condsidering switch from sportbike to dual sport

Next year, I'll be in a good position to mix things up a bit, and I'd like to try dual sport riding.

I want something semi highway capable, but more dirt bike-ish than street bike-ish.

After much research, my all time favorite bike is the Husqvarna TE610 or TE630.

I will be buying the bike new.

Here's the kicker. The nearest Husky dealer is over 300 miles away. While I don't mind a road trip, or doing my own wrenching when it is maintenance time, what happens if I need warranty work?

Now, there is a local KTM dealer and I do like the 690 Euduro R. But, I pefer the Husky because of styling and price.

I'm also open to other dual sport suggestions. Here's what I'd like:

I want enough power that highway riding isn't miserable.

I want a bike that is more dirt oriented than street oriented. I'm not into the big bulky adventure bikes like the KLR650, etc. I don't really do long road trips on my bike, but a 300 mile day once in a while isn't out of the question.

I want fuel injection.

I want a 6-speed transmission.

I want water cooling.

The TE610 or TE630 seems to be right up my alley. I'm just concerned about not having a dealership nearby. I do all of my own maintenance. I have yet to let a dealer work on any bike of mine. But, if I end up needing a warranty fix, I don't want to be screwed or have to make a 350+ mile trip to get work done.

We do have a local BMW dealership, can they perform warranty work on Huskies now? Can the BMW dealers get Husky bikes? I've sent an email to the dealer with these questions and am waiting on a response.

Let's say the BMW dealer can't get me a bike or perform warranty work. What are my options if I make the 300+ mile trek for a bike and end up needing warranty work done?

Thanks for your time!

I haven't heard of any BMW dealers doing any Husky service unless they also carry Husky bikes normally. If your dealer doesn't sell Huskies, and it sounds like they don't, then I wouldn't expect any warranty work from them.

The Warranty is pretty minimal, isn't it like 90 days? not really a concern.

From your want list I think the husky is the ONLY choice for you. the 690 close ratio tranny is pretty miserable on the freeway from what I've heard (I've not ridden one)

I do know that a buddy of mine is a demon in the dirt on the 690, but on the highway I leave him @ 70 while I can do 90 all day long.

If you are thinking of a 610, better find one NOW, they are disappearing pretty fast.

I'm working on some debts this year. I still owe money on my ZX-10R. I also have a consolidation loan that needs knocking down. I want to be able to sell the ZX-10R and put that money toward the Husky to minimize the loan on it. I'm on a debt erasing mission this year! I want those two loans gone before I make the switch. So early 2011 is the earliest I'll be really in the market, which means I probably won't be able to find a new 610.

I didn't realize the Husky warranty was so short. I guess that's to be expected on an off-road bike. I think I read somewhere that the KTM warranty is as little as 90 days. Most street bikes give you a year. I suppose the warranty thing might be a non-issue then.

I have an '03 TE610E Dual Sport, it's my only street bike and very capable. I sold my two street bikes at the time ('00 ZRX1100 and '71 Triumph Bonneville) to buy it. A 300 mile day on one is up to the rider's constitution. Husky has raised the price of the TE630 compared to the TE610, so you'll be right on par with the KTM 690 dollar wise. Might make the decision to go Husky a little harder, if you have a close KTM dealer. 135 miles to my Husky dealer, 11 miles to the KTM dealer.... I still ride Husky!

Consitution isn't a problem. I figure if I can ride my ZX-10R to Sturgis and back, I can handle some miles on a dual sport.

Getting a Husky is really nothing more than a weekend road trip, provided I can get one from one of the nearest dealers. I already have two offers from friends/family with trucks to make it happen, should I pull the trigger.

It would be really cool if a dealership popped up locally before I was ready to buy, but in this market that's not going to happen.

I own a 690 Enduro, with Akrapovic pipe and mapping. I don't know whether you get different gear ratios over there, but the UK ones aren't what I'd describe as close ratio. It will happily cruise all day long at 85-90mph without bad vibes (that's well over the legal limit here), and will pull over 100mph if you want to. It will also lift the front wheel on throttle alone in fourth if you try.

