boisedave
Husqvarna
AA Class
He guys -- thought I'd take a minute to post up some ride reports. Our local Husaber/Beta Dealer brought a few bikes out to ride in the desert south of town. The bikes were: Husaberg TE300; FE 501; FE 250 and the Beta 300 Two Stroke. We got a bunch of time on each -- I probably spent a 1/2 our on each bike. Fantastic experience -- Really awesome. I ride a 2009 KTM 250XCW. I took them all through the same area -- some real high speed stuff, a really gnarly wooped pout section of a mile or two that they run races over, high speed sand wash, fun single track wash and a very little technical stream bed. A pretty good mix I thought.
Here are some Thoughts:
2013 FE 250 - Super fun bike. Loved the 4CS forks. Plush, smooth through the mid-stroke and good bottoming resistance. Rear end was typical PDS. More when I compare the TE300 to the Beta [Beta has linkage]. Fit just fine -- used to the KTM setup. Great brakes. Handling was nice. Felt light and nimble -- much like my 250. Stable. Flickable. I could enjoy this bike. Engine. Man was this thing fun. Didn't have much torque on the bottom -- really felt a bit weak actually. But get it into the mid and the top and, honestly, felt almost as fast as my bike. Revs forever. You can't torque it around, but you have to twist the throttle a bit. If you do, this scooter moves. I enjoyed it and almost thought if it had 20% more on the bottom it would be a great mountain bike. I did run out of power and had to work it on the washes. All in all I liked it.
2014 FE501. Another fun bike but totally different. The power was awesome. Couldn't really evaluate the handling because the front tire was never on the ground!!! This bike boogied. Ironically, the bike didn't handle all that well for me. Headshake galore -- particularly when chopping the throttle and way more engine breaking than the FE250. Tired me out in the woops. Great engine though. Would be an incredible hard core dual sport bike and for a bigger guy -- an awesome desert sled.
TE300 -- Since I have a 250 with the similar chassis -- this bike felt like home. Typical 300 power plant. Great bottom and mid. Perfect engine for my stuff really. Top end pulls but it seems to vibrate a bit and fall a little flat. I like my 250 better. Just stuff those 4CS forks on my bike and I'd prefer it. Great bike -- but I like the free revving 250 just a bit better. The plastic subframe is kind of trick too.
Beta 300 -- This was the bike I was waiting to try. Really put together well. Dealer had installed the big tank. I rode this and the Husa 300 back to back to compare. The Beta seems just a hint heavier on lifting it on a stand. I did it to both and "thought" the Beta was just a touch heavier. Nothing big. On the trail not noticible at all. The Zokes on the Beta were not as nice as the 4CS. The were just a bit firmer through the mid stroke and seemed to feel a bit harsher. Good forks though. Better than my forks. Linkage rear end -- Money! I just prefer the lower rear ride height. The PDS seems to be more nervous at speed -- like the rear end sort of skips around a bit. The Beta rear end seemed to stay straighter thorugh the chopp and woops. In the slow speed stuff they both worked really well -- just the Beta was a bit lower -- more to my liking. Handling -- really nice. No hint of headshake at all. I was worried that they wouldn't stand up to the high speed stuff. If the Beta has any high speed issues, I'm not fast enough to notice it! Really nice. Its not a huge improvement over my bike though. But it is better -- maybe 15%. What makes the Beta awesome is the engine. Perfect. Every bit the bottom end and midrange of the Berg -- but it revs super smooth and feels awesome all the way to the top. Very linear with almost no vibration. The best way I can describe it is that it revs like my 250 but has 20% more torque. Really like it. Not an outright power monster. I'd have to say it was probably a little less powerful than the Berg. But boy was it smooth. A really great, confidence inspiring engine. The kicker was the estart! Much better. I've had about a zillion issues with my estart and finally yanked it off. You can't even see this one. My dealer said he has seen no issues in his shop with them. Downside -- seat is rock hard. Shockingly hard. I also think the radiators stick out a bit more than I would like -- and I can see snapping the shrouds off.
I will be in the market for a new scooter this time next year. Based on what I know now -- It will be a close call between the Husky and the Beta. This Beta was every bit as nice -- worth consideration assuming there is adequate support.
