• 4 Stroke Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Italy - About 1989 to 2014
     TE = 4st Enduro & TC = 4st Cross

  • Hi everyone,

    As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.

    When he passed, I worked with his kids to gather the necessary credentials to keep this site running. Since then (and for however long they worked with Coffee), Woodschick and Dirtdame have been maintaining the site and covering the costs. Without their hard work and financial support, CafeHusky would have been lost.

    Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working to migrate the site to a free cloud compute instance so that Woodschick and Dirtdame no longer have to fund it. At the same time, I’ve updated the site to a current version of XenForo (the discussion software it runs on). The previous version was outdated and no longer supported.

    Unfortunately, the new software version doesn’t support importing the old site’s styles, so for now, you’ll see the XenForo default style. This may change over time.

    Coffee didn’t document the work he did on the site, so I’ve been digging through the old setup to understand how everything was running. There may still be things I’ve missed. One known issue is that email functionality is not yet working on the new site, but I hope to resolve this over time.

    Thanks for your patience and support!

2 focused bikes or 1 dualsport

firffighter

firffighter

Husqvarna
AA Class
Contemplating my next move. I have a very nice Gasgas EC300 that is my dedicated woods machine. I love the bike and it fits the bill perfectly. I want a dualsport as well and have been looking at DRZ's, XRL's, etc. as my second bike. This would give me the opportunity to hit the woods with a bike that is perfectly fitted for the task, and then hit the forest service roads with a focused dualsport for exploring.
But, I have been thinking that maybe it would be beneficial to just have a real dualsport like a TE310, 450, 510. I am a "B" rider, do one enduro a year and mostly "aggresively" trail ride with friends and family. I put about 1000 miles or less a year on my bike. My dualsport plans are really just forest service roads and old logging roads/trails with very little road use. I may do some road time, but I am looking to do adventure riding. I would expect about the same type of mileage per year in dualsporting.
With 2 bikes, I get the advantage of each bike specifically set up and focused on the task, less wear and tear, etc. But, with 1 dualsport, I get the advantage of a bike that can do both tasks,d I dont have to switch riding styles, etc. Seems like with each option, there are compromises. Price wise, I would break even with my Gasgas and my budget for a dualsport being right around the same price as a new(er) Husky TE.
 
Deals are happening on TE 630's....$2000 off

A true Adventure bike. Half the bikes on my one trip to Baja were TE 610s
 
The handling of my TE450 is amazing. Even in pretty tight stuff it behaves itself so well, but it's a larger heavier bike than I want to lug around on an "only" basis. Also, I prefer a two stroke, so I've gone the two bike route. But, if you're really not gonna click off mileage on the street, do you need such a large bike? Probably not. I'd think that a bike like a TE310 could go pretty hard in the woods and still dual sport.
 
After owning/ridding the Gas Gas 300 (sweet bike) I just know that you WILL NOT be happy with one of the Jap dual-sports as the weight and quality will be a disappointment.

Been there done that.

Buy a KTM 450 or 530 EXC-R, or Husky and after riding the new bike, decide from there.

My 530 KTM is an awesome both on & off road with easy 75-mph cruising speed even geared for the dirt as the KTM gears are well spaced and 6th is like overdrive….well done KTM. KTMs have a ton of aftermarket stuff as well.

The TE-310 is well built and a bit lighter, but not sure that close ratio gearing would get you too far down a long highway to the trails.
 
I have had my TE511 for 3 months and put almost 1500 miles on it. I have piles of great off road bikes like a WR125, 250, 360, 400... I bought the TE511 to replace my ATK 490 as my DS bike. The WR's sit collecting dust as the TE is so good i don't want to ride the other bikes much any more. If your only doing 1000 miles a year and 90% trail, and dirt roads i can't think of a better do it all machine than the TE449/511. Feels light on the trail, is super accommodating, gets 45 mpg DSing, and rewarding to own and ride. Super fun bike that can do it all and do it well (makes no excuses for being a DS bike)

Now if your planning on hitting a bunch of street and doing open stuff like Baja grab that deal on a new TE630.
 
