Overall I guess it wasn't too bad. Just "Different" "Slow" "Underpowered" were just a few words of their description. Now their using "Human Impression" Charts ???? Did thy use robots before????
real world, I am sure that many of the testers will turn at least comparable lap times with the TC250 if not better because of the "slow" revvving 100% traction of the TC compared to more hyper revving, louder other brands. Anyway Lap times are all that counts in top level MX so lets see how the 2010 season shapes up! I can't see a factory level team tuned/suspended TC250 having any deficit against any other brand on the MX2 track.
Take what the mags say with a LARGE grain (ask me how I know). Also- remember whom it is on the bike and their ability, style, track type etc. as opposed to the so called "shortcomings". I cancelled ALL my subscriptions once Burelson stopped his reports for DR. My life is a whole lot better because of it too...dirt mag's nowadays are absurd and laughable compared to what they were. No bike is right for everyone. Exp/Pro want over-rev and big hit, none of them ride stock bikes anyways. Beg/Nov want ease of riding...then there's those of them in between. The Asian's stuff is so close and cookie cutter it's rediculous, you can toss a blanket over them all. KTM aint far behind them and want's on that boat and under that blanket for a share of the sheeple market. Husky's still playin' different. And in a world just chock fulla "look at meee!" and lost individualism, that's a good thing for a lot of us. If you really want to know how something works, follow the maker's demo days or mooch a ride from someone...judge for yourself what ya like and don't, and, if the don't can be adjusted for your taste. Works for me!
good words pv. its nice that we really have a renaissance of moto now with lots of out of the box brands to choose from
I just read the new Dirt Rider. What is up with the hard starting on the test bikes? Every magazine has the same complaint so there must be something to it. But then the TC owners post that their bikes start very easy. I’ll go by what owners say over a magazine any day but it is still perplexing. Maybe the starting issue varies from bike to bike just like the midrange bog problem on the WR125 did (which seems like a quality control issue as I suspect the guy attaching the power valve arm did not always set it correct). Or is Husky sending the same bad TC to each and every magazine? Either way Husqvarna really needs to get their test bikes sorted before they go out the door. It is probably something stupid like a plugged pilot jet or a bad spark plug. As for being down on power I guess that is a valid complaint from the dynos I have seen although I doubt the small difference is really going to make that big of a deal in the real world. If I bought a 250f it would be for the woods and the Husky, along with the Honda, sound like they have the best off road motors despite not having the most horsepower or a hard hit. There was also some crack about the reliability being suspect which seemed like an unjustified slam. I am under the impression that Husqvarna usually builds a reliable thumper. The 04 models did have valve issues but so did every other brand except Yamaha that year so I don’t think that is justification to be wary of a first year Husqvarna. First year models often have issues but Husqvarna does not have a history of putting out lemons as far as I know.
My 2010 TC 250 still starts in one or two kicks cold and no more than 4 kicks hot (95% of the time). I can only guess, but I think they either get the same test mule with "issues" for each mag test, or the testers are idiots, or the "testers" aren't really "testing" but reading the other mags and plagiarizing their results. I'd supply video footage of my TC 250 starting in various conditions to these magazines if I thought it would help. But alas, I'm convinced the negative reviews will continue until Husky saturates the pages of all the rags with ads and the corresponding revenue. People need to realize we no longer live in a world of Walter Cronkite journalism. Opinion rules. Fact and data are secondary.
Spark plugs are RARELY erratic, they either work or they don't. The reason most magazines have so many problems is: that unless a factory support team is with these flat-brimed sideways hat wearing susperstar test riders 24/7 making even the simplest adjustments for them that you or I already know how to make then they whine when the bike aint perfect. They also don't read the OM nor follow propper starting proceedure on the EFI bikes, same with carbed bikes in most cases. 99% of the bikes are not even broken in. They try and do a "first impression" or test ride, that the sheeple in the stands await their findings as gospel with baited breath, on a bike that's brand new and spend a whole two hours with it and put less than one tank through it. Or- they crash it on the first lap and complain what a pile it is and then.....hold out their hand for another free one.
we all know how good this bike is and all....BUT, the negativity with these tests is NOT good to anybody outside the Husky community...nobody that rides a Jap bike will consider a Husky, especially without National racing/television representation...attracting new customers will be a challenge.
I rode a jap bike and bought my first husky 2 years ago...magazine articles didnt mean much to me. Sites like this and TT steered me in the right direction.
^^ glad to hear that and you have an open mind...most do not. everybody rides Jap bikes because everybody Jap bikes...I have tried to convert a few riders that I know and it has been a exercise in frustration...always the same reasons, no parts, poor dealer network...etc. I explain the virtues and parts are no prob, even the great Husky bucks. Most see the damaging mag tests and they believe it as gospel. I wish more were like you.
