1248 miles on a Husky TE610

Chadleys1 · 09-10-2006, 08:30 PM

This will be a quick ride report with plenty of photos.

Chadleys1 · 09-10-2006, 08:34 PM

From Austin Texas on Saturday Sept 2, I loaded my bike into a one way Budget rent a truck (500 bucks). I picked up two new friends in Dallas who were supposed to ride with me, one on a KLR and one on a 640ADV. It took us 22 hours to get to Jellico Tennessee, where we had planned to ride as much of the Trans America Trail as we could, and still make it to work the following Monday(tomorrow.)

Chadleys1 · 09-10-2006, 08:43 PM

Monday morning, we unloaded the KLR and KTM, so I could go and return the rental truck. The plan was this would take about one hour, and we would still be able to get an early start, but it wasn't that easy. The maps and contact information I received from Budget was not accurate, and I didn't return from dropping it off until around noon! I had told the guys to go ahead without me, and I would just catch up. I would soon regret making that statement. By about 1 PM, I was on the trail, overloaded, but happy. The rain started at about 5 minutes into the ride.

Chadleys1 · 09-10-2006, 08:47 PM

The bike felt OK even with the extra weight, although I wished I had left the knobbies on it as the rain got harder and harder. In my hurry to catch up with the other guys, I had missed a turn, and started running into water that was sort of "flash flooding" over the trail/road.

Chadleys1 · 09-10-2006, 08:57 PM

This section just took the cake! When I rode up on this, my anxiety level went up a big notch. I was so concerned about how to get through this flash flooded section of trail, that I completely ignored my GPS (Garmin 76CSx-great unit!!) which would have told me to turn around and head for higher ground. I waded into the water to find that the first section (20 feet) was knee high and moving fast, while the rest was about one foot deep. Without knobs and being overloaded, I decided to walk the bike through the deep part, which worked until I got stuck about 10 feet out into the water. I knew the Husky had a low air intake, but I started it any way because I was scared the water was going to push me and the bike down. With the bike running, put it in first and slipped the clutch to walk the bike through the deep section. I dropped it going up the far bank, but the bike fell against the side of the bank and was easy to pick up.

Chadleys1 · 09-10-2006, 09:06 PM

I had broken a mirror and some turn signals, and lost my french press coffee maker-thermos thingie... damn. I layed the bike down 3 times that first day, and was worried about damage to the ProMotoBillet rack, but for naught. The rack and the Husky subframe held up perfectly to the manhandling while carrying my Sealine dry bag with 16 pounds of gear.
Once I made it through the water with boots full of water and already strained muscles in my hands, back and shoulders, I realized that I had gone way off course. With time just ticking away, and the rain continuing to pour, I realized I had to backtrack BACK THROUGH THE FLOODWATERS.
Believe it or not, I was able to laugh at myself. I said to myself out loud; "you are such a dork," and pushed the bike back into the water. hahaha
At this point I considered that I might not catch the others before dark.

rokklym · 09-10-2006, 08:49 PM

S Won · 09-13-2006, 12:15 AM

Great ride report Chadley! It sounds like what usually happens to me! When I get my new bike I'd love to do the Trans-America Trail. Maybe we can get together and ride sometime. The TAT is the new criteria that I will use to decide my next bike will be. I'm still looking at the 525 EXC but the TE510 is looking very good to me!

The Husky looks good. Why did you decide to go with the ATs?

S Won

Chadleys1 · 09-13-2006, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S Won

Great ride report Chadley!
The Husky looks good. Why did you decide to go with the ATs?

S Won

How's it going, my old internet buddy from the Buell days? Hope you are doing well.

I love the Husky, everyone would.