It does have some limitations for road use (e.g. not enough wind protection and the seat isn't good for long periods) but that's no different to most D/S bikes and lack of power on the road is certainly never a problem. I can keep up with friends on various road bikes without struggling, including some on 1200s. It won't beat an R1 in a drag race but then you wouldn't expect it to. I had a BMW F800GS before it and the 690 accelerates noticeably quicker than that - I've never regretted the swap for a moment.

It's also pretty good off road if you throw some knobblies on it. Not as good as my TE450, but not as far off as you might think.

The KTM warranty on the 690 here is two years (unlimited mileage) - no idea how long the US one is, and I believe they are sometimes much shorter than the European ones so the 90 days could be right.

I haven't ridden a 610/630 but there are plenty of reports to say it's a great bike so I'm not dissing it in any way, just sayin' in the interests of fairness that in my experience the 690's not as bad on the road as you suggested (at least the UK ones aren't).

I don't know how the gears compare U.S. to U.K. but I own an 08 610 and I've ridden a U.S. 690 and can attest to the fact that the gearing is so much closer that it felt llike it was screaming compared to my 610 at cruising speed, 60-65 MPH, so much so, to me that it felt like 4th MAYBE 5th gear, and not 6th... But it was indeed in 6th gear..And my 610 is geared down a lil from the stock 14-45 to a 15-47.

I did like the 690 besides that though. Especially how it felt it carried it's weight lower then the 610. Don't like the tank though.

BTW.. my 610 wheelies all day in 4th as well..

How do you do that? I'm pretty much a 2nd gear only guy. First comes up so fast it scares me, and I rev through it too quick.

2nd I can do pretty well

3rd I can do off a bump or something, but I can't ever seem to actually pull it all the way up before I gain too much speed and just drive out of it.


4th I don't think I've ever done, except off the crest of a hill or something.

Here's my first honest wheelie on dirt:


Dunno if it counts with a paddle tire though

I 'practice' pretty much every day but I still suck at it, and I can't shift. I think I'm still a little 'chicken' of looping and when I get it 'right' I let off.

You can't have both! I tried for a long time with a BMW GS and larger DB's. Just enjoy your ZX for the road and get something small (compared to your ZX, like a 450) your not going to like wrestling a heavy bike like a 610 or 690 around, guaranteed! Start small, pure dirt and enjoy. You have to reprogram your self out of street bike mode. One way of doing this is to tip your ZX over 20 time a day, pick it up by yourself every time. Soon lightweight will become your friend and top speed will fade away.

DPP

It's just not practical for me to own two bikes. I don't have the garage space, and my wife will throw all my stuff out in the yard.

If I could keep the ZX, I'd probably get a DRZ400S as a second bike.

Good choice IMO

I have owned a KLR650, KTM 640 Duke and Enduro and love the Husky over all for many reason and the only thing I would and will change is the seat. 6th gear is the bees knees and the motor just rips when uncorked. Less vibes than the KTM by far too.

well.. with the stock gearing third was easy for me, 4th was close but no cigar. Now I have a 47 T on the rear instead of the stock 45. Since then, 3rd gear wheelies are anytime anywhere there is grip. For 4th gear I have to make sure I'm at the bottom of the meaty part of the torque curve IF I wanna carry it a good distance. So, say like 4K RPMs. Starting off standing with just a lil bounce to preload the suspension a slight tug of the bars and big handful of throttle, and to the sky the front wheel goes. From there just balancing with the the throttle. I haven't been able to balance wheelies with aid of the rear brake with anything besides a lil pitbike unfortunately.

I did the 47 T rear about the same time the bike REALLY felt fully broken in and loosened up, at about 3,000 miles. With just a lil bump or crest I don't need the lil bounce to help the front up either in 4th. If you can practice in the higher gears like 3rd or 4th, with the way the front doesn't shoot up so quick, actually makes it easier to balance and control.

