Milton 13-11-04 with Mark, Kim, Bram, Ray, Andrew & Cesare

Bram - WR426F
GPS Mark - WR450F
Kim - Husaberg 550FE
Ray - WR450F
Cesare - DR250
Andrew - WR250F

We began riding from the Milton fire station at 0750. Onto the dirt we went straight into a hillclimb where I had trouble controlling the Swedish beast, but we made it after a brief stop half way up.

We came to a bog hole where Mark went down, then me (then I roosted Bram who was laughing at me), then we stopped and waited for Cesare to go down in it as well !

We did a bit of bike swapping so most had a go on each another's bikes. I saw Andrew pull a fabulous wheelie on the Berg the first time he took off on it.

We arrived at East Lynne at 1300 for first fuel stop after a burst along the powerlines on the eastern side of the highway. Andrew's bike which I was riding at the time went into reserve so I ended up kicking to get it going  (just to make sure I didn't get soft from the electric start Berg !). Cesare left after lunch to ride back to Milton.

We left to the powerlines track on the western side of the highway at 1400. There are some wicked up and downhills on this section that cross creeks on the bottom - another boghole claimed Mark and I. Bram was on fire on this section leading the way. We came to a steep, loose hill which caused dramas for all of us. Half way up I saw Ray turn his bike on the bottom and head back to have another go when it wasn't blocked by fallen bikes and riders. Only when at the hill top did I find out that Ray was actually trying to climb the hill but lost control of the front end and the turn was completely unintentional ! 

We arrived at East Lynne at 1600 for the second fuel stop. Andrew then left to return to Milton. The rest left at 1630 along the singletracks northwards.

I'll tell you about the worst roost attempt I've ever seen - a certain WR450F (equipped with GPS I may say) rider stopped in a mud hole to lay the trap, as I approached he then revved the motor and dropped the clutch, back wheel grabbed traction, front wheel went skyward and to the right side, bike fell onto side, pinning rider to ground in mud and water !  Unless the rider was trying to drown himself, the roost attempt was a complete failure ! More practice required ! Ha Ha !

Going down a long and loose hill, Bram popped out of the grass to show me where his bike was laying so I could avoid hitting it ! (ever seen the movie " Clear and Present Danger" ? - Bram was like the camouflage expert in the movie, coming out from the ground !

The sweep (Ray) actually got faster as the day wore on, towards the end he was up with the leader and having drag races with the Berg !

We arrived back at the cars at 1920, 11.5 hours and 240ks later !

The weather was great, not too hot or glary. The tracks were loamy, dust free with a few puddles and bog holes to provide some more fun. All in all, one of the best rides ever ! High praise indeed !

Thanks to Mark for leading, Cesare and Ray for sweeping, and Bram and Andrew for riding with us. All provided entertainment in some form or another. We never did see Bateman's Bay however.

I'll give my test report on the Husaberg 550FE. Thanks to Anthony Gunter from the Dirt Bike Factory (new Husaberg dealer) for loaning it for the weekend.

Upright side stand (like a KTM) means you need to find level ground to stand it on. Hot start and cold choke buttons are awkward to reach under the tank, beware of the nearby  exhaust pipe when hot ! The swingarm chain slider looks a bit thin. The bike started and ran faultlessly hot or cold. The rear brake lever felt too low - a matter of personal setup. Bars are forward of steering head so you lean forward. Hydraulic clutch is light and has good feel but squeals when loaded - Anthony assured me this is normal for Husabergs and KTMs. Digital speedo takes a while to get used to. Brakes are precise and efficient. Steers great - no front end washouts.

Power is smooth and linear - but it is powerful ! Fourth gear wheelies at 100Ks  - as long as there is traction - not a worry (like my Yamaha IT490 two stroke I owned). Third gear starts - not a problem ! This bike has grunt ! It feels light - it has a two stroke feel as far as weight goes. The gears changed precisely with or without the clutch (I never hit a neutral - in fact neutral was hard to find but wasn't needed as it started easily in gear). Engine braking is less than my WR so more braking is required into corners or down hills. Standard six speed gearing felt fine with a good spread. All it needs over standard are BarkBusters, a bash plate and ultra heavy duty tubes.

Suspension is supple and I only bottomed the rear shock on the largest erosion mounds. The forks behaved well and helped the great steering - I felt no headshake.

Jetting was spot on - stock according to Anthony. Nothing has broken or fallen off in 1000ks. No air box makes it easy to wash and clean the rear suspension. I carried two litres of extra fuel but I never needed it so the standard 8.5litre fuel tank is sufficient.

Kim's verdict - I loved it ! (even in the Swedish national colours of yellow and blue !)

Kim Bazley.