Well, I tried a dualsported XR400 as a do-it-all bike, and it did OK, but obviously is not on par with my Gasgas in the woods. But, it was close to being a go all around bike and was just right for the dirt road exploring and limited street use I had in mind. I also tried an XR650L and even though it really is a turd as a dirtbike, it works well for casual dualsporting.
The TE310 or TE450 would be my first choices and I think the 310 would be a great little woods weapon (previously owned a WR250f w/mods and loved it in the woods). But, my fear with the 310 is if I decided to hit 30 miles of pavement at 50+ mph. Again, no highway use, more country roads. I also have owned a WR450f and enjoyed it as well in the woods, I just had to ride a bit differently. I think the TE450 might be better suited as an all around bike over the 310.
I have considered the KTM's, but their pricetags are just too big for my budget. I can get a new 2010 TE450 for just over $6K right now.
Overall, it would be a bike I would put 1500 miles or so a year on, and I would think the TE would be a solid choice for many years.
 
I just sold a GasGas 300 to fund my TE 449. IMHO, it doesn't get any better than GG in the woods. Best all-around woods bike I've ever ridden. I had to get a plate on my bike because some of the places I ride (in PA mostly) are cracking down on unplated bikes on fire roads. So I had to sell the GG. Do I miss the GasGas? You bet I do. But not as much a I initially thought because the TE 449 has turned out to be A LOT better in the woods than I expected. If cost was not an issue, and I could have afforded the TE without selling the GG, the Gasser would still be with me.
 
I have read every post from Kelly and others regarding the TE449/511 and have to say I have been very impressed. And to have your input krieg regarding your thoughts after selling your Gasgas are encouraging.
My budget being tight, my natural tendency to never by new, and the fact that I buy and sell bikes every 8 months are the big obstacles for me. I know Husky has great customer support, especially here in the NW and the prices for a 2011 TE449 are very resonable.
Maybe I need to bum a ride on Kelly's to make up my mind.
 
firffighter said:
Maybe I need to bum a ride on Kelly's to make up my mind.
Click to expand...

Never a problem, let me know when.
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firffighter said:
I have read every post from Kelly and others regarding the TE449/511 and have to say I have been very impressed. And to have your input krieg regarding your thoughts after selling your Gasgas are encouraging.
My budget being tight, my natural tendency to never by new, and the fact that I buy and sell bikes every 8 months are the big obstacles for me. I know Husky has great customer support, especially here in the NW and the prices for a 2011 TE449 are very resonable.
Maybe I need to bum a ride on Kelly's to make up my mind.
Click to expand...
I'd strongly recommend riding one of the 449/511's if at all possible. I think, like me, you'll be surprised. But I still miss my GG.
 
It woudl be very hard to let my Gasser go. It is the easiest woods bike I have ever ridden and makes technical terrain a pleasure to ride.
Bill's has a '10 TE450 for under $7K and .99% financing. That is loaning money for free! That is one heck of a deal.
 
I also vote 2 bikes. I have a WR150 and a VFR 800 (soon to be sold to make room for a SM 630). I use the street bike to commute and for me it boils down to which bike is safer on the street - one with street tires/brakes or DS tires/brakes. Yesterday I did a nose stand on the VFR because a dumb kid came out from between two parked cars without looking. I don't know if a DS tire and brakes would have given me the needed traction and braking power to keep from running over the kid.
 
I'd have two bikes if I wasn't married. :D

One would probably still be the TE630, though. The second would be a Ducati Streetfighter or Hypermotard.
 
I am married, but you still have to have two bikes. Compromise isn't any good but that is what you get with dualsport ok at both, but not perfect. I ride a WR300 as a woods bike but was recently loaned a DRZ400. After riding a dedicated bike the DRZ was hopeless in the woods but far better on gravel trails than the WR. Dont compromise - you wont be satisfied with either type of riding.
 
windsurf said:
I am married, but you still have to have two bikes. Compromise isn't any good but that is what you get with dualsport ok at both, but not perfect. I ride a WR300 as a woods bike but was recently loaned a DRZ400. After riding a dedicated bike the DRZ was hopeless in the woods but far better on gravel trails than the WR. Dont compromise - you wont be satisfied with either type of riding.
Click to expand...
Most of the time I have the same "no compromise" train of thought. But, I'm pretty happy with my TE. It's pretty ideal for the riding we have around here.
 
It test rode the 630 before buying my TE 510. It is a very nice bike but noticable heavier, bigger, etc than the 510 or other "real" dirt oriented bikes. I decided a street legal dirt bike, and a dirt capable street bike would be the best for me. A TE 510 for the dirt and some street riding, a 950 SE for street riding and some non-black diamond dirt riding.

The 630 (or a 610) would've been my choice if I'd had to get only one bike.

Good luck and enjoy riding whatever you get.
 
IMO, you can never do with 1 what you can with 2. Keep the Gasgas and buy an KTM SMT or Ducati Multistrada
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