John_Belgium
Husqvarna
B Class
Well I own a Honda VFR800 mwhich is a great sports/toer bike and I bought it in 2004 but it was the "old"model of 2001. I got it for a strong discounted prize, a little more then a second hand. New they were 13.500,- euro new and I got mine for 8.500,- euro. I got a give set on it and tankbag and navigation a Garmin Quest. I went to Italy in 2005 but after that I almost never drive it, but I like my bike a lot.
I also have a property in the Philippines and almost everybody in there drive a very light bike. So at a fair in NL (actually I am Dutch, but I live in Belgium for almost 6 years now) in feburari I saw a KTM 390 Duke, I sit on it and I was immediately crazy by the weight and it looked so easy to handle. I thought it is a perfect bike for the Phillipines as well. Offcourse the Duke has a hard suspension and therefore it is not ideal to travel the bad roads in there, but in NL or B it is fantastic, I am sure.
Well I read a lot in the internet that KTM would develop a adventure 390 and that looks like my dream bike in the Phillipines, light, quite cheap as they produce these at Bajaj India. Just a few weeks ago when I planned to go to the Eicma fair in Italy I found out that KTM did not have any plan or development for a 390 adventure, so my dream splashed apart.
Then I found the video of on 2 wheels where they compare a 690 Duke with a TR650 Strada, well that get a little interest as they both thought it was a better bike then the KTM. I did not like a small power range, strong brakes and an agressive bike, but I wanted a balanced bike that I can use for touring and fun (a little like my VFR but then for bad tarmac roads and much lighter).
After looking again in the internet I found that the Husky in NL was 5.999,- euro and in Belgium only 5.499,- for a new Strada or Terra. Well that was more or less the same as for the 390 Duke. Then I found the amazing offer for a Husky TR650 Strada which was a demo for only 4.200,- euo. I call to hear if it was really true, because that is absolutely dirt cheap.
It was true and I also worried a little about the ending of the production by the CEO of KTM to get parts. Actually any other comparable bike, like the Yamaha XT660 costs 7.000 euro, so if i need to wait sometimes for a month or 2 or 3 to get my parts, weel that is then not a big problem for me. Besides many parts are BMW parts.
Did I only go for the prize ? No, definetly not, I am only small with my 1.70 cm or 5,7 if I am correct in US sizes and these off road bikes are useally much to high for me. As I am quite spoiled by the hydraulic clutch of my VFR I will never ever by a bike when I need heavy power to handle the clutch. I like to ride for my pleasure, not for bodybuilding my wrist. So I decided to go to the Husky dealer and test if the bike fit to my needs.
At the dealer I first test the cluch and it was remarkable light, perfect so to say. Looks of the Husky were not my ultimate taste, but it look better in real then on a picture. I climed on the bike and I could just touch the ground with my toe's (is this spelling correct ?. The dealer explaned that the bike could be lower at the front and also at the back. I wanted to ride the bike and that was ok for the dealer.
My testdrive made a big smile on my face. I really liked that the bike is extremely light to handle, and the gearbox is also fine. Only 5 gears and the engine like to rev, but also it was very relaxed to drive in touring mode. The brakes work fine, not agressive and especially the rear brake seems to work fine as well. Enginebrake also good when you close the gas. I drove 80 km roads, slowly though the center and also on the highway. On the highway with 120 km or more I catch a lot of wind, but 100 km or below it was no problem for wind and indeed a real nice ride.
After the testdrive I was impressed but I doubt about the Strada or the Terra. I thought about the testing and getting a Terra, but I almost never ever drive dirtroads. 3 days later I ordered my Husky TR650 Strada with handguards and a windscreen. Yesterday I get my Strada and I already drive 300 km on it. It is a large difference with my VFR800, but both have their own purpose.
That was my maybe strange story how and why I bought a TR650 Strada. I plan to keep both of my bikes and for a long time. This TR650's are most likely going to be collecteritems as there are only a few made and this for a brand with a history of 110 years old. Actually it is a waste of development money to stop the production, but who am I to advice the CEO of KTM. I do understand that he does not like to sell partial BMW motorbikes, that is their competitor.
Maybee when I go to Phillippines when I retire (in 20 years) I will put the TR650 Strada on a containerboat and transport it in there, or another option is to buy a Husqvarna TR650 Terra in the Philippines as well because I see that the Husky's are now being dumped all over the world. I see it on facebook and www.ayosdito.ph already for real dumpprizes as low as 220.000 peso which is a 3.800,- euro. This is only a little more then a container transport by boat and does not require import tax and paperwork in the Philippines.
