kenaroo
Husqvarna
AA Class
I know I'm late in the game. but I recently traded an old KTM 640 adv for a low hour (15) 2011 txc 449.
I know we all heard and read the reports from the mags & online "experts" on this bike. I also read a lot of your posts on ADV, thumpertalk and Cafe Husky.
always wondered why there were such polarizing reports on this bike.
Been riding since I was 7 years old. raced everything from desert to enduros. before the injury (acl/pcl in 2011) I was racing over 40 A. I consider myself a fast intermediate/ slow expert.. though if all goes right I've been able to pull off a win in the expert class once in a while and finish top 3 to 5 most of the time. But there is always someone faster than me in my class. and when I have a bad day.. it's usually a dnf.
forward to last weekends ride on the txc 449.
weather was in upper 60's with light rain the week days before giving the dirt great grip.. this was a local private ranch that opened up property to club rides and a few hare scrambles a year.. I've been on the trails for over 15 years so I know how my other bike performed here.
from the first pull of clutch and hitting the starter button the bike came to life and the bike was ready to go.
I felt a little on top of the bike and a little cramped. though it's been a while on a dirt bike so it wasn't all due to the bike.
trails were a mixed of semi tight trails to flowing fast trails around the Pecan bottoms. really fun and different.
Power on the bike was nice.. smooth and would rev to the moon when needed.. I'm not looking for abrupt power but something I could handle and easy to modulate the throttle... I found this bike to be exactly what I could handle easily.
Turning.. I will say this... this bike handles much better on the trails than my Beta's ever did. changing directions in the flowing fast trails was easy. I just had to think and initiate the turn and the husky would go there.
suspension: at 5'11" 215 lbs.. I found the suspension almost right for these trails. I set sag and 120mm in the rear and it felt good. I was tentative on the sharp fast bumps. I was afraid of the bike kicking. I can say by the end of the day I was on throttle hitting those bumps with no fear.. front felt good but I ended up taking more clicks out of the compression to soften up the front end by end of the day. Over all.. I really don't think I'm going to mess with the suspension until I get more time on the bike.. it felt great to me.
traction.. yep.. the bike hooks up.. rocky hill climbs were more easier than I remembered from past rides on this trail.. I did loose the rear end and go down on a off camber left to a steep hill climb on a snotty trail... just gave it a little too much throttle. I should have up shifted and let the torque pull me up the hill.
Net it out.. What hell were the mags talking about.. as an experienced "club" rider.. this bike is perfect for play riding and racing.. I think I can go fast on the bike all day and be as competitive as I used to be.. too bad negative press and polarizing style took the "sails" out of the sale of these bikes.. and once again.. I think many people just didn't give it a chance like it deserved.
I can tell you this.. I'll be riding this bike for a few more years and don't think I'd be faster on any other...
I know we all heard and read the reports from the mags & online "experts" on this bike. I also read a lot of your posts on ADV, thumpertalk and Cafe Husky.
always wondered why there were such polarizing reports on this bike.
Been riding since I was 7 years old. raced everything from desert to enduros. before the injury (acl/pcl in 2011) I was racing over 40 A. I consider myself a fast intermediate/ slow expert.. though if all goes right I've been able to pull off a win in the expert class once in a while and finish top 3 to 5 most of the time. But there is always someone faster than me in my class. and when I have a bad day.. it's usually a dnf.
forward to last weekends ride on the txc 449.
weather was in upper 60's with light rain the week days before giving the dirt great grip.. this was a local private ranch that opened up property to club rides and a few hare scrambles a year.. I've been on the trails for over 15 years so I know how my other bike performed here.
from the first pull of clutch and hitting the starter button the bike came to life and the bike was ready to go.
I felt a little on top of the bike and a little cramped. though it's been a while on a dirt bike so it wasn't all due to the bike.
trails were a mixed of semi tight trails to flowing fast trails around the Pecan bottoms. really fun and different.
Power on the bike was nice.. smooth and would rev to the moon when needed.. I'm not looking for abrupt power but something I could handle and easy to modulate the throttle... I found this bike to be exactly what I could handle easily.
Turning.. I will say this... this bike handles much better on the trails than my Beta's ever did. changing directions in the flowing fast trails was easy. I just had to think and initiate the turn and the husky would go there.
suspension: at 5'11" 215 lbs.. I found the suspension almost right for these trails. I set sag and 120mm in the rear and it felt good. I was tentative on the sharp fast bumps. I was afraid of the bike kicking. I can say by the end of the day I was on throttle hitting those bumps with no fear.. front felt good but I ended up taking more clicks out of the compression to soften up the front end by end of the day. Over all.. I really don't think I'm going to mess with the suspension until I get more time on the bike.. it felt great to me.
traction.. yep.. the bike hooks up.. rocky hill climbs were more easier than I remembered from past rides on this trail.. I did loose the rear end and go down on a off camber left to a steep hill climb on a snotty trail... just gave it a little too much throttle. I should have up shifted and let the torque pull me up the hill.
Net it out.. What hell were the mags talking about.. as an experienced "club" rider.. this bike is perfect for play riding and racing.. I think I can go fast on the bike all day and be as competitive as I used to be.. too bad negative press and polarizing style took the "sails" out of the sale of these bikes.. and once again.. I think many people just didn't give it a chance like it deserved.
I can tell you this.. I'll be riding this bike for a few more years and don't think I'd be faster on any other...
