FE/FC New 2016 FE 350 - thoughts welcome

[mhgregor]

Hi all,

I thought I'd share some pics of my new 2016 FE 350 now setup as I like with some Husky accessories I've added: standard stuff really. I'm in the UK. I currently ride locally on a tight enduro track and a local motocross track. I'll be riding green lanes, forestry and some Enduros now I have a pick-up truck sorted.

A couple of questions / thoughts:

- Sprockets and chain: the bike came with 14/52 but third was just too tall for the tight enduro track I practice at. I've switched to 13/52 which is a little better, 1st is hardly usable though and the chain has stretched a lot in the first 250 miles (I'm already on the limit on the chain adjusters), so am thinking going 13/50 (Antoine Meo's setup apparently!!) and a new chain (112 links allegedly works).

- Tyres: as I ride the roads to get to practice tracks, the rear Michelin IIIe has worn pretty quickly. I've only done 300 miles, 100 on the road getting to and from practice tracks. Any thoughts on the Michelin Comp VI or even a Michelin Desert race??!! The front is fine but I'm looking to see if I can get better wear on the road and would prefer stick to Michelins until I have to replace the front. I'm still using tubes but will add mousses as I go.

- Suspension: at 70kgs without kit, I think stock springs are fine for the moment and all settings are standard with a touch of pre-load taken off the rear (static sag is 35mm) and the forks 2 notches through the clamps. I need to ride more to get a better sense of which way to go, if any. I've only done 12 hours so far.

Thoughts welcome. Anyway, some pics (before I got it filthy and suitably scratched).

Accessories:

- Akrapovic carbon exhaust guard
- Rear disc guard
- Full alu handguards
- Neoprene fork socks
- 20mm bar risers
- Akrapovic Factory end can (baffle removed - not quite legal but sounds good)
- Flexi-plate reg plate (not strictly legal either)
- Frame protectors / stickers

Security:

- Pragmasis 2.5m 16mm security chain
- Squire SS65CS padlock
- Pragmasis Double Doofer ground anchor
- Wifi CCTV with motion detector and alarm
- Numerous other chains, wheel chock and chain and a Honda VFR chained to it to block it in


Stock. First day home.


Akra exhaust guard


Rear disc guard

 

[montanaman]

beautiful bike !! I love it !! If you don't mind me asking what is your costs on the extras and did you lower it?

 

[Johnrg]

Nice looking bike

 

[bikesparky]

In a recent test of chains and locks they all crumbled to the force of bolt cutters in less than a minute (yes also the really expensive ones).
Consider fitting a tracker to the bike if you live in an area where dirtbikes easily getting "misplaced". These trackers are now very small, easy to hide and cheap to run (long term sim card).
They also provide entertainment and a workout for your friends if the need arises.

Skip to the 6:30 minute mark.

 

[mhgregor]

beautiful bike !! I love it !! If you don't mind me asking what is your costs on the extras and did you lower it?

Hi there, really sorry for the late response.

All the extras I added that you can see here cost £397 (about $560) and another £350 for the Akrapovic, which I didn't think was too bad. It's my first ever dirt bike so I did spend another £400 plus on other stuff...oil, spare filters (air/oil), copper washers, paddock stand and matt, ramp for the pickup, tie-down straps, a few extra tools, more cleaning fluids / lube etc etc. I spent a good £600 on kit too: Alpinestar Tech 7, pant, jersey and glove combo, Airoh, EVS protection etc etc. Oh, and I had to get rid of the Porsche and buy a VW Amarok pickup too!!!

From what I can tell and what swayed me to the Husky was that all the parts that came standard seem better than what come on the KTM EXC's (plus everyone's got one) and I also don't like to look of PDS suspension, I wanted linkage.

All that said, I rode my first ever race yesterday (I jumped in headfirst and rode sportsman class in an Endurocross race) and the plastic skid plate came off on the first practice lap. I also got a log jammed between the rear wheel and the Akra, so there is a slight dent on the inside of it (I might try pulling it out at the weekend, not really sure how yet). I've gone through 3 registration plates too: the standard one that came with it (very large) and two Flexi Plate ones, which aren't strictly road legal and just rip off when you drop it on rocks. The plastics have taken a beating already and i'm only two months in. I've also melted my pants a couple of times when I've come off and got stuck under the bike! Someone did recommend I take all the original plastics off before I rode it, save them for when I sell the bike and replace them with after-market plastics and get some decals. I really wish I'd done this in hindsight: the original plastics looks lovely. I'm getting some custom decals anyway as I'm going to be riding as number 323 for some Enduro events this season but it was all a bit of a mystery when I got the bike and I was just desperate to ride it.

One thing that has been pretty cool is that a lot of guys came and took a look at the bike and pay compliments in the pits at yesterday's race. I have about 35mm of static sag too, so not lowered (I think it rides a little high and stiff at the rear, I'm 72kgs) but I need to ride it more before I start playing with suspension more. So far, it feels about right but time will tell.

I hope all of that helps.

 

[mhgregor]

In a recent test of chains and locks they all crumbled to the force of bolt cutters in less than a minute (yes also the really expensive ones).
Consider fitting a tracker to the bike if you live in an area where dirtbikes easily getting "misplaced". These trackers are now very small, easy to hide and cheap to run (long term sim card).
They also provide entertainment and a workout for your friends if the need arises.

Skip to the 6:30 minute mark.

I've not found evidence of anyone get through 16mm chains that are correctly installed, made by these people (below) even with the largest of bolt croppers. I have two 16mm 2.5m chains through the frame and through another bike and through a ground anchor, in a locked garage.

I did suffer an attempted robbery before my original post and my fiance and I caught them in the act. They got through 2 and a half of my 4 chains, the largest being 10mm. The 8mm chain cut like butter and the 10mm looked like they had two attempts. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you need to be a pretty strong, heavy bloke and you need the most serious 42" bolt croppers to do it. We even got the reg of their van, but CCTV didn't show concrete evidence of the offence, so even whilst that vehicle has been reported for motorbike theft before, the Police can't take it further.

I'm looking at trackers too and apparently pet trackers, with the SIM card like you mention work well, just as good as a proper bike tracker. My feeling is though that trackers are a little late: hide the opportunity, good deterrent, the best possible prevention and they'll go and find an easier target.

I do wish people would think about security a bit more as I would have been so gutted to lose a bike 2 weeks after buying it new!!!

View: https://youtu.be/7lDcViM1EKc