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20 Nov 2012
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New Husqvarna TR650
I took the new TR 650 Terra out for a test ride the other day and if you’re looking for a new bike I have to say there wasn’t much to complain about. Engine was nippy in town and smooth on the motorway. Brakes, gear change and all the rest were better than my shed. Looks well put together too. Same engine as a Sertao but with an extra 10hp. They say it’s only 6kg lighter which is hard to believe when you're alongside a Sertao.
Can't see where the extra 25/30 kilos of flab went over a TE630 or BMW X-challenge, either.
From £5300 or $7k in the US it worth a thought if you want something different. Same weight XT660R is £1200 more.
Of course you want to wait a year to be sure you don't get a turkey and it needs everything added from a bashplate upwards.
There's a cool-looking, retro-style Baja version in the pipeline too. Same engine and chassis as the TRs - but probably the same weight too.
More on my www.
Ch
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Last edited by Chris Scott; 20 Nov 2012 at 23:30.
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20 Nov 2012
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Dear BMW,
WTF is with making bikes with spindly, sticky out pillion peg hangers, welded directly to the frame?
Regards,
Dash
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20 Nov 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Scott
Looks well put together too. Same engine as a Sertao but with an extra 10hp. They say it’s only 6kg lighter which is hard to believe when you're alongside a Sertao.
Can't see where the extra 25/30 kilos of flab went over a TE630 or BMW X-challenge, either.
From £5300 or $7k in the US it worth a thought if you want something different. Same weight XT660R is £1200 more.
Of course you want to wait a year to be sure you don't get a turkey and it needs everything added from a bashplate upwards.
There a cool-looking, retro-style Baja version in the pipeline too. Same engine and chassis as the TRs - but probably the same weight too.
More on my www.
Chyaeruing
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I took a quick look at the Husky stand at the annual NEC show here in the UK last year, so maybe I will look more closely this year.
At that time (ie a year ago now!) the bikes certainly seemed to have developed to address a wider market, but early days for the new owners was my overall thought.
I was wondering where Husqvarna will go now that BMW own the brand.
BMW have had a policy for many years of producing new models on a regular basis, often more than one per year.
An extra 10HP points to a higher state of tuning.
Didn't BMW say something a while back about Husky would be their "more sporting" brand??
+ what will develop with the dealer network viz a viz the existing BMW "system" which pretty much equates to one per county? (in the UK at least).
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20 Nov 2012
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Quote:
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An extra 10HP points to a higher state of tuning.
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I suppose they had to pull something out of the bag (shame it wasn't less weight) otherwise it would just be a Sertao/GS-G in different clothes.
Here's the Baja retro street scrambler. Same base as the TRs, AFAIK.
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20 Nov 2012
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that Baja looks amazing! 
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21 Nov 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MagicMANX
that Baja looks amazing! |
Especially if you like an old CZ and a look which just obviates questions of quality !
The Triumph Scrambler is better looking and just as silly. The TE630 . . . much better bike.
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22 Nov 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Genghis9021
Especially if you like an old CZ and a look which just obviates questions of quality !
The Triumph Scrambler is better looking and just as silly. The TE630 . . . much better bike.
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The triumph scrambler is better looking, but the husky will weigh about 50kg less. however my CCM weighs 50kg less again and trumps them both on looks (in my opinion)
This one is actually Mrs Fox's CCM but you get the point
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22 Nov 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fantastic Mister Fox
The triumph scrambler is better looking, but the husky will weigh about 50kg less. however my CCM weighs 50kg less again and trumps them both on looks (in my opinion)
This one is actually Mrs Fox's CCM but you get the point |
Um, yes, in your opinion....... sorry mate, but I'd take the Husky or Scrambler over the CCM any day of the week and twice on Sundays. The CCM looks a bit, er, rustic?
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22 Nov 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fantastic Mister Fox
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How beautiful! Like this style pretty much -  for this (almost) unique bikes!
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3 Jan 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Genghis9021
The Triumph Scrambler is better looking and just as silly.