I went with the AT's just so I would know what they were like, and the original Metzler Karoo II's were wearing out so fast, I thought it would be a good idea to switch to a more streetable tire and save the Karoo's for an occasion. I ride the Husky to work once in a while, and ride blacktop on the way to and from trails(more rocky than muddy.) The Pirelli's were slightly less aggressive looking than I was expecting, but they have proven to be OK for trail use. I now have a new set of TKC 80's that I will mount up as soon as somebody tells me it is safe to mount the front tire that says "tubeless" on a spoke rim with a tube. I ordered tube type TKC's but got a rear tube type and a front tubeless. That, I will pursue in a different forum.

I will be visiting family somewhere in the mountains near Gatlinburg TN from Nov4-6. I have been there once before and swore I wouldn't go back without the dualsport in the back of the truck. Meet me for a day run?

PM me if you want.

S Won · 09-14-2006, 02:38 AM

Chad,
That sounds great but... unfortunately I'll be working that weekend. My scheduale is made out a year in advance. All my vacation is used up because, I've been busy on this for most of the summer. Well, we started it August 1st. Hopefully, I'll have the roof panels on this weekend. There are 14 of them. We're starting that tomorrow morning.

Right now, I'm considering selling the 950 and going with a lighter bike! I need to get a new battery for it and get it back together. If I get a lighter bike maybe we could do some of the TAT next summer? I'll deserve a vacation by then. My wife is so happy with me I could talk her into anything!

I have also considered dualsporting my '05 Yamaha WR250F, if I don't get the new '07 KTM 525 EXC that I want. Did I mention that the TE510 is looking very good to me too?

All of my lawn care equipment is made by Husqvarna.

We'll have plenty of room for visitors in the new house and my old house is going to be converted into a guest house and bike shop. It would be great to start the TAT in West Virginia, when they get that portion setup. Just a thought! Ride up on the ATs and swap over to a new set of knobbies that you could buy locally and away we go! I could take 2 weeks off easy!

We'll do a ride sometime I'm sure!

Later,
Sam

09-10-2006, 08:30 PM	#1
Chadleys1 ^OP working on it Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Texas Hillcountry Oddometer: 559	1248 miles on a Husky TE610 This will be a quick ride report with plenty of photos. __________________ "It's not a death machine, Mom, it's a LIFE machine" - a motorcyclist

09-10-2006, 08:34 PM	#2
Chadleys1 ^OP working on it Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Texas Hillcountry Oddometer: 559	Got there. From Austin Texas on Saturday Sept 2, I loaded my bike into a one way Budget rent a truck (500 bucks). I picked up two new friends in Dallas who were supposed to ride with me, one on a KLR and one on a 640ADV. It took us 22 hours to get to Jellico Tennessee, where we had planned to ride as much of the Trans America Trail as we could, and still make it to work the following Monday(tomorrow.) __________________ "It's not a death machine, Mom, it's a LIFE machine" - a motorcyclist

09-10-2006, 08:43 PM	#3
Chadleys1 ^OP working on it Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Texas Hillcountry Oddometer: 559	more Monday morning, we unloaded the KLR and KTM, so I could go and return the rental truck. The plan was this would take about one hour, and we would still be able to get an early start, but it wasn't that easy. The maps and contact information I received from Budget was not accurate, and I didn't return from dropping it off until around noon! I had told the guys to go ahead without me, and I would just catch up. I would soon regret making that statement. By about 1 PM, I was on the trail, overloaded, but happy. The rain started at about 5 minutes into the ride. __________________ "It's not a death machine, Mom, it's a LIFE machine" - a motorcyclist

09-10-2006, 08:47 PM	#4
Chadleys1 ^OP working on it Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Texas Hillcountry Oddometer: 559	more The bike felt OK even with the extra weight, although I wished I had left the knobbies on it as the rain got harder and harder. In my hurry to catch up with the other guys, I had missed a turn, and started running into water that was sort of "flash flooding" over the trail/road. __________________ "It's not a death machine, Mom, it's a LIFE machine" - a motorcyclist

