Was HR right?... Game changer?

[Ride]

Its no secret the 449/511 platform is doing well right out of the gate in off road racing. Now it looks like the SMR version is right on the tail of the world champ after it's debut, fantastic showing. Every person that has bought one seems to really love it.

I myself am so enamored by the bike I find it near perfect for me and WAY better than I had hoped. The amazing motor, the smooth clutch and trans, that awesome stock suspension (for my woods work), the light feel while riding, the unflappable handling and surefootedness... etc. I find very little to fault with it. After 375 miles I find it near perfect for me and very EZ to live with. Not new bike hype, real performance appreciation.

Vid from Sunday -

I know many hate the bike because of it's looks or BMW origin. I would defy anyone to ride mine and say it is not great. Go ride one.

Those of you that have bought them and have some time on them what are your thoughts?

[Russ Henry]

Sounds like it changed your game. If I bought one now my game would change too. I would be sharing the dog house with Oliver and Reggie.

May be worth it.?

[tm_enduro]

Good to hear. I am kind of surprised by this. The WEC riders have have seemingly abandoned the 449/511 platform in favor of the 250/310 platform.

[Ride]

May be worth it.

Hopefully you can come down and ride it this weekend and decide for yourself.

[Ride]

Good to hear. I am kind of surprised by this. The WEC riders have have seemingly abandoned the 449/511 platform in favor of the 250/310 platform.

Jeff (Tasky) should have his TXC449 soon, hit him up for a ride.

[36MotoMarc]

I'm glad it's a geat bike. But to be a "game changer" or "a new benchmark" it has to be superior to everything else out there. It's not. While most reports I've seen are good, they aren't up to "game changer" status. And, since there is no real shootouts or comparisons out there, and there has yet to even be a MX test by an MX magazine, I don't think it deserves the "gamechanger" title. Great bike? Yes. Cool and out-of-the-box design? Absolutely. New Benchmark? Nope.

[Ride]

I'm glad it's a geat bike. But to be a "game changer" or "a new benchmark" it has to be superior to everything else out there. It's not. While most reports I've seen are good, they aren't up to "game changer" status. And, since there is no real shootouts or comparisons out there, and there has yet to even be a MX test by an MX magazine, I don't think it deserves the "gamechanger" title. Great bike? Yes. Cool and out-of-the-box design? Absolutely. New Benchmark? Nope.

so you rode one? What did you think? BTW MX is a really small part of the picture for husky, they are off road world champs with piles of titles, SM titles galore as well. Modern huskys have never done well in the USA MX nor have they played to that market and still are not.

Was the Berg a game changer (awesome EFI and new motor config)? What would be in your opinion? Original CRF450? Original YZ400? What?

BTW I kinda meant for the husky line.

Not starting a fight just trying to get a feel as to what would be a game changer in your mind. For me they took a lot of chances with the config, the motor and entire package and it's looks. That it is this good with such a new bike and such a short build cycle I find amazing.

[36MotoMarc]

so you rode one? What did you think? BTW MX is a really small part of the picture for husky, they are off road world champs with piles of titles, SM titles galore as well. Modern huskys have never done well in the USA MX nor have they played to that market and still are not.

Was the Berg a game changer (awesome EFI and new motor config)? What would be in your opinion? Original CRF450? Original YZ400? What?

BTW I kinda meant for the husky line.

Not starting a fight just trying to get a feel as to what would be a game changer in your mind. For me they took a lot of chances with the config, the motor and entire package and it's looks. That it is this good with such a new bike and such a short build cycle I find amazing.

You know I haven't so It's hard to feel like you're not trying to start a fight. I hestitated to respond because it sure felt like baiting, but what the heck. I already stated what I thought a gamechanger was, superior to everything else out there. That would be the 1966 CZ 2 strokes, then the '73 japanese two-strokes. The YZ400 was a gamechanger. The yz250f was a gamechanger. You see, you don't have to tell everyone what a gamechanger is, they gravitate to it. Aspiring pros HAVE to have it. You calling something a gamechanger hardley makes it so.

A gamechanger defines itself. It changes the sport.

Have the new Huskies done that? Heck have they even won a shootout? Have pros gravitated to it?? Has it upped someones game even? Why didn't Juha stay on it?? Isn't going from winning on big bikes to winning on smallbores a demotion?

I agree that it is better than you or I expected and is pretty cool to see it do well with so many innovative designs, but it's no gamechanger. Just a cool, out-of-the-box-design bike. And yes, to be an AMAZING bike it has to kick ass on a moto track, there aren't many people foolish enough to argue that expert-level MX isn't the ultimate test of ANY bike's limits.

And I'm truely glad you love your new bike. Congrats, wish I could afford ANYTHING new.

[tm_enduro]

I'm going to have to somewhat agree with Ride here. The Husky 449/511 may verywell make their mark for upping the game for many trail riders. The incredible traction provided by this bike will have riders conquering terrain that may otherwise may be unridable. The 1977 Suzuki pe250, the 1984 Husky WR400, and the 1990 KTM EXC250, and the 1989 Husaberg FE501 were all game changers.

