did i buy the wrong bike? te511 versus terra

[Boogie]

That herb sprout is soft and a 449 or 511 would run over a big one and keep going

Even with unbalanced tyres? not so sure.

And I would recommend stopping immediately after the incident to remove the slippery herb sprout residue from your tyres or.... well you know DAMHIK

 

[ray_ray]

Ima thinkin the same thing...
1AUD = 41PHP hhmmm

Yep and the best part is your airline tickets can be purchased in advance and the cost is reasonable is what I'm hearing from some customers from down under ...

 

[ray_ray]

Even with unbalanced tyres? not so sure.

And I would recommend stopping immediately after the incident to remove the slippery herb sprout residue from your tyres or.... well you know DAMHIK

Even without a rim lock a 511 will bash-bash over one but not that I'm advocating riding without a lock when banana herb bashing ...

--

We only see monkeys climbing in the coconut trees here and not up in the banana herb ... weird

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

Mate I hear what you're saying about the dual sport thing and I really sympathise with you, as I would be pissed to.
It's always amazed me that the TE's are marketed as dual sport bike in the U.S when they clearly aren't.
Here in Australia, and in the U.K they are marketed as enduro bikes maybe that's because we don't get the TXC's who knows, but marketing a TE 449/511 as a dual sport bike is just plain stupid to me.

Ask twenty different people what they want from a dual sport bike and you'll get twenty different answers, different countries want different things from dual sport bikes too, so it's hard to cater for everyone.
Here in Australia a dual sport bike needs to be capable of doing 1000/1200 km a day on the highway with a fuel range of round 400 to 500 km, as its a big place and a long time between fuel stops, and it also needs to be comfortable enough for all day in the saddle,then when you head offroad it needs to handle everything thrown at it fully loaded, that's why I have one of the best ever made a KTM 640 Adventure.

Your 610 would be great here, bar the fuel range.
If you throw enough money at your 511 you could build it into anything you want it to be and good luck with it, but you also have a Awesome dual sport bike already, whatever you choose to do, keep us posted with info and photos of the build[/quote ] thanks I haven't given up......my 2006 te610 and my 2013 te511 I took out yesterday......both stock (new bike has fmf slip on ).......the new bike off the line flys...........the older bike has wider gear ratio........both look nice......oh well I didn't totally screw up.......a guy from Oklahoma was supposed to drive up yesterday, and buy my old bike and he backed out at last second.........if he had come, my old bike would be gone right now. and I would feel real bad.....i didn't know that the older te610 actually had some desirable status as a decent dual sport...I thought all dual sport people were like me......wanting a good 50/50 bike.......now I can see why the blowout sale......in essense,,,,,,,,,the te 449, te511 and tc 449? are essentially all the same bike! hows that for marketing? couldn't husky have spent a few bucks to differentiate the bikes a bit more.....but the bottom line is I buy huskys cause they are so much less money than ktm. I still think I might have the last laugh here......as when this blowout sale is over........and these bikes are gone forever maybe in a few years. the nay sayers will look back to 2013 and say .......remember that guy that had that te511 and wanted to turn it into a dual sport (even though husky markets it as that now)........he was right on .........if I have to throw my last dollar at the new bike to prove you all wrong so be it.

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

Even without a rim lock a 511 will bash-bash over one but not that I'm advocating riding without a lock when banana herb bashing ...

--

We only see monkeys climbing in the coconut trees here and not up in the banana herb ... weird

View attachment 26355

ive ridden around two islands their ........mindano (Puerto galera island) and Palawan........i want to do more........maybe I contact you next winter? can u get me a bike thier? huskys not maintainable by villagers their, versus Hondas?

 

[ray_ray]

ive ridden around two islands their ........mindano (Puerto galera island) and Palawan........i want to do more........maybe I contact you next winter? can u get me a bike thier? huskys not maintainable by villagers their, versus Hondas?

Sure come on back over but you gotta bring your own bananas ....

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

I cannot understand the issue here, you bought a TE511, expecting to use it one the road more than off the road, one look at the tyres will make you think, ok not really road tyres, but there are tyres you can replace that are more road orientated but ok off road, in the same size as what is on there atm, it is only the tyres and gearing that makes it not as good on the road as it could be. The seat for longer distance, and an added fuel tank.

I think it is a duel sport bike, just how you determine the word sports it is not a sports bike, like an R1, but it can do many sports if you set it up right, people track day them, off road them in the worse conditions, use on sand, mud, in fact anything is possible, and then on road. if you owned a Jeep say if you wanted to really use that off road like you would the TE, you would fit different tyres, possible uprate suspension, why would you expect to use the TE511 any different for so many different uses. get out there and use it even on the original tyres I did not find it so bad after a 100 miles, though you would not want to do loads of road miles on those tyres as you will square them off quickly.