First dirty little secret about mag test bikes is. They are ordered from the factory as test bikes. What this means is H,K,S,Y USA orders X number of bikes for testing then the factory builds them from the ( special parts dept) don't confuse this with special as in works just these parts are stock but lets just say lighest, straighest, closest tollerences, best of the stock parts,stock heads that flow the best ect,ect,. Then shipped to USA then they are set up by( Mag testing Dept.Very substantially funded) run in little tweeking here and there then dynoed little more tweeking the bikes that don't test out are put aside for other uses Rider suport practice,loaner ect.ect. Once to this point the (testing dept) sets them up for the particular Mag from the work order they are given Who is testing ,where,terrain,riders. Having a data base for all of these peramiters the bike is then prepped for these different requirements. Ever wonder why your buddies bike (non Husky) doesn't run or handle like the Mag said? Now the bikes are delivered to the test site, sometimes just delivered. Now as PVDuke said the flat-brimmed sidways hat wearing superstar test riders are cuddled, pampered, asses kissed, get personal tweeking you get the drift. Have even seen where wheels were changed after 10 laps of testing because the compound of the tires was so soft (from race team's stock specials,unobtanium) were worn out. When asked about it was just told " It's not a tire test but a bike test" Being One not to mince words I called BS thoes tires stick like velcro what kind of bike test is this? No answer. Then you have the LONG TERM TEST BIKE more like here keep this as a personal bike wink,wink, wink,then maybe do another test Oh here is some more tires, oil,jerseys,goggles,parts you might need. So don't feel bad that your Husky doesn't get it's true justice in the Mags it's just the way it is and has been and probably will be until such time as True production bikes( from dealers floors) are tested. Later George Media is Media lots of Politics and money involved Advertising $$$$
According to the article someone was there. There was a reference to "The Husqvarna techs were able to fix" in regards to "clutch seized onto the shaft due to lack of oil reaching the junction". I don't understand the issue they were having but it certainly seemed real. Personally I don't take these types of reviews as gospel, and balance them with owners reviews on forums. While I have no reason to believe they are stating things that are not true, I stop reading when they start using words like 'feel', 'seems', and 'vague'. They could have been much less complementary. They complemented the traction both front and back rather than say the front end was heavy. And they noted the steel frame "provided flex which is not always a bad thing". That could have been spun far worse if they wanted to. Magazines are good for providing the basic facts like pricing, weight, and in DRs case they have stepped up and have stated the complete jetting and suspension clicker settings. They even measured sound level which I find of interest. dunno... magazines seem like one more input of many to consider before choosing a bike to me.
George brings up a great point on tires (amongst others)....save that one for another time. I have some of those 10 lap tires hanging out in my garage..sticky, but don't last long! Used to run these 'take-offs' a lot but it got kinda boring constantly changing tires every casual ride and rocks just eat them alive. Coffee makes another good point(s). I would like to stand on the premise to never buy a bike based on what some of these mags today are saying....they are good for pics, weights, basic function. But most of these moto-journalists today leave a LOT to be desired. Always throw a leg over one or mooch a ride from a pal if ya can/listen to riders you know/ride with, first. Sure glad I did and it's all smiles and wheelies for me regardless of what the tabloids say...(my would be subscription money goes for tires, fuel etc) braaaaaaap! :ride:
I guess there is a fine line between being a passionate brand enthusiast and being an angry fanboy. Maybe I am going out of my way to never become the later so I will play devils advocate here (and in the WR125 review which I also responded to). Something is wrong with the TC250s the magazines are getting. Why do they all so hard to start? Saying the magazine editors do not know how to start a 4 stroke does not make sense. They seem to do OK with the other brands and I don’t think there is anything unique in the procedure for the Husky. And it could be something simple like a bad spark plug. For example here is a guy who had a hard starting 2010 CRF250 http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=867133. But that is just one example of a simple problem that could be overlooked. Maybe some of the TC250s really do have a problem. I know all the people here who have them report they start great. But many people say their WR125s have no midrange bog but a handful of them really did. Until it was discovered that the power valve linkage needed to be adjusted these riders had no solution. Maybe some of the TC250s have a similar little problem that makes them hard to start? I would be hesitant to buy a new TC250 until I knew the problem was not a random quality control issue. Whatever is going on I think it is the responsibility of Husqvarna, not the magazine editors, to get corrected. Again and again they fail to deliver a properly sorted bike for testing. The whole magazine test procedure might be s stupid game but Husqvarna needs to play it properly if they want to expand past their loyal base.
I agree with this wholeheartedly. The people who read this forum will buy a Husky regardless of what the mags say [or in spite of maybe]. The problem is the rest of the world is not made up of brand "enthusiasts" but of "casual riders." These casual riders don't spend a great deal of time on the forums -- they buy bikes based on what they read about in the magazines and based on what their buddies say [BTW - these guys also read the mags]. Put another way -- most people who buy dirt bikes aren't as into it as we are -- so they just don't understand what's going on. Finally, there is a segment of the population that really does research and wants to by a bike that is the LEAST difficult to get on the trail and requires the LEAST amount of work and the LEAST amount of cash to get going. To those people [myself included], getting a bum bike with a bad power valve spring, or FI that isn't mapped correctly or a bike without a tank that will do 60 miles or a bike where the muffler breaks off is a problem. All bikes have problems, but if you honestly evaluate it, it appears Husky's may have a few more than most. Couple that to the fact the network is down and aftermarket support is weak and you get for a risky dirt bike to someone outside the community. Image is everything and Husky's image is of "boutique" and "different." Just my $0.02
I get that magazine and read the article with interest. Seemed like an honest and fair description of the bike from what I've read elsewhere. They like it but it had some (IMO legitimate) things holding it back from being ranked at the top. Give Husqvarna another year of development time and I'm sure it'll be even more competive in a 250F MX shootout like that. And I'd expect the 2010 TE 250 and TXC 250 will do better in an off-road bike comparison than the TC did.