All were great bikes -- I could see any of them as my personal sled. But of all, I'd pick the Beta. Comparing it to my bike its a definite step up -- but I am not totally convinced its worth the $5000 check to get ride of mine and buy one of these.
Just my $0.02.
Here are some Thoughts:
2013 FE 250 - Super fun bike. Loved the 4CS forks. Plush, smooth through the mid-stroke and good bottoming resistance. Rear end was typical PDS. More when I compare the TE300 to the Beta [Beta has linkage]. Fit just fine -- used to the KTM setup. Great brakes. Handling was nice. Felt light and nimble -- much like my 250. Stable. Flickable. I could enjoy this bike. Engine. Man was this thing fun. Didn't have much torque on the bottom -- really felt a bit weak actually. But get it into the mid and the top and, honestly, felt almost as fast as my bike. Revs forever. You can't torque it around, but you have to twist the throttle a bit. If you do, this scooter moves. I enjoyed it and almost thought if it had 20% more on the bottom it would be a great mountain bike. I did run out of power and had to work it on the washes. All in all I liked it.
2014 FE501. Another fun bike but totally different. The power was awesome. Couldn't really evaluate the handling because the front tire was never on the ground!!! This bike boogied. Ironically, the bike didn't handle all that well for me. Headshake galore -- particularly when chopping the throttle and way more engine breaking than the FE250. Tired me out in the woops. Great engine though. Would be an incredible hard core dual sport bike and for a bigger guy -- an awesome desert sled.
TE300 -- Since I have a 250 with the similar chassis -- this bike felt like home. Typical 300 power plant. Great bottom and mid. Perfect engine for my stuff really. Top end pulls but it seems to vibrate a bit and fall a little flat. I like my 250 better. Just stuff those 4CS forks on my bike and I'd prefer it. Great bike -- but I like the free revving 250 just a bit better. The plastic subframe is kind of trick too.
Beta 300 -- This was the bike I was waiting to try. Really put together well. Dealer had installed the big tank. I rode this and the Husa 300 back to back to compare. The Beta seems just a hint heavier on lifting it on a stand. I did it to both and "thought" the Beta was just a touch heavier. Nothing big. On the trail not noticible at all. The Zokes on the Beta were not as nice as the 4CS. The were just a bit firmer through the mid stroke and seemed to feel a bit harsher. Good forks though. Better than my forks. Linkage rear end -- Money! I just prefer the lower rear ride height. The PDS seems to be more nervous at speed -- like the rear end sort of skips around a bit. The Beta rear end seemed to stay straighter thorugh the chopp and woops. In the slow speed stuff they both worked really well -- just the Beta was a bit lower -- more to my liking. Handling -- really nice. No hint of headshake at all. I was worried that they wouldn't stand up to the high speed stuff. If the Beta has any high speed issues, I'm not fast enough to notice it! Really nice. Its not a huge improvement over my bike though. But it is better -- maybe 15%. What makes the Beta awesome is the engine. Perfect. Every bit the bottom end and midrange of the Berg -- but it revs super smooth and feels awesome all the way to the top. Very linear with almost no vibration. The best way I can describe it is that it revs like my 250 but has 20% more torque. Really like it. Not an outright power monster. I'd have to say it was probably a little less powerful than the Berg. But boy was it smooth. A really great, confidence inspiring engine. The kicker was the estart! Much better. I've had about a zillion issues with my estart and finally yanked it off. You can't even see this one. My dealer said he has seen no issues in his shop with them. Downside -- seat is rock hard. Shockingly hard. I also think the radiators stick out a bit more than I would like -- and I can see snapping the shrouds off.
I will be in the market for a new scooter this time next year. Based on what I know now -- It will be a close call between the Husky and the Beta. This Beta was every bit as nice -- worth consideration assuming there is adequate support.
All were great bikes -- I could see any of them as my personal sled. But of all, I'd pick the Beta. Comparing it to my bike its a definite step up -- but I am not totally convinced its worth the $5000 check to get ride of mine and buy one of these.
Just my $0.02.