My View still stands this is a great all round bike, They are a bargain, and I think in time will hold their price as it is an end of an era, and be sort after, that will do everything, & anything with some minor set up changes to suit. In some ways I wished I had got a TE511 over a TE449.

I own the bike , that is a fact. I doubt seriously if the dealer is going to take it back , and trade for a terra. dealers sell bikes. I looked at the terra and told dealer I was considering it and he told me "its a hundred pounds heavier".......lets just say their are people here who think I can make this bike exactly what I want......and im tempted to pay the cash to do so......I had a hard time deciding on the 511 over the 449 (look at my past posts) and after hard thought, I went with the bigger bike (600 bucks more) in that decision it sounds like I made a good decision (thanks mommy). so all is not lost!... I am buying a lightweight toy hauler and am going to tour the usa. I can stop at all the husky dealers along the way and bitch ........I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP ON THIS BIKE......its 50 lbs lighter than my 610 which is handy when im towing the thing in my camper (every pound counts)......and its compact too. I can custom fit it in my camper and sleep next to it at night........I guess one thousand dollars will get me started to the dual sport I seek out......im 52 and don't want to ride motorcycles for hours on end anyway....just banana runs........im a yogi so I am used to sitting on hard surfaces.........so now I have a new hobby, to turn my te511 into the dream dual sport.....who is going to get the last laugh?

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

Now that you have the 511 it'd be worth experimenting with it to see whether you can make it tolerable on the road. The biggest benefit to be gained would be from raising the gearing, as the high revving is what will tire you & the bike out the quickest. I'd be inclined to try higher gearing than you might think. Ordinarily you'd firstly try 1 up on the front or three less on the rear, but I'd be interested to see the effect if you did both at once. It'd be far better on road, but not sure then whether 1st & 2nd would be too high for hard off road.

In Australia a local magazine recently modified two Yamaha WR450Fs (enduro bikes, same class as the 449) to tackle the APC Rally. Countless hours and $$ were spent to transform the standard bikes into adventure style bikes. Safari tanks (total 27 litre capacity) and farings, XTZ660 Tenere screens, B and B custom racks, Garmin GPS with mounts, Barrett mufflers, cush drive hub wheels, increased capacity oil tanks/bashplates, revised gearing (to allow cruising at 120km/h plus) and revised (stiffer) suspension from Teknic. Despite all this effort by experts, the bikes weren't great, were uncomfortable and suffered mechanical woes, as fundamentally enduro bikes aren't built to cover long distances at constant speed.

I suspect the 511 works well for Motosportz because the main focus of his riding is off road, so he's prepared to accept its compromises on road. These basically boil down to some discomfort, extra wear & tear, & extra maintenance, which may be acceptable to get an off road weapon when he really needs it. Your circumstances sound a little different though, as you don't seem to be as hard core off road, to the point where the 610 would probably do the job, as its still very capable.

I'm not trying to talk you out of the 511. It's a beautiful bike, in fact I'd love a sub 120kg real dual sport myself instead of my 150kg 630. I just couldn't live with its on road manners in the long term.

I think I will keep both . and I will find a mechanic who is not a nay sayer. my favorite word is yes, my worst word is no......I am concerned about the lightweight nature of the 511 . I think its making the front end squirrel.........I do agree one thing.......my te 610 has full on knobbies and it runs decent on road..........if I put a cross tire on my 511 , that alone might give me the motivation to seek further action! I just don't want to get into a money pit. hey, I paid 6400 bucks for the 511.......that's about as low as ive seen it anywhere!........so not is all lost........maybe 1000 bucks on top of that im only at 7400 bucks and that's still under msrp by a bunch!.......listen to your heart. not others.

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

Sure come on back over but you gotta bring your own bananas ....

im sure you have read this. but I heard ktm /husky are going to make a big push now in southeast asia..........I spend alot of time in Thailand area......and dual sports sell better in asia versus the usa for some reason....I think cause most americans are fat and lazy and want a heavy , big bike with stereos.......

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

maybe I just keep it for my dirt bike.........and become a collector like a lot of fellows here......so I have my dirt bike.....my dual sport now I need a road bike and im set? I am going from having one bike to three!

once the te511s are gone they are gone.........better buy one now, and spend one thousand to turn it into a dream dual sport.....like me........

 

[HuskyTaylor]

There you go again calling it a motocross bike It is a road legal dirt bike or enduro motorcycle they are imo 99% dirt 1% road. oregonsage is right the Honda m/c are built like tanks will run for ever with very little maintenance. There is nothing wrong with Jap bikes and for newer riders who don't do their own wrenching they are perfect.