Next time I will not post a lot of text, but I like to post nice pictures. It seems that most people in here are in the states or Australia and have a lot of dirtroads but beautifull places. Maybe these pictures also convince me to enjoy life life more by driving through places which are nice to see. I try to catch some nice spots in Netherlands, Belgium or Germany as I will use the Strada for short distances like max. 400 km a day.
John
I also have a property in the Philippines and almost everybody in there drive a very light bike. So at a fair in NL (actually I am Dutch, but I live in Belgium for almost 6 years now) in feburari I saw a KTM 390 Duke, I sit on it and I was immediately crazy by the weight and it looked so easy to handle. I thought it is a perfect bike for the Phillipines as well. Offcourse the Duke has a hard suspension and therefore it is not ideal to travel the bad roads in there, but in NL or B it is fantastic, I am sure.
Well I read a lot in the internet that KTM would develop a adventure 390 and that looks like my dream bike in the Phillipines, light, quite cheap as they produce these at Bajaj India. Just a few weeks ago when I planned to go to the Eicma fair in Italy I found out that KTM did not have any plan or development for a 390 adventure, so my dream splashed apart.
Then I found the video of on 2 wheels where they compare a 690 Duke with a TR650 Strada, well that get a little interest as they both thought it was a better bike then the KTM. I did not like a small power range, strong brakes and an agressive bike, but I wanted a balanced bike that I can use for touring and fun (a little like my VFR but then for bad tarmac roads and much lighter).
After looking again in the internet I found that the Husky in NL was 5.999,- euro and in Belgium only 5.499,- for a new Strada or Terra. Well that was more or less the same as for the 390 Duke. Then I found the amazing offer for a Husky TR650 Strada which was a demo for only 4.200,- euo. I call to hear if it was really true, because that is absolutely dirt cheap.
It was true and I also worried a little about the ending of the production by the CEO of KTM to get parts. Actually any other comparable bike, like the Yamaha XT660 costs 7.000 euro, so if i need to wait sometimes for a month or 2 or 3 to get my parts, weel that is then not a big problem for me. Besides many parts are BMW parts.
Did I only go for the prize ? No, definetly not, I am only small with my 1.70 cm or 5,7 if I am correct in US sizes and these off road bikes are useally much to high for me. As I am quite spoiled by the hydraulic clutch of my VFR I will never ever by a bike when I need heavy power to handle the clutch. I like to ride for my pleasure, not for bodybuilding my wrist. So I decided to go to the Husky dealer and test if the bike fit to my needs.
At the dealer I first test the cluch and it was remarkable light, perfect so to say. Looks of the Husky were not my ultimate taste, but it look better in real then on a picture. I climed on the bike and I could just touch the ground with my toe's (is this spelling correct ?. The dealer explaned that the bike could be lower at the front and also at the back. I wanted to ride the bike and that was ok for the dealer.
My testdrive made a big smile on my face. I really liked that the bike is extremely light to handle, and the gearbox is also fine. Only 5 gears and the engine like to rev, but also it was very relaxed to drive in touring mode. The brakes work fine, not agressive and especially the rear brake seems to work fine as well. Enginebrake also good when you close the gas. I drove 80 km roads, slowly though the center and also on the highway. On the highway with 120 km or more I catch a lot of wind, but 100 km or below it was no problem for wind and indeed a real nice ride.
After the testdrive I was impressed but I doubt about the Strada or the Terra. I thought about the testing and getting a Terra, but I almost never ever drive dirtroads. 3 days later I ordered my Husky TR650 Strada with handguards and a windscreen. Yesterday I get my Strada and I already drive 300 km on it. It is a large difference with my VFR800, but both have their own purpose.
That was my maybe strange story how and why I bought a TR650 Strada. I plan to keep both of my bikes and for a long time. This TR650's are most likely going to be collecteritems as there are only a few made and this for a brand with a history of 110 years old. Actually it is a waste of development money to stop the production, but who am I to advice the CEO of KTM. I do understand that he does not like to sell partial BMW motorbikes, that is their competitor.
Maybee when I go to Phillippines when I retire (in 20 years) I will put the TR650 Strada on a containerboat and transport it in there, or another option is to buy a Husqvarna TR650 Terra in the Philippines as well because I see that the Husky's are now being dumped all over the world. I see it on facebook and www.ayosdito.ph already for real dumpprizes as low as 220.000 peso which is a 3.800,- euro. This is only a little more then a container transport by boat and does not require import tax and paperwork in the Philippines.
Next time I will not post a lot of text, but I like to post nice pictures. It seems that most people in here are in the states or Australia and have a lot of dirtroads but beautifull places. Maybe these pictures also convince me to enjoy life life more by driving through places which are nice to see. I try to catch some nice spots in Netherlands, Belgium or Germany as I will use the Strada for short distances like max. 400 km a day.
John
