Husaberg Rallye bikes

[Renazco]

Originally Posted by paulsra

where would one find these items for purchase? cant seem to find them anywhere
thanks

Here you go, http://www.rallypanam.com/

[PackMule]

Originally Posted by boejangles

Here you go, http://www.rallypanam.com/

Or more directly, http://rallymanagementservices.com/

[SafariBerg]

Originally Posted by paulsra

where would one find these items for purchase? cant seem to find them anywhere
thanks

Paul it looks like you are in Oz, if so all you need is the ICO and MD Roadbook for any Aussie rallye.

You can get both of these from Vince Strang Motorcycles in Inverell NSW. Vince has been associated with the Safari since the year dot and is a good bloke. Order early ! he sells out as it gets closer to the Safari start date.

[SafariBerg]

During 2000 and 2001 Annie Seel competed in 2 rallyes on Husberg FE600 rallye bikes prepared by the Olle Ohlsson team from Sweden.

First up was the UAE Desert Challenge in 2000, 49th of 109 starters - 2.055 km total, 1.506 km special stages.

"The Dubai Rally was SUPERSTUFF", I had never expected it was going to be so much fun. It was all a very new expierience. I had never ridden my brand new Husaberg 600 before, and I'm used to riding 125cc 2-strokes. But the week riding in Morocco on Moto Aventures' Honda 400 made the swap easier. I had also never used a roadbook or GPS for navigation, which made me nervous.

More here http://www.rallyprincess.com/DUBAI2000_en.html

Then in 2001 she did the Optic 2000, 2.328 km total, 1.810 km special stages. Gutsy ride with a broken wrist on the last day "I crashed, but I'm very pleased with the result..."

39th of 140 starters, 101 finishers (one with a broken wrist !).







8/4 Last Day 7: 100 km special - The shortest day, but a nightmare for broken wrists. The first section was nice winding forrest trails and I thought this was easy. But after 19 km we hit really soft and heavy sand, winding thrugh bushes, climbing up hills. I was not the only one falling here, even Meoni and Sainct did. But I did it maybe 20 times.

I had absolutely no strength in my right hand and therfoer the bike took me off track and spit me off all the time. i could not use the throttle, brake ocr push the bike in the corners... then its hard to ride. Add a little pain on top of that. For a moment I thought I was giving up, but NO. I had done 6 days, and done them well. i refused to stop here 75 km from the finish. So I continued, determinated to beat that last big sandy climb from the beach. And there it was, the finishline! I made it! Lost a lot of time, I was 94th, but I finished. That's all that matters. Overall I finished 39th and I was very happy.

Read more here http://www.rallyprincess.com/OPTIC2001_en.html

[coak]

Here's some pics I dug out of the depths of my PC from the Malaysian Rainforest Challenge I competed in back in 1998. Not a rally as such - more like an extreme enduro (but for 4WDs & bikes)

cheers,
Coak

[coak]

That's Olle Ohlsson next to me - great guy (not to mention great friend) and the man responsible for kick starting the Husaberg Rallye scene....

[coak]

Jungle shot...

[coak]

4 of 4

[gladiator]

I've been toying with the idea of transplanting a 650 'Berg motor into my KTM 640 Adventure. Any thoughts.

[mitirino]

Who sells Husaberg in Canda (Ontario)? And is the 650 street legal?

[canadaler]

Originally Posted by mitirino

Who sells Husaberg in Canda (Ontario)? And is the 650 street legal?

Give Scott at Ross Rocher Sales a call. 519-393-6660 www.rossrochersales.com

He's located in Stratford Ontario and can fill you in on licensing details as well. He sells Husaberg, Husqvarna and Gas Gas and is a great guy to deal with and an Expert ranked Enduro racer.

Kinda funny...I was just e-mailing Scott about picking up a bike for the Tuareg Rally in Morocco next year. I have to admit that I hadn't even given the 'Berg a thought when listing the possible bikes to use. I've been riding Husky for the last few years and couldn't be happier with it. I was searching for Berg rally bike information and this thread popped up.

My impression is that the Husaberg reliability record in rallies is...well, not good. The last thing I want to do is spend major bucks to attend this "once in a lifetime" rallye experience and find myself sitting in the desert waiting for the sweep truck.

