Husaberg 70 Degree Owners Thread!

[PABiker]

Originally Posted by toro618

May I ask which dealer you bought yours at? Maybe I can get one from them.

Five Star Cycle in Saegertown, PA:

http://www.fivestarcycle.com/

These guys are the best. Ask for Dan or Phil and tell them Joe (PABiker) sent you.

[KayaKTM]

Codemonkee is right about the spring rate but i'll offer this feedback.

the fork and shock are the same as what i've been running on my 2008 KTM 450 for the last 3 years. the spring rates on the Berg don't match from the factory. the rear spring is the same as my 450 but the front spring on my 450 is a 4.6, not a 4.4 like the Berg. this is why when you read reviews everyone says that it feels "stink buggy" (which means like the front sits a little low or the back sits a little high).

i bought my FE390 from Genuine Dirt Racer Products in Wilkesboro, NC http://www.genuinedirtracer.com/ they do/did suspension/engine work for PG graphics KTM Team GNCC bikes for several years including the year David Knight won the GNCC title. i'm 180 lbs and heading back down to 170 lbs or less and they replaced the stock front spring with the 4.6 (suspension setup comes with purchase from GDR Products!). i've not gotten to ride it enough to get a good feel for the bike yet but it does feel balanced front to back from my initial impression, not "stink buggy" like the reviews i've read.

GDR also price matches if you can find a better deal

Originally Posted by toro618

I am considering one of the two, so by any chance, anyone here know what rider weight the 2011 FE390 or 450 are sprung for from the factory? I weigh 154 lbs without gear and am wondering if the stock F/R suspension would need to be redone.

Thanks in advance

[Hair]

I am a bigger guy. 280lbs. I have both a 570 and a 390. I've always ridden larger bikes. The 390 is my first smaller bike. I bought it for my son. But he is not riding it so I am.

I ride mainly between 12000 and 5500 feet in elevation.
My rides include mountain trails all the way down to gravel badlands and sand arroyos.
I've always liked more power. I like to be able to blip the throttle and lift the bike or to bounce over the tops of woops.

My 570 runs hot on trails. I added the 70-degree tank and that has helped some. On those same trails the 390 doesn't run hot at all.
I ride the 390 about the same speed as the 590 on the trails. Speed has more to do with my skills than anything else.


I know that the two bike weigh almost the same. But the 390 is a lot more flick able. It's amazing the difference in the feel between the two bikes. I'm thinking that it has more to do with rotating mass than anything else.

One can adjust the throttle and riding gear to get the same speeds and power out of the 390 as the 570. What I mean by this, is that both bikes pull hard. Both climb about the same. They both run high speeds well. The 390 doesn't mind running 70 mph on connecting roads.

Coming out of corners on the trails is where the 390 really shines. It dosn't rip your arms off. The power is very linear. This is also the biggest problem. If you blip the throttle the 390 is smooth. The 570 has a hit. I use to use that hit for jumping.
When I am on the 390, I don't try to ride the tops of woops.

[KayaKTM]

So I've still not gotten a chance to take any real pics but here is the phone pic of the 390 sitting in the truck the night I picked it up. I've done the first oil change at 1.2 hrs, but that's all she's got on the clock right now. It looks like the weather is going to cooperate for me to get a ride in this weekend. Hopefully I can remember to take more pics then.

[Possu]

Originally Posted by Possu

Great thread, I'm thinking of getting a 390 in the future to replace my 2004 400EXC.

How are the valves clearances adjusted on these bikes, I like to do all my own servicing and wouldn't mind knowing what's involved?

How reliable are they, any horror stories out there, anyone racked up significant miles/hours on one yet?

Anyone able to answer the above?

[PABiker]

Originally Posted by Possu

Great thread, I'm thinking of getting a 390 in the future to replace my 2004 400EXC.

How are the valves clearances adjusted on these bikes, I like to do all my own servicing and wouldn't mind knowing what's involved?

How reliable are they, any horror stories out there, anyone racked up significant miles/hours on one yet?

There is some good information about adjusting the valves here:

http://www.husaberg.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11632

[Hair]

The valves on the newer bergs are shim type. But you knew that.
My 570 is very similar to my 530 when it comes to valve clearance checking.
The last I heard the 530 had well over 200 hrs with no adjustments. My 570 was checked at 20 hrs (good) the clock now has 100 hrs on it. The bike starts well. I don't plan on checking them for another 100 hrs.

When compaired to the older bergs and KTM this new system rocks.

