Dual-sporting a 2010 TE 450, with cheap tricks

This is awesome! I am having an issue where the boot keeps coming off of the throttle body for some reason (at the most inopportune times of course), this will solve the problem hopefully.

Had a little drag race today with a TXC 511, 1st thru 6th gear, up to about 70mph, I'm pretty sure I pulled away from him, with 7500 miles on mine.

pro moto billet http://www.promotobillet.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=24_83

Another cheap trick:

I had such good luck with the $1 piece of 5/8" heater hose I got to replace my right side/lower rad hose, I thought I would get a piece to replace anything that might blow up on the trail. I found this piece of 5/8" heater hose with a 90 degree end and a long straight section, for $10. I saw that it might fit well wrapped around the base of the fender rack, with a few zips ties securing it. This could make the difference between riding out or not, for me or a riding buddy.

8,000 mile report (7000 mile report was on Feb 24)

All is strong on the bike. It's been 1500 miles since my high heat incident. I was surprised to run so well against Don's TXC 511 (see drag race post above), I believe his is still a little tight and will loosen up some more. I am using Mobil1 synth 15w50 exclusively now, it's $5.50 a quart and it saved the bike during my high heat incident. I believe in it even though others on TT say it's auto oil and will not work well with my bike.



I may be hearing some knocking/detonation/pinging under acceleration at certain times: high load, lower revs, etc. I am starting to think that I need to de-carbon the combustion chamber. I know for a fact the bike runs rich, the plug is always dark. If I had a carb, I would have rejetted with a smaller main jet long ago.

Here's some pics of me and guy riding around Lake Travis which is way down on water. Makes for some great riding though.

I'd venture that any low rpm ping is due to cheap or sub-standard level fuel not meeting true "advertised" octane ratings.

I am wondering in your drag race how you ever got in 6th gear at only 70 mph? I can see maybe 4th at 70 mph...

Is that the Mobile 1 that is clutch safe for 4 stroke motorcycles? I know that Mobile 1 makes it because I use it in my FJR but that packaging appears different from what I've seen.

I am putting 93 in it always, I am thinking I have carbon buildup, increasing my CR, because this bike did not knock like this when newer.
I was probably shortshifting compared to you revving guys. I have a 14t CSS, I shift when I feel that there is no more power left, we may have topped out at 80mph, I wasnt looking too closely at the dash!
People have said that ALL Mobil1 has a little moly or something else that is too slippery but I haven't had a problem. This packaging says it is for performance vehicles.

My 510 would pull right to the limiter.. and I'm sure the 450 would do the same.

Hopefully the knock you hear is not related to the engine overheating that you mentioned.

93 TX octane just aint gonna cut it anymore. I got some cheap octane booster today and man what a difference. Seats of the pants, I can feel more overall power, more low end power, smoother running, I can't believe how much better it's running and sounding. I found some injector cleaner in a 6 oz clear bottle on my shelf, emptied that cleaner into my truck, and then filled the clear empty up with some booster, put it in my tailbag, ready for Saturday's ride! 6 oz is enough for 6 gallons, which is a 240 mile range, no problemo.

This stuff is topshelf for fuel injection cleaner

You did pull me both times! Although i just found out you are 45lbs lighter than me and even with the JD tuner my bike is still not running right. It was blowing, spewing and coughing up on the top end of the throttle. Still i was pretty impressed with that motor on your 010. Stock, all those miles and some 30cc less than my engine... very impressive.

You ain't gonna like this....I picked up 4 hp getting my octane up to snuff. Bike is more rocket now than it was! Due to probable carbon accumulation in the combustion chamber, my compression ratio is higher than stock right now. When I get time, I will tear down the top end, de-carbonize and install my thicker head gasket and get back to burning 93 octane .

heh heh sweet! I should try the octane boost too! You riding Bastrop snake farm or Marble Falls this weekend?

OHR's bike also has alot of extra gear, spare tank, rack, schroud and extras that I am sure adds up- the 08-10s spool up pretty quick but once you get yours sorted things might change up a bit....

meh, maybe but you never know. Really newer design doesn't necessarily mean faster more HP, more betterer. You would think that would be the case but maybe not. I have read claims by some that the 511 puts out 50plus horsies (honeslty i don't know where they got that data because i have never seen official numbers from Husky) but it feels considerably less than the 01 520 exc i had and that was 48hp.
I will say that it brings confidence at high speeds through some of the worst rutted, and rocky hard pack that i have encountered here in central texas. I'm guessing that is the CTS. It's point and shoot. I tracks very straight and takes a lot more speed than i am accustomed to before the bike starts feeling twitchy underneath me. I say confidence but when i think about the speeds i can hit on this kind of terrain it is scary. I like single track and the low speed crashes that come with it...

The Italian motors are good at drag racers apparently, a while back Dirt Rider did a shootout with a TXC and it out dragged them all noticeably. I think my 450 would spool up quicker than my buddies 510. Sometimes, even in non technical sections, cc and HP don't matter- its about getting to their first.

Yeah, Don, that CTS is a major benefit on the 449/511s, I've read a lot of positive things about what that does for the handling and the traction.

On a side note, I re-weighed my bike, bathroom scales, front tire, back tire, add 'em together....315 lbs, 172 rear and 143 front. Full up with 3.2 gals of gas

CTS?

Coaxial Traction System
http://moto.mpora.com/news/husqvarna-ready-launch-ctsequipped-tcte450-raced-weekend.html

9000 mile update (8000 mile was on April 21)

About 18 months on active duty now, never really checked the rear shock linkage very well, heard some funny sounds, pulled it all apart and it looked alot like Duggoey's (that's his pic below, with the needles out of at least one bearing)



pic courtesy of Duggoey

I ordered some INA HK2020 bearings for $8 apiece, and finally got them in, pretty easy pressing them in after freezing them for a while. I used a bottle jack to line everything up going back together.


Indorider described perfectly what I encountered:

So I got the inspiration from Indorider to make up a slotted piece of tube to provide a little protection for the naked bearing at the bottom of the shock.



I was gonna get a new spark plug but when I pulled the OEM plug, it just didn't look too bad, save for the carbon build-up from running too rich. I believe the reddish tint on the left, before cleaning, is from the octane booster I had to start using to counter the increasing compression due to suspected carbon build-up.



The bike kept leaning farther and farther to the left, as the kickstand dug itself deeper into the frame stop, so I saw that the bolt that I had previously re-mounted my pegs with could be replaced with a longer bolt and act as a kickstand stop, allowing the bike to stand up a little straighter. Looks like hell, works like a dream.


The bike is STILL a jet, runs with or away from all other bikes. Still with the OEM rear sprocket, the front 14t has about 7000 miles on it as well as does the chain. I still love riding it, the pics below are from a hard-as-hell ride I did with some guys in June, and the noises from my rusted out linkage started after bottoming the suspension out on the drop-off below.