My first choice for bikes is the Husky TXC510...but availability might be limited...as are accessory parts like over-sized tanks. But I have faith in the Husky.

Convince me guys! Is the Berg's repuation unwarranted...or yesterday's news with recent improvements????

EDIT:...and while I'm asking...any reliability difference between the current 550 and 650? I looked at a used 650 (2001) a while ago...but was scared off by horror stories of it chewing up crank bearings.

[SafariBerg]

Originally Posted by canadaler

My impression is that the Husaberg reliability record in rallies is...well, not good. The last thing I want to do is spend major bucks to attend this "once in a lifetime" rallye experience and find myself sitting in the desert waiting for the sweep truck.

Not so see this thread, very few have ever been used as rallye bikes but those that have have finished

Convince me guys! Is the Berg's repuation unwarranted..YES !!!

.or yesterday's news with recent improvements???? YES !!!

EDIT:...and while I'm asking...any reliability difference between the current 550 and 650? I looked at a used 650 (2001) a while ago...but was scared off by horror stories of it chewing up crank bearings.

The bergs since the '06 model really but definitely the '07 & '08's are as reliable as any other enduro based rallye bike out there, more so in many cases, the 650 in particular.

I have now run 2 Berg 650's in rallyes, an '07 from last years Australian Safari event which now has 7,000 rallye km on it with zero issues, and is about to be preped to go again in this years Safari with a mate on it, and my new '08 with 1,000km on it so far from a 2 day rallye, again no issues and I will be riding it in this years Safari.

Last year there was 2 '07 650's both finished the 5,500km rallye, one came 8th outright !! its motor was never touched beyond oil & filters

This year we have a team of 4 X 650's in the event which is in August and we expect no mechanical dnf's. We believe this will dispel any doubts.

The 650 is the go, better bore / stroke ratio, more grunt and better power in the mid range to lope along at 100-140kph range with out working the motor hard ie its the least stressed, it will however pull 170+kph if you need it too.

A key to longivity is using Motul 300V Factoryline 15W/50 double ester oil and cange it each day along with the filter.

Search for my other threads, I have detailed both berg rallye set up and relability issues several times, see the Australia Safari threads over in the Australian regional forum

you cant beat the light weight/power/great handling of the 650 Berg, beats all else out there at present

except in peoples perception and past reputation

but that is not the reality anymore at all

[PackMule]

Originally Posted by canadaler

My first choice for bikes is the Husky TXC510...but availability might be limited...as are accessory parts like over-sized tanks. But I have faith in the Husky.

Not that a small sample is necessarily indicative, but the 510's I've heard about in Rallye/Baja use have been nightmares...

[canadaler]

Thanks for the info guys.

Re: the 510's Baja history (limited I know)...I hear ya'. I've looked through those reports and issues as well. A couple of technical specifications came up yesterday when I was looking deeper into the Husky. The TXC has a steeper steering head angle than the TE for quicker turning in the woods. Not exactly what I need for the desert. I do like the wider gear ratio spread of the Berg tranny as well.

I have been in contact with someone from Europe who used Bergs (03 & 04) in two rallies...DNF'd both times from alternator, water pump and gear failures. He loves the bikes...hated the problems. I understand that comparing those bikes to the 07/08 models is probably not fair.

Perhaps ironically...I already own the closest thing you can get to a Berg...it's "grandaddy" so to speak...a Husky TE610 with the old style (left kick) bottom end.

[paulsra]

Originally Posted by SafariBerg

Oil = use Motul 300V Factoryline double ester fully synthetic oil every time, I use the 15W50, it is by far the best for the Bergs' and copes very well for rallye use.

I would change the oil every 500-700km depending on your use. In a rallye, usually about 600-800km per day, I change the oil & filter each day.

Standard oil capacity is 1 L.

im looking into the best oil to use in my 650fe, local shop recommends bellray, as they say its the best they have used, can you verify the quote 'by far the best', in regards to the motul 300v. why do you think its the best to use?, where i am , the motul is $30 per litre, and the bellray is $15. but the extra 15 bucks is nothing if i get a few thousand more clicks out of the engine.

thanks.

Paul
www.useddirtbikes.com.au