to the absolute lowest, so it's spinning at 7500 at 55, but seems comfortable at that - it will (and does, occasionally) happily go to 11+

Seat is more comfortable than the CRF 250X, but that's no recommendation!

Suspension is quite stiff, and I know you are significantly lighter than me!


I had forgotten your 310 until I started this thread, Mike. Thanks for the kind offer. I recall you saying the engine was not the smoothest, but as said elsewhere, it's designed as a lightweight race bike motor, with few concessions for comfort!

As far as I can see, you have tweaked your bike for just what you wanted, a pure out and out trail bike. Also suitable for carrying the odd pie... a bit like my machines... ;)


Last edited by steveR on Wed Jun 15, 2016 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Husky TE310/SWM300??
PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:35 am 
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125cc
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Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:46 pm
Posts: 130
Location: God's own County, Shropshire
davidscott wrote:
To try a 701 near Shropshire, get in touch with Wyn Hughes at Freestyle in Newtown, Powys as it can't be that far from you.
It's a wing of the Freestyle near here so he may well also do a demo bike.
http://www.freestylebikes.co.uk/find-us ... -sy16-3aj/


To my surprise, they have got one! Had a nice chat with Tracy and will book a ride ASAP...

Off later in the week I hope, remind myself, LEAVE business debit cards behind!!! :mrgreen:

Do I need a new "Husqvarna Tractor"??? :lol:


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 Post subject: Re: Husky TE310/SWM300??
PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 5:09 pm 
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125cc
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Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:46 pm
Posts: 130
Location: God's own County, Shropshire
davidscott wrote:
To try a 701 near Shropshire, get in touch with Wyn Hughes at Freestyle in Newtown, Powys as it can't be that far from you.
It's a wing of the Freestyle near here so he may well also do a demo bike.
http://www.freestylebikes.co.uk/find-us ... -sy16-3aj/


I booked a test ride and tootled over this morning as the ground is so damned wet, nothing can rally be done at the moment!

Lovely people and a very impressive array of off road kit in a pristine showroom, what happened to the back lane shed....?

I togged up after a briefing and look over, I bimbled off. As I know the area, I headed off down the roads to Kerry and Sarn, then back again and up on to the top, and did a wee bit of the Ridgeway before coming back to Newtown, 40-50mins I expect.

Impressions:

Pros.
Build seems nice and the castings etc all looked clean modern and attractive
Lovely, even balanced flow of power from the motor, picking up from nothing to higher levels although as I am a sympathetic soul, it was not revved hard during my ride as it onlyn had 500miles on teh clock(See below!) Nice crisp gearbox and clutch and throttle were lovely as were the brakes both ends.
Handling on the road was solid and planted, no skittishness at ll on the ride and the TKC's are a nice complement. Took it down a dirt road and seemed to soak of potholes nicely :)

Cons.
For my needs the ergonomics were lousy, high flat seat and low bars, never sure why makers do this as anyone who stands up HAS to put on risers anyway! Pegs too high for my personal needs, which again could be modded as I do on most bikes these days. Seat was the ribbed one and not very comfortable, needs an Airhawk for long distance which would help with the other problem... ;)
Vibes, lots of them and more than I anticipated with a balancer bottom end, through the pegs and seat at 50+ were not what I expected. Grip Puppies would work well on the bars and a rebuilt seat would sort the butt issues I think.
Heat shield is a joke, burned my waterproofs. I seem to have seen this was an issue for other too!!
Gearing... the real stumbling block for me! Why take a modern torquey single and saddle it with a close ratio gearbox??? 1st too high, 6th waaay too low. Lots of bikes with this issue and with a 5 speed, about understandable, but 6?? This is supposed to be a long haul Adv bike, not an enduro tool. Put 6th as an overdrive and first for nadgery... PLEASE, someone?? A taller 6th would negate a lot of the higher speed discomfort I felt.

To sum up, the Bike was not what I had hoped for several reasons although many could have been engineered out for not a lot, but it all seemd a bit too much compromise for an 8 grand bike..

I enjoyed the day out, meeting Wyn and his Missus, and in spite of my not chosing to go for a 701, I enjoyed my ride on it so I could assess the bike properly for my needs. Thanks to Nick and others who suggested it.


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 Post subject: Re: Husky TE310/SWM300??
PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 7:59 pm 
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650 cc Monster
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Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:34 am
Posts: 5141
Location: East Sussex
Glad you got to Wyn and Tracy's. They've only been open 2 years so nice and pristine.
And Tracy will make a nice bacon roll :D

Shame about the bike though.

Are the KTM 690's the same or do they do their own thing?
Probably cheaper too.

_________________
2014 KTM 690 Enduro R ABS - 2015 Husky FE 450 - 1967 Triumph Trophy TR6R
Liable to sudden and unintended changes in speed and direction.
Araf!


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