This bike is just so freakin fun. It passed the test with flying colors. What other bike can you ride from your house, down to baja, then ride hundreds of miles of remote trails, then ride home--all without a hiccup? Theres only one. The mighty TE610. In a rational world this bike would be the king of baja trail riders. Some pics just to share the ride. Take a look at the MotoZ rear tire, the doggy panniers, and halogen/HID front light with fairing. Nice additons for a 600 mile weekend ride.
Nice photos! Got any more you'd like to share? Looks like you've got those Granite Gear bags stuffed to the gills! I just got my bags yesterday; I went with the Mountainsmith bags as they seemed to fit my rack better. Hope to test them out next weekend if all goes well. Glad to hear you're enjoying the bike WoodsChick
after spending some time on the TE610, I'd be interested in hearing about how you compare it to the TE510...
Woodschick, i will post some more pics when my buddy emails em to me, including some action pics. Glangston, yep--thats about half way down the La Rumarosa trail, about 20 miles north/east of Rancho/Hacienda Santa Veronica. (east to find, just look for the huge electrical power lines east of the town of La Rumarosa on Hwy 2) Its in great shape, could probably take a 2 wd pick up down the thing. It will get torn up a bit when the race the Baja 1000 down that trail next month. Fast1-the 510 and the 610 are just two different animals. The 610 is far more like the XR650r than anything else--think DRz 400 on steroids. The 510 is just a slightly bigger 450, similar (but better) to all the other 450 bikes. The 510 is a fine race bike, and ive done some really long baja rides with it--but riding one 100 miles from my house and then hitting the trails all day--and then 100 miles of pavement (that was day one) well thats just not realistic on the 510. I found the opened up 610 to run neck and neck with my very fast buddy on a opened up 650r--in terms of the motor. I couldnt hang in the nasty stuff-the 610 suspension is not yet set up, im working on it. We found the 610 was getting about 50mpg off road, and that really impressed me. Where i used 6 litres, my buddy on a new 450 Kawasaki used 8 and the 650R used 10. With 130 mile range, the whole 'this bike needs a bigger tank' argument is suspect. Who can ya ride with that goes further than 130 miles? The fairing was awesome on the freeway, big difference. Off road it just wasnt there, at all. Someone needs to make these available for winter riders. I ran a 130 MotoZ 'Tractionator' on the rear. After 600 miles its in GREAT shape. No chunking, at least 1000 miles of tread left on it. No punctures, etc. Its not DOT legal, but i ran it anyway. Highly recommended for sandy desert, long trips, etc. Its made of natural bunna rubber, kinda cool. Husky was a hit at Mikes Sky Ranch, even towed in a broken Honda Second pic is in respect to old Husky riders now resting in peace-theres a permanent candle burning but cant see it behind the rear wheel.
Extremely cool Mike. I know the 610 is not a full race platform but damn it does good when you her some room to breath. To me it is the ultimate dual/sport. I guess it all depends on how you desribe dual/sport but to me the ride you just took is it.
Nice pics. Baja. I too, am impressed with the range on my 610. I get 150 miles to tank when I go dualsporting.
"Who can ya ride with that goes further than 130 miles?" That big orange KTM 950 comes to mind. nearly 6 gallons.
Eric and I both have 2 plated bikes each than can go 130 miles, but we usually carry gas so we can go further than that. He has a 5gal on his LC4 so I'll be ordering up a 5gal IMS for the 610. Even at that, we'll probably end up carrying some extra fuel on the NV and UT rides. I think a 200-mile range is just about perfect for the stuff we like to do. I get about 35mpg on my carb'd 610 when riding it hard on pavement, but can squeeze almost 45 out of it when off-road. WoodsChick
Fran Bottone and I have always talked about a TE610 "R" version.... Maybe a 630 top end, maybe not, At least massage the motor a little, race map for the EFI, lighten it up where you can, TXC 50mm forks and upgraded shock. I'd think the thing would be a "Desert Weapon"! Norman
Yes Norm, I think that you are right. With just a little bit of massageing it would be a killer desert machine. My buddy has a XR 650 R that has been worked over pretty good and while he has a slighty better bottom end hit, the Husky will friegth train the 650R from just past a dead stop all the way up to where the Honda runs out of legs. At that point the Huskys tail light just dissappears in the distance. I kinda think that is what Mike had in mind when he bought the 610.
For sure the 610 is replacing my '02 650R. But not for racing. In baja/open desert racing the 450/510 bikes are just to fast and nimble to beat on a bigger bike. Strictly speaking the only place i see a 610 racing off road competitevely is in high milage multi-day rally type events. Lots of guys are realizing for the high milage, low maintenance trail ride/pre-run, etc, the 450's just arent cutting it, and a 610/650/690 is just unbeatable. The fact that the 610 has a button, comes street legal, has a well spaced 6 speed, gets great milage, etc. makes it the logical pick IMO. Its truly up to tackling the good stuff south of the border. The only reason it isnt the baja king is the millions of greenbacks Honda has spent over the last 30 years marketing itself as 'THE' baja bike. Well that era is over, and baja is now once again up for grabs. I would put my money on Husky winning the '2009 Baja 1000.
So are you going to give the 610 the Dakar treatment? Maybe even run one or two of the marathon type events, or is it just going to used as an exceptionally good trail rider?
For sure--i have some unfinished business in the Sahara. The economy, my kids, my business, all that stuff will have to work out to get back there. Its a 2 year commitment to do the Dakar Rally, and it really takes a toll on the family. Endless nights in the garage. Huge money. Tons of stress. Anyway--the 610 would be my choice for any future rally. Im thinking about Ironmanning the 1000 on my 610 just to stay on that track, this ride was a test to see how feasable that would be.
I was surprised how well the TE610 works in tight NW woods. It is no TXC450 but I was hanging with a KTM450 and KTM525 (with very good riders on them) in the tight stuff this summer in a 240 mile DS ride. It works real good you just have to remember it is in the 300 pound range so if things get out of control you might loose the battle to get it back. I just realized this (weight), forgot about the bike and rode it as a fast 80% speed. Great bike.
This one is fixed to my 510. Attached to custom braces that bolt to the radiator mounts and come up around the front of the steering stem. Its available from Mecasystem.fr as both a fairing and two 'saddle' tanks, and this is where the privateer Dakar guys get their stuff. http://www.tracksidephoto.com/galle.../2007/SCORE/2007SCOREBaja1000/Bikes&start=12/ http://www.tracksidephoto.com/galle.../2007/SCORE/2007SCOREBaja1000/Bikes&start=12/