And sounds like you're going about it on the right path. when you talk about your 3rd gear tries, maybe you need to start off a lil higher in the rev range to get it up slightly quicker without loosing the height to higher speeds. Of course getting it up high enough so you can balance it at a more regulated and constant speed instead of accelerating to a higher speed so much is always pretty key, unless you can upshift during your wheelie, which is something I'm JUST starting to practice with on the 610.

Also if your not doing so already, try to lil bounce and tug to preload the suspension before you take that big handful of throttle to bring it up. Then as it climbs you can tansition to sitting down. Or with more practice you can stay standing if thats what you like, but the former is easier AND more comfortable for me..BTW just for reference, compared to your pic, when you get used to carrying the front wheel a lil higher than that, it'll make it much easier. At that height it's not really balanced yet and thats why you're running out of RPMs. I know what you mean about being cautious of the looping. I just got back on bikes a couple years ago after like a 15 year hiatius. So it took me awhile to get over that feeling as well. Once you get some goods ones going though, you'll be hooked on that balancing feeling and won't be nervous at those butterflies in your stomach. By your pic, your not far off from breaking that barrier though and having more confidence with it.

Do you have the stock 15-45 gearing?? Going 2-3 more in the rear, or 1 down in the front should bump what you seem to be doing 1 more gear higher like it did for me. Good luck and be safe ...

And to the OP... get a 610 or even 630 and I think you'll be VERY happy

Thanks for the tips, I really appreciate it. I started this with a 14 front. Then I went back to stock 15 for a trip to Baja, and I've not bothered changing it.

What's the different rear done to your top end?

Man, I dunno about starting a wheelie standing... I'm always sitting with my foot on the brake, unless we're talking 'accidental' wheelies when I'm flying off road or something.

I think going from 15-45 to 15- 47 made the RPMs go up 200 MAYBE 300 RPMs at cruising, ie 60MPH. I usually see right around 4,200 - 4,300 RPMs at 55 MPH for reference. I rarely have the need to cruise faster than that, and sometimes running quickly up to maybe 80-85 MPH at most for just a couple seconds before I need to grab the brakes as I'm probally running out of "road" by then. I have on occasion though cruised at 70 MPH with that gearing and sure you notice it being a lil more busy than stock but it's not bad at all.

And remember, I live in the NE, so I spend a good amount of time at walking speeds in the woods. That lil change made it MUCH more enjoyable in those situations. It also made it MUCH better in the bulk of riding I do, which is usually dirt roads in the 3rd and 4th gear, and a lil 5th gear range.

With your stock gearing if you wanna practice the wheelies, I'd stick with 3rd gear. As far as standing, remember just starting off standing on the pegs. A lil bounce to compress/preload front and rear suspension, big throttle as the suspension is rebounding, the front should start climbing at a somewhat quick, but easy to manage rate, and sit your butt back down as it is doing so. When you do that, you can even adjust where / how far back you sit, depending on how good or bad the front is climbing for you.

Have fun, and I'd think about going back to your 14T front or going with 15-47 or 48 UNLESS you do a good amount of highway time on the 610.

I have fired off a few emails to various dealerships about getting me a TE630 in 2011. A local BMW dealer is looking around to see if they can have one delivered from a Husky dealer. Hall's Cycles in Springfield, IL and I are going back & forth about reserving one, shipping options, etc.

I don't have the money to buy the bike outright just yet. I need to pay off my ZX-10R loan and get it sold, putting those funds toward the Husky. But, I can come up with money to reserve a bike for when that does happen.

The local KTM dealership says they can't get a 690 Enduro and that the nearest place is Kansas City. So, buying the KTM because I can get one locally is out the window. I think the Husky is going to be where it's at.

Me again. Hall's Cycles is going back & forth with me. I can reserve a bike from them for a $500 deposit, and they'll ship it either open or crated to my house, or to the local BMW dealership. The shipment price is low enough that it's not really worth it for me to make the road trip to get it. Crated shipment is cheaper, but that means I'd have to assemble the bike myself. I've never done that before, but I'm plenty comfortable working on bikes. What's it take to assemble one?

We bought one crated from Halls. Assembly was really just putting the front wheel and bars on. A lot of people like to regrease bearings and such, though.