09-10-2006, 08:57 PM	#5
Chadleys1 ^OP working on it Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Texas Hillcountry Oddometer: 559	whoa This section just took the cake! When I rode up on this, my anxiety level went up a big notch. I was so concerned about how to get through this flash flooded section of trail, that I completely ignored my GPS (Garmin 76CSx-great unit!!) which would have told me to turn around and head for higher ground. I waded into the water to find that the first section (20 feet) was knee high and moving fast, while the rest was about one foot deep. Without knobs and being overloaded, I decided to walk the bike through the deep part, which worked until I got stuck about 10 feet out into the water. I knew the Husky had a low air intake, but I started it any way because I was scared the water was going to push me and the bike down. With the bike running, put it in first and slipped the clutch to walk the bike through the deep section. I dropped it going up the far bank, but the bike fell against the side of the bank and was easy to pick up. __________________ "It's not a death machine, Mom, it's a LIFE machine" - a motorcyclist

09-10-2006, 09:06 PM	#6
Chadleys1 ^OP working on it Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Texas Hillcountry Oddometer: 559	damage I had broken a mirror and some turn signals, and lost my french press coffee maker-thermos thingie... damn. I layed the bike down 3 times that first day, and was worried about damage to the ProMotoBillet rack, but for naught. The rack and the Husky subframe held up perfectly to the manhandling while carrying my Sealine dry bag with 16 pounds of gear. Once I made it through the water with boots full of water and already strained muscles in my hands, back and shoulders, I realized that I had gone way off course. With time just ticking away, and the rain continuing to pour, I realized I had to backtrack BACK THROUGH THE FLOODWATERS. Believe it or not, I was able to laugh at myself. I said to myself out loud; "you are such a dork," and pushed the bike back into the water. hahaha At this point I considered that I might not catch the others before dark. __________________ "It's not a death machine, Mom, it's a LIFE machine" - a motorcyclist

09-10-2006, 08:49 PM	#7
rokklym one man wolfpack Joined: Nov 2004 Location: Westby Wisconsin Oddometer: 4,294	__________________ Check out the Blog! MotoGraphic MotoGraphic Tumblr Chad Berger KTM950ADV, DR650 Lone Wolf Expeditions

09-13-2006, 12:15 AM	#8
S Won Studly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2004 Oddometer: 746	Great ride report Chadley! It sounds like what usually happens to me! When I get my new bike I'd love to do the Trans-America Trail. Maybe we can get together and ride sometime. The TAT is the new criteria that I will use to decide my next bike will be. I'm still looking at the 525 EXC but the TE510 is looking very good to me! The Husky looks good. Why did you decide to go with the ATs? S Won

09-14-2006, 02:38 AM	#10
S Won Studly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2004 Oddometer: 746	I've been busy! Chad, That sounds great but... unfortunately I'll be working that weekend. My scheduale is made out a year in advance. All my vacation is used up because, I've been busy on this for most of the summer. Well, we started it August 1st. Hopefully, I'll have the roof panels on this weekend. There are 14 of them. We're starting that tomorrow morning. Right now, I'm considering selling the 950 and going with a lighter bike! I need to get a new battery for it and get it back together. If I get a lighter bike maybe we could do some of the TAT next summer? I'll deserve a vacation by then. My wife is so happy with me I could talk her into anything! I have also considered dualsporting my '05 Yamaha WR250F, if I don't get the new '07 KTM 525 EXC that I want. Did I mention that the TE510 is looking very good to me too? All of my lawn care equipment is made by Husqvarna. We'll have plenty of room for visitors in the new house and my old house is going to be converted into a guest house and bike shop. It would be great to start the TAT in West Virginia, when they get that portion setup. Just a thought! Ride up on the ATs and swap over to a new set of knobbies that you could buy locally and away we go! I could take 2 weeks off easy! We'll do a ride sometime I'm sure! Later, Sam S Won screwed with this post 09-14-2006 at 06:33 AM

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