Many thanks to you too, Norm. On Saturday, I brought a newbie rider riding a 28 yr old XR and he had a ball. The trails were tough, but extremely well marked with plenty of varied terrain. It was clear that you guys spent an enormous amount of time preparing for this and it paid off. Please add myself to the pool of volunteers to contact when you need help in the future and I'll bring an experienced crew with me. On Sunday, I brought much more experienced rider with me. We unloaded our bikes, but never started them. The Husky demo team were very generous with the bikes and were nearly forcing us to ride everything there! We obliged their requests and rode every bike. Like Walter, we LOVED the 310 and in fact, had I been able to ride a 310 prior to buying my 09 TE510 I would have bought the 310 over the 510. It's that good. Steve is looking to upgrade from the DRZ and I think he's going to end up wearing red and white colors. Walter was like a little kid on Christmas day telling me about the 310. It was fantastic to see a guy who hadn't been able to ride in 4-5 years suddenly realize that he could ride again and not feel all beat up about it. Inspiring! Thanks to Tara (I think that was her name) who braved the bug infested forest to photograph us trying to look like rock stars on our bikes. I can't wait to see all the photos. Anyway...we had a blast and can't wait to ride with you guys again.
Had a GREAT Time! Thanks Norm and Joe and everyone else connected with the event! The facility is perfect! The Demo rides were great! I think the TC250 motor was great in the woods! If the rear shock was a little tighter on the preload it would have turned a little better in the woods but the motor ripped! This will be a sweet bike once you set it up. The TXC310 and the 250 ran a bit cleaner than my '10 with the new 12 pt injector. I thought the 250 actually ran a bit cleaner than the 310 although the 310 had a little more power down low. Again set the suspension up and they are great bikes. I need to get a 12pt for my '10 if I can get those TB screws out! The big surprise for me was the TE449. It felt big, like a 600 but the front forks and handling were great! Super plush...smooth power and super brakes, turned great for such a big street legal machine. You could stand over the front and just steer with the back end. The front end was super planted even with less than new tires. I was later told that it was a race bike for someone at BMW and you could tell that careful set up makes all the difference in how a demo bike feels to a possible buyer. The 511 TXC was a nice bike but just not as set up as the TE449. I actually liked the open chamber forks better? Anyone else? My only suggestion after my experience with the TE449 is next time they should let Fred ride the demo bikes and adjust the clickers and set shock preload. They should all be set up like that TE. In any event thanks to Husky for providing bikes for us to ride...wow.... can you beat that? Class act fellas.....class act!
I loved the 250 in the woods, but unless I was sitting on the tank it kept washing out on me in the more open stuff like the grass track and the open section of the woods ride....I lost my confidence and ended up and riding much slower than I could on the other, bigger bikes. I'm sure it was a simple setup issue, but that motor is sweet!!! Does anyone know if the newer injectors can be retrofitted without issue on the older (09) bikes and if there would be any advantage?
I guess you could use it on the 09 bike....but Husky does not sell a ECU for the older bikes to go with the 12pt Injector. I guess you could I -Beat it. If it helps on the 09 I don't know. The 12 pt on the '12 TXC's make them run better but not perfect. The Keihn FI and the new head on the TC250 make that bike run perfect. I guess you rode the TC250 before me 'cause when I swapped on it in the woods I immeadiately raised the forks 5mm and took out 3 clicks of compression. The BMW guy told me he wanted to do the same thing when I brought it back. It was better but I think it was still too low in the back for my fat posterior. Drew was ripping on the grass track on it later in the day and he did not complain so what do I know? It's the same frame as my '10 so we know it can handle and the lighter weight must be a plus. If I was not old and needed a plate I'd buy one.
Norm,Joe,Kara and Walter once again a good time was had by my friends and I. And thanks to all who voted for my bike for the peoples choice award. Bill
Couple of quick pics...Great time in a great location. Lots of work went into this, it was very obvious. Again Norm, Joe, Kara, Walter...Thanks Grass track heaven... twistys, sweepers, chicanes and some flat out straights...run time around 1 minute 40 seconds... Waiting for their turn at the time trials... The great ones dispensing their grass track knowledge to the young'uns before their runs... Serious good time!!
Hope to have pics tmrw. Thanks to all of the Husky Family. Thanks to all the Sponsors and their donations. Thanks to Fred Hoess and the Husky Performance Team and the demo bikes. Thanks to the Logan family for allowing us to use their "epic" property. Thanks to Sailor Jerry for helping medicate my broken hand. Not done while riding....hit it with a 10 pound sledge. Not riding kept me on the administrative dutys and trail Nazi duties so I don't think anyone was wanting for anything. We aim to please and through the support of all forementioned the NE Husky crew had a record turnout as well as a record pot for our cuases this year. Hats off to all of you! Having fun and doing a great thing is the best of both worlds! Kind of like stopping during an Enduro to help a downed rider and then getting going again and still winning your class is about as close of an example as I can think of but still not as good as what everyone that participated, donated, and celebrated in making this years event great. Joe
I don't have kids and never got the thrill of seeing kids smile on Christmas but I got the same feeling seeing grown men smile all this past weekend. (and no.....it wasn't because their wives were at home either ) We also have to do something about every gathering Rich Little wins a tire...dude....I mean always! ....then he leaves them at my place after he changes them!
joe,kara,norm, and walter thank you for the great time! a special thanks to fred for helping my guest with his bike (bob the bike might be on the fire next year). will definitely be back next year! ned, brian
Looks like a great get together! I really like the the timed grass track and bike show. Being close to a Wal Mart must also be a plus. It's looking like our gathering is going to be even further from civilization this year.
So it's gonna be a running gag eh? FYI, the local garbage man just picked up last years take off from my curb today! I just spooned on the one I won this year on last nite....... In Joisey they call me "Richie Tires"
The Gathering was a great time! Great trails, Grass track, Vintage and modern bikes. The test rides of the new Husky models allot of fun, I was very impressed with the TXC-511 great bike and felt natural to me right away. Also very impressed with the TC-250 very smooth off idle performance. The most interesting mod to me was the G-2 throttle cam that Andy uses on his TXC-250 relly smooths out off idle performance and I think it is a mod that would be helpfull to all Husky riders with the Xlite motor. Will be looking foreward to next years Gathering.
great job Drew on the grass track challenge..on a demo bike and you still cooked me by a few seconds..lol!
That was another great thing about the Gathering was to have the knowledge, wisdom and talent of almost 50 combined I.S.D.E. medals present there to advise and mentor the guests. BTW a great many earned on Huskys. Unlike Wayne and Garth, "we were worthy!" Many thanks to both of those riders for assisting with setup adjustments on all the bikes; demo and personal rides. One of the main reasons my suspension gets sent to Drew at W.E.R............Spike knows.
I had a great time. thanks Norm and Joe for putting it all together. My wife took some pics, I will try to post them.
