Calling all 2013 TE449 owners - Would you buy it again?

[Mike-AK]

They started selling Kymco ATVs up here in Alaska. They suck. People bought them thinking they were getting a deal, and ended up eating it and turning around and buying a Honda or a Polaris. I would not buy an engine made by Kymco based on that experience. Now the Fuji in the Polaris is another story. They also make Subaru engines and they are excellent.

 

[LandofMotards]

The 449/511 seem to be pretty reliable...

 

[jerbear610]

It is a copy of the BMW 450 engine made by Kymco. BMW no longer owns Husqvarna.

Yes, I'm well aware of both points and actually it's not a copy of, it is the same motor that was in the BMW450 . They put it in the hands of the
Husky engineers to tinker with and it became the Husky TE449 and TE511 (Bored out version 476). The BMW 450 was off road too if I'm not mistaken...
I know nothing about the KYMCO ATV's or Scooters but I'm pretty sure it's probably a different motor.

 

[Tinken]

They started selling Kymco ATVs up here in Alaska. They suck. People bought them thinking they were getting a deal, and ended up eating it and turning around and buying a Honda or a Polaris. I would not buy an engine made by Kymco based on that experience. Now the Fuji in the Polaris is another story. They also make Subaru engines and they are excellent.

Totally different engine. The 449 engine is a light weight precision German engine manufactured in Taiwan. Some of the technology in these engines created in 2008 is just now reaching the KTM engines and in many ways, still superior.

 

[Mike-AK]

Totally different engine. The 449 engine is a light weight precision German engine manufactured in Taiwan. Some of the technology in these engines created in 2008 is just now reaching the KTM engines and in many ways, still superior.

You know much more than me, so I will defer to your judgment on this one.

P.S. - Harv is my hero.

 

[rancher1]

Wholeheartedly agree; I would add: the oil puking issue seems to be of great concern and should never require an aftermarket modification to bring it up to manufacturers specifications. Go ahead let me have it now that I have spoken the truth here

I am guessing you never heard of any honda crf's seizing transmission gears because of the manufactures specs for oil capacity. No one here is going to give it to you but all makes have problems and this is definitely not a husky only thing.

 

[Mike-AK]

Racing engine or not, one quart shared between an engine and a transmission is just stupid.

 

[Tinken]

Racing engine or not, one quart shared between an engine and a transmission is just stupid.

My 511 holds 1.5 quarts (1400cc), and I could stretch it to 1.8 (1700cc) like the Italian engines if I needed to.

 

[Radar]

Racing engine or not, one quart shared between an engine and a transmission is just stupid.

It may be stupid but it's not unusual, my Honda and Yamaha DS bike have a similar oil capacity.

 

[Husqmarkus]

I am guessing you never heard of any honda crf's seizing transmission gears because of the manufactures specs for oil capacity. No one here is going to give it to you but all makes have problems and this is definitely not a husky only thing.

I have never had an experience with Honda or Yamaha spitting out oil when filled to manufacturer's specified capacity. Seizing is merely a result; not the problem. Maybe Honda CRFs do seize because of lack of oil circulation/capacity, but I have never witnessed them puking oil out when filled to manufacturer's specifications. And I would suspect if they did seize due to manufacturer's failure they would be replaced? No experience in that arena.

 

[James Patton]

Kymco split from honda in 93

 

[Tinken]

I have never had an experience with Honda or Yamaha spitting out oil when filled to manufacturer's specified capacity.

Playing on a hunch here, but maybe you too can spot the oil breather bottle on the Yamaha, Honda, KTM, Kawasaki, etc...
I know, I know, you said that You have never experienced it, but now you have seen it! See how much better you feel inside? All warm and fuzzy.

 

[Mike-AK]

Nice toes.

