IDK, but the sweet TE 310 has hit the mark every year. I think everyone is happy with the 310 filling that sweet spot that the other mfg's. are missing. Do you think Husky would want to put out a bike in a cc range they already own?
With the TE310 getting a new frame and now based off the X-lite 250 engine this year, I don't see it jumping to 350 any time soon. In fact, it may not be viable to increase the displacement that much in the X-lite engine. I see Husky continuing to refine a winning model, tweaking the fuel injection, tuning the suspension, etc.
TE310 started out with the same "big" frame and engine as TE450/510 (even the old TE250 shared this engine /frame family). It has now been put into the smaller, lighter TE250 frame/engine.... small bike big power. Basing a TE310 off TE449/511 family would be a step back.... to big bike, little motor. Not rocket science....
Never looked at it that way but I still like the looks of de TE499. Currently riding a TE310 2007 and at the end of this year I will have to dicide : TE310 or TE449. I'm 1m76 and way 100 kg ( I know .... ) but I live in Belgian where they have good food, beer and chocolate :-)) grtz
I'm not so sure basing it off the 449/511 would be a bad thing. After riding my TE511 if they could make a TXC349 (he he he) based on the new bike, shed about 10 pounds it would be a fantastic mount IMHO. I bought my TE511 as a DS bike. But after riding it I think I would like a TXC449 better than my 2010 TXC250 for an off road only mount as the motor is far better (runs perfect, is smooth and has no engine braking) and the rest of the bike is very good too. Not quite as flickable but as a lightened 349 it might be. Don't rule out how good the new bike is till you ride one (and long enough to understand it and how good it is). - I rode my fully street legal TE511 in some of the tightest stuff we have here with a friend on a KTM300 who is about the same speed as me and was able to stay on his tire when he led and slowly gap him when I led. Surprisingly i would have been no faster on my WR144 or TXC250. He was amazed how i hustled the DS TE511 through the tight stuff. I really had no issues with it in the tight stuff. I know this all sounds wrong but thats the facts. The new platform is very good, the motor is a pure joy, the suspension is very good for rough trail, it tracks awesome, stays planted, gets amazing traction everywhere and it feels lighter than it should. Maybe ScottyR can chime in also as he went from a TXC250 to the TXC449 for off road.
Not. The chassis on the 449 is a step forward as is the new engine. The CTS system itself could make the 310 a better bike. I shopped both and bought a 511 as much for the chassis as the engine.
I guess our difference is.... I wouldn't be shopping both ends of the spectrum. I'm a small guy and want a small bike. WR144 suits me well. TE310 in the X-Lite concept is as big as I would go, as I have no interest in a 450 or 500 4 stroke. I'm sure the TE449/511 is a great bike and if they could downsize the whole package, like the present 125/250/310, I might look at that. I rode an '01 TE400 for a couple of years and now have a '93 WXE350 for a 4 stroke fix, but neither work well for me in the conditions I ride in.
Think of it as like Chevrolet in the 60s. They had the small block and the big block. The 449/511 is the big block and the X-Lite is the small block. Now they just need to bring CTS to the rest of the line. Then they can enter the 21st century and go with modern aluminum frames that aren't designed to flex (and therefore fatigue).
they still make those things??? joking lol is it only the u.s. that is trying to phase them(2strokes) out or is that a international deal?? hell it might mainly be with the boat motors not sure.....