[TLtrials]

Originally Posted by KayaKTM

i bought my FE390 from Genuine Dirt Racer Products in Wilkesboro, NC http://www.genuinedirtracer.com/ they do/did suspension/engine work for PG graphics KTM Team GNCC bikes for several years including the year David Knight won the GNCC title. i'm 180 lbs and heading back down to 170 lbs or less and they replaced the stock front spring with the 4.6 (suspension setup comes with purchase from GDR Products!). i've not gotten to ride it enough to get a good feel for the bike yet but it does feel balanced front to back from my initial impression, not "stink buggy" like the reviews i've read.

GDR also price matches if you can find a better deal

All of the guys at GDR are great, I have known and rode with them for years. I bought an 09 FE450 in March of 09 from GDR and have loved it! They are excellent suspension tuners on any brand, but they specialize in WP. With my weight (230) I have 4.8s in the front forks and an 8.0 rear spring.

Here are some photos and a video of my 'Berg:

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

Denver Classic NCHSA- 10-31-10 Lap 3,4,5 from Brian Massengill on Vimeo.

[veetwo _tls]

more alloy here as well
http://www.bboffroad.com.au/450_570_2009+.htm

[CodeMonkee]

Originally Posted by toro618

Thank you. The stock suspension then should work fine for my wieght. I am 154 lbs without gear. With riding gear and hydration pack, I should be around 175 lbs. I don't really care for taking the bike apart to send out the forks and shock for retuning.

I had to, I am 6'6" tall and I weigh 260# in my skivies. I love the results.

[PABiker]

Safari sent me this pic yesterday of the Berg tank in blue:



Looks like I know what Santa is bringing me this year.

[CodeMonkee]

Originally Posted by PABiker

Safari sent me this pic yesterday of the Berg tank in blue:



Looks like I know what Santa is bringing me this year.

Purty!

Now I have to decide between 'natural' and blue.

[KayaKTM]

awesome video Brian, thanks for sharing. you've done pretty well this season, top 20 finishes in every afternoon race! if you've got other video's post them up!

part of the reason i got the FE390 and not the FE450 was i'm planning to start racing a few races a year again and thought it would be a better woods bike. i've also got a 950 Adv. for dual sporting, i can ride it on everything that i'm aware of that's legal within an hour radius of Asheville on the 950 and have ridden 1/2 of brown on it already. i've not gotten a map switch yet but i'm hoping it wakes the 390 up some b/c after riding my 08 KTM 450 for the last 3 years the 390 felt pretty underpowered for a dual sport.

Originally Posted by TLtrials

All of the guys at GDR are great, I have known and rode with them for years. I bought an 09 FE450 in March of 09 from GDR and have loved it! They are excellent suspension tuners on any brand, but they specialize in WP. With my weight (230) I have 4.8s in the front forks and an 8.0 rear spring.

Here are some photos and a video of my 'Berg:

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

Denver Classic NCHSA- 10-31-10 Lap 3,4,5 from Brian Massengill on Vimeo.

[TLtrials]

Thanks KayaKTM! The NCHSA is a great local series, run by true enthusiast that love the sport. If you have run any of their races in the past I am sure you know. If you have not, the 390 will work very nicely at these courses.

I didn't get to ride all of the NCHSA races this year because some friends and I rode the National Enduro Series. We had a great time with that, all four of us were on Husabergs - two FE450s, one FX450, and one FE390.

I also ride 950 Adv's with Ben from GDR and a couple of other guys around Wilkesboro, so we all need to hook up for a weekend ride sometime.

I am working on selling my DRZ400S and GasGas trials bike to roll that cash over to a 'Berg FE570 dual sport. I have them posted in the Flea Market for sale, and they are on display at GDR, if anybody you know out Asheville way is interested.

Here are a couple of other videos from this year in the enduros. The quality is not as good as the Denver Race video. I had an original Gopro mounted to my chest protector because the top helmet mount will never last in these races with the limbs and foliage. (I have a countourHD 1080P and I like the goggle strap mount better) I can't keep the vents mounted on my helmets much less a camera, and there ain't no stopping in the middle of a race!

2010 Inyan Kara National Enduro, Upton, WY - Section 3 from Brian Massengill on Vimeo.

2010 National Enduro - Jack Pine Section 3 from Brian Massengill on Vimeo.

[twotyred]

From my understanding...talking to my Dealer.. the blue color of the Safari tanks is closer to the Yamaha than the Husaberg. That may not worry some, it may worry others that it is not a perfect match. Also, to consider is with natural, it is very easy to see just how much fuel you have in the tank.