[BDM]

Game changer?

Their off to a good start. I think Husky has come a long way in the last 5 years especially in the US and their latest offerings are bold and new think. But good knowledgeable dealers committed to the brand are still to few and far between. Given the extremely difficult economic times of recent they have shown surprising strength.

If the innovation of the 449/511 is followed by decent market share then a definite maybe.

Bruce

Edited April 6, 2011 by BDM

[Tony Williams]

What feature does the 449/511 have that the G450X didn't have?

I loved my 1998 YZ400F, and it most certainly was a game changer.

[Nathanael]

What constitutes a game changer?

[JoePass]

I loved my 1998 YZ400F, and it most certainly was a game changer.

Yamaha has been changing the game as long as they've been in the game. My 81' YZ125 back in the day was the first MXer with watercooling sporting that radiator that was mounted behind the front number plate. Surprising it was the best handling bike I've ever owned. Hell they had "Mono-shock" years before the rest of the world, although it was a little different than the "Full Floater", "Pro-Link" and "Uni-Track" which came way later. Then, of course there's the whole 4 Stroke revolution which still blows my mind because back when I was riding two-strokes many years ago, I never would have thought that a four-stroke would ever be competitive with a two-stroke on an MX track.

In regards to "Game changer"....there's no defining benchmark to go by.

Clearly, for "Ride" the TE511 is a game changer because it's everything he ever wanted in a bike and more. Motomarc seems to think that unless it's

winning MX races here in the US then it's not a game changer.

Husqvarna has been changing the game for decades. Back in the day

Husky used to rule the off-road world. They've got all those World Titles to

show for it. I think that all the negative speculation that was going on has

proven to be wrong and this forum is a better place without all the back and forth bs that was going on with officer Dunkin D and the like. Keep up the

cool reports, Kelly. I'm diggin' it. Out !!

[Some Dude]

What feature does the 449/511 have that the G450X didn't have?

I loved my 1998 YZ400F, and it most certainly was a game changer.

Although the 449/511 does have a top side linkage,............which Ducati and others have done before.

[rj133]

The YZ 400 gets the credit even though Husky had a moto ready thumper by the late 80s and won an MX title with it in 93 with Jacky Martens winning the 500 world championship.

[Ride]

Good stuff and exactly the type of conversation I was hoping for. Lots of really good points. I personally do not think the bike is a monumental game changer ether. I do think it is good enough to be one for husky, and could be a huge seller if people get over their preconceptions and ride one. It is innovative and luckily those innovations seem to translate to positive traits in the bike not just gimmicks. And no, Mark, i thought from your statement you had rode one, I was not bating you. Your response is as valid as anyones here. Thanks for entertaining the discussion. MX is a place where MX bikes evolve but to me is not the end all for bikes. It has a lot to do with our interests. Marc obviously is an MX head and everything has to pass through that system to be validated in his mind. To me it is more about what the bikes original mission is and for this bike that is off road. Just like the DRZ400 and KDX as HUGE sellers and LOVED by many but have never have seen a MX track.

[Ride]

What feature does the 449/511 have that the G450X didn't have?

linkage, very good suspension, frame, everything but the motor block, and rave reviews. It is a totally different bike. Buddy Adam rode a G450X when they first came out and hated it. Rode my TE511 and loved it.

[Ride]

The YZ 400 gets the credit even though Husky had a moto ready thumper by the late 80s and won an MX title with it in 93 with Jacky Martens winning the 500 world championship.

I know huh? I always thought it was so weird when the YZF400 came out and they acted like the light weight and powerful husky 4 stroke never existed. Back in the day 4 strokes rulled, then 2 strokes gained expansion chambers, power valves and water cooling and ruled for a long time. Then came the YZF400 and Doug Henry and flipped it again. Now talk about DFI 2st and maybe 2st's will dominate again. All I know is in the end we the consumer win.

[stroker]

I own a 2010 BMW G450x and have ridden the new 449TXC. I race A class, my buddy with teh TXC races AA. He broke his hand last weekend (not the bikes fault!).

I personally prefer the BMW. It is lighter and much thinner and smaller feeling.

[Some Dude]

I own a 2010 BMW G450x and have ridden the new 449TXC. I race A class, my buddy with teh TXC races AA. He broke his hand last weekend (not the bikes fault!).

I personally prefer the BMW. It is lighter and much thinner and smaller feeling.

I'm in the same boat, it took a year to get the G450X dialed in for me, but now that it is I don't see giving it up or replacing it.

If the TE511 had a wide ratio 6speed I'd own one for myself right this very second and turn the G450X into my single tracker/enduro bike, but that's not the case. So it looks like a WR250 might be my single track mule since I let a buddy talk me out of my 525SX recently, although a TC449 has entered my mind a time or two as a possibility.