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Have to defend the Triumph Scram here. Yes it's not designed to go off road but I owned one for 2 years, did some mods and took it on the ADVriders meet in Italy in 2009 where it got some scathing looks. I had the last laugh though because it got to places that some KTMs and BMWs failed to get to.
The Scram is actually built like a brick shit house which is why it's heavy. It's also low which has both negative and positive aspects:-
Limited suspension travel and poor ground clearance means you have to pick your line carefully.
Low enough to paddle your way through tricky stuff.
I'd say Triumph missed a trick with the Scram because if they made one with decent suspension and more ground clearance but kept the seat low it would be the modern equivalent of the R80GS.
I swapped it for the 800XC  which I honestly think is the best all round bike on the planet at the moment. It no worse than any of the other bikes in this photo...
Head down expecting a flaming........................  
Have to say that I like the look of that Baja but look at the spindly sub frame. No good for carrying anything but a couple of sandwiches.
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6 Jan 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blacktiger
I swapped it for the 800XC which I honestly think is the best all round bike on the planet at the moment. It no worse than any of the other bikes in this photo...
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Wonder how long it'll be before you start slagging the XC then!
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12 Jan 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnon
Wonder how long it'll be before you start slagging the XC then!
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Not long after he's interviewed for "How to suffer a tib/fib fracture on a motorbike" - a) paddle while riding. Mind you, I hope that doesn't happen. Paddle in a boat or if you're a duck. 
We "must" inform the Dakar organizers that eliminating the big Katoom from the race (following Meoni's death) that they chose the wrong bike. It should have been the "Scram", built in homage to . . . those magnificent old Brit bikes that were long on character and exhaust note and not alot else. Granted, the "Scram" is alot heavier with similarly poor suspension. Those photographs are nice but . . . I know plenty of people who ride Gold Wings and GT1200-1600s on such "terrain".
MCN (Motorcycle Consumer News) a US-based publication that does not accept any advertising recently reviewed the TR650. MCN is a bit like the UK-based 'Bike' (my favorite motorcycle mag, with MCN 2nd) in that it just states opinions and findings rather plainly. US motorcycle mags are notoriously positive and often seem like nothing more than sales vehicles for the manufacturers.
MCN's take:
Pros: - Good Value
- Good power from modified GS650 engine
- Good suspension balance street/dirt
Cons: - Heavy - 405lbs wet - compromises dirt work considerably
- 5-speed transmission
- Raised pillion seat interferes with rider movement
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23 Jan 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Genghis9021
Cons: - Heavy - 405lbs wet - compromises dirt work considerably
- 5-speed transmission
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Those are my two biggest complaints with the bike too.
Wish they had done enough work to the engine to a) take 7-8 kgs out of the engine and b) to make it 6 speed wide-ratio instead of 5 spd wide-ratio.
On top of that they could take 10 kgs or more out of the bike via stuff like the all steel frame and swingarm and heavy exhaust.
With not much work they could have made the whole series of bikes 15-20 kgs lighter.
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24 Jan 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by colebatch
Those are my two biggest complaints with the bike too.
Wish they had done enough work to the engine to a) take 7-8 kgs out of the engine and b) to make it 6 speed wide-ratio instead of 5 spd wide-ratio.
On top of that they could take 10 kgs or more out of the bike via stuff like the all steel frame and swingarm and heavy exhaust.
With not much work they could have made the whole series of bikes 15-20 kgs lighter.
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This bike will be popular because it is cheap like the KLR, if they start fixing what is wrong with it to make it lighter then the price will become heavier..
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24 Jan 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by colebatch
Those are my two biggest complaints with the bike too.
Wish they had done enough work to the engine to a) take 7-8 kgs out of the engine and b) to make it 6 speed wide-ratio instead of 5 spd wide-ratio.
On top of that they could take 10 kgs or more out of the bike via stuff like the all steel frame and swingarm and heavy exhaust.
With not much work they could have made the whole series of bikes 15-20 kgs lighter.
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Walter what's the wet weight of you XChallenge with no luggage?
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