 

[Motosportz]

Hell YES I would buy it again. LOVE this motorcycle.

http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/another-great-weekend-on-the-511.34075/#post-323289

Mike-AK can hate dislike on it all he wants, don't care. Has been super reliable, super satisfying, is not afraid to think outside the box and don't look now but the people that actually own one and ride one seem to love it. I don't care where the engine is built it is reliable and speaking to dealers and people in the know (not internet jockeys) they all say how stinking reliable they are. So we can spout all we want about the motor but it is very good if your willing to look past the hate spread on it on some crapfest internet forums. I have had PILES of huskys. My Taiwanese motor seems to have no issues when riding with my Indian built (KTM) brothers. Valves have not moved in over 4000 hard miles. Crap seems to last forever on this bike. Zero bolts backing out like my 08 TE450 would (had to keep an eye on many bolts on that bike but was a very good bike too. It is simply NOT the POS some want it to be, sorry.

 

[McKay]

I don't see Mike's comments as hating on it, he's just calling it like it is. You have a vested interest in the line as you are a vendor and manufacturer. No matter what you say, that fact alone has some impact on your 'love fest' with the model. I really like your products Kelly, have bought much of it and its super, I also respect your opinion when it doesn't come across like a car salesman trying to convince me my decision is not tight. The model has issues, big ones? Maybe, maybe not, but they exist and sugar coating it does no one any good. We all get our opinions right? Id sure like to see them respected and all on the same playing field. While I totally agree with Mikes opinions, I also agree with many of yours. If the bike was a good as you claim, Tinkin and Ty wouldn't have much to do and Rear would be watching the soaps instead of re-engineering the dam breathing system.

 

[oregonsage]

Tinken beat me to it. I remember the travails of keeping oil in a Yamaha 500 4 stroke my best friend was racing ....circa 1974 . We were motocrossing, but every flattracker on the planet showed us their oil catch system.

The problem is due to the simple physics of the big bore racing engine in a tight package.


BMW made a simple business decision that the system was adequate for all those casually ridden TEs and that the rest of us would apply the centuries of hot rodding knowledge to improving the weak points.

I had two CRF450X Hondas and one of the selling features to me was the separate tranny oil. In the end I would rather change the oil in my 511 every other week than deal with a powerband that wore me out and a starting ritual that bordered on absurd with the Hondas.

My Android smartphone locked up twice last week.

 

[James Patton]

Go to any bike specific forum, most have more issues than my 511. I own 7 motorcycles, ride rain or shine, i don't mind opposing opinions, but continually complaining without contributing to solutions is tiring. I have had zero issues with my 511, its not a street bike or a dual purpose race bred stuff seems to always need some tweaking i thought this forum was for sharing ideas about the bikes hopefully positive, problem solving.

 

[Motosportz]

I don't see Mike's comments as hating on it, he's just calling it like it is. You have a vested interest in the line as you are a vendor and manufacturer. No matter what you say, that fact alone has some impact on your 'love fest' with the model. I really like your products Kelly, have bought much of it and its super, I also respect your opinion when it doesn't come across like a car salesman trying to convince me my decision is not tight. The model has issues, big ones? Maybe, maybe not, but they exist and sugar coating it does no one any good. We all get our opinions right? Id sure like to see them respected and all on the same playing field. While I totally agree with Mikes opinions, I also agree with many of yours. If the bike was a good as you claim, Tinkin and Ty wouldn't have much to do and Rear would be watching the soaps instead of re-engineering the dam breathing system.

This simply is not the case. My "love fest" has exactly ZERO to do with trying to sell anything. I am not trying to talk someone into buying a bike because i think down the road I can sell this person something. I REALLY do like this bike and I also have a "love fest" with my 04 125 which I sell nothing but a 165 kit someone else makes and I just help facilitate the sales of. I get this once in a while where it seems I cant like something because I am just trying to sell. I make almost nothing for the 449/511 except a damper setup and rotor guards that cross over from many models. This simply is not the case (car sales approach). I like this bike because it is stone reliable, works fantastic for me, takes me anywhere, is cool looking (to me) and unique. I embrace out of the box thinking and like odd stuff. This bike just does it for me. I am not alone here. Look at this thread. Almost 100% of the people who actually own one love it. I used to cycle through bikes pretty often but am very happy with my 04 165, 511 and TR650 to cover everything and am in no hurry to sell my 511 as I ride it a ton and love it and it works great for me. Why cant it just be that simple without reading a bunch into it. The people that are hating on it here don't own one and many have never rode one and just hate it because it is BMW inspired and did not win races. Thats fine. I'll just enjoy mine and continue to give honest assessments of my 2 plus years and 4500 miles on the bike riding all sorts of terrain on. Seems all my freinds who toss a leg over it love it too. I get tired of the "this bikes need thousands of dollars of upgrades" posts too. I "fixed" my oil in the airbox "issue" with a $5 hunk of hose. It really "needs" nothing else. If you want more power and better running the $40 ECU remap and a $200 muffler will get you huge power upgrades. This is a great bike IMHO.