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

There you go again calling it a motocross bike It is a road legal dirt bike or enduro motorcycle they are imo 99% dirt 1% road. oregonsage is right the Honda m/c are built like tanks will run for ever with very little maintenance. There is nothing wrong with Jap bikes and for newer riders who don't do their own wrenching they are perfect.

but now i have a te511 in hand.......what to do.......I did get a good price. 6400 bucks....and If I put one thousand dollars into it.......maybe I could transform it to the purpose I want.........a decent road bike .....and a decent dirt bike??? changing the inner guts somehow.........now all I need is a progressive mechanic with the knowledge and will

 

[Motosportz]

You know you are going to have to post new pictures of your bike when you get it back from me. Those gay fork reflectors have gotta go..

rip them off, I almost did, figured i'd be running some stickers there. Pretty excited for both the suspension and pipe.

 

[Motosportz]

I've noticed in your TE511 pic, your forks protrude 10-12mm above the top triple clamp.

So, my understanding of fork placement in triple clamps is:
- higher fork (more protrusion from top triple clamp) = shorter overall wheelbase & shorter trail dimension which results in "quicker" steering. It allows the bike to tip into a corner easily but is less stable at high speed.
- lower fork (less or no protrusion from top triple clamp) = longer overall wheelbase & longer trail dimension which results in "slower" steering. The bike will be more stable at high speed but harder to tip into a corner.

(is my train of thought correct here???)

My question:
1. Does a steering damper give you the "best of both worlds"?
- forks high in triple clamp = good cornering (for dirt single track etc.)
&
- steering damper = good high speed stability (for interstate runs etc.)

YOGAVNTURE - maybe post a pic of your fork/triple clamp set up so advice can be offered about this.

Yes, thats what i do is run the forks up in the triple and run a damper. Tight turning for the woods and stability for the street / gravel. this bike is so stable it is not a big deal but even on stable bikes I find I love steering dampers as the calm the bike down on rock gardens, on the street and just overall. Again not selling anything and they are not necessary but I like what they offer.

 

[ray_ray]

Even without a rim lock a 511 will bash-bash over one but not that I'm advocating riding without a lock when banana herb bashing ...

--

We only see monkeys climbing in the coconut trees here and not up in the banana herb ... weird

View attachment 26355

Is that guy on the left a convict that just happened to be strollin' thru the area? Or do you know him?

 

[Motosportz]

I suspect the 511 works well for Motosportz because the main focus of his riding is off road, so he's prepared to accept its compromises on road. These basically boil down to some discomfort, extra wear & tear, & extra maintenance, which may be acceptable to get an off road weapon when he really needs it.

Correct. It does OK on the back roads I ride to get tot he good stuff, trails and 4wd roads. If I'm going to slab it for any length of time I am on the TR650.

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

Yes, thats what i do is run the forks up in the triple and run a damper. Tight turning for the woods and stability for the street / gravel. this bike is so stable it is not a big deal but even on stable bikes I find I love steering dampers as the calm the bike down on rock gardens, on the street and just overall. Again not selling anything and they are not necessary but I like what they offer.

just that you know, im thinking about bringing both my bikes te511 new....and 2006 te610 mint condition ......to calif. or similar and leave both with a guru.......and come back and wahla....I have two killer dual use bikes................THAT I CAN USE ON BOTH INTERSTATE AND DIRT............who can do this at a fair price? im going to be near sacramento.....and, will each bike cost an arm and a leg? im guessing the 610 wont cost as much as 511........as 511 we will have to go into innards.......

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

Correct. It does OK on the back roads I ride to get tot he good stuff, trails and 4wd roads. If I'm going to slab it for any length of time I am on the TR650.

but I thought u said I could turn my 511 into a street bike!

 

[HUSKYnXJnWI]

Sorry for your disappointment- Dual Sport and Adventure Riding means various things to everyone. One thing you can count on is that the bike should have a plate. Over and Over you will hear, husky and ktm "dualsports" are offroad race bikes with plates: detuned and EPA restrictions affecting the costs and challenge to run proper. I spent alot of time making my TE "dualsport" MORE offroad ready for me. My definition of "Offroad" is not the same as the guys in Cali or Florida- going to have different tire, and suspension settings. Just like my 'woods dual sport' set up TE will Blow through the stroke and bottom out on every decent jump- cause its set up for woods not MX.

But please don't ask for Husky dual sport bikes to become more street orientated. They are NOT street bikes.
Bikes that are less dirt orientated: KLR, DR, and yes the Terra are better on road but pigs in my woods. Its one of those things you can't have a bike that does "EVERYTHING" perfect- not in absolute terms.

That said... I am sure you could set up the 511 for anything, you just need to tune, gear, it for it. But Now its like the DRZ guys trying to turn there DRZ's into KTM/ Husky's whereas you are wanting to turn your 511 into a DRZ... in a sense. Take the skid plate off and add a 50 pound plate to the bottom- she'll smooth right out on the freeway.

Good luck, I hope you find your solution.

 

[YOGAVNTURE]

but I thought u said I could turn my 511 into a street bike!

great. so I have my 610 for the slab bike. 511 for mini slab