 

[McKay]

I simply don't read Mike hating it or others here. I must still have my sunglasses on.
You are also forgetting that until just recently the $40 remap was not available and MOST, not ALL, of us had to spend hundreds on tuners to make the thing run. Simple fact your glossing over.

Anyhow, I like mine for what it is, its served me well after mods and made me happy. I still wouldn't buy it or another product that needed tuners, ecu updates and exhaust mods to run when new. If I had known these things in 2011 I would have steered clear.
Here we are in 2013 and now it is well known they don't run or breath correctly until modified, its cheaper to fix these things now thanks to the likes of ZipTy and others.

I don't want a fight here, its an opinion from someone who DOES own one.

 

[Motosportz]

I simply don't read Mike hating it or others here. I must still have my sunglasses on.
You are also forgetting that until just recently the $40 remap was not available and MOST, not ALL, of us had to spend hundreds on tuners to make the thing run. Simple fact your glossing over.

Anyhow, I like mine for what it is, its served me well after mods and made me happy. I still wouldn't buy it or another product that needed tuners, ecu updates and exhaust mods to run when new. If I had known these things in 2011 I would have steered clear.
Here we are in 2013 and now it is well known they don't run or breath correctly until modified, its cheaper to fix these things now thanks to the likes of ZipTy and others.

I don't want a fight here, its an opinion from someone who DOES own one.

Its all good. Good points and understood. I liked my bike with the race map II (free) and $5 hose plus uncorked stock can so really it can be a good bike for nearly free and you must keep in mind pretty much all DEQ legal factory bikes need some uncorking / remapping at some point to run like a closed course bike should. Buy a TXC or TC and deal with non of these issues. I ride with many KTM 350 riders and they are all struggling more than we are to make the EFI work right. I don't want a fight ether just want to be able to like a bike and not be called out as a car salesman. It's not just this post that Mike posted about it is an accumulation of his posts and obvious hate for the bike. Even though he owns a bike he had to replace the ECU and injector to get to run right and holds a shared 1 quart of oil which he claims is stupid (yet pretty standard these days even on the uber reliable YZF motors). Which is fine but tiring to read from guys that have not owned a bike how horrible it is. There is another web forum for stuff like that. Bottom line is a ride with piles of KTM owners and those are said to be the top performers and win at all levels. I feel I give up nothing to them and am quite happy to toil away on my "inferior" machine all day long. IMHO it is a great bike stock that needs a little sorting due to EPA regs and the plate. After that it is VERY good. ZipTy did a few things for mine and it took it to yet another level of performance. This and the complete lack of needing to fix anything (no bearing failures, no bolts backing out, valves have never moved, no E-stater issues, no crap mikuni EFI that needs injectors and ECUs, an air filter that stays clean forever, CTS that seems to make the chain and sprockets last forever, etc.) for over 4000 miles. Can hardly wait to put some more miles on it. It is slightly cumbersome int he really tight stuff at walking speeds for sure. Most big bore dualsport based bikes with a plate are. Once it opens up to half throttle in 1st or above I am all smiles and couldn't ask for much more. When the new 70 degree Bergs came out I demoed on for a weekend and fell in love with the FE390. I bought this bike hoping it would be a similar mount and I feel it really is.